Blog: From Vet School to Farm Vet

Part of the pioneer cohort of Harper & Keele Veterinary School students, Lewis Gregg secured a role as a farm vet shortly after his graduation in summer 2025 and was  awarded Young Farmer of the Year at the 2025 Farming Awards. 

Reflecting on his role with an independent farm and equine practice in Herefordshire, Lewis said: “So far, no two days have been the same, and my workload tends to be about as mixed as farm vetting gets! The learning curve during the first few months in practice has been the steepest yet, but I am lucky to have a hugely supportive team around me and my time at HKVS has prepared me excellently with the fundamental day one skills needed.” 

Lewis grew up in rural Northern Ireland and was surrounded by the farming community and animals from a young age, which sparked his interest in veterinary medicine: “Combining this with a love of science at school, I knew I wanted to do something involving either science or animals. After weighing up my options and briefly considering human medicine, I decided to combine the two and set my sights on veterinary medicine. It’s fair to say I haven’t looked back since! 

“I followed the ‘conventional’ route to vet school, coming straight from A-Levels and having spent a number of weeks seeing practice with local vets in order to meet the work experience criteria. My A-Levels themselves were much less than conventional, with half of my upper sixth year, as well as the actual exams, cancelled due to the COVID pandemic! 

“From the moment I interviewed at Harper & Keele back in December 2019, before the school had even opened its doors, the course stood out to me. The increased focus on practical teaching and getting hands on right from the start was fresh and innovative, and the idea of being part of the first cohort of students, helping to shape the course alongside the school itself  was certainly exciting.” 

Lewis embraced life as a vet student, and  in 2022 he was awarded the Harper Adams Club Animal and Veterinary Sciences Scholarship and the Jill Willows Scholarship. Reflecting on his time at HKVS and sharing some of his fondest memories, Lewis said: “Final year rotations were a real stand out for me - taking everything we’d learnt in the previous years, translating it into the real world, and getting stuck in with real cases. Everything suddenly felt like it had clicked into place, and it was incredibly rewarding to look back and realise just how much I’d grown and developed over the years. 

“Our halfway and grad balls were particularly momentous occasions, bringing the whole year together with lecturers and staff in order to celebrate achievements.For myself and the rest of the first cohort, these were particularly special moments as they highlighted not only how far we had come as students, but also how much the Vet School had developed as a whole!  

 “It would be impossible to talk about the highlights of vet school without mentioning some of the extracurricular activities. The Association of Veterinary Students sports weekend was an annual highlight within the social calendar, and is a great opportunity to socialise with peers from other vet schools, many of whom have become good friends!  

“Some of my fondest memories from my time at vet school came through getting involved with a range of the clubs and societies on offer at both Harper Adams and Keele, whether it be sports matches, weekly socials or organised trips and talks, I would strongly encourage everyone to get involved and take all the opportunities you can!”

Lewis’ advice to anyone considering a career in veterinary medicine: “Do your research, get plenty of work experience and make sure it’s definitely for you; and if it is, go for it - take every opportunity you can, and enjoy every minute of it because vet school flies in before you know it! 

“People say that veterinary medicine is a vocation rather than a career, and that definitely rings true. It can be hard work with long days and plenty of challenges, but it’s also incredibly varied and extremely rewarding. The entire veterinary community is hugely tight-knit and it’s fantastic to be a part of an industry which is so friendly and supportive.”