Vet School Picnic
About
Introduced in 2023, this event was a tremendous success and is designed to foster a strong support system for first-year students. By pairing mentors and peers from higher years, the buddy system ensures that university life is more enjoyable and manageable, as you always have someone to turn to for guidance. Now in its second year, this event has significantly enhanced intra-cohort connections, bringing students and staff together for an evening of bonding. The evening includes a complimentary dinner, snacks, and live music. We’re excited to see how this event continues to evolve in the coming year!
FAC Day
About
FAC Day, short for "Faculty Day," is an event you absolutely cannot miss. It is so highly regarded that veterinary students have been known to forgo other major celebrations, like a friend's 21st birthday, to attend. If you only attend one event this year, make sure it's this one — it’s that important!
We reserve an entire campground for FAC Day, where veterinary students, along with many guests from outside the program, gather on the Saturday around midday. Everyone will be dressed in year-specific, humorous shirts where games of vet school bonding begin.
SIG Sign-On
About
The UQVSA is comprised of 12 subgroups, known as Special Interest Groups (SIGs), each focusing on different topics or areas of interest within the veterinary field. These groups are managed by veterinary students and organize a variety of events throughout the year.
SIG Sign-On is an event where students can explore the various SIGs, learn about their focus areas, and join as members. Additionally, a BBQ fundraiser will be hosted by our Halfway Ball Committee, providing a great opportunity to socialize and support the event.
Membership prices range but are usually relatively cheap (approximately $5 per membership)
Current SIGs
Production Animal Medicine SIG
Small Animal Medicine SIG
Equine Medicine SIG
Vet Worldwide SIG
Marine Animal Medicine SIG
Animal Welfare and Ethics SIG
One Health SIG
Animal Behaviour SIG
Wildlife SIG
Pathology Medicine SIG
Avian and Exotic Medicine SIG
Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care SIG
VFL
About
VFL or Vets For Life is an exclusive event, presented by Hill's Pet Nutrition and Vets for Life, is an invaluable opportunity you won't want to miss! The goal of this event is to help you develop essential interpersonal skills, gain a deeper understanding of yourself, and build connections with both your peers and lecturers. As an added bonus, you'll enjoy a day free from classes! Throughout the day, you'll receive valuable tips and advice on navigating the next five years of veterinary school from senior students, new graduates, experienced veterinarians, and professors. This experience will serve as the first step in preparing you for a successful veterinary career.
All costs, including meals, are fully covered, and you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy a delightful dinner with fellow students and staff at the end of the day.
What to bring?
Water bottle
Hat and sunscreen
Comfy casual clothes
Covered shoes
*This is a first year only event
O'Day
Official Welcome to the UQ Veterinary School and Veterinary Community
Welcome Presentation:
The event begins with a formal introduction by the Head of School, Nigel Perkins, followed by presentations from various professors who are specific to each cohort. This is followed by an orientation session, including an introduction to the UQVSA, where first-year students have the opportunity to meet their executive team in person.
Science Expo:
Stalls will be set up along the central walkway, offering complimentary food. This presents an excellent opportunity for students to engage with the executive teams of the VSA as well as various other clubs and societies at the University of Queensland Gatton. Participating organizations include GISA, the AVA, Agricultural Society, UQ Union, and many others. Memberships and merchandise will also be available for purchase.
Veterinary Welcome BBQ:
Join us for a relaxed afternoon mixer, offering a great opportunity to connect with your cohort, engage with some fourth-year students, and enjoy a fun, lighthearted atmosphere. Complimentary food and drinks will be provided, courtesy of our dedicated social committee.
VFL
Bonus! There is no class on Thursday in the first week of first year. Instead the School of Veterinary Science (SVS) along with student volunteers and the UQVSA hold a free day camp for all first-year BVSc (Hons) students. This is a great chance to get to know your fellow colleagues who you will see day-in-day-out for the next five years, and likely for the rest of your natural life.
Have a look in your welcome package for more information
O Week Gatton!
O-Week UQ (Gatton Campus)
The University of Queensland hosts a week-long list of events and activities for all programs, including the vet program.
You can download the list of building ‘slang’ here
The days to note for 2021 are Wednesday 17th Feburary and Tuesday 23rd Feburary.
On Wednesday our program specific welcome ON CAMPUS is from 10:30am where there will be a couple of important talks, including by our Head of School (Professor Nigel Perkins). The UQVSA will have a quick chat to you as well. There will also a program specific ONLINE welcome at 2pm. At around 11:30am, there will be optional guided tours around the university to highlight the important locations (FOOD! COFFEE! NAPS!) followed by a bbq dinner, games and drinks in central walkway at 5pm. You don’t have to participate, but at least come along and watch! Make sure you attend JSAPP inbetween to get all the info you need to know for starting at UQ!
On Tuesday the 23rd of Feb, the main event is Gatton Market Day. Come visit us at the UQVSA stall and sign up if you haven’t already!
1st year’s Meet and Greet
Due to COVID restrictions and the lack of on campus learning the 1st years have not had to chance to properly meet their cohort. What better way to meet the vet family then having a few friendly drinks at the local pub!
Australia Red Cross Blood Donation Van @ Gatton
Drink up! Have 3 or 4 glasses of water or juice in the hours before you donate
Eat! Have a good sized breakfast and lunch
Please bring photo I.D. with you
Virtual Trade Fair
A week of daily videos from our sponsors, A trivia night and over $2000 worth of prizes to be won in the raffle!!!
Look on your year’s facebook page to get the QR code to enter the raffle!
Trade Fair
UQ Vet Trade Fair provides an opportunity for students to become more familiar with the veterinary and pet product
industries, and for companies to educate their future clientele about the products and services that they provide through interactive stalls with brochures, merchandise, give-aways and demonstrations.
The aim is to get every student in courses related to animal health and care to come along and network together.
Halfway dinner!
BVSc class of 2022 are halfway!!
Its time for them to celebrate this massive milestone and achievement over some great food, company and conversation.
Congratulations to everyone in BVSc class of 2022, make sure you cherish the night with your friends and favourite lecturers!!
More info coming.
Red Cross Blood Donation
Time to do something selfless and super important, donate a bit of your life juices to keep someone else alive! It is one of the most rewarding experiences and has such a positive impact for our society. To make an appointment, please contact:
13 14 95,
visit lifeblood.com.au,
or download the ‘Donate Blood’ app from your App Store
Royal Canin Welcomes 1st years
Royal Canin would like to extend a warm welcome to the BVSc class of 2024. Come have some Pizza, mingle and play a game of Kahoot to win some awesome prizes.
UQU Big Tiki Bash
Aloha 🥥🌺🌴🌊 it's Tiki time!
Back by popular demand, our Hawaiian tropical paradise is returning to UQ Gatton. Join us for a fun-filled evening with live music, food trucks, onsite bar 🍻 and stage performances.
So mark the date in your calendar and dust off that Hawaiian shirt... lets dance the night away!
The All-Important Line-up
6.30 pm - TODAY WE REIGN
7.15 pm - Heilani - Polynesian dancers
8.30pm - DJ Zoo
FAC Day
18+ Event so please bring your ID
Stands for ‘Faculty Day’ and is an event not to be missed under any circumstances. Vet Students have been known to blow off mates’ 21st’s to be at FAC Day, so no excuses. If you are only going to attend one event a year make it this one. I cannot stress that enough! The day is a great way for all year levels of the vet school to come together, have a laugh, meet some new people and have a great day/night to remember for years to come!
We book out an entire camping ground for FAC Day and vet students and lots of ‘ring-ins’ (non-vets) descend, dressed in their year-specific hilarious shirts on Saturday morning around 11am (this year it is Saturday the 7h of March, make sure you have this weekend FREE). Each year has their own singlets complete with pictures on the back (voted for and designed by your year). Each year has a different colour and a different design and slogan that they get to create as a year level together. This is usually done through the individual Facebook year pages, away from the other years, making the day a special surprise!
We congregate around the dam and enjoy many cheap drinks provided by the 5th years. Numerous activities are conducted in the daytime portions of the event – ‘Running of the First Years’, ‘Slip & Flip’, ‘Miss Vet’, ‘Tug of War’, and many others.
Once the sun goes down, we move to the top of the hill to set up tents and swags. After a swim in the Brisbane river to clean off and a fresh change of clothes, we chill out for a couple of hours then move into the marquee for the evening proceedings where we enjoy cheap drinks from the Social Committee as well as the extremely prestigious Miss Vet competition for that dose of drag queen we all miss in our lives. We camp overnight and on Sunday morning have breakfast (for those who can stomach it) before heading home and lying on the couch all day... If only every day was FAC day.
SIG Sign On
Come Down to Mick’s to become a member with so many awesome Special Interest Groups. Click on the SIGs link on the homepage to read what each SIG has to offer.
Remember to bring coins to pay for sign ons and to buy some delightful goodies made by the Halfway Committee.
SMOKO - Netflix & Chill
Location - UQU Lawes Club
Bring - ID, cash for halfway committee food +/- drinks.
Transport - courtesy buses at the end of the night to Gatton, Forest Hill, Laidley.
Vets For Life (VFL)
Bonus! There is no class on Thursday and Friday in the first week of first year. Instead the School of Veterinary Science (SVS) along with student volunteers and the UQVSA hold a free camp for all first-year BVSc (Hons) students. This is a great chance to get to know your fellow colleagues who you will see day-in-day-out for the next five years, and likely for the rest of your natural life.
Have a look at the video below for more info (e.g. what to pack, where to meet).
O-Week UQ (Gatton Campus)
If you have not yet had a look at the Veterinary Science welcome package, please have a look here.
The University of Queensland hosts a week-long list of events and activities for all programs, including the vet program.
You can view the O-Week timetable here
You can download the list of building ‘slang’ here
The days to note for 2020 are Monday 17th Feburary and Tuesday 18th Feburary.
On Monday our program specific welcome is from 12:30pm where there will be a couple of important talks, including by our Head of School (Professor Nigel Perkins). The UQVSA will have a quick 10 minute spot to chat to you as well. At around 1:30pm, we will have guided tours around the university to highlight the important locations (FOOD! COFFEE! NAPS!) followed by a few fun activities near the Cricket Oval. You don’t have to participate, but at least come along and watch! From 4:30pm the university will be holding a free pool party and BBQ so stick around!
On Tuesday the main event is Gatton Market Day (Twilight Markets). Come visit us at the UQVSA stall and sign up if you haven’t already!