Anyone else in a similar situation?

[sammarie06]

Hey Everyone,

This is my first post here so please correct me if I should post this in another area!

I originally went to undergrad for Pre-Vet and changed my major junior year to Marketing/Economics (not due to grades, I just fell in love with the marketing studies and decided to pursue it). I graduated from The University of Florida with a BS in Economics in 2010. I have been working full-time as a marketing exec for the past 6 years. My heart is still in the veterinary field and I am leaning towards going back to school for veterinary. Is anyone else in a similar situation where they have been out of school for awhile and want to go back? I would greatly appreciate any and all advice on where to begin! Below is a breakdown of where I am at with my to do list. Thanks everyone!

- Worked at 2 small animal clinics from 2003-2006
- Volunteer experience 2003-2006 at animal clinics, humane society, and feline rescue.
- Graduated with my Bachelors in 2010 with a GPA of 3.8
- Currently working full time career in marketing industry (40+ hours week)

I have not had a science course since around 2008, so I am planning on going back and retaking all of my sciences, plus the additional courses that I did not get to before switching majors.

I am currently looking to find volunteer/shadowing opportunities, but my hours are limited right now due to my career. My husband is currently finishing pharmacy school and my plan is to try and find full time work in an animal clinic when he has graduated/has a job.

I also need to find some GRE prep books as it has been a LONG time since I have taken any type of exam similar to this.

I appreciate any advice on what I should aim for in the next few years!

Thanks Again All.

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[Coopah]

I graduated with a degree in mathematical sciences in 2013, and since then decided to go back for my science prerequisites. This is actually pretty common, I've heard of a lot of people doing it this way. I volunteer on the weekends go to class at night and work full time as a data analyst. It can be difficult, or downright impossible some days. Before you go whole hog and quit your job you might want to consider volunteering in your field of interest and honestly ask yourself if you could see yourself doing this 20 years from now. It's a lot of debt to take on especially if you like your current situation. Your GPA looks great, and as long as you get good experience, good LOR's, and do decent on the GRE I don't have any trouble seeing you in vet school in a few years.

Good Luck

 

[LetItSnow]

Do you have specific questions? I went back after a decade or two of being out of school.

I mean, it sounds like you have a grasp of things. You need to spend the next few years building experience (which you're working on), getting the pre-reqs (ditto), and taking the GRE (ditto). Seems like you've got it on track.

Since you're married and your husband is doing the PhD route, I think my biggest piece of advice would be to make sure you and he are aware of how spread out vet schools are. You may end up having to re-locate to go to vet school depending on whether there is one where you're at and/or whether you get in. You could approach it different ways: try multiple years to get into your IS school if you have one, commit to moving as a couple to where you end up going, or live apart for a few years ... but there are pros/cons to each approach. I'd make sure you two sit down and think that through before it becomes an actual decision you are faced with.

Um. Pre-reqs... I made a spreadsheet that was correlated with when classes were offered so that I could get through them as quickly as possible. It was satisfying in a stupid little way to turn each box/class from Red (not done) to Green (done). Celebrate the baby steps.

Experience. It just sucked. I was working a full-time career and starting a family. I just had to be flexible. Fortunately, my job didn't have set hours .. as long as my projects were all caught up I could come and go as I pleased, so that helped. Nothing you can do other than search for opportunities and try to squeeze them into your schedule.

GRE. I didn't do much studying other than reading the GRE prep book for math that came with it when I signed up for the test. Dunno if they still send that. Was a nice refresher on some of the basic math crap. But if you're nervous there are prep books and classes out there.

If you are intending to go to your IS school, then get really familiar with how they evaluate candidates so you can tailor your preparation. If you are going OOS, then find schools that best fit your background and strengths.

 

[sammarie06]

Do you have specific questions? I went back after a decade or two of being out of school.

I mean, it sounds like you have a grasp of things. You need to spend the next few years building experience (which you're working on), getting the pre-reqs (ditto), and taking the GRE (ditto). Seems like you've got it on track.

Since you're married and your husband is doing the PhD route, I think my biggest piece of advice would be to make sure you and he are aware of how spread out vet schools are. You may end up having to re-locate to go to vet school depending on whether there is one where you're at and/or whether you get in. You could approach it different ways: try multiple years to get into your IS school if you have one, commit to moving as a couple to where you end up going, or live apart for a few years ... but there are pros/cons to each approach. I'd make sure you two sit down and think that through before it becomes an actual decision you are faced with.

Um. Pre-reqs... I made a spreadsheet that was correlated with when classes were offered so that I could get through them as quickly as possible. It was satisfying in a stupid little way to turn each box/class from Red (not done) to Green (done). Celebrate the baby steps.

Experience. It just sucked. I was working a full-time career and starting a family. I just had to be flexible. Fortunately, my job didn't have set hours .. as long as my projects were all caught up I could come and go as I pleased, so that helped. Nothing you can do other than search for opportunities and try to squeeze them into your schedule.

GRE. I didn't do much studying other than reading the GRE prep book for math that came with it when I signed up for the test. Dunno if they still send that. Was a nice refresher on some of the basic math crap. But if you're nervous there are prep books and classes out there.

If you are intending to go to your IS school, then get really familiar with how they evaluate candidates so you can tailor your preparation. If you are going OOS, then find schools that best fit your background and strengths.

Thanks so much for the information! I guess I just feel a little overwhelmed trying to plan everything out when I haven't been in school for awhile haha
My husband is currently working on his PharmD out of state so we are used to moving around and are open to moving around again depending on where I can get accepted. Obviously IS would be preferable, but I am open to any location. I'm going to see what I can figure out about fitting in experience around my work schedule. I have a set 9-5 hour day so it's hard to fit things in during the week, but we will see what I can find around here!

 

[Posey]

It is tough to get experience hours while working full time in a different field. I volunteer for a local rescue group. We aren't required to foster, and there is no minimum time commitment, both of which I've seen with other organizations. The flexibility allowed me to help when I could, and as I got to know the board members, they helped me find other ways to get involved that fit with my schedule. Perhaps you can find something similar near you?
Also, I'd like to echo what LIS said about talking to your spouse about the different scenarios. I do not live near a veterinary school which meant a major move. Even though my husband and I talked about this for years, it's still tough now that we're faced with the actual move. The sooner you start the discussions, the easier it will be when it comes time to do it.
Best of luck!


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[Coopah]

Thanks so much for the information! I guess I just feel a little overwhelmed trying to plan everything out when I haven't been in school for awhile haha
My husband is currently working on his PharmD out of state so we are used to moving around and are open to moving around again depending on where I can get accepted. Obviously IS would be preferable, but I am open to any location. I'm going to see what I can figure out about fitting in experience around my work schedule. I have a set 9-5 hour day so it's hard to fit things in during the week, but we will see what I can find around here!

I've found an emergency hospital near me that lets me come in on the weekends or an odd day off, you could look into that.

Best of luck.

 

[mht2k3]

I graduated in 2003 with a degree in Math & Computer Science. Have been working as a software developer for 10+ years, but realized a while ago it wasn't for me and that I wanted to pursue veterinary medicine. I've been taking the pre-reqs over the past 3+ years while working full-time as a developer and trying to get as many hours as I can.

It def is hard getting shadowing hours when working a normal 9-5 job, but my company has been really good about me having somewhat strange hours as long as I still work 40 hour weeks. This means I can take off some days during the day while i'm in class as long as I work the hours at night or on the weekends. I've also utilized this when not taking classes so that I can work 4-10 hour days, and take one day a week to shadow a vet. I've also taken a lot of my vacation time at work to shadow vets. It doesn't seem like much but it adds up. I'll probably have close to 1000 vet hours by the time I apply, and I have another 600ish hours at a research institute.

Also want to reiterate what was said above about having real conversations with your spouse about what vet school will be like. Not only moving, but the reality of not being around as much since vet school will be taking up a lot of your time. I have a wife, and 1 year old daughter and although I know its going to be really hard moving to somewhere new and not having the kind of support we have now, we've at least had those conversations and know what to expect.

 

[wildlifer]

Hey Everyone,

This is my first post here so please correct me if I should post this in another area!

I originally went to undergrad for Pre-Vet and changed my major junior year to Marketing/Economics (not due to grades, I just fell in love with the marketing studies and decided to pursue it). I graduated from The University of Florida with a BS in Economics in 2010. I have been working full-time as a marketing exec for the past 6 years. My heart is still in the veterinary field and I am leaning towards going back to school for veterinary. Is anyone else in a similar situation where they have been out of school for awhile and want to go back? I would greatly appreciate any and all advice on where to begin! Below is a breakdown of where I am at with my to do list. Thanks everyone!

- Worked at 2 small animal clinics from 2003-2006
- Volunteer experience 2003-2006 at animal clinics, humane society, and feline rescue.
- Graduated with my Bachelors in 2010 with a GPA of 3.8
- Currently working full time career in marketing industry (40+ hours week)

I have not had a science course since around 2008, so I am planning on going back and retaking all of my sciences, plus the additional courses that I did not get to before switching majors.

I am currently looking to find volunteer/shadowing opportunities, but my hours are limited right now due to my career. My husband is currently finishing pharmacy school and my plan is to try and find full time work in an animal clinic when he has graduated/has a job.

I also need to find some GRE prep books as it has been a LONG time since I have taken any type of exam similar to this.

I appreciate any advice on what I should aim for in the next few years!

Thanks Again All.

If I were you, I wouldn't jump right to repeating science courses. If your GPA is a 3.8, you obviously did pretty well, so why waste $$ on courses you have already taken? Just research schools and make sure they don't consider those science courses "expired" and focus on taking courses you still need. The application process itself is not cheap with VMCAS charging $200 for the first school and then $100 for every additional school. Plus supplemental fees, the GRE fee, etc.