Canine PT instead of Vet

[TopazDS]

I'm not as far ahead as most of you guys. I'm only a junior on HS, but I'm a major pre-planner and I thought I wanted to be a vet since I was little. This was up until this summer. As I've been researching pre-vet stuff and vet school I've read a lot of things about people not getting in, having to take a year off for more experience (something which I really would not like to do), and the debt you will find yourself in. Suddenly becoming a vet doesn't seem like such a good idea. People have told me that if this is what I really want to do (and it is, I want to work with animals 110%) then it shouldn't matter, but it does. I don't want to carry the decisions of my 20's around for the rest of my life, especially if something goes wrong because it sounds like something has gone wrong for about 75% of pre-vets out there.
I've been doing some research for vet alternatives with good incomes. I ride dressage, so I need to have a job that will pay for a nice horse along with my Greyhounds and cats. The only thing I've found so far is a canine therapist. There's nothing about the salary, so does anyone know about that? I also have a whole bunch of more direct questions about becoming a canine PT that I don't want to list out right now in case no one can answer any of them. The certification program lets you either become a vet tech, vet, pt, or PTA before you become one. Does it matter pay wise if you're a vet tech/PTA vs a vet/PT? I was hoping that by choosing to become a canine PT I could go to PT school which is cheaper and easier to get accepted into (from what I've read.) Is this a secure job route? Can anyone point me to comparance so to getting into vet school vs PT school? Which is more likely, cheaper, more secure for the future, or etc?
Anyway, this is just from what I've read. I've tried to find stuff on canine PT, but the websites on the certification for it aren't very thorough or helpful for what I've wanted. I'll be shadowing a canine PT mid august and I'll be able to ask her some questions then and the daughter of my mom's friend is a PT, and she's letting me shadow her once she's settled into her new job. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks so much! Sorry for the long post!

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[DVMDream]

I'm not as far ahead as most of you guys. I'm only a junior on HS, but I'm a major pre-planner and I thought I wanted to be a vet since I was little. This was up until this summer. As I've been researching pre-vet stuff and vet school I've read a lot of things about people not getting in, having to take a year off for more experience (something which I really would not like to do), and the debt you will find yourself in. Suddenly becoming a vet doesn't seem like such a good idea. People have told me that if this is what I really want to do (and it is, I want to work with animals 110%) then it shouldn't matter, but it does. I don't want to carry the decisions of my 20's around for the rest of my life, especially if something goes wrong because it sounds like something has gone wrong for about 75% of pre-vets out there.
I've been doing some research for vet alternatives with good incomes. I ride dressage, so I need to have a job that will pay for a nice horse along with my Greyhounds and cats. The only thing I've found so far is a canine therapist. There's nothing about the salary, so does anyone know about that? I also have a whole bunch of more direct questions about becoming a canine PT that I don't want to list out right now in case no one can answer any of them. The certification program lets you either become a vet tech, vet, pt, or PTA before you become one. Does it matter pay wise if you're a vet tech/PTA vs a vet/PT? I was hoping that by choosing to become a canine PT I could go to PT school which is cheaper and easier to get accepted into (from what I've read.) Is this a secure job route? Can anyone point me to comparance so to getting into vet school vs PT school? Which is more likely, cheaper, more secure for the future, or etc?
Anyway, this is just from what I've read. I've tried to find stuff on canine PT, but the websites on the certification for it aren't very thorough or helpful for what I've wanted. I'll be shadowing a canine PT mid august and I'll be able to ask her some questions then and the daughter of my mom's friend is a PT, and she's letting me shadow her once she's settled into her new job. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks so much! Sorry for the long post!

First off, I think it is great that you are doing so much research about this. However, I want to make some points to the bolded statements above.

1. This is to do with people not getting in. People don't get in or succeed in many different jobs and careers. This is not something that is limited to vet med. There is no guarantee of getting into anything that you want to do or apply for.

2. Often times taking a year off for experience is a good thing. One thing I feel I have told people on these forums a lot is that life isn't a race. You get no prize for getting to your career goal at a younger age than you do if you get there a bit later. If you need the experience and a year outside of school is the best/easiest way to accomplish this, then do that. You are young right now. Enjoy your teen years and your earlier 20's (obviously not to the detriment of grades), but still find things you enjoy doing outside of your chose career field whatever that may be. It will help keep you sane in the years to come during college and professional school if you end up going that route.

3. The debt is most definitely something to consider and it DOES matter. Don't let anyone tell you that it doesn't.

4. I don't know where you are getting this statistic. Not sure how you can determine that 75% of pre-vets have something that "goes wrong". If you mean not getting accepted, that isn't "wrong" it is just not what was wanted. You can apply again. I applied 3 years, many applicants apply multiple years, it isn't the end of the world. Same thing might happen with PT school as well, so be prepared for that. The other thing is the things go "wrong" in life all the time and those things might have an impact on your career path whether it be pre-vet, pre-PT, pre-med, or just an English major.

Now, I can not comment on the specifics of canine physical therapy. You are best off asking the canine PT that you are shadowing. She will have the most accurate information. Also, going to PT school is just like getting into any other professional school. You will be taking the same pre-reqs as the pre-vets take, you have to take the GRE, apply, get experience, get letters, etc. It is going to be the same process. I had a few friends in undergrad that were pre-PT students. I can not comment on job prospects nor can I tell you the salary of a canine PT. I don't know. I can tell you that there is a certification test to get your PT license and I know people who have never passed it. I also don't know the cost of PT school so they could be dealing with just as much debt as vets are. I would have to do some researching on all of those specifics. So best bet for you is to ask the canine PT you are shadowing these specifics.

And again, don't get so wrapped up in attempting to figure out your future/career that you lose sight of enjoying your life, especially while you are young. You can't get back time.