Career changers

[alady]

I'm really curious about other people considering or entering veterinary medicine as a second career. I've been thinking about it for years now, but I keep hesitating. I'm afraid it is too risky especially now that I am older (28). The field I am in (library/archives) is already saturated so I know things will be competitive no matter what I do, but either way I have to make a change. If I got a new job, I think I'd find the change in environment stimulating for a bit but most likely I'd be in the same position I am in now in a year or two. I want a job that I am invested in, that I care about, and I think I'd find that as a vet. But considering that I already made a mistake in career choice, I'm really nervous and I keep going back and forth. Is anyone else struggling with this decision? Or does anyone who has decided to go for it want to share their experiences?

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[pirateyoho]

Keep in mind that pursuing admittance to veterinary school is kind of a lengthy process, depending on your background. If you're worried about your age now, remember to add 1-2 years for completing the necessary pre-requisites and acquiring veterinary and animal experience hours, plus the actual 4 years that you spend as a vet student.

That being said, one vet I used to work for (and by far the favorite I've worked for) was a second career veterinarian. She got in on her first try, she just had to put her mind to it. One thing she did have to her advantage, though, was a biology degree, so many of her pre-requisites were already satisfied. Since you said your field is library/archives, I'm not sure how many pre-reqs you would still have to take. Would you mind sharing more info?

 

[alady]

I'll be starting basically from scratch with the prerequisites. I was a lit major in college and I don't have any sciences. I've been looking into post bacc pre health programs. I think they are my best bet if I decide to move forward. I have substantial animal experience through volunteering so at least I have a start on that.

 

[adams30]

I'll be starting basically from scratch with the prerequisites. I was a lit major in college and I don't have any sciences. I've been looking into post bacc pre health programs. I think they are my best bet if I decide to move forward. I have substantial animal experience through volunteering so at least I have a start on that.

That's good that you have volunteered already. Do you have veterinary experience as well? that's another thing needed for vet school. What many pre-vets do is while they are getting their pre-req classes done they spend time shadowing (or working for if you can) veterinarians in a variety of areas (large animal, small animal, exotics, etc)

 

[felinelvr44]

I'll be starting basically from scratch with the prerequisites. I was a lit major in college and I don't have any sciences. I've been looking into post bacc pre health programs. I think they are my best bet if I decide to move forward. I have substantial animal experience through volunteering so at least I have a start on that.

I'm a career changer and I started from scratch with my pre-req's too. It is possible. My biggest piece of advice right now though would be to find a veterinary clinic where you could shadow. It's not the most fun to shadow on the weekends while you work during the week but it will really give you the experience of how a clinic works and seeing exactly what a work day entails for the veterinarians. That should help you decide if this is truly the right career for you (before you potentially spend a lot of money and time working on pre-req classes).

 

[EngrSC]

I'm a career changer and it isn't particularly easy but it's totally worth it if its the right field for you. Like others have suggested, try to get some experience in a veterinary setting (work/volunteer/shadow). It's so different behind the scenes than what you see as a client.

I personally work full time in my first career (engineering) to pay the bills and for school as I go. I work part time (10-20) hours/week in a private practice that sees small animals and a few exotics and I go to evening school. It is a lot and I won't lie and say its easy but being in the vet hospital reaffirms that I'm on the right path and every test I do well on makes me that much more motivated.

It's not easy but it's totally doable. In my opinion 28 isn't too old by any means! Just make sure it's definitely what you want to do and the motivation will be there. Good luck!

 

[StartingoverVet]

I am father of career changers.... (jk)

Mostly agree with what has been said... just would add to be sure you know what you are getting into financially, and that practicing medicine is your passion (not just "caring" for animals).

I worked full time, took classes at night, and volunteered on weekend. It took me about 2.5-3 years to get the pre-reqs done (not really any relevant science background). I always make sure to stress to get as much learning done as you can BEFORE vet school, as you will definitely be behind most of your classmates when school starts, so don't be in a rush to apply. Enjoy the process. I loved the pre-reqs, and kind of miss those days.

And 28 is not all by any means. Certainly not here.

 

[hygebeorht]

I changed too. I'm about your age and started working toward vet school 2 years ago. If you have the academic chops for it and like working like a dog (on a dog?) then you should consider it. Reading around these forums is helpful, because there are a lot of difficulties and sacrifices that come with preparing for the career.

One of the reasons I switched: I'm like a herding dog who needs to be worked hard or gets bored and destructive. Just pre-vet med works me hard, so I know I have plenty of hard work to look forward to down the road. In my previous field, I felt bored and underutilized...my squishy matter was very much overpowered for what I was doing in my work. If you're like that and you want to work yourself very hard, vet med is not a bad choice, but only if you're really into medicine.

The nice thing about pre-medical programs is that if you decide human med is for you along the way, then you're good to go.

PS - I have a somewhat similar background to you, but I had some prereqs already taken care of with AP, IB, and college classes. The nice thing is that most schools will take your degree and waive all the lit and speech courses (though some schools will still want speech...ugh).

 

[EngrSC]

One of the reasons I switched: I'm like a herding dog who needs to be worked hard or gets bored and destructive. Just pre-vet med works me hard, so I know I have plenty of hard work to look forward to down the road. In my previous field, I felt bored and underutilized...my squishy matter was very much overpowered for what I was doing in my work. If you're like that and you want to work yourself very hard, vet med is not a bad choice, but only if you're really into medicine.

This description pretty much fits me to the T as well

 

[willagirl]

If it is your passion, I say go for it. I am a career changer as well, and I am currently 36! I realized close to 2 years ago what I was put on this earth to do, so I sat down, set out my plan and went for it. I had to take 15 pre-req classes I had not taken in my former life, and I will be applying to vet school this year. It is possible. I work full time, and shadow all day, every Saturday. Am I tired? Yes. Is it hard? Yes, because I am also married and have to manage a house and school and work, etc. Is it worth it? You bet your A**. You don't want to look back and play the what if game. The folks on this forum are awesome, and they are a great support group and are a wealth of knowledge and information. Good luck!!!

 

[ThePiedPiper]

I'm a [young] career changer. I went into school for psychology because I was too scared to pursue vet med after a cruddy high school science eduation. A professor in my spring quarter of junior year ended one of his classes with, "go to where you feel most afraid, and that is where you'll find your passion," and though I tried to shake it, the more I tried to force myself into having passion for what I was doing (psychology), the more it haunted me. I started doing research, looked into a variety of schools, talked to a variety of admissions advisors, and I decided that it's possible. I'm starting up school part-time in the fall and spring, due to the class schedule (with the courses that are offered in my area, there are unfortunately few ways I could avoid a partial part-time schedule) and I'll be working full-time and then start up again as a full time student next fall for two more years of pre-requisites. Meanwhile, I'm working at a veterinary office, volunteering and hoping to start working at a secondary practice in the spring. I definitely believe that it's possible for anyone to do, no matter how much people like to be your naysayer for you. You just have to be willing to work at it creatively.

 

[alady]

One of the reasons I switched: I'm like a herding dog who needs to be worked hard or gets bored and destructive. Just pre-vet med works me hard, so I know I have plenty of hard work to look forward to down the road. In my previous field, I felt bored and underutilized...my squishy matter was very much overpowered for what I was doing in my work. If you're like that and you want to work yourself very hard, vet med is not a bad choice, but only if you're really into medicine.

Me too! I work best under pressure. If we have some sort of disaster at my job now (old building with leaky pipes + books = trouble) and I spend the day running around nonstop, I feel great at the end of the day. Now that's not super intellectually stimulating, but I like having a lot to do and a sense of urgency. Most of the time I am miserably bored.

Thanks for the input, everyone. I think I am going to apply for another library job for now, and focus on getting more veterinary experience. I'm supposed to spend a few hours observing surgeries next week. I've only had one professional position, the one I have now, and I think I will always wonder if I didn't give library science a real chance if I move on at this point.

How did you guys do your pre-reqs? Post bacc programs or something informal?

 

[ThePiedPiper]

How did you guys do your pre-reqs? Post bacc programs or something informal?

I'm doing mine informally, through the community college and either through open enrollment or as a part-time student at the state school (I still need to talk to admissions about my options). I did this mainly for financial reasons, as post-bacc programs run around 28-45k. Doing education through the community college and state school will cost me by credit, but it still works out cheaper than a post-bacc program. I spoke to admissions at Davis and explained my situation and asked if it would be better for me to do a post-bacc and they told me that while that was a possible option, as was doing a vet tech program, working for a while, and then coming to Davis, it's not necessary and would work out cheaper and just as well for me to do my pre-reqs through the community college and extension courses. Now, this was what I was told and I won't be applying until 2015 (possibly next year but unlikely), as I still have my pre-reqs to do as well, so I don't have personal experience in saying that that doesn't matter, but most of the admissions advisors I've spoken to have said my plan would not put me at a real disadvantage so long as I could prove that I could do well with a full-time science courseload and do well in the pre-reqs as well as by gaining vet experience. This was the path I chose, however, and it may be different for you, but since I might have to take out loans as I am paying my way through these additional courses, the cheaper options (and the fact that I work) is much better for me.

 

[hygebeorht]

I did a combo of state school, community college, CLEP tests, and AP/IB credit to get my prereqs. Pretty affordable overall, though if I had gotten in last year (I did apply to one school) I would have paid less.

If you're worried about not giving library science a fair shot, you can always come back to vet med later. It's not going anywhere, though the debt levels may be worse. Perhaps you can take the long road, get another lib science position and work full-time while doing prereqs and getting hours on the side? Then maybe you'll feel like you gave it a fair shot.

 

[macita183]

I'm another career changer. I kept my full time job (in Human Resources) in order to pay bills and pay for pre-req courses. My degree is Psychology and Political Science so I had a lot of pre-reqs to take. I took my lower division science courses at a community college since it was so much more affordable and they tended to have more evening options for courses. I took a lot of online courses as well (through four year institutions since it worked out better for my schedule). Make sure to check with the schools you are interested in before you take online courses since some will only accept a certain amount done online/won't accept certain online courses. I've also taken a few at UW-Madison (I work on campus) as a non-degree seeker. However, as a non-degree seeker at a school with a large undergrad population I had lowest priority and it was often difficult to get into some of the needed upper division science classes. Plus, they did not have a lot of evening options for classes I needed. I took 1-2 classes a semester.
I also maintained a part time job on the weekends at a vet clinic, shadowed vets on my days off, volunteered at spay/neuterathons as a vet assistant on the weekends, and volunteered with an animal rescue. It has been a long, busy last few years but to me it was worth it. I will be 29 when I start this fall.
One of the vets I work with was a career changer. She graduated when she was in her early 40s (so 28 is not too old!). She is one of the best vets I have ever worked with. Good luck!

 

[hygebeorht]

If you say you're seeking a second bachlor's while you're working on prereqs, you can get federal aid (if you need it, not advocating it) and you can generally transfer all the credits you took for your first degree or two. That puts you at the top of the list for registration since you'll have a zillion credits - after the first semester, at least. If you don't get that second degree, which you probably aren't planning to, who cares? It happens

 

[Crystalight33]

If you say you're seeking a second bachlor's while you're working on prereqs, you can get federal aid (if you need it, not advocating it) and you can generally transfer all the credits you took for your first degree or two. That puts you at the top of the list for registration since you'll have a zillion credits - after the first semester, at least. If you don't get that second degree, which you probably aren't planning to, who cares? It happens

That is exactly what I did. I decided at 27 that I needed to be a vet. I have a bachelors degree in music education and a masters degree in music performance. I spent a year post masters as a professional symphony musician and found myself getting burned out after that one year. I started working as a vet assistant to help make ends meet since veterinary medicine has been a field I've always been interested in. After moving to a different state and working for 5 years with a full time position as a vet assistant, I realized it was time to go back to school for veterinary medicine. I did what many people here seemed to do, I went to community college at night for gen bio and gen chem. I then left my job at the clinic and enrolled in a 4 year state school as a full time student. I enrolled as a 2nd degree seeking student, though I've never planned on getting a second bachelors because I was hoping to be eligible for scholarships and because I would get financial aid (plus, I had first priority for getting into the classes I needed). It took me three years (including one summer) to finish my pre-reqs, but I've been accepted at two schools and have an interview with a third later this month. I'm 30 at this point and I finally feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be.

Like others have said, it is a huge commitment to go back and change careers, but I knew I wasn't going to be happy as a professional musician (or a music teacher). Working as a vet assistant really helped me make the switch because being a vet isn't just puppies and kittens, but for me it is a fulfilling career. I highly recommend shadowing some vets to see if it is a career you feel passionate enough to switch to.

 

[goldengirl90]

That is exactly what I did. I decided at 27 that I needed to be a vet. I have a bachelors degree in music education and a masters degree in music performance. I spent a year post masters as a professional symphony musician and found myself getting burned out after that one year. I started working as a vet assistant to help make ends meet since veterinary medicine has been a field I've always been interested in. After moving to a different state and working for 5 years with a full time position as a vet assistant, I realized it was time to go back to school for veterinary medicine. I did what many people here seemed to do, I went to community college at night for gen bio and gen chem. I then left my job at the clinic and enrolled in a 4 year state school as a full time student. I enrolled as a 2nd degree seeking student, though I've never planned on getting a second bachelors because I was hoping to be eligible for scholarships and because I would get financial aid (plus, I had first priority for getting into the classes I needed). It took me three years (including one summer) to finish my pre-reqs, but I've been accepted at two schools and have an interview with a third later this month. I'm 30 at this point and I finally feel like I'm where I'm supposed to be.

Like others have said, it is a huge commitment to go back and change careers, but I knew I wasn't going to be happy as a professional musician (or a music teacher). Working as a vet assistant really helped me make the switch because being a vet isn't just puppies and kittens, but for me it is a fulfilling career. I highly recommend shadowing some vets to see if it is a career you feel passionate enough to switch to.

Crystalight, you sound like me!!! I was a music performance major as well; finally decided playing in orchestra the rest of my life/teaching kids to play the violin wasn't for me. This is kind of off-topic, but did you emphasize your music background at all in your application? I've heard having a diverse background can be a good thing, but I'm hesitant to talk about it because I don't want to seem like one of those people that are super indecisive about their careers

 

[Lupin21]

Crystalight, you sound like me!!! I was a music performance major as well; finally decided playing in orchestra the rest of my life/teaching kids to play the violin wasn't for me. This is kind of off-topic, but did you emphasize your music background at all in your application? I've heard having a diverse background can be a good thing, but I'm hesitant to talk about it because I don't want to seem like one of those people that are super indecisive about their careers

I have somewhat similar circumstances to you both, but in my case, I still actually loved my previous career, but just wanted to have my cake and eat it too. I didn't do college out of highschool. I moved to New York and did theatre for a while then moved to LA where I began lighting stop motion animation sets. I have always loved both arts and science, so I figured I would divide my life up into three parts. The first third I lived my artist lifestyle, then buckled down when I turned 28 to get my pre-reqs and experience done for vet school done in 1.5 years before moving back to the Panhandle for a year to regain residency status for OK State. I plan on working as a vet for the next 1/3 then possibly teaching and whatnot for my last bit. I should also note that I grew up on a Hereford Ranch, so animals were always in my life.

I am weighing in as someone who is quite untraditional. I don't expect many to have a similar story, but thought I would share just to prove that there are crazy people in the world who leave one good job to go into debt and do one more thing that they love.

 

[hygebeorht]

Yeah, many people seem to think I wasted the time when I was pursuing other passions when I could have been doing vet med instead. I certainly don't feel that way

 

[Lupin21]

Oh, and I forgot something pertaining to your question, Golden. I emphasized my previous career choice in my PS and had my Director of Photography be on of my eLORs, but in the interview stuck only to vet topics.One of my interviews stated that she wished we could use the whole time to talk about stop motion out of curiosity, but left it at that and only asked relevant veterinary questions. Hope that helps!

 

[Crystalight33]

Crystalight, you sound like me!!! I was a music performance major as well; finally decided playing in orchestra the rest of my life/teaching kids to play the violin wasn't for me. This is kind of off-topic, but did you emphasize your music background at all in your application? I've heard having a diverse background can be a good thing, but I'm hesitant to talk about it because I don't want to seem like one of those people that are super indecisive about their careers

I actually opened my personal statement by comparing Sibelius' Swan of Tuonela to a dog with a broken premolar. I talked about how getting a personal thank you note from the dogs owner gave me as much personal satisfaction as playing the solo part of that piece and how that made me realize I was ready to be a vet. It's come up in my interviews as well and I just explained how my music degree did not prepare me for the reality of being a professional musician and I didn't want to end up hating music.

I have somewhat similar circumstances to you both, but in my case, I still actually loved my previous career, but just wanted to have my cake and eat it too. I didn't do college out of highschool. I moved to New York and did theatre for a while then moved to LA where I began lighting stop motion animation sets. I have always loved both arts and science, so I figured I would divide my life up into three parts. The first third I lived my artist lifestyle, then buckled down when I turned 28 to get my pre-reqs and experience done for vet school done in 1.5 years before moving back to the Panhandle for a year to regain residency status for OK State. I plan on working as a vet for the next 1/3 then possibly teaching and whatnot for my last bit. I should also note that I grew up on a Hereford Ranch, so animals were always in my life.

I am weighing in as someone who is quite untraditional. I don't expect many to have a similar story, but thought I would share just to prove that there are crazy people in the world who leave one good job to go into debt and do one more thing that they love.

Oh, I still love to perform! I'm actually playing with the university wind ensemble while finishing up my pre-reqs. It was just the dog-eat-dog mentality and asinine union rules that totally turned me off professional orchestras. I also feel grateful that I got out when I did since there are a lot of symphonies that have folded or seriously cut performances in order to stay in the black. Once I get my DVM and am practicing, I would love to play with a part time orchestra, or substitute in a larger one.

 

[Lupin21]

Oh, I still love to perform! I'm actually playing with the university wind ensemble while finishing up my pre-reqs. It was just the dog-eat-dog mentality and asinine union rules that totally turned me off professional orchestras. I also feel grateful that I got out when I did since there are a lot of symphonies that have folded or seriously cut performances in order to stay in the black. Once I get my DVM and am practicing, I would love to play with a part time orchestra, or substitute in a larger one.

That sounds perfect! I too want to continue with my photography and perhaps be a part of community theatre wherever I end up! I think having an arts background makes people even better in the science and medical fields. I love that you related your music to molars!

 

[goldengirl90]

Oh, and I forgot something pertaining to your question, Golden. I emphasized my previous career choice in my PS and had my Director of Photography be on of my eLORs, but in the interview stuck only to vet topics.One of my interviews stated that she wished we could use the whole time to talk about stop motion out of curiosity, but left it at that and only asked relevant veterinary questions. Hope that helps!

Thanks, that makes me feel better since I was planning on doing something similar! I'm going to spend little bit of my PS talking about my other career background, but then also focus a lot on everything I've learned about vet med. I'm also thinking about asking my violin professor to be one of my eLORS

I actually opened my personal statement by comparing Sibelius' Swan of Tuonela to a dog with a broken premolar. I talked about how getting a personal thank you note from the dogs owner gave me as much personal satisfaction as playing the solo part of that piece and how that made me realize I was ready to be a vet. It's come up in my interviews as well and I just explained how my music degree did not prepare me for the reality of being a professional musician and I didn't want to end up hating music.



Oh, I still love to perform! I'm actually playing with the university wind ensemble while finishing up my pre-reqs. It was just the dog-eat-dog mentality and asinine union rules that totally turned me off professional orchestras. I also feel grateful that I got out when I did since there are a lot of symphonies that have folded or seriously cut performances in order to stay in the black. Once I get my DVM and am practicing, I would love to play with a part time orchestra, or substitute in a larger one.

Haha ditto on opening my PS with a music reference! Mine isn't as creative as yours though And I totally agree -- I def want to play in a community orchestra while I'm a practicing vet! I've spent wayyy too much time practicing to throw it all away

 

[cs5910]

I am not a non-traditional applicant, but when you ask about including your other passions/talents into your PS and into your traditions, ABSOLUTELY do so! I've been an athlete my entire life and was a division-1 athlete throughout college, so I incorporated that into my personal statement and was asked a lot about my experiences as an athlete during my interviews. My interviewers said they like to see people succeed in all areas of life, not just in a couple pre-req classes, a GRE, and vet hours. All applicants that are competitive have the good grades/GRE/experience hours, but not all applicants have your talent. Make that shine through, it will help set you apart!

 

[thelemonzest]

I'm like a herding dog who needs to be worked hard or gets bored and destructive. Just pre-vet med works me hard, so I know I have plenty of hard work to look forward to down the road. In my previous field, I felt bored and underutilized...my squishy matter was very much overpowered for what I was doing in my work.

Well put. I'm glad to see the non-trads pop up. I'm 26 now, and will be 28 or 29 when I apply. I was an Art History major, with no science since high school. I was all set to quit my [scientific publishing] job for a full-time post bacc program this January, when out of the blue, in November, I was offered a full-time job at a major animal hospital. It will add some time to my timeline, since if I'd known this is what I would be doing, I would've started the science classes in the fall. But that's life, I guess. I think the experience will be worth it, even if it takes an extra year. Impatient as I often am...

 

[hygebeorht]

Well put. I'm glad to see the non-trads pop up. I'm 26 now, and will be 28 or 29 when I apply. I was an Art History major, with no science since high school. I was all set to quit my [scientific publishing] job for a full-time post bacc program this January, when out of the blue, in November, I was offered a full-time job at a major animal hospital. It will add some time to my timeline, since if I'd known this is what I would be doing, I would've started the science classes in the fall. But that's life, I guess. I think the experience will be worth it, even if it takes an extra year. Impatient as I often am...

Slow and steady. Get the good grades and scores, and get them hours as you go. Don't rush unless you're comfortable with 20 balls in the air

 

[NMCowboy]

I'm really curious about other people considering or entering veterinary medicine as a second career. I've been thinking about it for years now, but I keep hesitating. I'm afraid it is too risky especially now that I am older (28). .... I want a job that I am invested in, that I care about, and I think I'd find that as a vet. But considering that I already made a mistake in career choice, I'm really nervous and I keep going back and forth. Is anyone else struggling with this decision? Or does anyone who has decided to go for it want to share their experiences?

You're young!! I agree with the other posters that you need to keep volunteering and do some vet shadowing. It's a little different than shelter work. Then, ask yourself 'okay if I DON'T do this where will I be in 2.5 or 3 years? What else will change this situation?'

I'm 58. Hated my career. Closed the office and went back to school for 3 years and did scut work for local vets. I will start vet school in the fall. It was hard; and expensive; and I had to ask a lot of my wife. But, we wouldn't go back for the world. Good luck.

 

[LetItSnow]

I'm 58. Hated my career. Closed the office and went back to school for 3 years and did scut work for local vets. I will start vet school in the fall. It was hard; and expensive; and I had to ask a lot of my wife. But, we wouldn't go back for the world. Good luck.

Where are you starting?

Congrats, btw.

 

[NMCowboy]

Where are you starting?

Congrats, btw.

Thank you. Texas A&M.

 

[primatevetjess]

I'm a non-trad, but not really a "career changer," unless you consider cocktail waitressing a career I dropped out of college with terrible grades and without a degree at age 21-ish. Then I moved a lot, experienced a ton, and lived life while doing whatever job would keep a roof over my head. One day I decided that I was miserable, so I enrolled in a vet tech program. Everyone knew that I really wanted to go to vet school, but I thought I wasn't smart enough (still question this one almost daily) and that I was too old. But my advisor gave me some great advice. He said that I was going to be 31 years old no matter what. I could be 31 and loving what I do and happy with life, or 31 and still waitressing and always wonder "what if." So if you know that nothing else will make you happy, and age is seriously the only thing holding you back, go for it!

 

[dvm'08]

I'm a career changer... except I'm going the other way. I graduated in 2008 with my DVM and have been practising since then. I'm starting medical school in the fall (i'm very excited). I simply got tired of slumming away in an industry that I have devoted so much of my life to that has just failed to give anything back to me. Its absolutely petrifying to be 31 and starting from scratch... but I'm actually excited about something again in my life and I know i'm making the right decision.

 

[LetItSnow]

Thank you. Texas A&M.

Awesome. Remind me to show you the secret old-guy handshake.

 

[LittleWiz]

I'm a career changer... except I'm going the other way. I graduated in 2008 with my DVM and have been practising since then. I'm starting medical school in the fall (i'm very excited). I simply got tired of slumming away in an industry that I have devoted so much of my life to that has just failed to give anything back to me. Its absolutely petrifying to be 31 and starting from scratch... but I'm actually excited about something again in my life and I know i'm making the right decision.

Good for you!

I'm in the process of doing the same thing (the getting away from vet med part, at least), so it's reassuring that others on this board are going through the same thing.

 

[hygebeorht]

I'm a career changer... except I'm going the other way. I graduated in 2008 with my DVM and have been practising since then. I'm starting medical school in the fall (i'm very excited). I simply got tired of slumming away in an industry that I have devoted so much of my life to that has just failed to give anything back to me. Its absolutely petrifying to be 31 and starting from scratch... but I'm actually excited about something again in my life and I know i'm making the right decision.

What do you mean when you say slumming away? And what do you mean when you say the industry failed to give anything back to you?

I'm curious what you consider slumming and what you consider a worthy return on your education. I may be wrong, but are you talking about compensation only?

 

[NMCowboy]

Awesome. Remind me to show you the secret old-guy handshake.

Is it slow? Not too many violent motions? LOL. Thanks, I hope there will be some other old guys around to shake with.

 

[Saffine]

Good for you!

I'm in the process of doing the same thing (the getting away from vet med part, at least), so it's reassuring that others on this board are going through the same thing.

Ditto, I know a few others from my uni that have moved away from vet work as well.

 

[pandaclaus]

I went into engineering and found it wasn't what I wanted to do until retirement - so I've been working towards vet school, one class at a time, for the last several years while working full time. I've had the discussion about how I'm going into crazy debt to make less than I do as an engineer more times than I can count in the process. But, I'll be 28 when I officially enter the class of 2017, and I'm quite excited! I think switching careers is definitely worth it - but you just have to make sure you've really investigated your next career so you know what you're getting yourself into.

I volunteered in with an animal rescue organization, volunteered at an animal hospital, shadowed at an animal hospital, and finally got a part-time vet assistant job at a SA clinic. Life gets a little crazy with 2 jobs, class, and volunteering, but if you can do all that at once and still be motivated to go on toward your new career... you've made the right decision.

 

[gfa240]

Nice to see there are similar minded people here! I too am working as an engineer ,but after getting a grad degree and working in engineering for 7 years, I realized this is not the right career for me. You guys think 28 is old? hahahahahah! doesn't matter how old you are. You are gonna be 40-50-60 anyways, so why not do what you want???? age is irrelevant!
Anyhow, I took a ton of courses in wildlife biology and volunteered for a vet for a while. However, I am hearing horror stories from vets that really makes me question the change of career into veterinary medicine. Several vets on this forum really regret their decisions due to several factors.
I also have heard that as a vet working for a corporate, on occasion, you might need to make less-than-ethical-choices for the animals, which is absolutely horrifying to me. People have this cuddly cute picture of what a vet does, but the real story is very different. Emotional exhaustion from irresponsible people and frequent euthanasia, possible burnout from rigorous academic work load, 80-hour weeks, difficult, belligerent clients, and corporate pressure are just a few of these stressors. I just want to get the perspective of people in the field to see if this is really how it is. I have heard that vets are generally much more stressed and hence very prone to suicide. (http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/pets/2010-04-02-dolittler02_ST_N.htm)
This is a major decision for us career-changers, so I want to make sure after all the effort and financial commitment, this is the right thing to do.
Any insight is greatly appreciated.

 

[ThePiedPiper]

Nice to see there are similar minded people here! I too am working as an engineer ,but after getting a grad degree and working in engineering for 7 years, I realized this is not the right career for me. You guys think 28 is old? hahahahahah! doesn't matter how old you are. You are gonna be 40-50-60 anyways, so why not do what you want???? age is irrelevant!
Anyhow, I took a ton of courses in wildlife biology and volunteered for a vet for a while. However, I am hearing horror stories from vets that really makes me question the change of career into veterinary medicine. Several vets on this forum really regret their decisions due to several factors.
(http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=796680)
I also have heard that as a vet working for a corporate, on occasion, you might need to make less-than-ethical-choices for the animals, which is absolutely horrifying to me. People have this cuddly cute picture of what a vet does, but the real story is very different. Emotional exhaustion from irresponsible people and frequent euthanasia, possible burnout from rigorous academic work load, 80-hours weeks, difficult, belligerent clients are just a few of these stressors. I just want to get the perspective of people in the field to see if this is really how it is. I have heard that vets are generally much more stressed and hence very prone to suicide. (http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/pets/2010-04-02-dolittler02_ST_N.htm)
This is a major decision for us career-changers, so I want to make sure after all the effort and financial commitment, this is the right thing to do.
Any insight is greatly appreciated.

I know I'm probably going to get jumped on for saying this, and most likely considered naive, but I genuinely think that while these things are going to exist, one of the most important things you can do for yourself is listen to your threshold and if your threshold can't be built up from where it's at, you need to weigh up your options. And I know people are likely to tell me that the job market is competitive so you should take any opportunity you're granted because with loans like we're accruing, there's no way we can afford to pay them off and be picky, but when it comes to matters of mental health, the loans should come second. If working 80 hour work weeks for a large corporation is causing you to get stressed to the point you're suicidal, then you need to find something else within the industry, even if the 80 hour work week under the CEO is paying your loans and leaving you with a decent salary at the end of the day.

I think some people get stuck in the idea that it's all about making money, paying off loans, making a living and yes, that's a big part of it, but that shouldn't come at the expense of one's mental health. My mother's been at her worst when she's worked 12 hour days with absolutely no reprieve or time for her (she's a business owner), but if she takes time to go on a run every morning or recently she's been doing voice dialogue and meditation with someone, the changes in her mood, attitude and general mindset are astounding. I have found that it's this way with me, as well, and that I can tell when I'm not giving myself enough time to regenerate. I definitely believe there are stressful decisions in veterinary medicine. When you're dealing with health issues and complex, convoluted grey areas like euthanasia even when an animal can be saved, you're bound to be stressed out and some people, yes, I believe are not equipped to handle it. You have to be at a point where you're not set off by needless euthanasia, rehoming animals, etc.; I know some people who are very, very passionate about those issues and get triggered every time they occur, and I would not recommend vet med to them. I'm not saying you have to be heartless by any means, but you have to learn to come to terms with things in a way you're at peace with them. Yes, you're going to face circumstances that take longer to come to terms with, and that's when you need to make that time for you. I think once you start losing yourself and your identity in your work, that's where you have issues. Once you stop listening to yourself for the sake of a salary, that's where you have issues. Of course I haven't read the thread you linked to, but this is how I feel based on my knowledge of being a working student and having a mother who's a business owner. My mind might change the more involved I get into the profession.

 

[gfa240]

What you are saying makes sense and I appreciate your perspective. However, life at times does not make sense and 2+2 is not necessarily 4. Until you actually go through something, you won't really know what it is like. I am hearing these types of stories from a lot of vets that have a few years of experience dealing with these things and I wondering if this is how it is like.

 

[ThePiedPiper]

What you are saying makes sense and I appreciate your perspective. However, life at times does not make sense and 2+2 is not necessarily 4. Until you actually go through something, you won't really know what it is like. I am hearing these types of stories from a lot of vets that have a few years of experience dealing with these things and I wondering if this is how it is like.

I completely agree. However, a lot of the pessimism that I see on this forum is not what I've been exposed to or warned about. I know some people here have been warned by veterinarians not to become veterinarians, but I've actually gotten quite the opposite from veterinarians who know how to balance their work and personal life (I say this from work, interviews, etc.). My mother is also a business owner and I see the difference in her behaviour and general attitude from when she has a normal workday and when she's working 12+ hours a day 7 days a week. I just wanted to say that there will always be vets on both sides of the camp. There will always be vets working 80 hour weeks who are slogging through and barely holding their head above water, and there will always be vets who think it's okay to work only 50 hours a week even if it means it takes them longer to pay off their loans or even if they have to live modestly for a little while longer. I would argue that 2+2 is always 4, but sometimes people take alternative routes to reach 4, such as 1+3, 5-1, etc. It just depends on where you work, how you work, and who you are as a person as well as what you're willing to sacrifice. This is just what I have gathered, been told and observed.

 

[dvm'08]

What do you mean when you say slumming away? And what do you mean when you say the industry failed to give anything back to you?

I'm curious what you consider slumming and what you consider a worthy return on your education. I may be wrong, but are you talking about compensation only?

My decision really has nothing to do with money. I earned way higher then the industry average last year (over 100K); I'm very well compensated for what I do.

Veterinary medicine has become a fool's profession. Save your flaming - I know 90% of people here will completely disagree. I have devoted almost 15 years to veterinary medicine - from getting into vet school, going through vet school, and now practicing. I didn't enter the profession with unrealistically high expectations. I knew I would never be rich, I knew that there would be days where I wanted to quit, I knew that I would have to do things (like convenience euthanasia) that I may not agree with... But I really didn't grasp the magnitude of how difficult day-to-day life would be until I actually got into the trench.

My typical work week is between 70-80 hours. A 12 hour day is routine. My days are spent being denigrated by clients who believe I am out to bankrupt them, who believe I dont know what I am talking about (because some internet forum has given them their diagnosis and all they want is the medications without an exam), and who want me to run all my diagnostic and treatment decisions through their breeder. The number of people who actually respect my decisions and are truly looking for my expertise are dwindling to the point where I legitimately don't feel like I'm making a difference anymore. You can make the argument that human doctors go through the same thing; but the situation is different when some ignorant ******* is taking their own health into their hands, versus when they are making health care decisions for an animal who has no voice in the decision making process. I would be better of if I just didn't care... At lest i wouldn't feel so defeated at the end of the day.

This is just the tip of the iceberg... I could go on for days.

The economy has decimated our industry in ways that vet students and pre-vets cant even begin to imagine. Someone here said it best - veterinarians are having to take jobs simply for the sake of getting employment because there are just no opportunities out there. People are working for 50K per year trying to make ends meet... what an atrocious salary. If I was making 50 K per year i would have quit this job a long time ago. I'm lucky in that I was able to 'suck it up' (so to speak) to be able to plan an exit strategy.

I'm sure there are veterinarians out there with completely different experiences; ones who love their jobs and wouldn't do anything else with their lives. I love the practice of medicine and I love helping the clients who appreciate my efforts (even if i dont get to practice medicine to the level i'd like). Its just not enough to keep me in the field.

 

[gfa240]

Here is the thing, I think I can deal with the nasty clients and the 70 hour work week and student loans, etc. What I am terrified about is having to make " unethical decisions". I read in one of the forums that some vets working for a corporate admitted to not using sufficient pain medication for surgeries or convenience euthanasia and some other things I can't remember, just because she/he was under pressure from corporate. I find this horrifying. We go into this profession with the hope of being able to have positive impact on the animals life who can't speak for themselves, but then do the exact opposite and knowingly cause harm. I can NOT live with that part. How often, if ever, do you have to make such decisions? are these types of procedures common? Are all these corporate run the same way?

 

[Fledgling]

Sorry to bring up a 3 month old thread here, but I figured it'd be better to ask this in here rather than start a new thread:

What's the strangest major you've seen transitioning to veterinary school, and how did they do? I've heard stories about English majors, but even that doesn't seem too far removed when you consider that their undergraduate curriculum allows for plenty of the prerequisites.

How about, say, theater majors who obtained a post-Bacc? Peter Ostrum comes to mind.

Originally I was going to make a lengthy post about my transition, but I figured it'd be best to keep things simple and open.

 

[hygebeorht]

Creative writing here, will report back if I remember once school starts.

I knew a fine arts major who just finished her first year. The surgeon who owned the clinic I volunteered at was an English major, IIRC. Another surgeon I worked with was as well...or was he a theater major?

 

[Lupin21]

Sorry to bring up a 3 month old thread here, but I figured it'd be better to ask this in here rather than start a new thread:

What's the strangest major you've seen transitioning to veterinary school, and how did they do? I've heard stories about English majors, but even that doesn't seem too far removed when you consider that their undergraduate curriculum allows for plenty of the prerequisites.

How about, say, theater majors who obtained a post-Bacc? Peter Ostrum comes to mind.

Originally I was going to make a lengthy post about my transition, but I figured it'd be best to keep things simple and open.

Creative writing here, will report back if I remember once school starts.



I knew a fine arts major who just finished her first year. The surgeon who owned the clinic I volunteered at was an English major, IIRC. Another surgeon I worked with was as well...or was he a theater major?

I graduated early at 17 to move to NY to work in theatre. Did some small stuff then moved to LA and worked the last 10 + years in stop motion. I went to school long enough to kick ass on pre-reqs and get accepted without a degree. There is no real go from point A to B specific out there. If you apply yourself and are a well-rounded person, you can do pretty much anything.

 

[felinelvr44]

I moved to NYC to pursue classical ballet and was a history major as my "back-up" plan. When I started my pre-req's I hadn't taken a real science or math course since high school.

 

[EngrSC]

Aerospace engineering, emphasis in propulsion and flight mechanics here

I had only taken Biology 100 until I started prereqs

 

[LetItSnow]

What's the strangest major you've seen transitioning to veterinary school, and how did they do? I've heard stories about English majors, but even that doesn't seem too far removed when you consider that their undergraduate curriculum allows for plenty of the prerequisites.

Theology degree here, but I have a varied background ranging from newspaper writing/editing to systems engineering and development for a large telco.

I think I'm doing fine so far.