Current Sophomore, how can i improve my application going forward?

[gomaroons]

Hello everyone, I'm a sophomore at UChicago majoring in psychology. Looking for some advice on anything I'm overlooking as I build up a good application in 2 years.

GPA: 3.70
sGPA: 3.62
Plan on taking the GRE spring of junior year

Veterinary Experience:
- This summer I will spend ~5 hours a week shadowing and ~20 hours a week volunteering in a vet clinic where a close family friend works. Will probably total around 250 hours.
- Will try to find something else to do during my junior year, open to suggestions

Animal Experience:
- Volunteer neonate kitten foster for a nearby shelter, no idea how many hours but it was a month of almost constant maintenance.

Research:
- I'm an RA for a large study being conducted within UChicago medicine, involves patient psychology and how they feel during and after hospital stays. By the time I'm done it will be ~100 hours.
- Hopefully can get a position in one of the labs here that uses animals, have talked to some of the lab animal vets here about it.

EC's:
- Esports team
- Volunteer tutor for the college core

Awards:
Lots of miscellaneous music awards from highschool
UChicago Advanced Scholars

Work Experience:
- Day Camp Counselor (200 hours)
- Gardener (300 hours)

Current plans:
Finish the school year, right now classes and the hospital research project take up all my time
This coming summer: Shadowing/volunteering in vet clinics full time
Next school year: Take GRE, maybe volunteer in animal lab?
Next summer: More shadowing/volunteering, hopefully in a non small animal practice
Then apply!

Like I said I would really appreciate any advice from any old timers or current vet students about what opportunities I should be looking for in the future. Thanks everyone

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[Georgethecat]

Keep up the good work with your grades.

If you’re planning on applying the fall of your senior year of undergrad, then you have the next 2 summers to log vet experience hours. I assume the clinic you’re shadowing and volunteering at is a primarily small animal clinic. If so, you should try to diversify your experiences. Find a large animal or equine vet to shadow. Consider an emergency clinic as well. You need to demonstrate an understanding of the profession. I’d aim for closer to 1000 hours of vet experience by the time you submit on VMCAS. You’ll want to have at least 2 solid letters of recommendation from veterinarians.

Best of luck!

 

[gomaroons]

Keep up the good work with your grades.

If you’re planning on applying the fall of your senior year of undergrad, then you have the next 2 summers to log vet experience hours. I assume the clinic you’re shadowing and volunteering at is a primarily small animal clinic. If so, you should try to diversify your experiences. Find a large animal or equine vet to shadow. Consider an emergency clinic as well. You need to demonstrate an understanding of the profession. I’d aim for closer to 1000 hours of vet experience by the time you submit on VMCAS. You’ll want to have at least 2 solid letters of recommendation from veterinarians.

Best of luck!

Thanks for the advice!

 

[HorseObsessed]

no comment on what to do to improve, but I would recommend making a rough list of schools before taking the GRE. I bought a GRE prep book and then realized I wasn't going to apply anywhere that required it! Very few schools do anymore.

 

[gomaroons]

no comment on what to do to improve, but I would recommend making a rough list of schools before taking the GRE. I bought a GRE prep book and then realized I wasn't going to apply anywhere that required it! Very few schools do anymore.

I’ve noticed that too. My top choice is UIUC because I’m a resident and they seem to put a lot of emphasis on stats. In general i think I’m a pretty good test taker so I’ll give it a shot

 

[ctwom24]

Hi! Your grades are looking good so keep that up! Since you have a lot of time before you have to apply I would recommend trying to get ~1000 veterinary hours. This is not a must (my friend only had ~500 but her app is still competitive) but it will make your hours extra competitive and is a good number to shoot for. I would recommend trying to get some large animal experience as well whether it is equine vet shadowing or working within a dairy barn, etc. You want to make sure you demonstrate that you have explored other fields of vet med besides small animal. Besides that, as you mentioned, animal based research would be the cherry on top! But certainly not a requirement. Let me know if you have any other questions! I just got my 1st acceptance

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I'd be interested in what suggestions your prehealth advising offfice gave you to get more vet experience.

 

[gomaroons]

I'd be interested in what suggestions your prehealth advising offfice gave you to get more vet experience.

They just told me that its basically impossible to get clinic hours within a mile of campus, so it will have to be what I do during summer

 

[Mr.Smile12]

They just told me that its basically impossible to get clinic hours within a mile of campus, so it will have to be what I do during summer

You need animal experience, not just small animals from what I can see. Why not an internship at the Lincoln Park Zoo, Shedd Aquarium, or the Marine Bio Lab at UC? Can those be done during the summer or even into the academic year? Check with the Careers in Bio Science team, emphasizing you need such experiences to ultimately pursue veterinary medicine, not human medicine (which your CHIPS office seems to specialize in, not all prehealth careers).