Example of animal or veterinary experience?

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sheepishsheep

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Hello everyone,

I'm currently filling out the VMCAS application and I'm not sure whether to classify the following experiences as animal or veterinary:

(1) Laboratory research looking at the effects of avian migration on the distribution of avian influenza virus. Also through the same lab, I researched population differentiation in hummingbirds of Central America.

My work was mostly molecular biology related and I did not actually work with living birds. I did work with the DNA and RNA collected from fecal, blood, and feather samples acquired from wild birds.

The work was done through a full-time professor's laboratory (he has a PhD) at a large research university.

(2) Field research on two different rainforest species (a frog species and a butterfly species) in Central America. We handled the animals, which were captured in the wild, on a daily basis to collect our data.

This work was also supervised by a full-time professor who has a PhD. (This was actually a quarter-long course and he was our instructor).

I know VMCAS says if the work was related to animals AND was supervised by a health professional, it should be classified as veterinary experience. Since these professors have PhDs, does that make them "health professionals"?

Thank you for your advice!

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Another question related to the same experiences:

For VMCAS we have to select "animal types" that we worked with. The options are Small, Food Animal, Equine, Research, Zoo Animal/Wildlife, Exotic/Avian, and Other.

Do you think I should only mark Zoo Animal/Wildlife for both experiences? Or also Exotic/Avian and/or Research?

Additionally, I am including work with an avian captive breeding and reintroduction program under Animal Experience. Would this be Zoo Animal/Wildlife? Or also Exotic/Avian?

Thanks again!
 
Personally, I'd probably put the first as vet, second as animal. From the short description you gave, I'd put both as a Zoo/Wildlife and research. Ditto for zoo/wildlife on the animal experience.

It's honestly not a huge deal if you do it any particular way, though - they're not going to not count an experience because you called it zoo/wildlife instead of exotic/avian, or really probably even pay attention to the small details you sit and agonize over. :laugh:
 
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I would say they're both veterinary experience. I have done research with both an MD and a PhD related to the science/health aspect of things (one with mice and one with zebrafish) and I put BOTH down under veterinary experience. If the adcom feels differently they might move it to the other, but that shouldn't hurt you.

You could list both under either zoo/wildlife or research. Maybe the one with the actual field samples as research, and the one with actual animal handling as zoo/wildlife?
 
I did similar research to your first description only with lizards and didn't feel as though it fit either veterinary or animal experience.

Doesn't VMCAS define a "health professional"? 95% sure that when I applied last year they had changed the rules so that research with just a PhD couldn't count as veterinary experience... I would triple check the application to be sure.

I felt like I could sneak my research into the "animal experience" category but didn't because: A) I have tons of animal experience and B) I thought it would be a stretch if I never actually saw any of the lizards whose data I used.

ETA: Second experience is definitely animal experience. And really cool!
 
Okay, here's a silly question. I have animal experience working with both wolves and wolf hybrids at a conservation. I know this is under animal experience, but would you consider wolves zoo/wildlife or exotic animals? To give a little more detail, they are kept in pens (about 1 acre each) and develop normal pack lifestyles. They eat freshly killed meat, so they don't hunt on their own, as a normal pack would. They are never treated as pets, however they do have frequent human interaction with visitors to the conservation. And the wolves are commonly seen in movies! Normally I would think wildlife, but the human interaction and acting career puts a monkey wrench in my theory!!

Also, when wolf hybrids are "dog" enough to be adopted, are they SA pets or are they exotic pets??! There are only certain vets who will see them. And they don't eat normal dog food or get the same preventative care/vaccines as a dog would but I'm not too sure which to choose. Ahh the agony!!!
 
Okay, here's a silly question. I have animal experience working with both wolves and wolf hybrids at a conservation. I know this is under animal experience, but would you consider wolves zoo/wildlife or exotic animals? To give a little more detail, they are kept in pens (about 1 acre each) and develop normal pack lifestyles. They eat freshly killed meat, so they don't hunt on their own, as a normal pack would. They are never treated as pets, however they do have frequent human interaction with visitors to the conservation. And the wolves are commonly seen in movies! Normally I would think wildlife, but the human interaction and acting career puts a monkey wrench in my theory!!

Also, when wolf hybrids are "dog" enough to be adopted, are they SA pets or are they exotic pets??! There are only certain vets who will see them. And they don't eat normal dog food or get the same preventative care/vaccines as a dog would but I'm not too sure which to choose. Ahh the agony!!!
I would say that the wolves are zoo/wildlife. I work with a wildlife sanctuary and we sometimes have wolves. BUT if they owned as a pet, I would say SA. Where I work we have wolves and they are considered SA not exotic. But that is totally from my experience. :)
 
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