I work in a veterinary clinic as a veterinary technician but...

[Angie_MD]

Hey all, so I am loving the advice you all are giving me, I just want to know this though, I work as a veterinary technician now but my aspiring career is in human medicine how ever, when it comes to my personal statement and secondary essay for medical school should I include that I have worked with animals in a clinical setting will this help me or harm me? Given that there are some differences within the two fields, but I find that a lot of the medicine animals use we use as well?

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[LizzyM]

You have experience in veterinary medicine but you want to be a physician and not a vet. I have to assume that you have also had some experience in settings with human patients. One approach to your essays will be to describe your experiences and explain why you want to be a physician giving other options, one of which is veterinary medicine. The similarities are not what matters; what is important is the differences and why given the choice, you choose medicine.

 

[Doudline]

As long as you have human clinical experience, you should be fine.
Just don't make it a central part of your application, and be ready to answer "Why not vet school?"

 

[Angie_MD]

As long as you have human clinical experience, you should be fine.
Just don't make it a central part of your application, and be ready to answer "Why not vet school?"

Yes I plan to gain clinical experience in a human hospital setting I've actually applied for a clinical research project for the fall

 

[Angie_MD]

You have experience in veterinary medicine but you want to be a physician and not a vet. I have to assume that you have also had some experience in settings with human patients. One approach to your essays will be to describe your experiences and explain why you want to be a physician giving other options, one of which is veterinary medicine. The similarities are not what matters; what is important is the differences and why given the choice, you choose medicine.

my plan is to gain experience in a human setting but your saying it's all the same as far as choosing to practice medicine in general?

 

[LizzyM]

my plan is to gain experience in a human setting but your saying it's all the same as far as choosing to practice medicine in general?

Why do you want to practice medicine? This is the big question that every applicant must answer in a satisfactory manner to be admitted to a medical school. Some interviewers will ask if you have considered other careers or what you would choose if you couldn't do medicine. You have a conversation piece with your experience in veterinary medicine just as the applicants I've interviewed who have worked in dental offices can compare and contrast the two and show why they are choosing medicine.

How is medicine different? How is it the same? Why is it the more appealing choice, for you?

 

[Angie_MD]

Why do you want to practice medicine? This is the big question that every applicant must answer in a satisfactory manner to be admitted to a medical school. Some interviewers will ask if you have considered other careers or what you would choose if you couldn't do medicine. You have a conversation piece with your experience in veterinary medicine just as the applicants I've interviewed who have worked in dental offices can compare and contrast the two and show why they are choosing medicine.

How is medicine different? How is it the same? Why is it the more appealing choice, for you?

Oh okay, would it be good to connect the two? In other words meaning my experience in veterinary medicine has led me to want to practice human medicine because...?

 

[Holmwood]

Hey all, so I am loving the advice you all are giving me, I just want to know this though, I work as a veterinary technician now but my aspiring career is in human medicine how ever, when it comes to my personal statement and secondary essay for medical school should I include that I have worked with animals in a clinical setting will this help me or harm me? Given that there are some differences within the two fields, but I find that a lot of the medicine animals use we use as well?

Pets are like people's babies. Maybe you can make the relationship with pediatrics.

And aside from the animals, what sorts of skills did you acquire as a vet tech? And are any of those useful in the physician profession?

You can definitely play this to your advantage because it is unique! It'll help distinguish you from other applicants.

 

[CrimsonKing]

Why human medicine over veterinary medicine, for you? Other than the sizable difference in income?

 

[Angie_MD]

Pets are like people's babies. Maybe you can make the relationship with pediatrics.

And aside from the animals, what sorts of skills did you acquire as a vet tech? And are any of those useful in the physician profession?

You can definitely play this to your advantage because it is unique! It'll help distinguish you from other applicants.

Well all the while I absolutely enjoy caring for animals I miss human contact, I miss being able to connect with patients on a human level. Although I connect with their owners it's more deeper when its with a human patient if imagine

 

[Angie_MD]

Pets are like people's babies. Maybe you can make the relationship with pediatrics.

And aside from the animals, what sorts of skills did you acquire as a vet tech? And are any of those useful in the physician profession?

You can definitely play this to your advantage because it is unique! It'll help distinguish you from other applicants.

Thanks this makes me smile

 

[Angie_MD]

Well all the while I absolutely enjoy caring for animals I miss human contact, I miss being able to connect with patients on a human level. Although I connect with their owners it's more deeper when its with a human patient if imagine

 

[Holmwood]

Well all the while I absolutely enjoy caring for animals I miss human contact, I miss being able to connect with patients on a human level. Although I connect with their owners it's more deeper when its with a human patient if imagine

Then the next question is, what is the main difference between an animal patient and a human patient that would cause you to feel a deeper connection.
And what specific experience supports that distinction?

Hmm, have you worked/volunteered in a clinical setting before?

 

[Angie_MD]

Then the next question is, what is the main difference between an animal patient and a human patient that would cause you to feel a deeper connection.
And what specific experience supports that distinction?

Hmm, have you worked/volunteered in a clinical setting before?

Alright, and no, I am working on that now, its hard because of my demanding schedule as a tech but I'll make time! I applied to NYUs PAVERS so I am just waiting for their call if I get chosen

 

[Holmwood]

Alright, and no, I am working on that now, its hard because of my demanding schedule as a tech but I'll make time! I applied to NYUs PAVERS so I am just waiting for their call if I get chosen

Sweet!

I'm just saying it's a work in progress. And you'd be able to make a better case once you can put both human and animal experiences in front of you and start making comparisons.

Good luck~

 

[Angie_MD]

Sweet!

I'm just saying it's a work in progress. And you'd be able to make a better case once you can put both human and animal experiences in front of you and start making comparisons.

Good luck~

Thanks so much, I'll let you know when I make it into PAVERs!

 

[kk123]

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[Angie_MD]

In an earlier thread, a medical student talked about how working in a vet clinic was a big part of their personal statement and they also discussed in their personal statement why they chose human medicine over veterinary medicine. They said that ADCOMs told them it made them look genuine and unique.

I'm a vet tech too, and like you, my experience in veterinary medicine has led me to want to practice human medicine. I also have shadowing and hospital volunteering experience so I am comparing/contrasting my experiences in my personal statement to show why I chose human medicine. IMO shadowing was a far more valuable experience than hospital volunteering and I highly recommend you try to do some shadowing just to make sure you want to go into human medicine. A lot of vet techs end up going into human medicine (as a nurse, PA, EMT, phlebotomist, etc.), but some vet techs realize while they can interact with people on a daily basis, they would rather not have people as their patients (having to hurt humans or deal with human sickness isn't for them).
Good luck!

Oh wow! Thanks so much for that information, would you be able to link that early thread here I would love to read her story as well!

 

[nvrsittingstill]

There are more of us out there! I was accepted to start vet school, had a crazy freak accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury and paraplegia and I'm applying this cycle. In my mind, you don't choose medicine, medicine chooses you. I definitely discussed why human medicine over vet med in my PS, I think it helped to show my passion and drive for this field in a way nothing else would have.

 

[kk123]

Oh wow! Thanks so much for that information, would you be able to link that early thread here I would love to read her story as well!

Here is the link. The post is towards the top by "URhere"
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/possibly-converting-dvm-to-md.1074911/page-2

 

[Angie_MD]

There are more of us out there! I was accepted to start vet school, had a crazy freak accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury and paraplegia and I'm applying this cycle. In my mind, you don't choose medicine, medicine chooses you. I definitely discussed why human medicine over vet med in my PS, I think it helped to show my passion and drive for this field in a way nothing else would have.

Oh wow, sorry about your accident but I'm glad we can relate to one another, I am going to follow you on here!

 

[Angie_MD]

Here is the link. The post is towards the top by "URhere"
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/possibly-converting-dvm-to-md.1074911/page-2

Okay thanks a lot! I'm going to follow you as well on here it's nice to be able to relate to people who are in the same shoes!

 

[nvrsittingstill]

Oh wow, sorry about your accident but I'm glad we can relate to one another, I am going to follow you on here!

Everything happens for a reason and I've never been this passionate about something in my life. I know this is where I've forever been meant to be and 3 months in a hospital just confirmed it. Medicine really does choose you

 

[kk123]

Okay thanks a lot! I'm going to follow you as well on here it's nice to be able to relate to people who are in the same shoes!

Always excited to find another vet tech wanting to go into human medicine!

 

[yaoigirl]

I am another vet tech applying this cycle and I agree with kk123 that as long as you are able to show why you're interested in human medicine and can answer the question why not vet med you will be fine.

 

[GLaDOS]

Just wanted to chime in on this. I'm a veterinary technician as well & have connected with a few other veterinary-to-human medicine applicants. In some states, the title of veterinary technician is protected, so if you're not degreed & licensed, avoid using that designation. I'm sure most people don't know that, but there was a thread on VSPN/VIN about someone whose interview was blown because of that & a few others had been in similar situations.