Introduction and some advice?

[iHeartReptiles]

Hi,

I am probably different than most pre-vet/vet students. I’m 28 years old and 2 semesters into my journey. I’m still deciding on what major I want to officially declare and am meeting with MSU’s pre-vet department and vet school tomorrow to discuss a wide variety of questions, that being one of them.

I know your undergrad major should be strongly related to the sciences, and doesn’t necessarily have to focus on animals. But in the slight chance (I really hope it’s a slight chance) that I don’t get into vet school, I’d also like something that still focuses on animals so that way regardless, I can still work with them. MSU offers several different degrees that have pre-veterinary focuses, but I’m really leaning towards Zoology (because I would really love to specialize in exotics!), which unfortunately does not have a pre-vet focus. Would that truly affect my chances at getting into a vet school somewhere? The other second best option, in my opinion, is their Animal Sciences program, which DOES have the pre-veterinary concentration but focuses more on farming and companion animals.

I also have 2 children and a husband and this is something I’ve wanted to do for the majority of my life, but life had other plans. But after much thought and discussion, now is the time.

That being said, I don’t have any professional veterinary experience and I’m really hardpressed on how to gain experience. I don’t mind volunteering some, but I also won’t have a whole ton of free time to volunteer once classes start. My husband is 100% supportive and will do whatever he can to help me, but I also still have to work in the mean time.

Do you guys have any suggestions on how to get experience? I know I need to start sooner rather than later. I want to be a competitive candidate, and since I want to focus on exotics, and if I should (I would think I should) tailor my experience around exotics more than typical companion animals. That presents an extra challenge. There’s only one exotic vet clinic in my area. That’s where all my reptiles go. I put in an application with the office manager but she never called me back — granted, they aren’t really hiring either. Should I maybe try to talk to the actual veterinarian next time I go in there? Which will be soon because it’s about time for annual fecal exams.

Outside of that, what other places could I volunteer, or better yet work, that would count towards experience? I’ll be going through orientation soon to be an animal care volunteer for the Organization for Bat Conservation. I thought that’d be an excellent opportunity because bats are considered exotic, it’s experience, it’s volunteer work, and most importantly, I really adore bats and am really excited to work with them.

I suppose if I didn’t have children it would be much easier to find various opportunities, but my children must OBVIOUSLY remain one of my top priorities. I think now is a better time, because they’re presently 8 and 4 and by the time I’m done with my undergrade (I have 3 years left), they’ll be 11 and 7.

Ideally, I’d like to go straight to vet school after my undergrad but I also want to move to Tenneessee eventually and it just so happens they offer an exotics concentration in veterinary medicine at University of Tenneessee’s vet school. So it’s still a bit of a toss up, but my plans (if I’m accepted, of course) are either to go straight to MSU (Michigan State University) right after my undergrad, or move to Tenneessee, take a year off to get life settled in Tenneessee and hopefully get more veterinary experience in that year, and then go to U of T’s vet school.

I feel like I’m probably rambling on at this point, but I’m really motivated and ready to go and super excited for what’s ahead. And so incredibly relieved to finally be at a point in my life where I can focus on the path I truly want to take in life. I know I have a lot of challenges to face, but I’m doing my absolute best to prepare and research and plan as efficiently and effectively as I can.

I have a lot of overall questions that I’ve prepared for my visit tomorrow, but I thought I’d ask here if you guys have any advice, suggestions, support, words of encouragement, different points of view, anything? Maybe I’m missing something. Maybe I haven’t considered something. Maybe someone has gotten a late start in their veterinary life and can share their success story with me? Anyone specializing in exotics that can offer more specific advice in regards to that specialty? Anything? It’s all super appreciated and I really hope I get to share this experience with you guys.

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[pinkpuppy9]

Short on time, so I can't be thorough, but I have my BS in Zoology from Michigan State. I wouldn't say it has done that much to prepare me for my exotic medicine goals, other than the comparative anatomy and mammology courses (which were the only hands on courses in the entire major). If you're worried about not getting in/ever actually applying, you may want to consider other majors with better job prospects. All of my zoology friends are zookeepers (after doing multiple unpaid internships) or kind of free floating at this point and doing nothing science related. A few are pursuing master's programs. I feel like zoology gets glamorized because it has the word 'zoo' in it, but it really is a degree that you either get a masters/PhD after or go into zookeeping/entry level lab and science jobs. It's hard to make a career with just a BS in zoology.

I'm not trying to discourage you, obviously I chose the major myself! I just want you to know the reality of the major, especially in the context of wanting to go to vet school. However, if those jobs I mentioned sound like something you'd actually want to do, by all means go for it! Zookeeping was my backup. While the pay is crap, I absolutely love husbandry just as much as I love medicine. It was actually a tough call for me to make, especially after my first failed attempt at getting into vet school. Just remember to have a plan B, as much as I hate to say it.

Anyways, feel free to message me if you have more questions about MSU/zoology. @Pugsforlove2014 is an MSU grad as well and I'm sure she has great thoughts on this.

 

[iHeartReptiles]

No, youre not dissuading me at all! I truly appreciate your input. I will absolutely be applying to vet school but I also feel like I need to be realistic and understand that just because I want it, doesn't mean it will happen and that's why I was kind of trying to find a balance -- where if vet school just doesn't happen for me, then I can still work with animals. Worse case scenario, I'm not opposed to a masters/PhD but exotic medicine is my absolute #1 goal.

I understand completely that it's glamorized and I mostly picked it as being most favorable because I'll learn more about exotic species as opposed to other majors. I also love husbandry just as much as medicine and I also believe that the two really go hand in hand. Not all, but a lot, of illnesses can be prevented by proper husbandry.

Which I suppose is another reason, I want to be an excellent exotic vet who can also properly educate on exotic husbandry.

I really appreciate your input and I'm sure I'll be messaging you soon. Everything is coming up real fast and I'm really getting excited and anxious about it. Thank you!

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[LetItSnow]

Hi,

I am probably different than most pre-vet/vet students. I’m 28 years old and 2 semesters into my journey. I’m still deciding on what major I want to officially declare and am meeting with MSU’s pre-vet department and vet school tomorrow to discuss a wide variety of questions, that being one of them.

I know your undergrad major should be strongly related to the sciences, and doesn’t necessarily have to focus on animals. But in the slight chance (I really hope it’s a slight chance) that I don’t get into vet school, I’d also like something that still focuses on animals so that way regardless, I can still work with them. MSU offers several different degrees that have pre-veterinary focuses, but I’m really leaning towards Zoology (because I would really love to specialize in exotics!), which unfortunately does not have a pre-vet focus. Would that truly affect my chances at getting into a vet school somewhere? The other second best option, in my opinion, is their Animal Sciences program, which DOES have the pre-veterinary concentration but focuses more on farming and companion animals.

I also have 2 children and a husband and this is something I’ve wanted to do for the majority of my life, but life had other plans. But after much thought and discussion, now is the time.

That being said, I don’t have any professional veterinary experience and I’m really hardpressed on how to gain experience. I don’t mind volunteering some, but I also won’t have a whole ton of free time to volunteer once classes start. My husband is 100% supportive and will do whatever he can to help me, but I also still have to work in the mean time.

Do you guys have any suggestions on how to get experience? I know I need to start sooner rather than later. I want to be a competitive candidate, and since I want to focus on exotics, and if I should (I would think I should) tailor my experience around exotics more than typical companion animals. That presents an extra challenge. There’s only one exotic vet clinic in my area. That’s where all my reptiles go. I put in an application with the office manager but she never called me back — granted, they aren’t really hiring either. Should I maybe try to talk to the actual veterinarian next time I go in there? Which will be soon because it’s about time for annual fecal exams.

Outside of that, what other places could I volunteer, or better yet work, that would count towards experience? I’ll be going through orientation soon to be an animal care volunteer for the Organization for Bat Conservation. I thought that’d be an excellent opportunity because bats are considered exotic, it’s experience, it’s volunteer work, and most importantly, I really adore bats and am really excited to work with them.

I suppose if I didn’t have children it would be much easier to find various opportunities, but my children must OBVIOUSLY remain one of my top priorities. I think now is a better time, because they’re presently 8 and 4 and by the time I’m done with my undergrade (I have 3 years left), they’ll be 11 and 7.

Ideally, I’d like to go straight to vet school after my undergrad but I also want to move to Tenneessee eventually and it just so happens they offer an exotics concentration in veterinary medicine at University of Tenneessee’s vet school. So it’s still a bit of a toss up, but my plans (if I’m accepted, of course) are either to go straight to MSU (Michigan State University) right after my undergrad, or move to Tenneessee, take a year off to get life settled in Tenneessee and hopefully get more veterinary experience in that year, and then go to U of T’s vet school.

I feel like I’m probably rambling on at this point, but I’m really motivated and ready to go and super excited for what’s ahead. And so incredibly relieved to finally be at a point in my life where I can focus on the path I truly want to take in life. I know I have a lot of challenges to face, but I’m doing my absolute best to prepare and research and plan as efficiently and effectively as I can.

I have a lot of overall questions that I’ve prepared for my visit tomorrow, but I thought I’d ask here if you guys have any advice, suggestions, support, words of encouragement, different points of view, anything? Maybe I’m missing something. Maybe I haven’t considered something. Maybe someone has gotten a late start in their veterinary life and can share their success story with me? Anyone specializing in exotics that can offer more specific advice in regards to that specialty? Anything? It’s all super appreciated and I really hope I get to share this experience with you guys.

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I dunno, my undergrad major was Theology. So I'm not sure I'd agree that it "should be strongly related to the sciences". You do have to have a science foundation and take all the pre-reqs, of course. And if you want to be set-up for another science-based career if vet school doesn't work out, obviously you'd want a science major that is appropriate. I personally wouldn't even look at whether a major as a pre-vet concentration, other than to make sure it satisfies all the pre-requisites for vet school.

Getting ready for clinical practice in exotics is going to be less related to your major (far, far less) and much more related to experience and contacts. Even in vet school, the exotics education is pretty minimal. So, reading a lot -- GOOD resources, not this and that website -- will be pretty key, along with your own personal experience and building contacts with other exotics veterinarians and organizations.

Building experience for vet school doesn't really have shortcuts. You just have to get out there and do it. It would be useful for you to develop a relationship with a vet who does exotics, but I would be careful not to overdo it. You're going to want to expose yourself to other aspects, too. Only way to do it is get on the phone and start asking people to let you come watch. My personal opinion - which is maybe worth nothing - is that as a mother you have a lot on your plate and shadowing might be better because of the flexibility (as opposed to looking for a job). Ideally you'd try and build up at least 250+ hours of experience in a few different areas of medicine.

At 28, you really aren't as different from many pre-vets as you'd think. It's not terribly uncommon to do what you're doing. We had a handful of people (both male and female) in my class with kids.

 

[iHeartReptiles]

Thanks for the input. The only reason I was looking out for a pre-vet concentration is because it fulfills the pre-reqs for vet school while still allowing me the opportunity to obtain a degree in an animal related field in case my vet goals don't work out. I always feel the need to have a backup.

Shadowing would be totally fine with me too. How do you go about doing that? Just call and ask or? You're absolutely right in that it might work better for me.

I read a lot on exotics all the time. I'm sure it's not the exact good resources that you're talking about but yeah. What would you recommend? Like textbooks? I was looking at a few the other night to get a bit of a head start.

I know exotics exposure is typically minimal but that's also why I'm really considering University of Tennessee as my top choice instead of MSU. I've been wanting to relocate to Tenn. for a good while now so that kind of a major move wouldn't be such an upset for my family.

I'm glad to know it's not that strange! That takes quite a load off my shoulders because I'm terrified of walking into the vet school tomorrow and they'll be like...Yeahhh, probably not gonna happen. Lol Thank you!

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[Pugsforlove2014]

Hey I graduated from the zoology program there. The zoo major is fine, I never intended to be a zoologist, it was just a nice major to get me into vet school. Unlike @pinkpuppy9 I didn't really try to ever get exotics experience since I'm not interested in that, I went for more molecular stuff like histology, immunology, developmental sciences etc. Potter park zoo has some sort of intership program I know. Otherwise take the summers off and get a job at a vet clinic. You'll wrack up those hours real quick.

Uh besides that don't go out of state for veterinary school, it's silly spending double the money for the same thing and you will absolutely regret it if you had the option otherwise. You can get plenty of zoo experience on holidays and during clinical rotations.

 

[iHeartReptiles]

Thank you! Were you able to work the pre-reqs into your degree or did you have to take extras for it? I definitely intend to be a veterinarian but I also want a degree that, if heaven forbid I couldn't get into vet school somewhere, I can still use it to work with animals. So zoologist would be my back up plan basically.

I've applied to a few vet clinics but being 28 without veterinary experience, I'm not sure they're looking to hire me. I have many applicable skills for an office position even, but I'm just going to have to keep trying.

I totally get what you mean going out of state. But it was already planned for us to be moving to Tennessee long before I could even start to consider going back to school to be a possibility. I don't want to pay the out if state tuition either, so if we did decide to go that route, we'd move there after I graduated with my BS and I'd take a year off to move and settle in there. I believe after you live there for a year, it becomes in state tuition. I wouldn't consider it if we weren't already planning on moving to Tennessee anyway. I want to live in the smokey mountains and have little pygmy goats. lol

I'm really excited for tomorrow. I was also really anxious and you guys made me feel so much better. Thank you so much. This is so important to me and I'm so happy that it's finally starting to happen.

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[LetItSnow]

Thanks for the input. The only reason I was looking out for a pre-vet concentration is because it fulfills the pre-reqs for vet school while still allowing me the opportunity to obtain a degree in an animal related field in case my vet goals don't work out. I always feel the need to have a backup.

Shadowing would be totally fine with me too. How do you go about doing that? Just call and ask or? You're absolutely right in that it might work better for me.

I read a lot on exotics all the time. I'm sure it's not the exact good resources that you're talking about but yeah. What would you recommend? Like textbooks? I was looking at a few the other night to get a bit of a head start.

I know exotics exposure is typically minimal but that's also why I'm really considering University of Tennessee as my top choice instead of MSU. I've been wanting to relocate to Tenn. for a good while now so that kind of a major move wouldn't be such an upset for my family.

I'm glad to know it's not that strange! That takes quite a load off my shoulders because I'm terrified of walking into the vet school tomorrow and they'll be like...Yeahhh, probably not gonna happen. Lol Thank you!

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Shadowing: Just start calling around or showing up in person to say "Hey, I am gearing up to go to vet school and I'd like to see behind-the-scenes to get a better idea of what the industry is all about. Can I spend some time with you?" Or something along those lines. Don't expect to touch. Don't help without asking if you can. Be professional. Be curious, but make sure you aren't asking questions when things 'are happening'. Don't try and get them to commit to you coming every week for the next billion years - just ask if you can come for one day. If it goes well, you can ask to come back.

Exotics texts: I dunno. I don't do exotics, sorry (other than rabbits - I like seeing rabbits - but our hospitals don't see reptiles at all). The other people who like exotics could probably give you ideas, though! What I meant by it was that I would try to start gaining informed/authoritative information (rather than surfing random websites - no matter how 'accurate' they sound, you just don't know....).

Personally, I wouldn't pick a school because of a specialty - it just doesn't matter that much. If UT is cheap, ok, great - but I'd make expense/cost your biggest concern.

I started vet school at.... er... I think 40? We had many late-20s, and several mid-30s. I think I was our oldest, but there are certainly older. You'll be fine!

 

[Pugsforlove2014]

Thank you! Were you able to work the pre-reqs into your degree or did you have to take extras for it? I definitely intend to be a veterinarian but I also want a degree that, if heaven forbid I couldn't get into vet school somewhere, I can still use it to work with animals. So zoologist would be my back up plan basically.

I've applied to a few vet clinics but being 28 without veterinary experience, I'm not sure they're looking to hire me. I have many applicable skills for an office position even, but I'm just going to have to keep trying.

I totally get what you mean going out of state. But it was already planned for us to be moving to Tennessee long before I could even start to consider going back to school to be a possibility. I don't want to pay the out if state tuition either, so if we did decide to go that route, we'd move there after I graduated with my BS and I'd take a year off to move and settle in there. I believe after you live there for a year, it becomes in state tuition. I wouldn't consider it if we weren't already planning on moving to Tennessee anyway. I want to live in the smokey mountains and have little pygmy goats. lol

I'm really excited for tomorrow. I was also really anxious and you guys made me feel so much better. Thank you so much. This is so important to me and I'm so happy that it's finally starting to happen.

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Yeah those prereqs and a few extra classes above the min 120 were easy to finish during the 4 year time period.
Don't discount that if you have a working husband you may get reduced tuition because of that too, but do ya research and don't box yourself into one school. (Pygmy goats and smoky mountains sound nice but you won't have time till you graduate)

 

[LadyOtheFarm]

I did a Biology major and my final internship was a 3-6 month stint shadowing the zookeepers at the local zoo. I wrote my paper on the success of their reptile and amphibian breeding programs and on the medical potential being studied in the axolotyls. (I have no idea how those tied together now...)

I also know a couple zookeepers who used Animal Sciences as their major so they could get all the husbandry courses, but took a ton of Zoology courses to get the comparative courses in. You don't need to be trapped by the broad description of the major. I also know vets who had Art Majors, History Majors and one who studied German language (Then a PhD in German philosophy... or something like that.) They all just chose to take their vet school prereqs as their electives.

 

[iHeartReptiles]

Thank you guys for all the input! I met with MSU last Friday and I'm going with zoology. I know you don't need a major directly related to animals, but working with animals in some other aspect is also my plan B. Lol

I also got my first shadowing opportunity and I'll be going through orientation for animal caretaker for the Bat Conservatory at Cranbrook soon.

I've also been applying to a collosal crap-ton of places because I discovered that I legitimately cannot keep the job I currently have and go back to due to scheduling conflicts. A majority of the classes I need aren't available evenings/weekends but I've got until January to find something more flexible so I'm working on making things happen and feel much more grounded in what I need to do.

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