lab classes in vet school?

[gracietiger]

When I was completing pre-reqs at a UC school (in California), most of the science courses came as a package with the lab. I am now taking courses at a univ. in PA, where the courses are largely separate. As a non-matriculated student, it is easy for me to get into the lecture portions of the courses, but not the labs. I am worried that I am missing out on some valuable experiences if the lab portions of the courses (ie, microbio, nutrition) are very helpful in vet school. The courses I am interested in taking are not prereqs - just extras. Perhaps this is a silly question and one I should know, but I never really hear about people talking about classes with labs in vet school - are there many?

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[Ben and Me]

I would imagine that it varies greatly from school to school.

Example: The lab portion of microbiology at Penn Vet is very nearly the same as the micro lab I took at NCSU as a post-bacc student, except with scarier pathogens...and we got to make yogurt at NC State, which was sort of fun. Micro lab isn't terribly conceptual -- just plating techniques, etc, all of which they go over again in the lab at PennVet. So, I didn't feel like I had any sort of advantage over those who hadn't taken a micro lab.

There is such a huge variation in lab classes both in undergrad schools and vet schools though -- I'd imagine that it varies immensely from situation to situation.

Some vet schools do require (or strongly recommend) the lab portions of courses though, so that's something you'll need to check out.

As for "lab classes" in vet school -- again, I can only speak for Penn... "Lab" varies from anatomy lab (where you're dissecting) to histology lab (where you're looking at slides under the microscope) to path lab (where you're looking at gross samples) to micro lab (where you're plating and checking growth). Not anything really like organic lab where you're mixing reagents and getting data... I think they really just call anything outside of powerpoints/lecture halls "labs".

Hope this helps!

 

[cuitlamiztli]

I never really hear about people talking about classes with labs in vet school - are there many?

Definitely! We've had... 12 classes with labs so far? I'm not sure what required labs we have next year besides junior surgery but some (not sure how many) of the elective courses we can take have a lab portion.

ETA: To echo Ben and Me, yeah, nothing like organic lab. Lots of looking at cadavers or gross samples, microscope slides, figuring out what bug was in your sample... suturing things...

 

[moosenanny]

At Davis this quarter it seems like every class we take has an accompanying lab component: cardiovascular physiology, G.I. anatomy (both gross dissection labs and histo microscope labs), head anatomy, Neuroscience -- even Radiology has occasional lab and/or discussion sessions. This week we have 3-hour labs from 2-5 PM Monday through Thursday, and this is relatively typical . . . So yes, LOTS of lab time!

 

[gracietiger]

Thank you! I am always amazed at how quickly people respond!

I have completed all of my prereqs, labs included. Microbio is not a prereq for the schools I am applying to, but many people on here encouraged me to take it for its usefulness. I am able to get into a lecture, which seems very helpful, but the lab is notorious for being full every semester. I would, therefore, not be learning plating techniques or identification skills. But, these things seem somewhat easier to learn?? (knocking on wood).

I completely understand that the labs are going to vary so much depending on school, so based on your experiences, do you guys feel like undergraduate lab experience has made your vet school courses easier for you, or is what you're learning in lab at school easy to catch onto? Moosenanny, do you have a microbio lab at Davis? Cardiovascular physiology sounds really fun!

Thanks again everyone!

 

[NStarz]

I think some of the techniques I've learned are useful in biology, though I'm not necessarily sure they're necessary for a veterinarian: gram staining, gels, ELISA, etc.

 

[Minnerbelle]

I think some of the techniques I've learned are useful in biology, though I'm not necessarily sure they're necessary for a veterinarian: gram staining, gels, ELISA, etc.

All of these definitely do have a place in vet practice... but things you need to do in the clinic usually come in a kit and is kind of a no brainer, and other things you send out to a lab and a GP wouldn't do it on their own. So while it's great to have knowledge of how these work (and they'll beat it into you again in vet school), it won't exactly hurt not to have done them in the past.

 

[moosenanny]

Moosenanny, do you have a microbio lab at Davis? Cardiovascular physiology sounds really fun!

Cardio sounding fun While it isn't terrible, it is the most failed class at Davis, so I wouldn't call it "fun" . . .

Second years take a class called "Veterinary Bacteriology and Mycology." I'm a first-year, so haven't taken it yet, but I looked at the online syllabus and there are labs included in the course. The short descriptions seem to mention certain staining and plating techniques. I'm sure it would help if you were at least a little bit familiar/comfortable with these EASY skills, but it isn't necessary. The class will teach you everything you need to know. While the learning curve may be steeper for some than others, in general classes never assume you already know how to do things, unless they were taught in a previous other vet school class.

I personally did take microbio and lab last year as pre-reqs for other schools - but since micro lecture isn't a requirement for Davis, let alone the lab portion, a good number of my classmates probably won't have taken it.

If you have a genuine interest and the class isn't impossible to get into and fit into your schedule - go for it. Otherwise, take something you're more interested in, or do better in the classes you have to take.