Questioning vet school?

[dvmcatdog]

I've wanted to be a vet since high school, I rerouted my whole college career to do this. I have thousands of hours working with veterinarians, I think I know the field well enough to decide it's right for me. Some days I feel like it's all I want to do and others I wonder if it's right for me. Medical school never ever crossed my mind until now, it's just a brief thought and I know others on here say if you even think about it, you should just go ahead and do it but it's not that simple to me at least. I love the veterinary field, I would even love to open my own practice one day but somedays I just think about what if I did medical school instead. I only like a very select few medical specialities, which of course might change with experience. I don't really know where I'm going with this, but I'm just wondering if anyone else has felt like this? Is this just "cold feet" or something? I'm aware of the money involved. I am lucky enough to have some help with some of it. I want to wake up and help my community, whether it be people or their pets. Thanks everyone.

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[TerraVet]

I think most people (myself included) would say if you think you could be happy serving as a human doctor, then that would (financially) be a better decision. I settled on vet med after trying other careers and realizing they didn't give me satisfaction. I never even entertained the idea of human med school (people are gross). And it's not just the money--as a human dr you'll have a better chance of finding a job where you'll want to live, plus 3x the starting salary of a vet, and arguably more respect from the community you work in. You'll also see less death. I read somewhere that on average vets see about 10x more death than human drs (though I'm sure it depends on the specialty). There are days I wish I weren't so repulsed by my fellow humans and all their juices...*shudder* anyway, the point is either way you get to practice medicine, so I'd say if human med looks at all viable, go for it. Or not, go for your dream. You never really know how happy you are doing something until you've tried it.

 

[rockatiel]

I'm 27 days from the first day of VM1 classes and I still have cold feet sometimes. But I think you should act on your rising interest in the medical field. Get some shadowing in, see where you feel more useful or what you'd like more, list pros and cons, and then go from there. Good luck!

 

[pwny__express]

I think that anyone who truly understands the challenges of veterinary medicine would be crazy to not have some hesitance or second thoughts about the profession, if only briefly. I am more wary of those pre-vets who seem to be either in denial or completely ignorant of those challenges.

 

[Hopeful_DVM]

I considered human medicine for a brief time. After shadowing a physician 3 or 4 times I was able to confirm that being an M.D. was not for me. I would suggest you do the same.

 

[dvmcatdog]

One thing I love so much about vet med is the "jack of all trades" that everyone speaks about. Seeing appointments, going to surgery, dentals, reading slides on a microscope and being able to own your own practice. It amazes me that we could be able to do all these different things within a day. From what I've heard about human med, once you pick your speciality, you don't do much else because of how in-depth some of the specialties are. Of course this doesn't count for all medical specialties, but for the most part.

 

[Doktor Timo]

Why are you considering human med? If your only reason is that it seems like a good alternative to vet med, that's probably not going to be enough. Getting an MD certainly isn't going to be any easier than getting a DVM. If you aren't passionate about human med, it's going to be a lot harder. Sure, an MD might be a more financially sound decision. Then again, becoming a welder is probably much more financially viable than either option. Money can't be the only criteria you use.

I'm not necessarily saying you should do vet med, but I am saying that if you go a different route it probably shouldn't be human medicine unless you're really passionate about that specifically. Medical careers in general are not something you "settle" for.

 

[dvmcatdog]

Why are you considering human med? If your only reason is that it seems like a good alternative to vet med, that's probably not going to be enough. Getting an MD certainly isn't going to be any easier than getting a DVM. If you aren't passionate about human med, it's going to be a lot harder. Sure, an MD might be a more financially sound decision. Then again, becoming a welder is probably much more financially viable than either option. Money can't be the only criteria you use.

I'm not necessarily saying you should do vet med, but I am saying that if you go a different route it probably shouldn't be human medicine unless you're really passionate about that specifically. Medical careers in general are not something you "settle" for.

I'm considering human med because I've always been interested with the brain and the way it works. I never really thought about actually doing anything about it until now. The money is great and all, but I want a job I'm passionate about. Like I said in my previous post, I don't like the fact that if I choose human med I'm forced into one speciality. I like that I can do multiple things a day in vet med. It's also hard for me to imagine working ON people. I love working with people, but something about working on them freaks me out. Whereas I'll be all up in your dogs mouth to check teeth, etc.

 

[vetmedhead]

I've wanted to be a vet since high school, I rerouted my whole college career to do this. I have thousands of hours working with veterinarians, I think I know the field well enough to decide it's right for me. Some days I feel like it's all I want to do and others I wonder if it's right for me. Medical school never ever crossed my mind until now, it's just a brief thought and I know others on here say if you even think about it, you should just go ahead and do it but it's not that simple to me at least. I love the veterinary field, I would even love to open my own practice one day but somedays I just think about what if I did medical school instead. I only like a very select few medical specialities, which of course might change with experience. I don't really know where I'm going with this, but I'm just wondering if anyone else has felt like this? Is this just "cold feet" or something? I'm aware of the money involved. I am lucky enough to have some help with some of it. I want to wake up and help my community, whether it be people or their pets. Thanks everyone.

So here's the thing: I think this happens to more people than you think. I think the problem (not all of it, just a small part) lies in the way the goal of being a veterinarian is mentally laid out for people. A lot of time the goal is to get into veterinary school rather than to graduate from veterinary school and be a veterinarian. I had the same feeling as soon as I was accepted. Some people I know questioned their goals halfway through undergrad, others after applications (or interviews, or acceptances, etc).

It's okay and normal to question your desires and reevaluate if they're still good choices for you. If you're interested in human medicine I encourage you to shadow some MDs and see how the field is - you need to do this if you want to understand the human medical field. Switching interests "sight unseen" so to speak isn't going to be productive or helpful for you, especially if you switch tracks and figure out later that human med isn't for you.

It's also important to figure out what exactly is giving you pause about the veterinary profession. Some things are normal to be reticent about, while others may suggest that the field isn't a great fit for you. What does or does not make the field a good fit depends on the person, so it's important for you to figure out now what specifically makes you question veterinary medicine and think about how important that particular thing is to you.

For what it's worth: there are people pursuing veterinary medicine even though they would enjoy human medicine too. Not every veterinarian thought people were icky. I personally could easily see myself being a human doctor. I know I would love it and would be fulfilled in the types of jobs that would be available to me as an MD or DO. I love working with people. However, I didn't think pursuing an MD/DO would be a good choice for me for a variety of personal reasons. Just something to think about - having small thoughts about pursuing human medicine doesn't mean that veterinary medicine clearly "isn't your path" or something.

Like all things, there's a spectrum that goes from people who were born knowing they wanted to do it to people who fell into it completely by accident. Take some time to think about it and I promise you'll eventually figure out what you'd like your path to be. Neither choice is wrong, so what's important is to think about which choice feels wrong for you.

 

[dvmcatdog]

So here's the thing: I think this happens to more people than you think. I think the problem (not all of it, just a small part) lies in the way the goal of being a veterinarian is mentally laid out for people. A lot of time the goal is to get into veterinary school rather than to graduate from veterinary school and be a veterinarian. I had the same feeling as soon as I was accepted. Some people I know questioned their goals halfway through undergrad, others after applications (or interviews, or acceptances, etc).

It's okay and normal to question your desires and reevaluate if they're still good choices for you. If you're interested in human medicine I encourage you to shadow some MDs and see how the field is - you need to do this if you want to understand the human medical field. Switching interests "sight unseen" so to speak isn't going to be productive or helpful for you, especially if you switch tracks and figure out later that human med isn't for you.

It's also important to figure out what exactly is giving you pause about the veterinary profession. Some things are normal to be reticent about, while others may suggest that the field isn't a great fit for you. What does or does not make the field a good fit depends on the person, so it's important for you to figure out now what specifically makes you question veterinary medicine and think about how important that particular thing is to you.

For what it's worth: there are people pursuing veterinary medicine even though they would enjoy human medicine too. Not every veterinarian thought people were icky. I personally could easily see myself being a human doctor. I know I would love it and would be fulfilled in the types of jobs that would be available to me as an MD or DO. I love working with people. However, I didn't think pursuing an MD/DO would be a good choice for me for a variety of personal reasons. Just something to think about - having small thoughts about pursuing human medicine doesn't mean that veterinary medicine clearly "isn't your path" or something.

Like all things, there's a spectrum that goes from people who were born knowing they wanted to do it to people who fell into it completely by accident. Take some time to think about it and I promise you'll eventually figure out what you'd like your path to be. Neither choice is wrong, so what's important is to think about which choice feels wrong for you.

I really love your outlook on this topic. I don't understand the people who say that you can't like both. You certainly can, but one is going to be a better option than the other for some people. My boyfriend loves animals and medicine and has talked about seeing himself as a vet but ultimately he decided human med was the better route for him long ago and that is ok. I think the reason I'm so torn is because if I chose human med I'd want to go neurosurgery which is hard to get into first of all, I want a family and 8+ hour surgeries must suck. On the other hand if I did neurology, I wouldn't get the surgery time I want so desperately. That is one of the many reasons I picked vet med in the first place. It started with a love for medicine and of course animals and then I saw all the opportunity in the field, being able to do surgery and seeing appointments really excites me. I can't help but feel as if I might like another human speciality but I just haven't been exposed to them and of course it's hard being exposed to them all without going to medical school.

 

[OtterMayhem]

I like neurosurgery as well. I think it's amazing to operate on the most delicate organ in the body but I don't think I could dedicate my entire life to the specialty. I too want a family someday, with neurosurg it's almost impossible, your family will come second to your job especially in the 7 year residency. I've thought about human medicine, most people that wants to go into some type of medicine had to at one point in time but my heart truly lies within vet med. But I will say that it took research and shadowing to come to this conclusion. Get out there and shadow some human docs, talk to them about the lifestyle and why they are in their specific field. Maybe volunteer at a hospital to get some human med exposure, that might also give you the chance to work with patients. I have a friend who volunteers at a hospital and gets one on one time with them, helping them undress and get into their gowns, making sure all paperwork is filled out and what not. Obviously not the most ideal, but it should help somewhat. In the end you gotta choose what is right for you. Good luck!


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[pinkpuppy9]

So here's the thing: I think this happens to more people than you think. I think the problem (not all of it, just a small part) lies in the way the goal of being a veterinarian is mentally laid out for people. A lot of time the goal is to get into veterinary school rather than to graduate from veterinary school and be a veterinarian.

Can relate. The summer before veterinary school, I felt like I had already peaked in a way. Like there was nothing else to do since I accomplished what I had been striving for for the last 15 or so years of my life. Get in, get in, get in. Much of the veterinary profession (and medical as well, I imagine) is very much centered on get in/get accepted. You go into blinder mode to get accepted, then get the internship, then get the residency. Anyone will tell you that charging through school with your head down is a sure way to miss out on opportunities, but it's hard not to do it. I've actually talked to a few of my classmates about this, because many of us have residency goals. Part of the problem lies in how our education runs in this country starting from pre-K, but it's up to us as individuals to make the most of what is offered to us.

I'm considering human med because I've always been interested with the brain and the way it works. I never really thought about actually doing anything about it until now. The money is great and all, but I want a job I'm passionate about. Like I said in my previous post, I don't like the fact that if I choose human med I'm forced into one speciality. I like that I can do multiple things a day in vet med. It's also hard for me to imagine working ON people. I love working with people, but something about working on them freaks me out. Whereas I'll be all up in your dogs mouth to check teeth, etc.

I briefly considered human med as well (I call it my mid-undergrad crisis), but decided against it. The interest was there, but the passion wasn't. I'm passionate about veterinary medicine. The money is great, but like stated earlier, you shouldn't do something if your heart isn't in it. Shadowing/getting pre-med experience can be difficult due to privacy laws, but see if you can do any shadowing or even volunteering at a free health clinic. Anything. It won't show you any brain surgery, but it's a start. Also, there is a board certification for veterinary neurologists, so that is an field that carries over to vet med. Just know you won't be rolling in dough like you would in human medicine. Plus, the more specialized you get in veterinary medicine, the fewer jobs you'll have to apply to.

 

[dvmcatdog]

I think another thing I keep thinking about is a lot of the time in vet med, people can't afford to pay the bill. I'd be willing to go above and beyond for every patient because of my passion and letting a sick pet walk out the door because of inability to pay seems really depressing. Whereas in human med, usually insurance can cover procedures and it's not even worried about. What is the outlook on this?

 

[CalliopeDVM]

I think another thing I keep thinking about is a lot of the time in vet med, people can't afford to pay the bill. I'd be willing to go above and beyond for every patient because of my passion and letting a sick pet walk out the door because of inability to pay seems really depressing. Whereas in human med, usually insurance can cover procedures and it's not even worried about. What is the outlook on this?

I know a vet who went to med school for exactly that reason......he was frustrated because he was not allowed to do anything without the owners' permission and agreement to pay (obviously in human med you need permission, but usually not payment). He was a surgical resident at the time, if I recall.

Yes, being a clinical vet means that you can't do ANYTHING without the owners' approval and payment (except for rare emergency cases), and you have to accept that there will be A LOT of things you could do but are unable to do, for various reasons. You will have to adjust your goal from "doing whatever is best for the patient" to "doing the best you can for the patient given your restricted circumstances" -- those restrictions include not just money, but equipment and time. And you have to consider what's right for the owners too -- they are a part of the triangle that you will be a part of as a clinical vet. I think it's actually a much more complicated job than being a clinical MD (not more complicated medicine, but a more complicated job).

 

[jmo1012]

I once had a very wise pre-med advisor ask me this - "what have you done to challenge the idea that you want to be a doctor?" that was my aha moment that I realized that all the other times I had thought about other crlareers were just my personal way of challenging the idea I wanted to be a veterinarian, and the fact that I would always lose I interest in something else and come back to vet med was my way of realizing that was what I wanted to do with my life.

 

[Doktor Timo]

For what it's worth, I'm less than a year away from being a real veterinarian and I still have doubts about my goals in the profession. That's just life sometimes.

One other thing: we might as well be honest here. Vets may not make money like MD's, but if you become a private practice veterinary neurologist you're going to do just fine financially.

 

[dyachei]

For what it's worth, I'm less than a year away from being a real veterinarian and I still have doubts about my goals in the profession. That's just life sometimes.

One other thing: we might as well be honest here. Vets may not make money like MD's, but if you become a private practice veterinary neurologist you're going to do just fine financially.

QOL for a vet neurologist *really* sucks though. Those guys are basically always on call because there are never enough neurologists in the area.

 

[dvmcatdog]

For what it's worth, I'm less than a year away from being a real veterinarian and I still have doubts about my goals in the profession. That's just life sometimes.

One other thing: we might as well be honest here. Vets may not make money like MD's, but if you become a private practice veterinary neurologist you're going to do just fine financially.

I appreciate this, I just want a job where I can be happy and support my family. Just like most people I suppose. I think it's normal to have doubts and I'm only 21 I should be questioning where I want to spend the rest of my life. I would assume brain surgery on an animal is pricey and most people couldn't afford to pay, is this true?

 

[dyachei]

I appreciate this, I just want a job where I can be happy and support my family. Just like most people I suppose. I think it's normal to have doubts and I'm only 21 I should be questioning where I want to spend the rest of my life. I would assume brain surgery on an animal is pricey and most people couldn't afford to pay, is this true?

most neuros don't do brain surgery on animals. They do things like hemilaminectomies (cutting through vertebrae to clear disc material) to allow disc disease or trauma dogs/cats to walk again, handling seizure disorders, doing the work up and referring to onc in some cases, etc.

 

[Doktor Timo]

QOL for a vet neurologist *really* sucks though. Those guys are basically always on call because there are never enough neurologists in the area.

No question. One of the many reasons I personally would never consider that specialty.

 

[jmo1012]

Our neurologist seems to have a pretty darn good qol...i think it varies job to job for all specialties

 

[dyachei]

Our neurologist seems to have a pretty darn good qol...i think it varies job to job for all specialties

If it's the guy I'm thinking of, he didn't for a few years. There is now back up in this area, but there wasn't for a while.

 

[Gwenevre]

Pretty sure every dachshund that managed to waddle through neuro got a hemilaminectomy.

 

[Gwenevre]

If it's the guy I'm thinking of, he didn't for a few years. There is now back up in this area, but there wasn't for a while.

Just thought of this, my old neurologist and neuro tech moved to FL a couple years back. Wonder if they're in your area.

 

[pinkpuppy9]

most neuros don't do brain surgery on animals. They do things like hemilaminectomies (cutting through vertebrae to clear disc material) to allow disc disease or trauma dogs/cats to walk again, handling seizure disorders, doing the work up and referring to onc in some cases, etc.

I've seen our ortho service do hemilams...is that pretty common too?

I think another thing I keep thinking about is a lot of the time in vet med, people can't afford to pay the bill. I'd be willing to go above and beyond for every patient because of my passion and letting a sick pet walk out the door because of inability to pay seems really depressing. Whereas in human med, usually insurance can cover procedures and it's not even worried about. What is the outlook on this?

Ummm...this happens in human medicine in this country too. A lot. The thing you have to remember is that without health insurance, it's almost certain no one could afford any sort of health care, other than maybe routine visits (although those are expensive too). Our health insurance is changing a lot in the US, but it is still very much out of reach for a good chunk of the population. I have several friends who don't have health insurance because a) they are too old for their parents' plan b) their parents never had it c) their parents had it, but it didn't cover family. If you work for a company of less than 50 (aka a vet clinic), your employer doesn't have to offer insurance. So yeah, some of those friends are vet techs, assistants, and other clinic staff.

What costs $1000 in vet med costs 10's of thousands in human medicine (and part of it is because human health insurance will cover it). In this country, health insurance is certainly not something every patient has. If you can only afford crappy insurance, you might end up paying a ton of money if you get hurt or sick and need advanced medical care. If you have no insurance, you may wait to go see a doctor (or never see one at all) until things get really severe.

Anyways, long story short, human medical insurance doesn't always mean life will be good on that side of the fence.

 

[CalliopeDVM]

Anyways, long story short, human medical insurance doesn't always mean life will be good on that side of the fence.

Human medical insurance (at least in the US, so I'm told) also comes with huge paperwork and administrative headaches.

 

[dyachei]

I've seen our ortho service do hemilams...is that pretty common too?

Ummm...this happens in human medicine in this country too. A lot. The thing you have to remember is that without health insurance, it's almost certain no one could afford any sort of health care, other than maybe routine visits (although those are expensive too). Our health insurance is changing a lot in the US, but it is still very much out of reach for a good chunk of the population. I have several friends who don't have health insurance because a) they are too old for their parents' plan b) their parents never had it c) their parents had it, but it didn't cover family. If you work for a company of less than 50 (aka a vet clinic), your employer doesn't have to offer insurance. So yeah, some of those friends are vet techs, assistants, and other clinic staff.

What costs $1000 in vet med costs 10's of thousands in human medicine (and part of it is because human health insurance will cover it). In this country, health insurance is certainly not something every patient has. If you can only afford crappy insurance, you might end up paying a ton of money if you get hurt or sick and need advanced medical care. If you have no insurance, you may wait to go see a doctor (or never see one at all) until things get really severe.

Anyways, long story short, human medical insurance doesn't always mean life will be good on that side of the fence.

They can, but whenever possible, most places prefer the neuro to do it.

 

[pinkpuppy9]

Human medical insurance (at least in the US, so I'm told) also comes with huge paperwork and administrative headaches.

Yep, also true! Some people find themselves in situations where they foot the bill at first, and are reimbursed later. That can take months and months to happen.

 

[dvmcatdog]

Isn't it possible to have some kind of "fund" that people can donate to so it's possible to help people who seriously can't pay or the animals that just get dropped at the doorstep and are homeless?

 

[rockatiel]

Isn't it possible to have some kind of "fund" that people can donate to so it's possible to help people who seriously can't pay or the animals that just get dropped at the doorstep and are homeless?

I've seen people use crowdfunding to make the vet bill (GoFundMe, YouCaring and the like). Some clinics around where I'm from have actually collected donations from willing clients for cases where the animal could be saved easily but the person cannot pay. If such a fund exists on a larger scale I'm not aware of it.

 

[dvmcatdog]

I've seen people use crowdfunding to make the vet bill (GoFundMe, YouCaring and the like). Some clinics around where I'm from have actually collected donations from willing clients for cases where the animal could be saved easily but the person cannot pay. If such a fund exists on a larger scale I'm not aware of it.

It would be a great thing for a practice to have on their website. I don't think there is a larger scale. But for now, each individual practice that does it is amazing. It's one of the huge problems I have with vet med, I just don't know how many times I could turn away an animal that could be saved before I've had enough. Implementing some kind of donation program seems like a good idea.

 

[vetmedhead]

Isn't it possible to have some kind of "fund" that people can donate to so it's possible to help people who seriously can't pay or the animals that just get dropped at the doorstep and are homeless?

I've seen people use crowdfunding to make the vet bill (GoFundMe, YouCaring and the like). Some clinics around where I'm from have actually collected donations from willing clients for cases where the animal could be saved easily but the person cannot pay. If such a fund exists on a larger scale I'm not aware of it.

It would be a great thing for a practice to have on their website. I don't think there is a larger scale. But for now, each individual practice that does it is amazing. It's one of the huge problems I have with vet med, I just don't know how many times I could turn away an animal that could be saved before I've had enough. Implementing some kind of donation program seems like a good idea.

From what I've seen many vet schools have programs similar to this, where animals with a good prognosis (both for surviving the procedure and recovering well/returning to good QOL after) and owners who cannot afford the bill are awarded money or have the procedure covered by some sort of fund. Many clinics also have a certain dollar amount worth of pro bono work that they can afford to do each year. Unfortunately funds are not unlimited and no matter how much money is donated there will be clients you have to turn away.

It can be frustrating to have to turn away clients/animals, but it is important to remember that you have to take care of yourself too, which means that you have to be able to make money. Working on every animal that is brought to you regardless of whether the owner can pay can easily result in a vet clinic running in the red and can ultimately result in a closed clinic, which is (of course) bad because then no one has access to veterinary care. It is also important to remember that not all clients are good hearted people, and many will claim to be unable to pay (or worse, that you hate animals for not working on their pet) in an attempt to manipulate you into giving them free veterinary care.

I will also add, from the perspective of someone who works at animal control, that even we have to turn animals away from our facilities all of the time even though we are not paid by the clients that bring animals to us. Sometimes we have no space, or no fosters, or the animal will simply be better off waiting a while before it enters our facilities. We do, however, often accept animals from the public to euthanize (HBCs, parvo cases, URI/pneumonia neonatal kittens, etc.). Sometimes this includes animals the owners cannot afford to pay to have euthanized (like family pets), and we are happy to give the service because we know the animal is at least not suffering until it dies at home (or similar). Of course the situation is not ideal - members of the public are not allowed to be present during euthanasia and are not allowed to take the body back - but it is oftentimes better than nothing.

 

[pinkpuppy9]

It would be a great thing for a practice to have on their website. I don't think there is a larger scale. But for now, each individual practice that does it is amazing. It's one of the huge problems I have with vet med, I just don't know how many times I could turn away an animal that could be saved before I've had enough. Implementing some kind of donation program seems like a good idea.

No, it wouldn't imo. In all honesty, there are people that truly cannot pay their vet bill, and then there are people that "cannot pay their vet bill." It's not always possible to sort between the two. From personal experience, you will have clients that walk in donned in designer clothing/accessories, the newest iPhone that came out yesterday, and a car you could only dream of driving that will tell you they cannot afford their vet bill of $1o0 for preventative care (which may be true, even given what you see on the outside, you can't know). Sure, you are assuming they must have some money somewhere to afford those things, but it's not like you can ask a client for bank statements to prove they deserve access to a donor fund. If you advertise such a thing, your doors could be jam packed with people asking for free vet care (moreso than usual). Not everyone in this world has the forethought/ability to have a small emergency fund for their pet either.

Any clinic I've ever walked in has Care Credit brochures right in the waiting room (a service that allows you to basically put your entire vet bill on a line of credit from a third party, and make payments on that). There is usually a pretty high interest rate on those payments, but it's typically a decent option for most. I've seen very little success in recovering money due when a clinic allows a client to walk out on an unpaid/partially paid bill. Credit cards are mysteriously cancelled, phone numbers are changed, etc. You turn them over to collections and hope for the best.

It's important that a vet knows that he/she deserves to get paid. There will always be situations where you want to be charitable, and maybe you can afford to do it. It's hard to pick and choose which cases get your charity. Also, to make matters more difficult, I've had a client ask me "Well, you guys did my neighbor's emergency pyo for free. Can my dog get spayed for free as well? Why not? That doesn't seem fair, what kind of clinic are you running here?" Worst case scenario, sure, but we live in a world where not everyone values the work a veterinarian does enough to want to pay them.

 

[vetmedhead]

If you advertise such a thing, your doors could be jam packed with people asking for free vet care (moreso than usual).

Something I will also add is that advertising free veterinary care can also encourage hoarders to start bringing their many (typically very ill) animals to you. While it is not bad to recognize/identify hoarders coming into your practice, it brings up a lot of ethical issues with treating that person's animals.

 

[jmo1012]

The emergent cases that need funds don't typically need a couple hundred dollars worth of care, they typically need thousands. No matter how many donations you receive, the need will always outmatch the availability. My company works with a charity to make funds available to cases under the right circumstances, but even this is not always feasible and it's more complicated than it always seems.

 

[dvmcatdog]

I'm also confused on how human med insurance actually works. Some people tell me paperwork is a headache and others say that theres admin that does it for them.

 

[Gwenevre]

I'm also confused on how human med insurance actually works. Some people tell me paperwork is a headache and others say that theres admin that does it for them.

Then I'd assume paperwork is a headache for the admin

 

[dyachei]

I'm also confused on how human med insurance actually works. Some people tell me paperwork is a headache and others say that theres admin that does it for them.

It's a little of both. Paperwork/notes can be difficult when you're seeing patients every 10-15 minutes and they don't typically get reimbursed right away due to paperwork. Then you have medicare/medicaid which require doctor signatures every so often. So I kind of get it.

 

[CalliopeDVM]

I'm also confused on how human med insurance actually works. Some people tell me paperwork is a headache and others say that theres admin that does it for them.

A bit of both.......I've met a couple of doctors who have had to add a staff member to their office specifically to deal with insurance companies. Even if there is an administrative person or company that does it, someone still has to find them, hire them, and make sure they get what they need to do the job correctly.

 

[VetMedVetMed]

I think another thing I keep thinking about is a lot of the time in vet med, people can't afford to pay the bill. I'd be willing to go above and beyond for every patient because of my passion and letting a sick pet walk out the door because of inability to pay seems really depressing. Whereas in human med, usually insurance can cover procedures and it's not even worried about. What is the outlook on this?

People still complain to human Doctors about this, trust me.
I actually have health insurance and it's a very popular one that everyone has heard of. For some reason though none of the Md's in my area seem to accept it.. I found myself very frustrated because I had to go into an urgent care center which of course is very expensive . I got really frustrated with my current Doctor who no longer accepted my insurance and the urgent care center place because their prices were so high. Yes there most likely is much less complaining done in the human medicine arena, but it still happens.

 

[dvmcatdog]

People still complain to human Doctors about this, trust me.

If all of this is so similar then I'd assume people really only choose human med for money and maybe the lack of care for animals. It's sad but during a recession, the vets get hurt. People need to take care of themselves but not their pet. When I got my pets, I knew a recession is always possible so I always have money put away for my pets. They ARE my family and deserve to be treated as such.

 

[VetMedVetMed]

I've seen people use crowdfunding to make the vet bill (GoFundMe, YouCaring and the like). Some clinics around where I'm from have actually collected donations from willing clients for cases where the animal could be saved easily but the person cannot pay. If such a fund exists on a larger scale I'm not aware of it.

Also, veterinarians give a lot of discounts and/or free services to A LOT of clients who say they are "strapped for cash", or can "only pay $150 today". This would never happen in human medicine. You don't see many MD's offering their services for free.

 

[dyachei]

Also, veterinarians give a lot of discounts and/or free services to A LOT of clients who say they are "strapped for cash", or can "only pay $150 today". This would never happen in human medicine. You don't see many MD's offering their services for free.

But they really shouldn't. because it devalues our service, which in turn makes clients value us less.

 

[dvmcatdog]

But they really shouldn't. because it devalues our service, which in turn makes clients value us less.

Completely agree with this. On one end I'd want to have a fund for poorer people but I know how many people would take advantage of it. On the other end, I just want to help the animals. This kind of behavior is not even thought about in human med. Pets are valued less in our society.

 

[dyachei]

Completely agree with this. On one end I'd want to have a fund for poorer people but I know how many people would take advantage of it. On the other end, I just want to help the animals. This kind of behavior is not even thought about in human med. Pets are valued less in our society.

Absolutely.

 

[VetMedVetMed]

If all of this is so similar then I'd assume people really only choose human med for money and maybe the lack of care for animals. It's sad but during a recession, the vets get hurt. People need to take care of themselves but not their pet. When I got my pets, I knew a recession is always possible so I always have money put away for my pets. They ARE my family and deserve to be treated as such.

Yes but legally animals are not considered children or anything of the like. It's really unfortunate because so many people will give their animal away if they have to move because their new apartment doesn't take pets. Or their pet got pregnant and they don't want it or the puppies anymore. A lot of frustrating topics will come up with clients by being a veterinarian since they are supposed to educate the public. But because so many people end up just doing what they want to do you do the financial problems etc., a lot of times the job I see by Vets ends up being very business-like.


What I would do if I were you is take prerequisite courses that can be used towards both Veterinary schools AND Medical schools. You didn't mention if you've taken your prerequisite courses yet, so I would start off by taking Gen chem, Ochem, Biology, because those are classes you need for both. As you do this you can volunteer at an animal hospitals AND human doctor clinics and/or human urgent care centers to get a feel for how you would like human medicine versus animal medicine.

For me personally, it was a huge change of careers because I had a completely different career before starting the route towards veterinary school. Of course I doubt it sometimes, but that is only because of the amount of debt I will have. The career I had before I was not making any money and it was not a career I could have made that much money at ever also. I had no debt luckily going into this new career change since I did not need to go to school.

I think if you start working and volunteering in clinics in both areas of medicine for at least a year, it will give you a very good idea of what you truly want to do.

 

[VetMedVetMed]

But they really shouldn't. because it devalues our service, which in turn makes clients value us less.

Oh I know trust me it is awful! I see it first hand at work! My boss (Vet) doesn't like to give a lot of discounts at all, and clients will always continue to complain a LOT because they will just say, "The vet I used to go would never charge me a fee for a recheck exam, but I moved and they're too far away now so I come here". Then my boss ends up giving them a free recheck exam so the client will leave happy. Also because he does not want to receive a potential bad yelp review. Everyone uses yelp and it's awful how many people can just rant and rave on there about Vet prices. Think what's most frustrating is when they'll complain saying " my pet didn't get any better, he's still sick". In my doctors head he's saying "well if they would have done what I recommended they would be better..."

 

[dvmcatdog]

Yes but legally animals are not considered children or anything of the like. It's really unfortunate because so many people will give their animal away if they have to move because their new apartment doesn't take pets. Or their pet got pregnant and they don't want it or the puppies anymore. A lot of frustrating topics will come up with clients by being a veterinarian since they are supposed to educate the public. But because so many people end up just doing what they want to do you do the financial problems etc., a lot of times the job I see by Vets ends up being very business-like.


What I would do if I were you is take prerequisite courses that can be used towards both Veterinary schools AND Medical schools. You didn't mention if you've taken your prerequisite courses yet, so I would start off by taking Gen chem, Ochem, Biology, because those are classes you need for both. As you do this you can volunteer at an animal hospitals AND human doctor clinics and/or human urgent care centers to get a feel for how you would like human medicine versus animal medicine.

For me personally, it was a huge change of careers because I had a completely different career before starting the route towards veterinary school. Of course I doubt it sometimes, but that is only because of the amount of debt I will have. The career I had before I was not making any money and it was not a career I could have made that much money at ever also. I had no debt luckily going into this new career change since I did not need to go to school.

I think if you start working and volunteering in clinics in both areas of medicine for at least a year, it will give you a very good idea of what you truly want to do.

I've taken many of the pre-reqs, in orgo right now actually. I have about 3,000 hours of vet experience, so I know how I know how I feel about vet med, hence going through this whole process. Have to applaud you for changing careers though, it's a brave act.

 

[dvmcatdog]

Oh I know trust me it is awful! I see it first hand at work! My boss (Vet) doesn't like to give a lot of discounts at all, and clients will always continue to complain a LOT because they will just say, "The vet I used to go would never charge me a fee for a recheck exam, but they're too far away do I come here". Then my boss ends up giving them a free recheck exam so the client leaves happy, to not receive a potential bad yelp review. Everyone uses yelp and it's awful how many people can just rant and rave on there about Vet prices. Think what's most frustrating is when they'll complain saying " he's didn't get any better, he's still sick". In my doctors head He's saying well if they would have done what I recommended they would be better...

Vets set their prices for a reason. Obviously they are there to help animals but I don't think people understand how much it actually costs to run a practice. Payroll, renting machines, materials etc. It's crazy. I always thought exam fees were reasonable at $40 or $45 and rechecks at $20. Now I will say, I was livid when a vet charged me for a recheck for a euthanasia. There was no recheck, I called them because they were the only one open on a Sunday and I had no other choice but to choose euthanasia.

 

[VetMedVetMed]

I've taken many of the pre-reqs, in orgo right now actually. I have about 3,000 hours of vet experience, so I know how I know how I feel about vet med, hence going through this whole process. Have to applaud you for changing careers though, it's a brave act.

Thanks! People will always say how tough it is to get into/go to Vet school, but you have to do what you want to do. Funnily enough neither of these careers were "normal" or easy to do haha! I guess I just always strived for things that were not the easiest, and did them because they made me happy and fulfilled. I never wanted to ever settle for a job or for something that I didn't enjoy doing.