Seeking Advice Before Beginning My Journey

[LabbyLove]

Hello everyone,

I have been lurking a little bit on the forums and have learned so much about how hard all of you work, the financial stresses, and some of the challenges involved in becoming a DVM. I am hoping you can give me advice. It has always been my dream to become a vet, but my life went in other directions.

So, I've felt I could not afford vet school, and assumed it was too difficult to get into vet school at my age and with my lack of experience in that field. I looked into vet tech programs for a while, but now have decided becoming a vet is my goal.

I spoke to someone at Mercy College regarding their veterinary technology degree (with pre-veterinary medicine component), which would cover my pre-reqs for vet school, and allow me to be a tech when completed (if I cannot successfully get into vet school...at least my efforts wouldn't be wasted). They also told me I could just take the pre-reqs and apply to vet school after that since I already have other degrees. This is appealing (and cheaper), however I am not sure I can even get into vet school and not having worked at an animal hospital (although I have volunteered at shelters and farm facilities).

I am not sure the best pathway to take, and the financial considerations are huge.

On a side note, my GPA is a 4.0 for all of my other degrees. This is not to say I will do this well in the science arena, but I consider myself a good student. I can also save money right now to prepare for vet school, while taking pre-reqs.

Any advice regarding path, my chances of even getting into school, or if you think I'd be crazy to change careers and take on this type of challenge/debt, is all appreciated. Thanks everyone!

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[genny]

I'm a third year veterinary student, and I'm older than most of my classmates by about 15 years. There are two big disadvantages to this: all-nighters really really suck now, and I potentially have a much shorter career in which to pay off my student debt. The money issue is really significant, and it shaped my strategy for applying. My in-state school was really the only choice for me. I looked specifically at what they wanted, and tried to make my application as amazing as possible. I knew a few professors from the school, so I asked what they were looking for in an applicant, and I wrote my essay to play up those strengths. I also had about 24 credits of science courses to take. I made sure that I was only taking what I needed in order to apply, so I didn't incur extra debt. I had worked with animals, but not so much in a veterinary capacity, so I figured I would give myself two application cycles to get in. After submitting my application, I took a job as a vet tech assistant so I'd be even more qualified for the second cycle. Luckily, I got in on my first try.

So my advice to you is to really think about your financial situation, and how badly you want this. It's not easy. I love it, and I couldn't see myself doing anything else. I had lots of people, including veterinarians with lots of debt, tell me not to do it. Vet school is full of people who have always had the dream of becoming a veterinarian, so you really need something else to set you apart from other applicants.

 

[Lab Vet]

I'm a third year veterinary student, and I'm older than most of my classmates by about 15 years. There are two big disadvantages to this: all-nighters really really suck now, and I potentially have a much shorter career in which to pay off my student debt. The money issue is really significant, and it shaped my strategy for applying. My in-state school was really the only choice for me. I looked specifically at what they wanted, and tried to make my application as amazing as possible. I knew a few professors from the school, so I asked what they were looking for in an applicant, and I wrote my essay to play up those strengths. I also had about 24 credits of science courses to take. I made sure that I was only taking what I needed in order to apply, so I didn't incur extra debt. I had worked with animals, but not so much in a veterinary capacity, so I figured I would give myself two application cycles to get in. After submitting my application, I took a job as a vet tech assistant so I'd be even more qualified for the second cycle. Luckily, I got in on my first try.

So my advice to you is to really think about your financial situation, and how badly you want this. It's not easy. I love it, and I couldn't see myself doing anything else. I had lots of people, including veterinarians with lots of debt, tell me not to do it. Vet school is full of people who have always had the dream of becoming a veterinarian, so you really need something else to set you apart from other applicants.

Sounds like you and I have a similar story, Genny. I'm the oldest member of my class. The youngest and I are separated by about 16 years. Neural plasticity decreases with age. Rote memorization just isn't as easy as it was in my 20s (I'm very grateful, however, for my well-honed problem solving ability developed throughout my professional life. If I had to choose, I'd take the problem solving over the ability to memorize). I also second the 'heads up' regarding the shorter time span to pay off veterinary school debt. 10 years makes a big difference in paying down those bills.

To the OP: If veterinary medicine is what you want, by all means, go for it. Be sure, however that it's REALLY the career you want. Spend a lot of time shadowing and volunteering in different veterinary environments. Veterinary medicine is a career of tremendous sacrifice- of your time, your financial reserves, and your emotional energy. Don't underestimate that. Vet med was a lateral transfer for me. I enjoyed a very successful career in biomedical research prior to attending vet school. I returned to vet school for a very specific reason, and it is keeping my eye on that prize that gets me through days like today (had a brutal exam in clinical pathology). If I had entered vet school with a more vague concept of what I was doing there, I wouldn't make it. Loving animals is not enough. You need to be able to clearly picture yourself in a specific veterinary role. What is it that you like about the job? Why do you want to do it? What type of contribution do you want to make? Is that contribution and potential satisfaction worth the sacrifice? Only you can answer these questions. Spend a lot of time thinking about the answers. If, on balance, your answers point toward veterinary school- by all means, go for it. Just recognize that it's often not fun, and is not a walk in the park. For me, veterinary school is a means to an end- a requirement to get me where I want to go. I have a very practical relationship with my veterinary education. That's not to say that I don't enjoy the subject matter. I do- for the vast majority of the curriculum. No one, myself included, enjoys the constant assessment via exams. Sitting in a class thinking to yourself 'that's really interesting- I'm enjoying myself' is very different than regurgitating endless detail on tests. Am I glad I went to vet school? YES. Would I do it again? ABSOLUTELY. Do I love every moment of every day I'm there- NO. Not even close. It's the end goal that drives me forward. I wouldn't be able to push myself through the tough days if I wasn't 100% focused on that end goal. If I didn't have an incredibly clear picture of where I wanted to be and what I wanted to do, I doubt that I would have made it this far. Think long and hard before you commit. Are you doing this for the right reasons? What are they? Do they justify the sacrifice of all aspects of your life certainly for the next four years, and beyond?

 

[Minnerbelle]

Before you even consider it, ask Mercy what percentage of their students on the pre-vet track actually end up going to vet school.

I know the whole concurrent tech thing sounds appealing. But at least a similar program I know says the same exact thing, but their prevet students end up being poor candidates for vet school and they have a very low percentage of people who actually get to vet school. And, tuition is ridiculously high for that kind of shenanigans.

 

[that redhead]

What is your motivation behind the career change? Why now?

If you're making a good salary and enjoy what you do, I would advise you to keep your current job and work with animals in another setting - volunteer at the local shelter or zoo, for example.

 

[LabbyLove]

Thanks for your wonderful advice, everyone. I learned so much from just reading what you wrote. The Mercy program appeals mostly because I would be able to be a vet tech if I didn't pursue veterinary medicine, plus get my pre-reqs covered in the process (or found I simply could not afford to take the dive, no matter how much I want to). It is insanely expensive though. Are there associates degree programs that cover the pre-reqs so I would have both options? I realize even considering a vet tech option is frowned upon, but it's more a matter of wanting to work in the field and being a bit scared financially.

 

[lagomorphic]

Not sure about the percentage of vets that come out of Mercy but I do know one personally who went through the vet tech program and applied. She didn't get in the first time so she worked as a tech for a year, reapplied and got in. She's been practicing for 3 years now. I think having the tech program as a backup is useful however I have also heard about it being looked down upon (as per reading on SDN) To me, being a tech seems like more intensive veterinary experience for application purposes compared to someone who just works as kennel or as an assistant so I'm not sure where that logic falls.

 

[KCgophervet]

Thanks for your wonderful advice, everyone. I learned so much from just reading what you wrote. The Mercy program appeals mostly because I would be able to be a vet tech if I didn't pursue veterinary medicine, plus get my pre-reqs covered in the process (or found I simply could not afford to take the dive, no matter how much I want to). It is insanely expensive though. Are there associates degree programs that cover the pre-reqs so I would have both options? I realize even considering a vet tech option is frowned upon, but it's more a matter of wanting to work in the field and being a bit scared financially.

To answer that redhead's question, I do a lot of volunteering and work with animals and love it. As a public school teacher, all I can say is the profession is changing, and not in good ways.

Have you done any shadowing in vet clinics? Honestly I would start there and figure out what the difference is between the tech and the vet and from there which you actually want to pursue. Do you like working with animals and people and want to get started ASAP? Maybe just going for an associate's and becoming a vet tech would be the best course for you. Do you find you enjoy the diagnostic puzzles and the medicine primarily? Are you willing to take all the pre-reqs and then another 4 years of school afterwards (and a larger pile of debt at the end)? Then you should shoot for the stars and just take the necessary pre-reqs and go for your DVM. Really the two positions are so different, it's like being a nurse vs. an MD. It's just a different job, and most people who are nurses don't use it as a stepping stone to go and get their MD.

Personally, in the interest of saving time and money, I would start by figuring out what you want to do. If you want to pursue a DVM, go for it, and you'll need those shadowing hours anyway. If you are afraid you'll desperately need a back-up and want to go for that program, then do what you have to do, but just realize they're pretty different and most places the pre-reqs for vet school and the tech classes will not overlap much.

 

[flameshock]

Thanks for your wonderful advice, everyone. I learned so much from just reading what you wrote. The Mercy program appeals mostly because I would be able to be a vet tech if I didn't pursue veterinary medicine, plus get my pre-reqs covered in the process (or found I simply could not afford to take the dive, no matter how much I want to). It is insanely expensive though. Are there associates degree programs that cover the pre-reqs so I would have both options? I realize even considering a vet tech option is frowned upon, but it's more a matter of wanting to work in the field and being a bit scared financially.

To answer that redhead's question, I do a lot of volunteering and work with animals and love it. As a public school teacher, all I can say is the profession is changing, and not in good ways.

So I'm in a similar situation in that my I'm a bit older than the usual applicants and my progression was RVT program -> vet school prerequisites -> Vet School (I was accepted this cycle). I did it for similar reasons as you and I certainly learned a lot and was able to leverage my time in school to a variety of unusual internships that later helped me in my vet school applications.

That being said, I was pretty convinced from the beginning that I wanted to be a veterinarian so even with the positives of the RVT school in retrospect I probably would not go down that path again. It's two years and a fair amount of money gone, although my state offered the program at a community college, which doesn't sound as expensive as what you're describing.

My personal opinion is that if you are not 100% certain that you want to specifically be in veterinary medicine then you should hold off in its pursuit. It honestly sounds to me like you love animals but you're not quite sure how to incorporate that into a career change. Can you work in your state as a tech without being licensed? Actual employment will give you a better frame of reference for whether this is for you than any amount of shadowing.

In any case, if you're sure you want to pursue veterinary medicine, you should undertake to do the prerequisites as cheaply as possible. Where you took the classes won't matter so much( though I believe most if not all of the schools require some portion of the classes to be conducted a four-year institution) but to have a significant amount of debt before you even step foot in vet school is something that should be minimized as much as possible.

Anyway, I deeply sympathize with your situation, please let us know what you decide.