Veterinary research supervised by a veterinarian

[Lanith]

Hi there,

I already did a search on this issue, and found no clear answer (as far as I can tell).

I am doing veterinary research (involving both live animals and animal specimen testing) under the direct supervision of a veterinarian. Do I put this as veterinary or research experience? or do I "double-dip" and put it in both categories (splitting the total hours: ie if I had 1000 hours of experience, I'd put 600 being spent with lab animals as veterinary experience, 400 doing specimen testing as research experience)?

Thanks!


EDIT:

I found this on the VMCAS information pop-up:
"Research should include any experience in a research environment. Please report research experiences in this section, even if they were also veterinary experiences. "

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[Gwenevre]

I'd call the VMCAS hotline and ask them

 

[VMCASSTAFF]

Hi there,

I already did a search on this issue, and found no clear answer (as far as I can tell).

I am doing veterinary research (involving both live animals and animal specimen testing) under the direct supervision of a veterinarian. Do I put this as veterinary or research experience? or do I "double-dip" and put it in both categories (splitting the total hours: ie if I had 1000 hours of experience, I'd put 600 being spent with lab animals as veterinary experience, 400 doing specimen testing as research experience)?

Thanks!


EDIT:

I found this on the VMCAS information pop-up:
"Research should include any experience in a research environment. Please report research experiences in this section, even if they were also veterinary experiences. "

So it looks like I'm going to just report my time spent in the veterinary lab in both the research and veterinary sections, probably phrasing each differently. Unless somebody thinks that's not the right thing to do?

This is an excellent (and common) question. Things have changed a little here at VMCAS regarding experiences. In short, ANY research experience needs to be listed as research. Any work with a veterinarian (non-research) should be listed as Veterinary experience. Animal work in the absence of research and a veterinarian is.. you guessed it... animal experience. This year, we're approaching experience as cut and dry. Hope this helps

Also, NO double-dipping. Each experience should be listed once on the application

tw

 

[Lanith]

This is an excellent (and common) question. Things have changed a little here at VMCAS regarding experiences. In short, ANY research experience needs to be listed as research. Any work with a veterinarian (non-research) should be listed as Veterinary experience. Animal work in the absence of research and a veterinarian is.. you guessed it... animal experience. This year, we're approaching experience as cut and dry. Hope this helps

Also, NO double-dipping. Each experience should be listed once on the application

tw

So I should only add it to the research experience section?

 

[VMCASSTAFF]

So I should only add it to the research experience section?

yes

 

[indgrl]

Still trying to sort out "research experience". I work in a lab caring for lab animals under PhD supervision but I am not participating in the research project. Is this still considered research? When I look at the VMCAS application the details for research seem to be for someone conducting the research not taking care of the animals.

 

[indgrl]

Still trying to sort out "research experience". I work in a lab caring for lab animals under PhD supervision but I am not participating in the research project. Is this still considered research? When I look at the VMCAS application the details for research seem to be for someone conducting the research not taking care of the animals.

Forgot to mention supervisor was PhD/DMV

 

[VMCASSTAFF]

This should be listed as animal experience

 

[indgrl]

This should be listed as animal experience

Oops, that should have been supervisor was PhD/DVM

 

[dyachei]

Oops, that should have been supervisor was PhD/DVM

Then it would probably be veterinary experience.

 

[Minnerbelle]

I could be wrong, but if all you're responsible for is animal care (not the research, and not the veterinary care) and the animals are lab animals , and you just happen to report to the PI who happens to be a DVM/PhD... I think it might still be animal experience.

I mean, if I dog sat for a DVM... it would still be animal experience even though I would be reporting directly to a veterinarian.

It gets kind of hairy because if you're kennel staff in a vet's office, that counts as veterinary experience (unless that's changed recently). But animal care staff in laboratory animal facilities have to my knowledge always counted towards animal experience. It would certainly be different if you worked for the comparative medicine service of a laboratory animal facility and was a part of providing veterinary care.

 

[dyachei]

I could be wrong, but if all you're responsible for is animal care (not the research, and not the veterinary care) and the animals are lab animals , and you just happen to report to the PI who happens to be a DVM/PhD... I think it might still be animal experience.

I mean, if I dog sat for a DVM... it would still be animal experience even though I would be reporting directly to a veterinarian.

It gets kind of hairy because if you're kennel staff in a vet's office, that counts as veterinary experience (unless that's changed recently). But animal care staff in laboratory animal facilities have to my knowledge always counted towards animal experience. It would certainly be different if you worked for the comparative medicine service of a laboratory animal facility and was a part of providing veterinary care.

Yeah but if they are responsible for restraint or treatments under a vet then definitely vet experience

 

[indgrl]

I do restrain the animals for the for the PI (who is a vet) and administer oral medicine with their feeding so I am thinking definitely not research but probably vet experience at this point.

 

[Minnerbelle]

Yeah but if they are responsible for restraint or treatments under a vet then definitely vet experience

Agreed if that were the case. But I couldn't tell from indgrl's post what she meant by "taking care of animals." The people responsible for cleaning, feeding, separating rodent pups, etc... I think would generally fall under animal experience.