eptesicusfuscus
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Hello! I'm a current chemistry graduate PhD student looking to apply to vet school in the next 1-2 cycles. Strong interest in zoo, conservation vet med or equine. Would also be interested in working in nuclear medicine/diagnostic imaging since my current work is with PET imaging in humans. Both very far down the road, I understand.
I was pre-vet until my sophomore/junior year in UG, swapped paths to graduate school because I didnt think my application was worth it if I didn't have veterinary hours (which still makes me hesitant to apply now). Most of the reason for not getting additional experience in the past was related to needing to pay bills-- surprisingly my horse jobs were paying more then any clinics in the area.
Main concerns are with VMCAS GPA and veterinary hours. I have contacted every clinic in my area, even venturing out east to the Hamptons (>1h away) to contact vets and clinics for shadowing opportunities (SA, exotics, pocket pets) and I've applied to several veterinary assistant positions. If I got one of the VA jobs I would master out that same semester, but until then I need healthcare and to pay for bills :') I'm planning on contacting the aquarium and wildlife rescues for volunteer positions, but have already reached out once or twice so it feels kind of hopeless.
Based on the VMCAS excel sheet I would need to take (and ace) 5 four credit courses to bump my GPA above a 3.2. Based on the cost of courses and degree programs I would basically need a straight A masters program on top of vet school. Plus it would just average out any repeat classes I've taken before. It just feels like a lose-lose to try and fix my GPA.
NY resident
Cumulative GPA: 3.12 (VMCAS), 3.3 undergrad and grad
science GPA: 2.98 w/o grade replacement, 3.28 w/grade replacement
last 45: 3.6
Any degrees achieved: BS Chemistry, BS Biology; Chemistry PhD in progress expected 2026 (possible mastering out)
GRE results: N/A
Veterinary Experience:
- 20 h in high school shadowing zoo veterinarian :')
Over the past two months I have contacted every single clinic within 60 minutes (Long Island, NY) and have either been declined or not heard back
Animal Experience:
>8000 hours managing small (<12 horses) barn
~4000 hours groom/barn hand large equestrian facility
~60 hours wild animal handling + care in Panama as research assistant
not included, but noted pets owned: equine, canine, reptile, amphibian, aquatics
Research Experience:
1. Graduate chemistry research -- development of novel radiochemsitry methodology for novel positron emission tomography (PET) tracers & brain penetrating peptides (>4k hours)
2. Transmission of bacteria among a community of horses, flies, and bats; OneHealth + vet med focus (470+ hours)
3. Amphibians as bioindicators of watershed quality, survey for chytrid fungus (730+ hours)
4. Anolis anatomy research (150 hours)
Awards/scholarships:
- Chemical Biology Training Program (CBTP) fellowship funded by NIH
- Outstanding graduate teaching assistant for undergraduate labs
- Most outstanding chemistry student (awarded by department, approved by faculty board)
- Virginia Herpetological Society grant
- Undergraduate university grant for research
- Deans list towards end of UG career (went from 2.8->3.9 semester GPAs, ended with 3.3 UG cGPA)
Extracurriculars:
- IHSA/IDA equestrian team throughout undergrad (riding since 5yo)
- hiking and fitness leader
- BBB biological honors society (VP, secretary)
- ACS chemistry club (VP, historian)
- Pre-vet club founding member (VP)
- Two additional academic clubs/organizations
Employment:
- Graduate teaching assistant
- Library circulation desk
- Undergrad teaching assistant (biochemistry, organic chemistry)
- Undergrad lab assistant (microbiology, biochemistry)
LOR:
x2 UG research advisors (PhDs)
x1 Graduate advisor, PI (PhD)
x1 "group letter" from owners of equine facilities
looking to get 1-2 vet LORs if they would respond and let me shadow/work for them :') I could try reaching out to the zoo vet I shadowed in high school but that was years ago so I doubt they remember me
School List: Limited to US based schools and unfortunately also limited geographically due to job opportunities for my partner (aka no midwest + west coast, no LMU)
- Cornell (IS); no LIU
- UTK (dream school but GPA falls below 3.2 for OOS applicants so likely unable to apply here)
- VMCVM
Thank you if you read all of this! Looking for advice on school lists, contacting people for vet experience, and possibly some consolation regarding my GPA.
edit #1: corrected distance needed to travel to clinics from 40m to 60m, apologies
edit #2: updated science GPA verbiage
I was pre-vet until my sophomore/junior year in UG, swapped paths to graduate school because I didnt think my application was worth it if I didn't have veterinary hours (which still makes me hesitant to apply now). Most of the reason for not getting additional experience in the past was related to needing to pay bills-- surprisingly my horse jobs were paying more then any clinics in the area.
Main concerns are with VMCAS GPA and veterinary hours. I have contacted every clinic in my area, even venturing out east to the Hamptons (>1h away) to contact vets and clinics for shadowing opportunities (SA, exotics, pocket pets) and I've applied to several veterinary assistant positions. If I got one of the VA jobs I would master out that same semester, but until then I need healthcare and to pay for bills :') I'm planning on contacting the aquarium and wildlife rescues for volunteer positions, but have already reached out once or twice so it feels kind of hopeless.
Based on the VMCAS excel sheet I would need to take (and ace) 5 four credit courses to bump my GPA above a 3.2. Based on the cost of courses and degree programs I would basically need a straight A masters program on top of vet school. Plus it would just average out any repeat classes I've taken before. It just feels like a lose-lose to try and fix my GPA.
NY resident
Cumulative GPA: 3.12 (VMCAS), 3.3 undergrad and grad
science GPA: 2.98 w/o grade replacement, 3.28 w/grade replacement
last 45: 3.6
Any degrees achieved: BS Chemistry, BS Biology; Chemistry PhD in progress expected 2026 (possible mastering out)
GRE results: N/A
Veterinary Experience:
- 20 h in high school shadowing zoo veterinarian :')
Over the past two months I have contacted every single clinic within 60 minutes (Long Island, NY) and have either been declined or not heard back
Animal Experience:
>8000 hours managing small (<12 horses) barn
~4000 hours groom/barn hand large equestrian facility
~60 hours wild animal handling + care in Panama as research assistant
not included, but noted pets owned: equine, canine, reptile, amphibian, aquatics
Research Experience:
1. Graduate chemistry research -- development of novel radiochemsitry methodology for novel positron emission tomography (PET) tracers & brain penetrating peptides (>4k hours)
2. Transmission of bacteria among a community of horses, flies, and bats; OneHealth + vet med focus (470+ hours)
3. Amphibians as bioindicators of watershed quality, survey for chytrid fungus (730+ hours)
4. Anolis anatomy research (150 hours)
Awards/scholarships:
- Chemical Biology Training Program (CBTP) fellowship funded by NIH
- Outstanding graduate teaching assistant for undergraduate labs
- Most outstanding chemistry student (awarded by department, approved by faculty board)
- Virginia Herpetological Society grant
- Undergraduate university grant for research
- Deans list towards end of UG career (went from 2.8->3.9 semester GPAs, ended with 3.3 UG cGPA)
Extracurriculars:
- IHSA/IDA equestrian team throughout undergrad (riding since 5yo)
- hiking and fitness leader
- BBB biological honors society (VP, secretary)
- ACS chemistry club (VP, historian)
- Pre-vet club founding member (VP)
- Two additional academic clubs/organizations
Employment:
- Graduate teaching assistant
- Library circulation desk
- Undergrad teaching assistant (biochemistry, organic chemistry)
- Undergrad lab assistant (microbiology, biochemistry)
LOR:
x2 UG research advisors (PhDs)
x1 Graduate advisor, PI (PhD)
x1 "group letter" from owners of equine facilities
looking to get 1-2 vet LORs if they would respond and let me shadow/work for them :') I could try reaching out to the zoo vet I shadowed in high school but that was years ago so I doubt they remember me
School List: Limited to US based schools and unfortunately also limited geographically due to job opportunities for my partner (aka no midwest + west coast, no LMU)
- Cornell (IS); no LIU
- UTK (dream school but GPA falls below 3.2 for OOS applicants so likely unable to apply here)
- VMCVM
Thank you if you read all of this! Looking for advice on school lists, contacting people for vet experience, and possibly some consolation regarding my GPA.
edit #1: corrected distance needed to travel to clinics from 40m to 60m, apologies
edit #2: updated science GPA verbiage
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