What's your top veterinary school choice and why?

Veterinary Science Graduate Certificate from UofI
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Spiralhuntress

Spiralhuntress

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Hi everyone,

I am curious to know what your top choice for veterinary school is and why. I hope this thread can also be used to share opinions or compare/contrast the strengths and weaknesses of particular schools.

I'd have to say that Tufts is one of my top choices because of the International Veterinary Medicine and Conservation Medicine programs. The collaborative CSU/UAF is also one of my top choices because of my interest in wildlife medicine. However, it is my understanding that for non-Alaska residents in the CSU/UAF program that we have to pay OOS tuition all four years, which is a significant drawback.
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Purdue is my top choice. Mainly because of in-state tuition and it's my undergrad. Purdue's my home now. Second would be Ohio for great LA program.
 
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Tufts is my top choice. I did their AVM summer program last year and loved everything about it. I got to meet with one of the admissions counsellors and felt so comfortable talking with everyone. It's also only 15 minutes from my mom's house, so that's a huge plus for me. I want to focus on small animals, but I'd want to look more into their shelter medicine and wildlife programs. All of the students I met were really welcoming and the campus is beautiful.
 
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Hawaii. For obvious reasons.
Just wish they knew they are supposed to have a school there.

(ps- this is my stock answer for this question every year it is asked).
 
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StartingoverVet said:
Hawaii. For obvious reasons.
Just wish they knew they are supposed to have a school there.

(ps- this is my stock answer for this question every year it is asked).
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The OOS tuition would be astronomical, but loans be dashed, I'd go in a heartbeat!
 
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WildZoo said:
If someone wants to invent a combined veterinary and creative writing program, I would be up for that.
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James Herriot Institute for Veterinary Medicine :bow:

On a different note, I think the Pokemon creators should have explored the veterinary implications of the game/characters further. Or perhaps Pokemon medicine is just ingenious... one 10 second stint in a machine and everyone is healthy again!
:roflcopter:
 
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CSU... Leader in infectious disease research.
 
Hogwarts School of Veterinary Medicine of course! :D

You know, it's funny how things changes. Even just a year ago I would have a completely different answer to this question. During my entire undergrad career I would have immediately pointed to a different school, but I am so so happy where I am. The IS-tuition for Mizzou is nice for sure, but the extra year of clinics can't be beat, and despite how much I complain about the constant exams I truly love it here. :)
 
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Ashgirl said:
Hogwarts School of Veterinary Medicine of course! :D

You know, it's funny how things changes. Even just a year ago I would have a completely different answer to this question. During my entire undergrad career I would have immediately pointed to a different school, but I am so so happy where I am. The IS-tuition for Mizzou is nice for sure, but the extra year of clinics can't be beat, and despite how much I complain about the constant exams I truly love it here. :)
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awwwww.gif
 
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The veterinary school that has all online classes and no exams. That's my favorite school..
 
Well, when they bring dinosaurs back to life, I'll be first in line at the institution teaching that medicine.
 
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My top choice will always be my IS for tuition purposes. But my purposes when asked this question in an interview?

Florida: Good wildlife/zoo program, wildlife ward, zoo medicine residency, and a really modern hospital with excellent equipment (although I'm not so sure that last reason would sway any interviewers). This residency is probably my best option since it takes 1 student every year, as opposed to 1 student every 3 years.
Michigan: wildlife/zoo opportunities, wildlife ward, ACZM boarded vet who I'd LOVE to work with, zoo residency, on-campus LA/food animal farms with plenty of opportunities to learn more.
Illinois: tons of experience starting from year 1, wildlife ward with chances to hold leadership roles, zoo/aquatic residency.

I know that anyone can apply to any residency, but I just figure it can't hurt to have a face to a name for these programs. Especially if I have any opportunity to work with the residency heads.
 
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pinkpuppy9 said:
My top choice will always be my IS for tuition purposes. But my purposes when asked this question in an interview?

Florida: Good wildlife/zoo program, wildlife ward, zoo medicine residency, and a really modern hospital with excellent equipment (although I'm not so sure that last reason would sway any interviewers). This residency is probably my best option since it takes 1 student every year, as opposed to 1 student every 3 years.
Michigan: wildlife/zoo opportunities, wildlife ward, ACZM boarded vet who I'd LOVE to work with, zoo residency, on-campus LA/food animal farms with plenty of opportunities to learn more.
Illinois: tons of experience starting from year 1, wildlife ward with chances to hold leadership roles, zoo/aquatic residency.

I know that anyone can apply to any residency, but I just figure it can't hurt to have a face to a name for these programs. Especially if I have any opportunity to work with the residency heads.
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We have similar interests :D You basically hit all of my additional reasons for wanting to go to Florida
 
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WildZoo said:
We have similar interests :D You basically hit all of my additional reasons for wanting to go to Florida
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You know, I actually didn't start this out wanting to get into zoo/wildlife. I actually thought I'd had working with wildlife haha. I was planning on doing small animal, but then I had my first internship at a zoo. I medicated Panamanian Golden Frogs and it was all over lol. Then I started volunteering in wildlife rehab. While working in rehab with little funding is a bit more than unpleasant for all involved, it's worth it. Plus necropsies on wildlife are always interesting! Now I'm at a place where funding typically is no issue whatsoever...I've gotten spoiled.
 
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pinkpuppy9 said:
You know, I actually didn't start this out wanting to get into zoo/wildlife. I actually thought I'd had working with wildlife haha. I was planning on doing small animal, but then I had my first internship at a zoo. I medicated Panamanian Golden Frogs and it was all over lol. Then I started volunteering in wildlife rehab. While working in rehab with little funding is a bit more than unpleasant for all involved, it's worth it. Plus necropsies on wildlife are always interesting! Now I'm at a place where funding typically is no issue whatsoever...I've gotten spoiled.
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I've never wanted to do small animal private practice, but I thought for a while I might do shelter. And then I volunteered at a zoo and later got an internship at an aviary. Fell in love, basically. It would be great to be able to work in wildlife rehab without having to worry about funding.
 
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This thread basically devolved from "What is your number 1 choice" to "What is your mythical perfect school if you could create it". lol. Poor OP.

CSU: In state is cheap, it's close to home, and has a great small animal hospital that gets a lot of volume

K-State: They're the only one who gives me any lovins. And who can say no to a bridge that goes in between the school and the vet hospital so you don't have to go out in the snow?!

Others: Need to re-evaluate just in case for next year.

Mythical? I want my damn unicorn. So let me be the vet for a wand maker or something.
 
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WildZoo said:
I've never wanted to do small animal private practice, but I thought for a while I might do shelter. And then I volunteered at a zoo and later got an internship at an aviary. Fell in love, basically. It would be great to be able to work in wildlife rehab without having to worry about funding.
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Well, I actually started out doubting zoos (I went through a brief PETA phase, too, but then actually did my own research :rolleyes:). I love dogs and cats, but I would not be happy working with clients. The majority of my experience is now zoo/wildlife, so I'm spoiled by how it is centered on what the animal needs, not how much value a client places on his/her animal and how much they are willing to spend. I've seen people turn down 3 months of Frontline (that whole "3 months will break the cycle!" thing) because they didn't think the dog was suffering. The dog was coooooaaated in fleas, and I even told them that they're looking at needing a house fumigation soon lol. The woman barely looked up from her phone. Ugh.

I know job outlooks in zoo can be bleak, but it is what it is. If I end up having to do small animal, I'm happy to help out pets too.
 
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Cornell University: It's instate, I'm an undergraduate student there right now, and the learning style seems like it would work very well for me. But really I'd be happy anywhere!
 
pinkpuppy9 said:
Well, I actually started out doubting zoos (I went through a brief PETA phase, too, but then actually did my own research :rolleyes:). I love dogs and cats, but I would not be happy working with clients. The majority of my experience is now zoo/wildlife, so I'm spoiled by how it is centered on what the animal needs, not how much value a client places on his/her animal and how much they are willing to spend. I've seen people turn down 3 months of Frontline (that whole "3 months will break the cycle!" thing) because they didn't think the dog was suffering. The dog was coooooaaated in fleas, and I even told them that they're looking at needing a house fumigation soon lol. The woman barely looked up from her phone. Ugh.

I know job outlooks in zoo can be bleak, but it is what it is. If I end up having to do small animal, I'm happy to help out pets too.
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This is basically my entire life story. :D Zoo/wildlife is the goal, but I love cats and dogs and I could do small animal clinical med ... if I had to. At least short-term. But it would also have to be somewhere that sees a good volume of pet exotics. I need unusual critters around me to get through the day. Haha.

And to make my post related to the OP's, opportunities in exotics/wildlife, mild winter, and being in a relatively large city were some of the reasons LSU was my top choice. So far it's worked out extremely well. :) In particular the raptor rehab program here has been life changing for me. I can't believe a little over a year ago I thought I didn't like birds...

I also had my eye on UTK and NCSU for similar reasons as LSU. Although Knoxville was pushing it some on the winter issue, that area of Tennessee is gorgeous and would have made up for it I think.
 
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Psorophoraferox said:
This is basically my entire life story. :D Zoo/wildlife is the goal, but I love cats and dogs and I could do small animal clinical med ... if I had to. At least short-term. But it would also have to be somewhere that sees a good volume of pet exotics. I need unusual critters around me to get through the day. Haha.

And to make my post related to the OP's, opportunities in exotics/wildlife, mild winter, and being in a relatively large city were some of the reasons LSU was my top choice. So far it's worked out extremely well. :) In particular the raptor rehab program here has been life changing for me. I can't believe a little over a year ago I thought I didn't like birds...

I also had my eye on UTK and NCSU for similar reasons as LSU. Although Knoxville was pushing it some on the winter issue, that area of Tennessee is gorgeous and would have made up for it I think.
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I LOVE birds!!! I actually have a soft spot for gulls, of all things. I dislike raptor rehab mostly because so many centers don't know how to provide daily care without stressing the animals out. I do love raptors, though. Especially juvenile red-tails, they are so curious.

Yesterday's scenario: My counterpart felt it necessary to grab up our barred owl twice in one day. Once just to change a towel, second time for meds. Either have someone change the towel while the bird is getting meds, or do the smart thing and don't grab up the bird for a towel change. UGH. The clinic I worked in did everything possible to avoid stressing the animals. You do not need to grab up a raptor to clean....if you move slowly and calmly, they usually just sit there and watch. I've never had a problem.
 
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pinkpuppy9 said:
I LOVE birds!!! I actually have a soft spot for gulls, of all things. I dislike raptor rehab mostly because so many centers don't know how to provide daily care without stressing the animals out. I do love raptors, though. Especially juvenile red-tails, they are so curious.
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Fellow gull lover!! I worked at a facility for penguins and seabirds, and really enjoyed working with the ICU gulls and other birds more than the penguins. People always look at me like I have three heads when I say that...
 
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Trilt said:
Fellow gull lover!! I worked at a facility for penguins and seabirds, and really enjoyed working with the ICU gulls and other birds more than the penguins. People always look at me like I have three heads when I say that...
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Penguins are evil and very very gross o_O
 
PENGUINS!! SQUEE!

*ahem*

At the end of Digimon Adventure 02, Jou is a digimon vet. That's what I want to be, so I want to go to whatever school teaches digimon medicine.
 
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LetItSnow said:
You see cute. I see evil just waiting to evolve to the point those flippers can do some damage.
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I only see cute. Hard not to when I used to get little "hugs" from these guys every weekend during my senior year of undergrad. I will admit that adults can be a little nasty though. I got too near a nest box once (didn't see the penguin in there) and got stabbed in the back of my knee right above my boot.
 
orca2011 said:
I only see cute. Hard not to when I used to get little "hugs" from these guys every weekend during my senior year of undergrad. I will admit that adults can be a little nasty though. I got too near a nest box once (didn't see the penguin in there) and got stabbed in the back of my knee right above my boot.
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So, the "cute" thing turned around and stabbed you in the back of the knee?

Sounds evil. Probably was female, too.
 
Not too much penguin experience, but I found it funny that where I did work with penguins, the entire building (including the guest area) STAAAAAANK of fishyness. Enter the exhibit? Odorless.
 
LetItSnow said:
You see cute. I see evil just waiting to evolve to the point those flippers can do some damage.
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Haha. Waiting to evolve? This was a couple days into working with them... with an armguard on the whole time:

HgUEeZY.jpg


And there was the adult with a broken foot who learned she could crawl on the ground and bite your ankles faster than haphazardly hop after you... I named her Samara:

getting-out-of-bed-on-a-weekday.gif
 
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