Vet tech or shadow?

Being a vet tech/assistant is fine. You're still getting veterinary experience, just that the vet isn't there, but they still over see your work in the end (if that makes sense).

The adcoms know this happens. I don't know of anywhere that you're working with the vet all the time. It's just to make a distinction betwixt animal experience (say, kennel tech) vs working in a veterinary capacity with the animals (medicating, treating, observing surgeries, euthanizing, etc).

Maybe someone else can give a more elegant distinction but that's about the sum of it.

Shadow.

you aren't going to be able to just start off working as a Vet tech (or even a vet assistant). Depending on what state you live in you may actually be required to have schooling to refer to yourself as a vet tech (many in the industry generally look down on on-the-job trained folks being called techs even in states that allow it)

Shadowing will allow you to get in and see more and do more generally speaking. It may even lead to a job at a clinic where you can start with kennels/assisting/etc. It basically starts your experience in the field and can help you build up knowledge, make you marketable for jobs, and your eventual application.

I would say it all depends on where you are. My first "vet tech" job I got because I asked the vet who was giving my kitten her vx if she needed any volunteer help. She hired me as a vet tech with no prior experience, just a goal of vet school in mind. From the very first week I was hands on learning to draw blood, take rads, prep for surgery and everything else the techs in our clinic did.

Highlsnds3 said:

I would say it all depends on where you are. My first "vet tech" job I got because I asked the vet who was giving my kitten her vx if she needed any volunteer help. She hired me as a vet tech with no prior experience, just a goal of vet school in mind. From the very first week I was hands on learning to draw blood, take rads, prep for surgery and everything else the techs in our clinic did.

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ditto - except I came in to get my dog treated for a UTI. 😉

heylodeb said:

ditto - except I came in to get my dog treated for a UTI. 😉

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jealous of both of you guys! i had the hardest time finding somewhere that would even let me shadow, let alone get a job! way too many naggy phone calls to every single vet clinic in the area, but it paid off. volunteering eventually turned into jobs after many hours at two different places, but it took quite a bit of time and effort to get myself into a good position.
so it's definitely a bit of luck about what is in your area and what the demand is. i'd say start with shadowing/volunteering and go from there, hopefully get the back door in after that. you probably start volunteering with a combination of following the vet around and working with the techs so you get a bit of everything.

I'm fairly new on here, too, but I have been employed as a vet assistant, volunteer and a shadow.
One major advantage to being a shadow is being able to talk with the vet, between appointments, during surgeries or in the car between farm calls. I have learned a lot about the field and different schools just from talking to the different vets.
Good Luck!

Unless you need the money, my vote is for shadowing. More time with the vet is key for your eLOR. Also since you have no responsibility, you don't get involved in any workplace drama.

Freddie12 said:

Unless you need the money, my vote is for shadowing. More time with the vet is key for your eLOR. Also since you have no responsibility, you don't get involved in any workplace drama.

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True, but I think it also depends on what kind of things the OP wants the vet to highlight in a LOR.

working as a tech will give vet more info about how you handle responsibility, time management, client interaction, drive to better competence, animal handling skills etc...

shadowing i would imagine would result in the vet commenting about your personality, intelligence, ability to ask good questions, etc...

neither of these things are mutually exclusive, but i thought i'd give another perspective.

To get the best of both worlds, what about getting a tech job, and then shadowing on your days off/lunch?

Minnerbelle said:

Tr
To get the best of both worlds, what about getting a tech job, and then shadowing on your days off/lunch?

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to put another $.02 in - this is what I do. I work 4 days a week and then volunteer at the same clinic two other days - those two days are when I'm able to talk to the vets a lot more because they know I'm not on the clock. It works really well.

summerbailey said:

Thanks for all of the advice guys!

Minner, ideally that is what I would like to do, but it's proving to be hard to find a job or shadowing. Im literally at wits end because I have been calling/applying around for 3 weeks now! I'm debating about working for Petco or Petsmart for their small animal positions in the mean time...what do you guys think? Should I wait it out? I do need the money though...

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There's been a bunch of threads about how to go about finding jobs/shadow positions. I'd go look those up, there's lots of good advice. Have you been going around with resume in hand to deliver them personally? etc...

A part of the problem might be that it's summertime, when there's a FLOOD of pre-vets overloading vet clinics I reckon.

I don't think a job with petco/petsmart will help you with your apps that much more than any non-vet related jobs, so unless that's just a job you just want to take just 'cause (rather than b/c you think it'll really help you with vet school) I personally wouldn't recommend it. I could be wrong though...

If you need money, then def take any job over no job, and maybe you can volunteer for a shelter/wildlife clinic? summer time = kitten + baby season! A lot of orgs are desperately in need of help with that.

I suggest working as a kennel tech at a clinic and tell them you are also interested in shadowing the veterinarian. If you luck into a place that is staffed by people who are eager to teach, they may have you trained by the end of the summer! Also, having experience as a kennel tech is valuable when moving on to be a vet tech and veterinarian. It's good to know the ropes of every position in a clinic.

Wow, was I just stupid lucky with my vet job, or something? I got a job as a kennel attendant 3rd semester of undergrad, because i realized I was seriously behind on hours. Within about 2 months, I was being cross trained as an 'animal care assistant' (vet tech assistant, almost). About 2 months after that, I was being cross trained for vet tech (blood draws, rads, client interaction, some chemistries and blood panels we did in house, etc). What was so great is that, from the sounds of it, I was also shadowing. I'd get to ask the vet any questions I had, watch surgeries (they were often during lunch), and even scrub in and participate some. For my eLOR, my boss (tech supervisor) had to type it up (the head vet was a little behind the times), and she said he made comments about my work ethic, knowledge/curiosity/understanding, etc. I don't know if there just aren't any clinics where the techs interact and work with the vet so closely as with mine, or if i just lucked out to have really personal and caring vets (or if it helped that alot of the people that worked there over the years were also using it as a stepping stone to vet school, who knows).

Definitely see if you can't find a deal like that- get a job, and let them know that its not just a job, you're expecting it to teach you about the profession (how it works), as well as the science and medicine, and make sure the doctor is actually accessible (some were easier to approach than others, the head vet actually had a side equine practice, so he was often busy, but still easy to talk with).