Advice for a new pre-vet

[meow head]

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Hey everybody, I am new to SDN (this is my first post ever!), though I've been trolling this site for quite some time first as a pre-med and now as a pre-vet.

I am a senior at Emory University, and I am graduating this semester with a degree in neuroscience. Up until this past summer, I was pre-med, but after extensively shadowing a few surgeons, I realized human medicine was just not my passion.

I've decided that I am going to apply to vet school, and the moment I first looked into it, I thought, why didn't I think of this to begin with. I absolutely love animals, and I always have. As soon as I decided I was going to apply to vet school, all of the dread of medical school (you know, the dread that accompanies working towards something you don't really want to do) went away and was replaced by excitement.

Now for my questions. I am graduating with a degree in neuroscience, and I have all but one pre-requisite for most vet schools (biochemistry) completed, and I am taking that at home in the spring. I pretty much have no shadowing/animal experience because I spent all of my time shadowing physicians and working in a research lab. I have since gotten some hours and I even quit my job this semester so I could have more time to shadow vets. I have a 3.6 GPA (I know that's not too hot), and I haven't taken the GRE yet. I'm not applying until next year, so I'll have a year off. How should I spend this year off? Obviously I'll do a lot of shadowing, but should I pursue a one year masters degree in animal science since my undergrad degree is in...neuroscience?

Also, I am a Florida resident so I plan on applying to the UF DVM program, but (and I am sure this has been asked before, but I'm new and I don't quite know how to find this stuff yet) are there any vet schools that might accept a non traditional out of state student, or is that a long shot?

Is/was anyone else in my position? What did you do?

Thanks for reading!

 

[PppermintTwist]

Hey everybody, I am new to SDN (this is my first post ever!), though I've been trolling this site for quite some time first as a pre-med and now as a pre-vet.

I am a senior at Emory University, and I am graduating this semester with a degree in neuroscience. Up until this past summer, I was pre-med, but after extensively shadowing a few surgeons, I realized human medicine was just not my passion.

I've decided that I am going to apply to vet school, and the moment I first looked into it, I thought, why didn't I think of this to begin with. I absolutely love animals, and I always have. As soon as I decided I was going to apply to vet school, all of the dread of medical school (you know, the dread that accompanies working towards something you don't really want to do) went away and was replaced by excitement.

Now for my questions. I am graduating with a degree in neuroscience, and I have all but one pre-requisite for most vet schools (biochemistry) completed, and I am taking that at home in the spring. I pretty much have no shadowing/animal experience because I spent all of my time shadowing physicians and working in a research lab. I have since gotten some hours and I even quit my job this semester so I could have more time to shadow vets. I have a 3.6 GPA (I know that's not too hot), and I haven't taken the GRE yet. I'm not applying until next year, so I'll have a year off. How should I spend this year off? Obviously I'll do a lot of shadowing, but should I pursue a one year masters degree in animal science since my undergrad degree is in...neuroscience?

Also, I am a Florida resident so I plan on applying to the UF DVM program, but (and I am sure this has been asked before, but I'm new and I don't quite know how to find this stuff yet) are there any vet schools that might accept a non traditional out of state student, or is that a long shot?

Is/was anyone else in my position? What did you do?

Thanks for reading!

I dont think you need to get a masters in animal science. I'd focus on getting some experience if you already have all the classes out of the way. Neuroscience is pretty cool and unique. Do you think you'd like to do veterinary neurology?

 

[meow head]

I dont think you need to get a masters in animal science. I'd focus on getting some experience if you already have all the classes out of the way. Neuroscience is pretty cool and unique. Do you think you'd like to do veterinary neurology?

I think veterinary neurology would be really fascinating. I'm interested in veterinary surgery (I think, of course that could change in vet school), but I am hoping I could specialize in more than one thing!

Thanks for the advice. I was wondering about the masters because, even though my GPA isn't terrible, it's not...spectacular, so I thought maybe more coursework would give me an opportunity to come out with an astounding GPA. But, maybe my time would be best spent getting as much experience as I can.

 

[breenie]

Oh girrrrl (or guyyyyy), you are in great shape, please don't fret!

- 3.6 = good. Everyone wants a 4.0 and that'd be great, but you're above a 3.5, so good! Good good good!

- I wouldn't call you non-traditional, per se. You just didn't decide as early as some people did, so you have a little gap year. No biggie. This will obviously come up when you talk about your path to vet med, and I think will show that you were thoughtful about your decision to pursue vet med.

- Depending on the school, research often counts as veterinary experience. Not all schools, but it's still a great thing for an application, even if it's not technically "veterinary" hours.

- Keep shadowing! Get lots of hours, and varied hours. Do large/small/equine if you can, but if not, it will still probably be okay. People get in with just one type of experience, but variety is good.

- Get a vet related job if you can, but this is very very area dependant, and schools understand that.

- The "which schools" question is a little harder to answer, but SDN has lots of info about all of the schools and I'm sure some other posters will be happy to provide some insight.

Congrats on the switch and welcome to the forum. 🙂

 

[breenie]

Also, I personally wouldn't bother with the masters unless it's something you're OMGSUPERPSYCHED for, which I don't think you are. Neuroscience isn't a weird pre-vet major and animal science isn't going to wow anyone (I'm allowed to say that, as a dairy science major 😉 )

 

[orca2011]

I think veterinary neurology would be really fascinating. I'm interested in veterinary surgery (I think, of course that could change in vet school), but I am hoping I could specialize in more than one thing!

Thanks for the advice. I was wondering about the masters because, even though my GPA isn't terrible, it's not...spectacular, so I thought maybe more coursework would give me an opportunity to come out with an astounding GPA. But, maybe my time would be best spent getting as much experience as I can.

My overall GPA is around yours (3.5) and applied last year and was wait listed at 4 schools due to lack of experience, not grades. I had originally planned on doing a master's program in Animal Science and had applied to several (I believe most are 2 years or more). My GRE score is fairly solid, but not amazing. Two admissions offices pretty much told me pursuing a master's would be a waste of my time and money. Obviously it's up to you, but I would probably just focus on getting more experience, maybe taking a class or two in the Fall to boost your last 45 credit hour GPA and doing well on the GRE. It'll save you some money in the end.

 

[PppermintTwist]

Oh girrrrl (or guyyyyy), you are in great shape, please don't fret!

- 3.6 = good. Everyone wants a 4.0 and that'd be great, but you're above a 3.5, so good! Good good good!

- Keep shadowing! Get lots of hours, and varied hours. Do large/small/equine if you can, but if not, it will still probably be okay. People get in with just one type of experience, but variety is good.

- Get a vet related job if you can, but this is very very area dependant, and schools understand that.

- The "which schools" question is a little harder to answer, but SDN has lots of info about all of the schools and I'm sure some other posters will be happy to provide some insight.

Congrats on the switch and welcome to the forum. 🙂

For picking schools I looked at the programs and pre-reqs for only schools in places I wouldnt mind going and focused my energy there. Look around and see what you would like and could afford. VMCAS has a list of schools and pre-reqs or you can look through individually and make a spread sheet or something. AVMA has a list of accredited schools:

http://www.avma.org/education/cvea/colleges_accredited/allcolleges.asp

I agree, your GPA is very good, and you have a unique major which I think is also good, so with some vet related shadowing youre in very good shape in my opinion for what thats worth.

 

[meow head]

Thanks everyone for the kind and supportive words, they're exactly what I needed 🙂 It looks like I'll spend my year catching up on animal experience. I think that taking a few classes to boost my last 45 GPA is a great idea orca2011...I actually was interested in pursuing a masters because I don't want to stop taking classes, so this is really the best of both worlds.

 

[twelvetigers]

I'm just nodding in agreement here... work on hours, and make sure you can really explain what has made you decide to pursue vet med. Research stuff + neuroscience are both great and will get some attention, so just work on the animal part of it and build a connection with some vets for your letters of recommendation... yup. 🙂

 

[heylodeb]

agree with all of the above and would recommend ordering the VMSAR (Veterinary Medical School Application Requirements Book) - it gives a lot of information for what schools accept more/less out of state folks, etc.

Good luck!
Now go and get those shadowing hours!

 

[littlesooyon92]

I'm actually not too behind in "school" but I did start off going to a Technical College for Interior Design right after high school, after about 4-5 months I got really.. bored of it! And decided to move to CA (where my boyfriend lives) and I plan on taking advantage of becoming a CA resident and starting off at a CC and transferring to a 4 year for undergrads and then applying for VET MED at UC Davis 😀

Although I don't really favor the "surgery" stuff, we need people like that! I like the comment one person wrote above, using neuroscience as an advantage and go into animal neuroscience😀

good luck!

 

[lareinesoleil]

Not to repeat what everyone else has said, but I'd definitely use this year to get experience - that way when adcoms ask "why the switch? are you sure you're SERIOUS about Vet Med?" you can be like "most definitely, I've spent this year working/shadowing in a clinic - so I know what I'm getting into and it's still 100% what I want".

Good luck! Welcome 😀

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

I actually was interested in pursuing a masters because I don't want to stop taking classes

Vet school will cure you of that 😉

I agree with the rest, you sound like you're in good shape.

 

[deleted387118]

Vet school will cure you of that 😉

I agree with the rest, you sound like you're in good shape.

Not always! I started my Masters while in vet school. A couple of my classmates have decided to add a PhD as well.

 

[vetme]

Vet school will cure you of that 😉

I agree with the rest, you sound like you're in good shape.

Not always! I started my Masters while in vet school. A couple of my classmates have decided to add a PhD as well.

The overachieving KSU Vet students are the exception to that

 

[justavet]

Would it be a useful thing to call the UF Academic Affairs office and ask to speak to an adcom member?
I am thinking along the lines of, if you identify a position you want, the best way to get it is ask the guy in charge of filling it how to be the ideal candidate.
I am also thinking maybe using your year to shadow a veterinary neurologist would be good experience? If you could do it in a referral practice where you could shadow other specialists as well so much the better maybe?