Advice on summer plans, please!

[smilesoup]

Hi all, I'm a sophomore who recently got accepted to two summer programs. One is with a faculty member at my school researching mouse models of schizophrenia (so cool!!) - it provides housing, a great stipend, and a chance to make some valuable connections. The other is at a large wildlife clinic that, while not paid, would give me some amazing experience treating and diagnosing animals while gaining veterinary experience (interns form the majority of the workforce there).

I would honestly pick the research position over the clinical one because of the stipend it provides - the latter would require me to pay a couple of hundred dollars for housing over the time the program spans. However, I currently don't have any clinical exposure to animals and am in sore need of vet experience.. I need to decide by Friday and am having so much trouble, because I'd love to do both! I hear research experience is valuable for applications, as well, and it would give me animal experience (due to the mice we will be working with). I plan to apply to vet school as a traditional student, and I'm kind of worried about how much time I have left to build up my resume. Any advice? Thanks in advance!

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[InfiniVet]

Research position hands down.

 

[Airborne Vet]

ditto

 

[Pandacinny]

I agree.

 

[ZooNose]

Since you are a sophomore, you still have a whole year or more after this summer experience to gain extra veterinary (clinical, if need be) experience. Schools LOVE seeing applicants involved with research! Also, several people on these boards have brought portfolios of their research with them to their interviews.

Your enthusiasm for the research program says it all, and it will surely come out in your application as well. Go for it and good luck!

 

[kayakman28]

I didn't get any clinical veterinary experience until my senior year of college....and I was accepted this cycle!

Go with the research spot without batting an eye. There is plenty of time to gain veterinary experience! Enjoy the mouse schizophrenia research!!

Best of luck to you!

 

[twelvetigers]

The research sounds NEAT. And, money is always nice.

Just make sure you work on that clinical experience when you can!

 

[smilesoup]

Thanks, guys; I guess I'm just panicking because I don't have any veterinary experience at the moment! Ahh I have to decide within two days, and I'm still kind of shaky..

 

[sumstorm]

I think your research experience (assuming under a PhD) will count towards vet experience...especially with schizophrenia.

Also, is the wildlife experience considered vet supervised? Some programs are not vet supervised, meaning that it is primarily animal care (animal experience) rather than vet experience. That varies widely with the wildlife clinic.

 

[smilesoup]

I think your research experience (assuming under a PhD) will count towards vet experience...especially with schizophrenia.

Also, is the wildlife experience considered vet supervised? Some programs are not vet supervised, meaning that it is primarily animal care (animal experience) rather than vet experience. That varies widely with the wildlife clinic.

Yep, the program is vet supervised (though more indirectly, I think). When I spoke to the head vet on the phone, she mentioned that, while each intern is paired with a vet tech who will demonstrate general techniques and procedures, vets themselves will also have a moderate role mentoring and guiding the students through the program.

 

[DocDVMD]

Definitely do the research position. That sounds much more unique and you might not get that opportunity again, whereas you will likely be able to find wildlife exposure later on. More likely than not you will be able to count it as veterinary experience as well. Plus, it's paid!! I've been involved w/research for 2 years in the same lab and I love it.

 

[NycVet]

yup, research position no questions asked

 

[smilesoup]

yup, research position no questions asked

Why do you say that? I'm racking my brains here about the decision I have to make XD

 

[canis13]

smilesoup - i'm in the same position, deciding between either doing neuroscience research (using rat models to look at a neuropeptide called ghrelin and eating behavior/anxiety), or an internship at the zoo. i'm leaning towards research, partially because i haven't officially heard back from the zoo yet, but even so, i'm starting to get the impression that research is especially valued by admissions committees.

also, i didn't quite realize this when i applied for the zoo internship a couple months ago, but research will count as vet experience.

so yeah, i'd suggest doing research, and then trying to get vet experience during the school year.

 

[sunnex3]

this is just from my personal experience, but i would go with the clinical experience. if you're in school right now at a university, most likely you could get research experience during the school year. if your school is anything like mine, it is extremely difficult to either find time or find somewhere to get clinical experience during the school year. on the other hand, there are tons of research assistant/other research opportunities available all the time. i currently work in a patho lab doing things like enzyme assays and DNA extraction AND i also do data entry for another department. both are in the vet school/hospital here. but i can never find anywhere that i can any sort of veterinary experience (probably because i'm in the city)

so, personally, i just leave my summers for all my clinical experience, because it's just way too difficult to do it while i'm in school.

but i guess it depends on where you go to school as well.

 

[david594]

Id be wary of the wildlife experience because from what I have seen looking into them and from what you said it doesn't really sound like veterinary experience. Technically its supervised by a vet and you can list it as such, but will you really be exposed to wildlife medicine, or will you be preparing meals and possibly medicating animals?

Also the fact that you say interns make up the majority of the workforce tells me they will be more focused on getting you working than learning. The techs will show you want to do, and get you to work. If the vet is doing something cool, it may not be practical for you to go see what they are doing.

 

[smilesoup]

this is just from my personal experience, but i would go with the clinical experience. if you're in school right now at a university, most likely you could get research experience during the school year. if your school is anything like mine, it is extremely difficult to either find time or find somewhere to get clinical experience during the school year. on the other hand, there are tons of research assistant/other research opportunities available all the time. i currently work in a patho lab doing things like enzyme assays and DNA extraction AND i also do data entry for another department. both are in the vet school/hospital here. but i can never find anywhere that i can any sort of veterinary experience (probably because i'm in the city)

so, personally, i just leave my summers for all my clinical experience, because it's just way too difficult to do it while i'm in school.

but i guess it depends on where you go to school as well.

In case anyone is interested, I decided on the clinical program for the same reasons that you've listed, sunnex! I am currently involved in research with a faculty member at my school and can probably continue in his lab (or another one, depending how the next couple of months turn out) next semester, and the next, and then next...etc. I'm actually attending a small liberal arts college in MA, but there's plenty of opportunities to partake in some really cool research here. Undergrad research is heartily encouraged and funded, which I'm incredibly grateful for.

I'm also having an extremely difficult time finding vet experience, so I decided to grab this chance while it was available. The money issue was really getting to me (I'd have to pay $1300+ out of pocket for housing/living expenses for the volunteer clinical program, while the research program provides a generous stipend) almost to the point of tears.. until my SO and parents told me that money shouldn't be an obstacle if I want to do what I really want to do - which I realized was actually helping treat animals while learning more about conservation.

So I think I'll scrimp and save for the next couple of months and work at the wildlife clinic - I have no doubt it will be amazing, but I just hope I don't come to regret not taking the research position..! *crosses fingers*

 

[sunnex3]

i just thought i should mention, smilesoup, that i'm also a sophomore right now! it's nice to know there is someone else out there who's in the same part of the vet school process as me!

 

[smilesoup]

Id be wary of the wildlife experience because from what I have seen looking into them and from what you said it doesn't really sound like veterinary experience. Technically its supervised by a vet and you can list it as such, but will you really be exposed to wildlife medicine, or will you be preparing meals and possibly medicating animals?

Also the fact that you say interns make up the majority of the workforce tells me they will be more focused on getting you working than learning. The techs will show you want to do, and get you to work. If the vet is doing something cool, it may not be practical for you to go see what they are doing.

I actually opted for a different wildlife experience than the one I mentioned above - this one is at a vet school and is a teaching clinic I will be working and learning alongside vet students, as well as vets. I will admit I probably will be working a lot, as summer is usually devoted to baby-feeding and the like, but the head vet told me that I will be able to draw fluids and sit in on surgeries

 

[aretoo]

That sounds really cool, hope you have fun and learn a lot!!

 

[NycVet]

well, from my point of view, your a sophomore, so doing research would give u a chance to hit two birds with one stone (figuratively of course), One, research experience is really valued and can give a serious edge during the application process. It also shows devotion and determination especially since research is no stroll in the park AND your doing it during free time, which is a notable sacrifice. Two, you are getting a stipend which will save you money, and this research can help open doors to bigger and better opportunities, which can prove useful in the future. But that just the tip of the iceberg, let me know how it goes, Good Luck!