Changing Career Paths

[floridajl]

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After many, many months of deliberation, countless sleepless nights, and a completely unnecessary amount of stress, I have finally come to the conclusion that veterinary medicine is not the career for me. It was an incredibly difficult decision as I'm one of those who's known I wanted to be a vet since I could talk and I've spent my entire life following this career path. That's not an easy thing to turn away from. But once I started paying off my current student loans (with a $700 monthly payment), I was able to get a real idea of what vet school debt would be like with rough estimates of my payments tripling while my salary only doubled. And while I'm passionate about vet medicine, I'm also passionate about feeding myself and maybe buying a house and not being in debt.

I also saw the realities of what being a practicing vet actually entails. I'd really only worked closely with wildlife vets before starting at my emergency clinic, and I realize that wildlife is an incredibly competitive field and supporting yourself on an entirely wildlife-based career is an idealistic dream. So I always knew that I'd be working as a general practice vet as well. However, while all the small animal vets I work with love their job, seeing the stress they're under and their work-life imbalance, I realized that it doesn't offer enough reward for me to enjoy as a full career while only doing wildlife medicine on the side. Also I like having free time.

So I've decided to go into bioengineering. I've always been equally passionate about advancements in science, and hope to dedicate my life to creating affordable orthotics and prosthetics for both wounded veterans and animals of all kinds, while one day several years down the line helping to advance the pharmaceutical and artificial organ fields. In my free time, I will be volunteering in wildlife rehab, my first love.

All in all, this was a very personal decision, but I wanted to let others who may also be on the fence know that it's not wrong to walk away. It's extremely hard when it's been something you've pursued for your whole life, and when you feel like you'll be letting down everyone who's rooting for you, but you have to think of yourself. I knew I wouldn't do well with the stress of vet school and the debt or work-life balance afterwards. So I put myself first. And that's okay, too.

 

[Doctor-S]

So I've decided to go into bioengineering. I've always been equally passionate about advancements in science, and hope to dedicate my life to creating affordable orthotics and prosthetics for both wounded veterans and animals of all kinds, while one day several years down the line helping to advance the pharmaceutical and artificial organ fields. In my free time, I will be volunteering in wildlife rehab, my first love.

@floridajl, thank you very much for sharing details about your thought processes and career choices. I realize this was a very challenging decision for you.

Now ... and based upon your new career path, I want to congratulate you for pursuing a professional career that will benefit MANY animals and humans in the future! I wish you the very best in your chosen career!

Keep up the outstanding work - awesome! 🙂

 

[LetItSnow]

I wanted to let others who may also be on the fence know that it's not wrong to walk away.

Not only is it not wrong, it might be very smart. G'luck with bioengineering. Some really amazingly cool stuff out thataway.

 

[deleted676737]

@floridajl, thank you so much for sharing your story. I really appreciate hearing from vet med hopefuls who decide that the path isn't for them for whatever reason.

I'm at a similar crossroads myself. I also have significant undergrad debt and although I am fortunate to be paying IS tuition rates, lately I've been reevaluating whether or not I feel passionately enough about the profession to justify the tremendous total debt that I'll have incurred by the end of school as well as all of the compassion fatigue/mental health concerns associated with it and have considered leaving the DVM program entirely. I have a few alternative careers in mind, but I still haven't mustered the bravery to make a definitive decision either way and stick with it. Maybe it's because I am already in vet school and that makes it harder.

But I sincerely admire you for making that choice and accepting it for what it is. I admire you for having the courage to walk away and recognize that dreams don't ever really die but simply evolve as we do. From the enthusiasm in your post, it sounds like you've made the best decision for you. And, hey, you'll still be able to volunteer with wildlife rehab in your free time, which is great.

Congratulations on your acceptance to University of Texas and your entrance into the bioengineering realm. You've picked an undoubtedly great carer---one that will still enable you to have a profound impact upon the lives of both humans and animals but not leave you drowning in insurmountable amounts of debt. I think that that is absolutely amazing and I wish you the best.

 

[floridajl]

Now ... and based upon your new career path, I want to congratulate you for pursuing a professional career that will benefit MANY animals and humans in the future! I wish you the very best in your chosen career!

Keep up the outstanding work - awesome! 🙂

Thank you (and LIS!) for your kind words. I am genuinely excited and I know I'll be doing good things, both for myself and others.

I'm at a similar crossroads myself. I also have significant undergrad debt and although I am fortunate to be paying IS tuition rates, lately I've been reevaluating whether or not I feel passionately enough about the profession to justify the tremendous total debt that I'll have incurred by the end of school as well as all of the compassion fatigue/mental health concerns associated with it and have considered leaving the DVM program entirely. I have a few alternative careers in mind, but I still haven't mustered the bravery to make a definitive decision either way and stick with it. Maybe it's because I am already in vet school and that makes it harder.

I admire you for having the courage to walk away and recognize that dreams don't ever really die but simply evolve as we do.

Thank you very much. I don't know if I would've been able to do this had I already started vet school. I think it was the acceptance that really tipped the scales; I found myself with more anxiety than excitement about going, and that's when I realized that maybe I shouldn't. I also saw this silly little anecdote online one day that's really stuck with me:

"I once asked a man what he did for a living and he replied, 'I read, I travel, I love.' So I said, 'No, how do you make money?' And he answered, 'Oh I work. But that's not living.' "

It kind of made me realize that I want time to live. I want to travel and see the country, I want to settle down with a family and have time for my kids, I want to go hiking and kayaking and camping and spend time outdoors. I want to be able to leave work at work, which I can't do if I'm wondering about how my patients are. So I've decided that I don't need a dream career, or a career that I love. I need a career that I'm generally happy with that allows me to love the rest of my life. I think that's a good example of the sentence I bolded in your quote, which is a very smart thing to say - my dream has evolved from a dream job to a dream life. And maybe I'm young and naïve, but I know when I'm on my hypothetical deathbed I will not regret it.

 

[wildlifer]

All in all, this was a very personal decision, but I wanted to let others who may also be on the fence know that it's not wrong to walk away. It's extremely hard when it's been something you've pursued for your whole life, and when you feel like you'll be letting down everyone who's rooting for you, but you have to think of yourself. I knew I wouldn't do well with the stress of vet school and the debt or work-life balance afterwards. So I put myself first. And that's okay, too.

THIS. I am so on the fence myself. I applied for this fall and have been rejected across the board. It has felt like a major blow but I can't keep wondering that maybe it is a blessing in disguise. Thank you for sharing your story, it is comforting to hear that others have been in similar situations.

 

[floridajl]

THIS. I am so on the fence myself. I applied for this fall and have been rejected across the board. It has felt like a major blow but I can't keep wondering that maybe it is a blessing in disguise. Thank you for sharing your story, it is comforting to hear that others have been in similar situations.

I'm sure you'll figure it out - you have some time before the next cycle begins. Only you know what's best for you!

 

[wildlifer]

I'm sure you'll figure it out - you have some time before the next cycle begins. Only you know what's best for you!

I am sure I will too. I just took comfort knowing I wasn't the only one on the fence about this and taking it into serious consideration of whether or not I want to pursue this any longer or to move on elsewhere.

 

[slamm27]

You are not alone... I am still struggling with turning my head away from vet med. Its like I finally look straight ahead with a feelings of acceptance of my decision and then I just take one glance over my shoulder and I doubt my decision. It's something I've wanted all my life, I've shadowed, know what specialty I want to be in... and then I saw the vets and what they go through on a daily basis and I just don't know if I can handle the HUGE financial burden + the emotional stress. I feel like I'm stuck in limbo, or like I've gone through a terrible break up where I want to go running back to vet med. A friend of mine recently got into my top choice vet school and it was so incredibly hard seeing that... I kept thinking, "that could've been me." I've spent countless hours on SDN and google searching and searching, and I've ultimately decided that I'm going to try the human medicine thing. PA school seems like quite the deal at the moment, and I basically thought "you can't knock it until you try it" so I'm currently working at a Dr's office and seeing how that goes. Not too bad so far.

Feel free to PM me- anyone who is thinking of switching tracks.

Oh, and I've also thought of going into bioengineering/biomedical engineering to do prosthetics etc. so I can combine the realms of human and animal medicine. Clearly going of the vet med track has made me very confused and indecisive, lol. Good luck!!

 

[genny]

I think there's part of the puzzle missing in this discussion - not everyone goes to vet school right out of college. It is possible to have another career first, and come back to vet med later. So even if you put it aside for a while, it doesn't necessarily have to be forever. I hope that makes letting go a little easier for some.

 

[floridajl]

I think there's part of the puzzle missing in this discussion - not everyone goes to vet school right out of college. It is possible to have another career first, and come back to vet med later. So even if you put it aside for a while, it doesn't necessarily have to be forever. I hope that makes letting go a little easier for some.

This exact reminder was very helpful in my decision making. I knew that if, a few years down the line, I decided I would never be fulfilled without becoming a vet, it wouldn't be impossible. Maybe a bit more difficult than now, since I've only been out of school for a year instead of many and might have to retake prereqs. But I also know I'll be doing what makes me happy for the next few years, and that was worth it for me. That's definitely good advice to pay attention to, though!

Also, anyone struggling who just wants to vent or rant or work out their thought process, my inbox is always open.

 

[wildlifer]

I think there's part of the puzzle missing in this discussion - not everyone goes to vet school right out of college. It is possible to have another career first, and come back to vet med later. So even if you put it aside for a while, it doesn't necessarily have to be forever. I hope that makes letting go a little easier for some.

Absolutely. I think having a gap year or years even is a very positive thing. I am one of those "older" applicants who took a more scenic route before deciding to finally apply. I was not ready at 21. Now 29 and I felt ready. I tried and it didn't happen for me at this time. But maybe that is because I am meant to do something else... if only I knew what that was!

 

[TrashPanda]

I think there's part of the puzzle missing in this discussion - not everyone goes to vet school right out of college. It is possible to have another career first, and come back to vet med later. So even if you put it aside for a while, it doesn't necessarily have to be forever. I hope that makes letting go a little easier for some.

I wholeheartedly agree. I started thinking about vet school towards the end of college, but wasn't ready to apply or commit right after graduating. I explored another career but veterinary medicine wouldn't leave my mind. Over the course of a few years, I gained experience and took more pre-reqs while working full-time and while that wasn't an easy path, it's one that was right for me.

I feel very confident about my decision to go to vet school, and I'm sure the experiences and maturity I've gained since college will benefit me there. I'm in my late 20s now, and although if I had really rushed I probably could have successfully applied to vet school a few years, I'm very glad that things worked out the way they did (I'll be starting this fall).

There are definitely some downsides to going when you're older- less time to pay off debt and save for retirement, more likely to be more settled or in an LTR that can complicate things, and possible difficulty adjusting to being back in the classroom (to name just a few!) but not getting in/not deciding to go right after college does not mean that the door to veterinary medicine is permanently shut for you.

 

[genny]

Absolutely. I think having a gap year or years even is a very positive thing. I am one of those "older" applicants who took a more scenic route before deciding to finally apply. I was not ready at 21. Now 29 and I felt ready. I tried and it didn't happen for me at this time. But maybe that is because I am meant to do something else... if only I knew what that was!

I didn't start vet school until my 30's. There are a few students in our school who are in their 40's and 50's. I think figuring out what you want to do is a lifelong process.

 

[wildlifer]

I didn't start vet school until my 30's. There are a few students in our school who are in their 40's and 50's. I think figuring out what you want to do is a lifelong process.

It certainly is!

 

[lailanni]

Good for you!! It's not a crime to change your mind - at any stage in the game.

Having the courage to walk away from something that isn't working for you is a success story in my book.

There's an online group (for vets only) that has many people posting they'd wished they'd picked another field. Similar reasons - debt, little time off, burnout, bad work environments, etc. It's not just a handful of people - there are many voices. And any of those people would give you a high five and congrats for picking what's best for you.

 

[that redhead]

So I've decided that I don't need a dream career, or a career that I love. I need a career that I'm generally happy with that allows me to love the rest of my life.

Talk about wisdom! I wish more people in your place would be able to look at things the way you do. I wish you all the best in your career and amazing life of fun-filled adventures 🙂