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Considering applying to vet school- help!!
- Thread starter Vixxey
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For one thing, it doesn't sound like you are "late to the game" at all. I am 21 and applying the same year as you! (Maybe 2015 if I can squeeze it all in!) It also sounds like you have a good start on your experience, and a GPA that is not going to take much to become competitive. I would absolutely say, though, that you need to get some domestics experience. Even if it isn't a ton, you need to be more well rounded and you need actual experience in a clinic. If you aren't applying until 2016, then you have AMPLE time to gain those hours. Good luck!! Working with gators sounds awesome!!
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There are two types of experience vet schools expect you to have at least a couple hundred hours or so in: animal experience and vet experience. You already a lot of fabulous and unique animal experiences (I'd love to do any of those things! 🙂), but you will also need vet experience. This can include shadowing, volunteering, or working at a clinic or anywhere as long as you are under the supervision of a vet. This is what you need to work on.
In addition, adcoms like to see difference experience (breadth). You already have depth in wildlife, which is great, but they will question you on how you're sure you know you only want to do wildlife if you've never had any other small animal/large animal experience.
Keep your grades up, rock the GRE, and you definitely have a shot!
In addition, adcoms like to see difference experience (breadth). You already have depth in wildlife, which is great, but they will question you on how you're sure you know you only want to do wildlife if you've never had any other small animal/large animal experience.
Keep your grades up, rock the GRE, and you definitely have a shot!
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Hi Vixxey,
First, congrats on your decision to apply to veterinary school. You're not 'late in the game' at all. You've got plenty of time to get your apps in order to apply by 2016 (that's two years!). Give yourself a pat on the back for thinking about the process in advance- there are several ducks to line up in order to be competitive.
You have some very interesting experience. Kudos on the reptile experience! I have also worked with alligators, albeit in a completely different setting. They're fun critters 🙂 I'm similar to you, in the sense that I have no desire to work in private practice (either large or small animal). However, I have worked previously in both small (companion animal) and large animal (tertiary care center) practices in order to back up this claim. Although it's fine to apply to vet school with a 'non-private practice interest' (i.e. wildlife, public health, lab animal, etc.), you do need to demonstrate to the admissions committee how you arrived at your conclusion.
I think that the more glaring weakness in your current experience profile is that you've got no actual 'veterinary' experience. Veterinary and animal experience are two completely different balls of wax when it comes to veterinary school applications. Veterinary experience must be obtained under the guidance of an actual DVM. Your wildlife experience (no matter where it was obtained) won't cut it here, unless the supervisor was a clinician. Now that VMCAS opened the 'Research' section of its application this cycle, experience under a PhD will likely be included under that section (there was debate in previous cycles whether or not it would be included under veterinary/animal experience). You must have veterinary experience to be admitted to veterinary school- not just animal/research experience. As things stand now, your wildlife experience would likely be classified as 'animal' or 'research' experience. Otherwise, how will an admissions committee member know that you want to be a clinician as opposed to a fish/wildlife biologist (as you mentioned previously) or a member of another profession?
One common method that applicants typically take advantage of in order to gain veterinary experience is working in companion (small animal) clinics. I would say (others may debate me here) that this is by no means REQUIRED in order to be admitted to veterinary school. I have small animal experience, but it is my lowest 'clinical' experience hour count on my VMCAS application. I tried it out, and quickly found that I did not want to work in private practice. That's the great thing about experience (you find out what suits you and what doesn't)- it's also why vet schools require it in order to be admitted 😉
Remember that veterinary medicine is a very broad profession. There are a lot of ways you can go with your degree once you graduate. If wildlife is your thing, stick with it, but remember that this is a very competitive field. There are several wildlife folks hanging out on SDN that can give you more guidance than I can (I'm a lab animal person). My guess is that it will be tough to gain actual 'wildlife' DVM experience prior to entering vet school. Your best bet will likely be a zoo or aquarium. Even then, gaining access to the vet may be tough. I myself volunteer at an AZA-accredited zoo, and this particular zoo has a policy that zoo volunteers do not get face time with either of the facility's staff veterinarians (that opportunity is reserved for actual veterinary interns already in vet school).
Hope that this was helpful! Good luck
First, congrats on your decision to apply to veterinary school. You're not 'late in the game' at all. You've got plenty of time to get your apps in order to apply by 2016 (that's two years!). Give yourself a pat on the back for thinking about the process in advance- there are several ducks to line up in order to be competitive.
You have some very interesting experience. Kudos on the reptile experience! I have also worked with alligators, albeit in a completely different setting. They're fun critters 🙂 I'm similar to you, in the sense that I have no desire to work in private practice (either large or small animal). However, I have worked previously in both small (companion animal) and large animal (tertiary care center) practices in order to back up this claim. Although it's fine to apply to vet school with a 'non-private practice interest' (i.e. wildlife, public health, lab animal, etc.), you do need to demonstrate to the admissions committee how you arrived at your conclusion.
I think that the more glaring weakness in your current experience profile is that you've got no actual 'veterinary' experience. Veterinary and animal experience are two completely different balls of wax when it comes to veterinary school applications. Veterinary experience must be obtained under the guidance of an actual DVM. Your wildlife experience (no matter where it was obtained) won't cut it here, unless the supervisor was a clinician. Now that VMCAS opened the 'Research' section of its application this cycle, experience under a PhD will likely be included under that section (there was debate in previous cycles whether or not it would be included under veterinary/animal experience). You must have veterinary experience to be admitted to veterinary school- not just animal/research experience. As things stand now, your wildlife experience would likely be classified as 'animal' or 'research' experience. Otherwise, how will an admissions committee member know that you want to be a clinician as opposed to a fish/wildlife biologist (as you mentioned previously) or a member of another profession?
One common method that applicants typically take advantage of in order to gain veterinary experience is working in companion (small animal) clinics. I would say (others may debate me here) that this is by no means REQUIRED in order to be admitted to veterinary school. I have small animal experience, but it is my lowest 'clinical' experience hour count on my VMCAS application. I tried it out, and quickly found that I did not want to work in private practice. That's the great thing about experience (you find out what suits you and what doesn't)- it's also why vet schools require it in order to be admitted 😉
Remember that veterinary medicine is a very broad profession. There are a lot of ways you can go with your degree once you graduate. If wildlife is your thing, stick with it, but remember that this is a very competitive field. There are several wildlife folks hanging out on SDN that can give you more guidance than I can (I'm a lab animal person). My guess is that it will be tough to gain actual 'wildlife' DVM experience prior to entering vet school. Your best bet will likely be a zoo or aquarium. Even then, gaining access to the vet may be tough. I myself volunteer at an AZA-accredited zoo, and this particular zoo has a policy that zoo volunteers do not get face time with either of the facility's staff veterinarians (that opportunity is reserved for actual veterinary interns already in vet school).
Hope that this was helpful! Good luck
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Late in the game? I'm in my 30's. And I just met a veterinarian who started in their 40's. There is no late to your game, kiddo 😉
Get varied vet experience, rock your prerequisites and GRE, and plan ahead for strong evaluations. You got this!
Get varied vet experience, rock your prerequisites and GRE, and plan ahead for strong evaluations. You got this!
