Contact Hour Calculation

[MysteryCat]

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I guess shadowing, volunteering and paid work is pretty cut and dried, but what about pet ownership? Also, vet/nonvet? Are there different sections for those two? Clueless.

 

[cowgirla]

I but what about pet ownership? Also, vet/nonvet? Are there different sections for those two? Clueless.

Many schools don't include pet ownership hours. A few do, especially if it was more specialized than "fed and walked fluffy for an hour a day." Make sure you are allowed to list the hours before you go through the trouble of adding them all up. If you are, I would suggest leaning towards underestimating- you don't want to look like you are trying to desperately pad your count.

Vet/non vet is broken up on VMCAS - vet experience and animal experience. There's also an "other employment" section for other jobs and things like that, if I remember correctly

 

[MysteryCat]

Thanks. I was surprised when I saw that some schools did count it. I had show horses, so hopefully I can count some of it. I also worked in a show barn, so that's good too, for "animal exp." Right now I'm working at a small animal practice, and I wondering one more thing because my hours are funky. Do you add each hour from each paystub? Or is it acceptable to say "I worked 20 hours a week here for a year, so that adds up to..." ?

 

[cowgirla]

Thanks. I was surprised when I saw that some schools did count it. I had show horses, so hopefully I can count some of it. I also worked in a show barn, so that's good too, for "animal exp." Right now I'm working at a small animal practice, and I wondering one more thing because my hours are funky. Do you add each hour from each paystub? Or is it acceptable to say "I worked 20 hours a week here for a year, so that adds up to..." ?

I looked at my W2's for each year that had my number of hours listed on them. Our practice manager was a hugeeee help and was able to gather all that info for me.
For older jobs, I guesstimated based on X hours / week and rounded down to allow for holidays/days off

 

[MysteryCat]

Ah, that seems like a way smarter approach!