CVT Before DVM?

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ChevyCamaroLvr

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All my life I've wanted to be a vet. I've loved caring for and helping animals since I was old enough to do it... I recently realized that I hate my job (insurance, ugh) and that I'm actually quite upset with myself for not pursuing a DVM carrier as I had always planned....

I'm 23, married and living in the Milwaukee area... The nearest veterinary college is in Madison, which is closer to home for me than a lot of schools I know some of you are attending but it's still far enough away that it would cause a problem. I could attend UW-Milwaukee for the pre-vet program, but I would still need to attend Madison to finish up. For various reasons, moving isn't an option and commuting the 75 miles (one way) each day wouldn't be fun to do every day for four years!

I'm DESPERATE to get away from my current job and if I'm going to be switching careers (if what you can call what I currently do a "career") I'm going to go into something I KNOW I want to do.... Becoming a DVM is such a long and expensive process and hubby and I really aren't in a position that I can just quit my job and enroll in school full time for the next 6+ years... So now I'm leaning towards doing the whole CVT thing (two year thing, it would still be in Madison, but I can deal with the commute for two years. Two years isn't all THAT long) and then once I've achieved that, attend school part time and go for the DVM.

I'm totally kicking myself for not doing this straight out of high school. :mad: Now I'm married, so I can't think of only myself, and have too many other obligations to just up and do this!

I guess I'm just looking for some input... Has anybody else here gone from CVT to DVM? Forgive me if I'm being really naive, but does anybody know if I'd even be allowed into the DVM program on a part time basis??
Also, anybody have any idea what the average salary is for a CVT in the Midwest? $25k? $30k?

TIA!

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You might want to check out the nontrad forum in the pre-allo section. It's *mostly* med school types, but the issues they deal with are very transferable. It's full of people in situations very much like yours, so you might at least get some hope from other people who have gotten through it. Some quick comments:

You can't go to vet school part time. However, you might be able to pick up some shifts as a CVT on nights, weekends, during summers and holidays when the regular staff is on vacation, etc. That would at least make you a little money as you go along. Whether you can handle a job while going to vet school is something you'll have to decide, obviously.

You didn't say what hubby does for a living, but "moving isn't an option" is a restriction that a lot of nontrads start out with and then realize they'll have to abandon (what if you get into an out-of-state school but *not* UW-Madison??). If it came down to it, could the two of you move halfway between Milwaukee and Madison and split the commute? Is there really no possibility of a satisfying job for him in or near Madison or any other city that has a vet school (remember, he has the 2 years or whatever you think you'll be doing at UW-Milwaukee to find one)? Is he even willing to consider you applying to out-of-state schools? It sucks, but could you live apart for 4 years, or until he finds a job near you? Obviously it's not fair of you to ask him to make too many sacrifices, but getting into vet school is really hard so if you have a spouse, having an understanding and flexible one is key.

The standard advice at this point is that if you want it, you can make it work. Plenty of other people have done it. Good luck!
 
I got my CVT first, it wasn't easy but it can be done. And there's always the option that if for some reason you can't get into vet school, you will still have a rewarding and vital career (oooh, where would we be without CVTs? Up S*** Creek, that's where-but that's another topic) in veterinary medicine.

You might want to do some internet searching and investigate the AAHA/AVMA accredited AS veterinary technology (CVT/RVT/LVT) distance learning (internet) programs. St Petersburg College is one (in FLA I believe) You have to meet certain requirements (have qualified preceptors, videotape you performing tasks in an approved clinic, supervised by the preceptor, etc) but it might be another option for you instead of the traditonal schooling.
 
the director of the CVT program at our local college told me he worked as a CVT while getting his DVM.

if you would like to discuss this with him i can get the contact info at his office.

good luck
 
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