Different types of experience

[lazlowe1]

Hello, I have only posted a couple of times, but I do read the posts, and really appreciate the community here.

I am now working as a small animal veterinary assistant, I have previously been receptionist in a clinic, and done a small amount of wildlife rehab work.

I have applied for two new jobs- one is an equine veterinary assistant (which I have no experience with horses), and the other is performing routine testing procedures for a University Laboratory and reporting data to laboratory veterinarian; it is basically within the field of laboratory technology at the vet teaching hospital. (on a sidenote- laboratory work seems to be my favorite when I am assisting)

I was wondering if it is better to stay working as an assistant for the next year or so- or diversifying my experience within vet medicine, and going for one of the other jobs.

Thanks everyone!

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[VelcroSky]

Both of those jobs that you applied to sound like pretty good experiences. On the one hand, you have the equine vet and it's important to get large animal experience. Many, if not most, schools require that you have a certain amount of large animal. And really I think it's the more the better.

On the other hand, the schools really like to see research experience as well.

So, I don't know all of the details of your situation, but it sounds like these two new jobs could be a really good thing. Good luck.

 

[BobDog]

Many, if not most, schools require that you have a certain amount of large animal. And really I think it's the more the better.

Is this really true? My impression was that if you have diverse experiences (i.e. small animal, research, wildlife....), large animal experience isn't an absolute necessity. If you are good enough in other areas, maybe diversity isn't even an absolute requirement. None of the schools I am applying to explicitly state that large animal experience is required, but maybe I am missing some pretty obvious hints. I have animal experience diversity and a PhD in cancer biology, but no large animal experience. Of course, I am pretty new to this whole vet school application game. BTW, it is most definitely a game in my opinion.

 

[dyachei]

I had no large animal experience, but I did have diversity in my experience, and I made it into vet school. Honestly, it was my impression last year when I was applying that vet schools are more interested in lab experience than in large animals.

Velcrosky - where are you getting your information? I know some schools listed it as a requirement, but when I was applying I didn't really run into that, so I'm curious.

 

[VelcroSky]

Ok, maybe I misstated. I know that at Cornell they told me they require at least 100 hours of large animal and they said more is better. I could have sworn that other schools have said similar.

 

[ri23]

Schools like you to have as much diversity as possible, but if you have research, zoo, small animal that is usually plenty. The broader the experiences the better, but they like depth as well as breadth in experiences.

 

[OSJ]

I can imagine that assisting in equine vet may be a tough start to large animale experience and it might be help to try working or volunteering at a local stable to get a handle on dealing with horses in their more comfortable environment before hand. I think either experience would be good though and if you are more interested in the research end then do what you like to do best!

 

[Pigsfoot]

take the lab job and go volunteer with horses or find an equine vet to shadow. You can do that with equine stuff, its not as easy to come by volunteer work in a lab. That way you can have both experiences, and especially in the type you like the most. capiche?

 

[lazlowe1]

Thank so much for the good information, I really appreciate it!

 

[researchvet]

Ok, maybe I misstated. I know that at Cornell they told me they require at least 100 hours of large animal and they said more is better. I could have sworn that other schools have said similar.

Really? They don't say that anywhere in their material that I can find. Did you call and ask? How did you find this out?

 

[VelcroSky]

Maybe they changed it with the new director. When I went for a tour there about 3 years ago, they told me that you need 100 hours or more of large animal because they wanted you to know how to handle yourself around them. That was the old director that said that. They have a new one now and that may have changed.