Do you have a hard time imagining being a vet?

[mhlaur]

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I've always had a hard time imagining myself as a vet in the future. Does anyone else have this problem? Is that due to lack of confidence or ordinary nerves? I'm definitely smart enough to learn all the material, but still worry that I won't be good at it. I worry also that having thoughts like this will shoot myself in the foot and lead to not getting accepted into the program or failing part way through. I guess I need to be more confident in my decision to do this and abilities. 😕

 

[HopefulAg]

I do, yes. The vets I've worked for always seem insanely knowledgeable and can seemingly put a lot of clues together on the spot to make a diagnosis and then I think "oh ****, I'm going to have to do that!" and it makes me a bit hesistant.

But then, that's exactly one of the reasons why I chose this field. I do enjoy a good puzzle.

 

[dgm]

I think I know what you mean. I think that prior to acceptance, you constantly hear how hard it is to get in, and you have veterinarians up on a pedestal (okay, I did at least), and all you can really focus on is the goal of getting in. It's really hard to imagine actually being a vet when you're busy focusing all your effort on just being accepted!

It didn't keep me from getting in, but my interviewer did mention to me at the end of interview day that I seemed a little unsure, like I held back a little instead of marching right up to the line and saying "LET ME IN, I DESERVE THIS!" (How could I? I'd think someone was downright cocky if they came to their interview with an "I totally deserve to be here" attitude). He said that he thought if I came back the following year I'd have had much more of that attitude/confidence about me. At which point I told him that I'd really prefer they not make me wait another year! I did get in, but for a little while there I thought my modesty was totally going to bite me in the ass. So maybe you should try to fake just a wee bit more confidence about your competitiveness as an applicant than you truly feel.

Even after I got in, I was still kinda viewing this as a big experiment until the end of first semester (I halfway expected to fail right out)! Don't buy into the hype. It's challenging but certainly not impossible.

 

[Willowhand]

I have an easy time imagining being presented with an animal and having no clue what to do... Right now though, I know it's simply because I haven't begun school. I have a vivid imagination and if I can't fill in the blanks realistically and thoroughly (in this case, with a real diagnosis and body of knowledge to back it up) my mind tends to default to the currently true alternative of being relatively clueless Either that, or my mental images are uncharacteristically vague.


It's a little intimidating to look at the final product (a DVM), but I keep in mind there are years of education and practice behind those confident diagnoses and treatments. I think that I have a good foundation for the learning I will be doing in the next four years, and I trust my school to make the knowledge I need available. This is a wonderful challenge, and I certainly believe that it is doable.

 

[Minnerbelle]

I try to take it one step at a time. I mean, I can't imagine myself as a retired old lady (if I ever get to retire with this debt load), or a mother, or a lot of other things that I hope to be one day... so I try not to freak out about not being able to imagine myself as a vet. Instead I just imagine myself one step ahead. I applied to vet schools once I could finally imagine myself being a good applicant, and now I think I can imagine myself in first year of vet school (tho only time will tell if I'll be a good one). I figure next year, I can imagine myself in second year, and the next, in clinics. Hopefully, by the time I take boards, I can at least start imagining myself in a multivet practice/shelter. If not, that's when I think I'll start panicking.

 

[nohika]

You guys have no idea how happy it makes me feel to see others have this thought! Part of what's been holding me back is "OMG THERE'S NO WAY I COULD EVER DO THIS!" My vet for my animals in particular has been doing this thirty+ years and is /amazing/. She never bats an eye at anything and handles everything so well.

It's scary as heck to think I'll ever be like her - I really can be like that? Thank you guys for showing I'm not the only one that freaks out like this.

 

[luplodw]

It makes me even more nervous because I know so many prevets that know SOOOO much more than I do! They talk about all these drugs and blah blah and I have no idea what they are talking about. I mean i've shadowed a lot but i'm anxious to see how my knowledge compares to others in my upcoming vet class

 

[Whyevernot55]

I have an easy time imagining being presented with an animal and having no clue what to do...

Ditto this! My boss LOVES to throw questions on differential diagnosis on various patients when I'm least expecting it - I feel slightly better about it since she makes me think! The other day she asked me what my top differential was on a cat who we had hospitalized with a fever and fluid in her abdomen. Today she taught me how to tube feed kittens, complete with questions about how to figure out you're in the stomach and not the lungs.

Watching our associate doctor, who graduated last summer, develop from June until now, has been an education in terror. She's clueless! ACK! The learning curve is steep, but if she can do it, I'm pretty sure we'll be ok.

 

[nohika]

It makes me even more nervous because I know so many prevets that know SOOOO much more than I do! They talk about all these drugs and blah blah and I have no idea what they are talking about. I mean i've shadowed a lot but i'm anxious to see how my knowledge compares to others in my upcoming vet class

The one thing that saves me here (in my opinion) is that I doubt they know as much as they'll need to in vet school! The great equalizer.

I don't know if I'll ever be able to get a job here - none of the places I've visited/seen so far are hiring, so for now, I'll settle for shadowing. Hopefully I'll find a place that will let me do it consistently...

 

[PigsRock]

It makes me even more nervous because I know so many prevets that know SOOOO much more than I do! They talk about all these drugs and blah blah and I have no idea what they are talking about. I mean i've shadowed a lot but i'm anxious to see how my knowledge compares to others in my upcoming vet class

I think a lot of pre-vets say things like that just to psyche each other out... It's kind of like pre-med in that way...

 

[HopefulAg]

It's also a bit likely that they're just regurgitating stuff they heard the vet they work with say.

 

[BlacKAT33]

Before I got into vet school this year, ALL i could picture myself doing was being a vet. Now that I'm going to be in vet school, i cant see myself doing the work/passing the exams, and last of all..being a vet!! its so weird. i think im just psyching myself out. ive always had low self confidence so im trying to remind myself ill be just fine. But a part of me is sooo terrified and yes, now, i cant imagine myself actually being a vet in 4+ yrs. 🙁 i hope this feeling changes after the first quarter of school. at least by then i can say "look, i passed these exams! i CAN do this!" 😀

 

[Morganator]

It makes me even more nervous because I know so many prevets that know SOOOO much more than I do! They talk about all these drugs and blah blah and I have no idea what they are talking about. I mean i've shadowed a lot but i'm anxious to see how my knowledge compares to others in my upcoming vet class

I know what you mean but I wouldn't let it bother you very much. Because of my past job, I will probably have a leg up on classmates when it comes to pharmaceuticals. But, I also know that I'm not very experienced with the holding and handling of animals and remember that everyone will have different strengths/weaknesses. Just like anything else in life, sometimes you'll have to work harder than others to be successful, and sometimes they'll have to work harder at things that come naturally to you.

 

[Minnerbelle]

It's also a bit likely that they're just regurgitating stuff they heard the vet they work with say.

For reals... best case scenario, they might already know 5% of the material covered in a particular class so that's a tiny bit less they have to cram for their exams, but honestly if they already knew most of what was going to be taught in vet school, then poor them, cause that's a sh** ton of tuition money they're blowing just for a piece of paper.

 

[nyanko]

It didn't keep me from getting in, but my interviewer did mention to me at the end of interview day that I seemed a little unsure, like I held back a little instead of marching right up to the line and saying "LET ME IN, I DESERVE THIS!" (How could I? I'd think someone was downright cocky if they came to their interview with an "I totally deserve to be here" attitude). He said that he thought if I came back the following year I'd have had much more of that attitude/confidence about me.

He was a very wise man. I had the same attitude the first time I interviewed - didn't feel like I really should be there. This time, my answer to the "So why should we pick you?" question was a straight-in-the-eyes "Because I WILL be successful eventually and this school would do well to have me as an alumnus."

😉

 

[dgm]

He was a very wise man. I had the same attitude the first time I interviewed - didn't feel like I really should be there. This time, my answer to the "So why should we pick you?" question was a straight-in-the-eyes "Because I WILL be successful eventually and this school would do well to have me as an alumnus."

😉

Wow. Great answer!

 

[nyanko]

Actually I got back here to my lab and was like "Holy crap I can't believe I said that, how cocky do I look now" but apparently they concur (or they admire my faux testicular fortitude, either way I won't complain...).

 

[HopefulAg]

I think they like testicular fortitude. I think I was more 'aggressive' with my answers/attitude this time around than I was the previous two times. I definitely remember trying to be modest my first time, and a bit so my second time.

This time I followed some advice of "don't be afraid to brag on yourself" and did that instead. Perhaps that's the attitude they want? Faux or not. Either that, or 'modesty' comes across as meekness, which is not a trait anyone would desire in someone taking care of their loved one, I would think.

 

[heylodeb]

I definitely have the "omg, can i really do this moments?" (if I can't draw blood how am I gonna do anything else????😕) but quite honestly, what keep me going in those moments is that I cannot imagine myself doing ANYTHING else. I'm more terrified of having to find another career that will leave me unsatisfied and dissapointed in myself.

blegh. I'm starting to freak out about this cycle already...

 

[that redhead]

In some ways yes, in other ways no. I know there are some incredibly difficult scenarios vets are put into - physical danger, overwhelming caseload, moral decisions, etc. If I were put into those situations now, I'm not sure I'd be able to handle it. Then again, I don't have 4 years of vet school or any experience being a vet yet, so I think when the time comes, I'll do fine.

To be honest, I can't imagine myself as anything else. That probably sounds corny, and in reality I know I'd find some job, but really, that's what I want out of life. So in that sense, no, I don't have a hard time picturing it.

 

[VeganSoprano]

Honestly, I know I can do it. But that confidence comes from experience. I've worked in a teaching hospital for 3 years now and seen three intern classes go from clueless new grads to strong doctors in remarkably little time. And because of the inexperience of most new grads, my hospital relies on its senior techs to know how to handle emergencies. The doctor makes the final call, but when a newly minted doctor is struggling to quickly come up with a plan to stabilize a patient, it's part of our job to help them out by suggesting diagnostics and treatments that they might consider. I have no fear of any emergency because I *know* I know where to start at least! That's confidence that comes simply from doing something dozens of times and working to learn from it each time. Anyone of reasonable intelligence is capable of this. So I know I am capable of being a good vet.

I feel like my current job allows me to see the good, the bad, and the ugly of the field on a daily basis. I see the bad and I see the ugly and I still can't imagine doing anything else with my life.

Now imagining myself as a vet *student* is a little harder! I've never been nearly as good a student as I should be. I know I can be a good vet, but I'm really not sure I can be a good vet student!

 

[Vet Engineer]

I second the faux testicular fortitude! I went into my interview thinking they wouldn't take me seriously because of my undergrad major (mechanical engineering), so I was rather aggressive when they asked the "Why you?" type questions.

When imagining vet school and being a vet, two things scare me. I have no large animal experience whatsoever and I never thought I would get in without it. Now, I feel like I'm going to look like a deer in the headlights when it comes to working with any large-ish animal.

Second, the thought of having to tell an owner horrible news, i.e. their pet is terminal/dead/etc. scares the daylights out of me. What do you say? What do you do?

 

[racccjlm]

Honestly, I know I can do it. But that confidence comes from experience. I've worked in a teaching hospital for 3 years now and seen three intern classes go from clueless new grads to strong doctors in remarkably little time. And because of the inexperience of most new grads, my hospital relies on its senior techs to know how to handle emergencies. The doctor makes the final call, but when a newly minted doctor is struggling to quickly come up with a plan to stabilize a patient, it's part of our job to help them out by suggesting diagnostics and treatments that they might consider. I have no fear of any emergency because I *know* I know where to start at least! That's confidence that comes simply from doing something dozens of times and working to learn from it each time. Anyone of reasonable intelligence is capable of this. So I know I am capable of being a good vet.

Thank you for this --- it gives me some comfort! I guess most things in life work this way - practice makes perfect.

 

[Bearby]

Now imagining myself as a vet *student* is a little harder! I've never been nearly as good a student as I should be. I know I can be a good vet, but I'm really not sure I can be a good vet student!

This is what scares me. I know that once I have all the information I will be a good vet. Even now the doctors will quiz me, ask for my opinions (makes me feel good even if they don't agree), and have me come up with what I would do for a particular patient. It's helped my confidence a lot, especially since I've gotten much better at reading a patient's signs

 

[jwaldrup]

Sometimes i find it hard to imagine, and some of that is because im focusing on getting into vet school. I believe once im in, i'll be good. But, the thing that makes it even more imaginable of becoming a vet, is when other people say it to you. That gives me a good feeling in the inside, that even someone would consider me to be a good vet, even before applying to vet school. 😎

 

[VeganSoprano]

This is what scares me. I know that once I have all the information I will be a good vet. Even now the doctors will quiz me, ask for my opinions (makes me feel good even if they don't agree), and have me come up with what I would do for a particular patient. It's helped my confidence a lot, especially since I've gotten much better at reading a patient's signs

Differentials and diagnosis don't really intimidate me. At this point I'm used to the basic thought process. What scares me is cramming ginormous quantities of minute details into my head in order to regurgitate them for a test. Gross anatomy scares the pants off of me already!

 

[lei325]

I'm having a hard time just imagining myself at vet school. I mean...I'm going, it's set. I sent in my deposit and everything. BUT. I'm the kind of person that planned everything UP to vet school and not past it, simply because I didn't want to get my hopes up all that much. So now that I'm actually going to vet school and going to be a vet...I really am having a hard time imagining it all.

 

[Bernsters83]

Yup

 

[marycatherine]

I have trouble imagining myself being a vet sometimes, but no where near the way I have trouble imagining myself being something else!