Does the school matter?

[TakeMeToTheZoo]

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Hi all, I am currently deciding on which vet school to go to next year: Midwestern or Edinburgh. I am wondering if my alma mater will affect my ability to find a residency or job in the US after I graduate? Any advice about this decision (US v. UK) is helpful!

 

[bbeventer]

I would say most people treat all accredited veterinary colleges with equal respect. Midwestern is a brand new school though, so it does not yet have name recognition.

And holy tolitos! I just looked at the 2018 class profile! I don't know if I would be advertising those stats.

 

[WildZoo]

I would say most people treat all accredited veterinary colleges with equal respect. Midwestern is a brand new school though, so it does not yet have name recognition.

And holy tolitos! I just looked at the 2018 class profile! I don't know if I would be advertising those stats.

Ouch, yeah. I'm not sure what the composite GRE means and how it compares, but isn't the average GPA of accredited schools something like 3.6?

 

[lei325]

I went to the UK and had a blast. Do you want to travel Europe? Do you want to experience living in a different country? Take a look at the cost breakdown between each school before you make any decisions. Worrying about which one will give you a better jump start post-vet school isn't worth it; it's all about the experience you get and what you make of it that matters. But if you want to travel and live abroad, Edinburgh all the way. I loved my 4 years in London, even if I spent a little bit more money doing so.

 

[TakeMeToTheZoo]

I went to the UK and had a blast. Do you want to travel Europe? Do you want to experience living in a different country? Take a look at the cost breakdown between each school before you make any decisions. Worrying about which one will give you a better jump start post-vet school isn't worth it; it's all about the experience you get and what you make of it that matters. But if you want to travel and live abroad, Edinburgh all the way. I loved my 4 years in London, even if I spent a little bit more money doing so.

Did you have any trouble returning the to states? Do you feel like the style of medicine is drastically different between the US and the UK?

 

[lei325]

Nope. I had reverse culture shock, sure. Getting used to Walmart and the size of the roads again was weird, but aside from different brand names for drugs it wasn't a big deal. Although I still get teased at work sometimes for occasionally saying medical terms (like 'skeletal' and 'duodenum') a little different than here in the US.

 

[DVMDream]

Nope. I had reverse culture shock, sure. Getting used to Walmart and the size of the roads again was weird, but aside from different brand names for drugs it wasn't a big deal. Although I still get teased at work sometimes for occasionally saying medical terms (like 'skeletal' and 'duodenum') a little different than here in the US.

Ska-leee- tal 😀

 

[Puffins]

Ouch, yeah. I'm not sure what the composite GRE means and how it compares, but isn't the average GPA of accredited schools something like 3.6?

Composite GRE is the average of your percentile scores for the three sections (Q,V, and A). It's helpful because it evens out your strengths and weaknesses. But yeah, those stats are really low.
Edit: I don't mean to belittle your accomplishments, OP! Congrats on your acceptances.

 

[TakeMeToTheZoo]

Composite GRE is the average of your percentile scores for the three sections (Q,V, and A). It's helpful because it evens out your strengths and weaknesses. But yeah, those stats are really low.
Edit: I don't mean to belittle your accomplishments, OP! Congrats on your acceptances.

Thank you, puffins!

From what I learned at my interview and visit to Midwestern, it seems like they have a very promising program. They have a good relationship with the nearby Phoenix Zoo, a One Health incorporation, state of the art small animal hospital, and have incorporated patient simulations with actors (like they have in Med School) to best prepare their students for life after graduation. Edinburgh on the other hand also has a strong relationship with their nearby Edinburgh Zoo, along with a fantastic research program, and it would be easy to work internationally with a degree from them.

Both appear to have really strong programs and each has a critical weakness. Midwestern is new and Edinburgh is abroad. So, I am having a REALLY REALLY REALLY hard time figuring out which is the best fit for me. If you were planning on going into zoo medicine and eventually pursuing a PhD involving human-animal conflict, which school would you choose?

 

[jmo1012]

Thank you, puffins!

From what I learned at my interview and visit to Midwestern, it seems like they have a very promising program. They have a good relationship with the nearby Phoenix Zoo, a One Health incorporation, state of the art small animal hospital, and have incorporated patient simulations with actors (like they have in Med School) to best prepare their students for life after graduation. Edinburgh on the other hand also has a strong relationship with their nearby Edinburgh Zoo, along with a fantastic research program, and it would be easy to work internationally with a degree from them.

Both appear to have really strong programs and each has a critical weakness. Midwestern is new and Edinburgh is abroad. So, I am having a REALLY REALLY REALLY hard time figuring out which is the best fit for me. If you were planning on going into zoo medicine and eventually pursuing a PhD involving human-animal conflict, which school would you choose?

be very wary of promises. very wary.

also, i'd look long and hard at where you will make good mentors and references for life to continue with the education and training you desire. who you know could make or break your future career decisions.

 

[Minnerbelle]

And holy tolitos! I just looked at the 2018 class profile! I don't know if I would be advertising those stats.

At least they're honest and forthcoming...

 

[peanutbutterjelly]

I would say most people treat all accredited veterinary colleges with equal respect. Midwestern is a brand new school though, so it does not yet have name recognition.

And holy tolitos! I just looked at the 2018 class profile! I don't know if I would be advertising those stats.

Lol - I had to take a look after reading that. Really surprising...

 

[battie]

And holy tolitos! I just looked at the 2018 class profile! I don't know if I would be advertising those stats.

Could this be because those accepted with higher GPAs went to different schools (assuming they had been accepted to multiple schools)? Over in the pre-vet forums, some have said that since they were accepted at more than one school, they would not choose Midwestern/Lincoln Memorial since they are so new.

 

[deleted498041]

Could this be because those accepted with higher GPAs went to different schools (assuming they had been accepted to multiple schools)? Over in the pre-vet forums, some have said that since they were accepted at more than one school, they would not choose Midwestern/Lincoln Memorial since they are so new.

That's a good question. I haven't looked at the stats yet, but I would assume that they're low enough that other vet schools would not offer students with those stats a shot at all -- not just that it's only the kiddos with low stats that are taking their offer from Midwestern.

 

[deleted498041]

Thank you, puffins!

From what I learned at my interview and visit to Midwestern, it seems like they have a very promising program. They have a good relationship with the nearby Phoenix Zoo, a One Health incorporation, state of the art small animal hospital, and have incorporated patient simulations with actors (like they have in Med School) to best prepare their students for life after graduation. Edinburgh on the other hand also has a strong relationship with their nearby Edinburgh Zoo, along with a fantastic research program, and it would be easy to work internationally with a degree from them.

Both appear to have really strong programs and each has a critical weakness. Midwestern is new and Edinburgh is abroad. So, I am having a REALLY REALLY REALLY hard time figuring out which is the best fit for me. If you were planning on going into zoo medicine and eventually pursuing a PhD involving human-animal conflict, which school would you choose?

Just remember that those things don't necessarily set Midwestern aside and at the moment they're just promises that could turn out to be empty. WesternU, the school I attend, has a good relationship with the LA Zoo, Oregon Zoo, and Denver Zoo. We actually do rotations at those zoos, among some others. We also have patient simulations with actors, called OSCEs. They're AWFUL, by the way. It sounds cool now, but we all hate them.

In your position, I would wait another year. If you absolutely have to go to vet school this year, I'd go to Edinburgh just because it's an established vet school that's already accredited. You have to hope that Midwestern's first class is successful, has a good pass rate, and gets accreditation.

 

[WildZoo]

That's a good question. I haven't looked at the stats yet, but I would assume that they're low enough that other vet schools would not offer students with those stats a shot at all -- not just that it's only the kiddos with low stats that are taking their offer from Midwestern.

Average Overall GPA: 3.19
Average Science GPA: 3.25
Average Composite GRE: 56.1

 

[battie]

Average Overall GPA: 3.19
Average Science GPA: 3.25
Average Composite GRE: 56.1

I tried finding Lincoln Memorial's stats for 2018, but I couldn't find them anywhere on their website. It would be interesting to see how they compare. So far, Midwestern has the absolute lowest stats for any school I have seen. Not saying that having a 3.19 cumulative and a 3.25 science means you'll be a bad vet. But it does mean you made some mistakes somewhere along the way.

 

[deleted498041]

Average Overall GPA: 3.19
Average Science GPA: 3.25
Average Composite GRE: 56.1

Oh wow.

 

[Doktor Timo]

There is a lot of skepticism in the profession right now towards the new programs like Midwestern and LMU. The general rule is that the school you graduate from doesn't matter much, but I think these new programs could be an exception to that rule so tread lightly.

At the same time, choosing to go abroad is no easy decision so I appreciate the difficulty of the situation.

 

[DVMDream]

There is a lot of skepticism in the profession right now towards the new programs like Midwestern and LMU. The general rule is that the school you graduate from doesn't matter much, but I think these new programs could be an exception to that rule so tread lightly.

At the same time, choosing to go abroad is no easy decision so I appreciate the difficulty of the situation.

Actually midwestern is being seen very positively by the vets and veterinary community in AZ. That might not extend elsewhere but if local vets are supportive, it is likely those elsewhere will follow that.

 

[DVMDream]

Hi all, I am currently deciding on which vet school to go to next year: Midwestern or Edinburgh. I am wondering if my alma mater will affect my ability to find a residency or job in the US after I graduate? Any advice about this decision (US v. UK) is helpful!

It's a tough decision. It is hard to say how going to a new school will impact your future prospects. No one knows. I kind of doubt that it will, but only time will tell. It is a hard choice to make. Edinburgh is an established school but going international might cost a little more in the long run. No one that I've known from edinburgh has had issues finding jobs or getting internships.

 

[CalliopeDVM]

Actually midwestern is being seen very positively by the vets and veterinary community in AZ. That might not extend elsewhere but if local vets are supportive, it is likely those elsewhere will follow that.

I think it will take more than that to get rid of the skepticism......it will take seeing several graduating classes of well-qualified vets. It's really no different than the off-shore vet schools (Caribbean) in the eyes of many vets, and it is only seeing the quality of the grads that will make or break their decision. Just like with those off-shore schools.

 

[Minnerbelle]

If the inaugural class had such a low academic profile, I would wonder about the rigor of the program unless there's a high fail out rate.

 

[Doktor Timo]

EDIT: I just realized I was conflating Midwestern with the new school at University of Arizona. My bad.

 

[DVMDream]

I recently spoke face-to-face with an AZ vet who had signed on to host 4th year students for Midwestern and even she was skeptical of the program. I'm not saying people are jumping to dismiss Midwestern students off-hand, but the approach I see more often than not is "well, I guess we'll see if they make good vets." I personally would not want to be a guinea pig in that experiment.

I was born and raised in AZ and have direct contact with many of the vets there, having known a number of them for a decade. Many of them are owners of multiple practices in the area and had initial concerns with the program. However, after having contact with the program and viewing the facilities they have completely changed their tune and are excited to see how the program develops. That might just be that the vets I know were interested in getting to actually know more about the program and seeked out to discuss and get information from them.

I also know the humane society in the area has expressed interest and if I recall correctly is going to be working to get students in to do spays/neuters on shelter pets. And this is directly from the vet coordinator from the humane society who I spoke with just a year ago.

The general consensus I am getting from the greater community is that they are looking to see what this program will do and are actually invested in it.

I'm not saying that they still aren't in a "let's see how these grads turn out" because everyone is doing that. But for people who have a rather large impact on the vet job industry in that exact location to completely go from this is bad to I am really interested in this and really looking forward to what the school offers, they must be doing something damn well good there. Would I want to be the guinea pig? No. But for being a new school they are making a positive impression on the vets in the area that care to learn more about them.

 

[DVMDream]

EDIT: I just realized I was conflating Midwestern with the new school at University of Arizona. My bad.

Yeah, U of A has been talking about a vet school since as long as I can remember. I won't believe it until I see it, so it doesn't worry me currently. Though they are supposedly scheduled to have a site visit by the AVMA COE in January of 2016... so maybe it will actually happen now, who knows?

Don't know how a vet in AZ is already signed on to take students from them though as they haven't been given approval yet, that is kind of odd..

I agree with the skepticism for what U of A is planning, I don't think it will work out well.