Dog in medical school?

  • Thread starter Thread starter 504196
  • Start date Start date
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
5

504196

I'm thinkin about getting a dog? Just finished MS1 and think I could handle the responsibility. And of course, I know there are people in medical school with their own families and kids to take care of and hand medical school just fine. Just wondering if anyone bought a dog during med school and what the experience was like?
Members don't see this ad.
 
I'm a fourth year in vet school, and I just got my first dog last November. I would say, she's a great companion and great for stress relief. She makes me get out and go for walks and I am more active with her, which is nice. She gives me an excuse to take breaks from working, which I love. On the other hand, she has not been a cheap pet to own, she's about 8lbs so feeding her isn't expensive, but she just had emergency orthopedic surgery and that wasn't inexpensive. So make sure you are financially ready as well. Also, I would recommend a dog that is an adult and already house trained. If you're busy all day you won't have time to train a puppy, and it'll turn into a nightmare fast! Definitely doable to have a dog, you just have to get one that is a mellow breed at an age where they can handle being alone for the better part of the day when you're really busy 🙂


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
Unfortunately, I'm going to vehemently oppose this idea. I love dogs, and I wrestled with the idea myself, but ultimately I felt it would be very unfair to any dog I might get, no matter how mellow and "low maintenance." Every single med school friend I knew who got a dog in M1 ended up giving that dog to their parents in M2/M3. Pets aren't a toy; they're living creatures with their own minds and personalities and ideas, none of which are necessarily guaranteed to mesh with your own. They're an incredibly huge commitment, and keep in mind they live 10-15 years. Meanwhile the next ~7-13 years, depending on what specialty/fellowship you might pursue, will be some of the busiest of your life.

Finally, M1 might have felt manageable to you, but it is far and away the easiest year. M2 is like drinking from a fire hose. M3 will consist of long stretches when you'll need to be up at 4-5am, 6 days a week, only to come home at 6-8pm just to shower, sleep, and do it all over again. If you're dead set on getting a pet, I'd at least wait until M4 so you have a better idea of 1) how busy you might be in worst-case scenarios, and 2) which specialty you might be going into. Something like gen surg -- there's no way you'll have enough time for a dog.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
I'd suggest a cat over a dog (I'm biased) if you're really bent on having a pet.
 
english said:
I'm thinkin about getting a dog? Just finished MS1 and think I could handle the responsibility. And of course, I know there are people in medical school with their own families and kids to take care of and hand medical school just fine. Just wondering if anyone bought a dog during med school and what the experience was like?
Click to expand...
It's the best thing ever. You need to be a pretty responsible person and need to pick the right dog (and have a roommate ideally) but it is certainly possible and rewarding.

People on here will strongly push you not to and that is probably the right advice for your average medical student. You just have to figure out if you are the exception or not.
 
Assuming you are alone without a partner who will be with the dog, you need to be in a house with a yard and fence, and you need to get them now so that you can get over the initial bonding/puppy phase for a year before M3 starts. M1-M2 have plenty of time to take care of a dog (if you can study at home), but M3 is a different stretch altogether. You can't have a pup sitting at home in an apartment for 16 hours waiting on you to get home. I would also consider if you are planning on trying to get a residency spot in NYC to reconsider getting a dog, again assuming you don't have someone else that will consistently help you take the dog out.

But if you are right for it, they could be awesome. I also concur with above that cats are great pets, too, that take way less maintenance.
 
I could have swung a dog in the first 2 years of med school because I did most lecture-watching from home via recordings. M3-M4 and residency, though, would have been a no-go without someone else to care for the dog with me.

Now that I've contributed, I wanted to point out that I interpreted the topic's title as an Air Bud sort of situation.
 
Have you considered fostering? I've fostered 6 cats and 2 dogs during medical school, and it worked out really well for me. The agency I worked with let me rehome them if I was on a heavy rotation or something (there was a circle of 16 or so of us helping each other out). It was also immensely gratifying to get them permanently homed (though a little heartbreaking). It's a good option for temporary companionship, especially when your life could radically change in the next 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, etc. years.

The dogs were lovely but I'd imagine that 3rd year would have been very tough on them. I was often gone from 6a to 6p or worse and would have been too tired to walk them when I got home, etc.

Dogs are pack animals. They're happiest when they're near you. It's actually pretty cruel to stay away for too long (and of course, there are exceptions with some dogs, and you could always pay out the nose for a dog walker). And don't get a puppy unless you want a miserable (but very awww) MS1.

Cats are ideal, and some breeds can be incredibly affectionate and "dog-like"--very easy to train, fun to play with, can be harnessed to go for a walk, follow you everywhere, etc. Worth researching Orientals, Ragdolls, or Manxs. You'd be surprised at how some cats behave.

Best of luck either way!
 
Last edited:
I got a dog about a year before starting med school. He literally is the biggest source of joy for my wife and I. I can't even tell you how much stress relief he provides just by going on walks with me, cuddling, being a goofball etc... However, he has TERRIBLE separation anxiety. He is getting better, but we don't feel comfortable leaving him alone for more than 4-5 hours because he might hurt himself trying to dig under the front door. Just last week he destroyed about 10 square feet of carpet in our bedroom because I made the mistake of leaving him in there when I went to campus. So our solution is to bring him to daycare any day that I will be gone more than 5 hours (wife works full time). This works but is EXPENSIVE. And it's only going to get more expensive 3rd year when he has to go to daycare almost every day of the week. (We have tried to get help from many professional dog behaviorists but none have been successful).

Everybody had given you good advice here. So I will just add that if you must get a dog, you should adopt a dog that you know is calm and doesn't have underlying behavioral issues that will make your life and your dog's life super hard. Go to the shelter and spend time with different dogs and really try to figure out their personalities. It's awesome to raise a puppy, but it's too risky for someone in medical school because you might end up with a dog that can't handle being left alone for even a few hours. That would be a disaster.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
english said:
I'm thinkin about getting a dog? Just finished MS1 and think I could handle the responsibility. And of course, I know there are people in medical school with their own families and kids to take care of and hand medical school just fine. Just wondering if anyone bought a dog during med school and what the experience was like?
Click to expand...

I bought my puppy close to the beginning of residency. He's my whole world and just having him around makes me feel calm and wonderful. He's almost 2 years old now and I wouldn't trade him for anything!
 
I think dogs are a waste of time and money. You're keeping an animal imprisoned for your personal joy? Not to mention they s*** and piss everywhere. They jump on every single person they see and your guests will more than likely not want that. I advise against it, but to each his own.
 
I made a decision to buy a dog right before M2 year started and I'm very happy with my decision. Some key points, most of which have already been mentioned above, that I think made my experience successful:
-I bought a puppy at 8weeks old, so I used the last two weeks of my summer to make sure I would be home all day everyday for the first two weeks of our time together.
-I go to a school where nearly all lectures can be podcasted, so I was able to be home very often.
-I had a roommate who also had a dog and who was on-board for helping with care when I couldn't be there
-I have a house with a fenced in backyard
-I have had dogs in the family all my life, not my first rodeo
-I am very responsible in other areas in my life so it wasn't a reach to think I could extend that to caring for an animal (please seriously consider if this applies to you)
-I had budgeted an extra $1000 as a back up on top of the start-up costs of dog ownership (I used a lot of that extra money, a $600 dog can easily cost over $2000 in the first year)
-I installed a dog door before she was a year old
-I invested in "puppy kindergarten" type classes early on and it's paid off

MS3 is something to consider as well -- totally different ball game in terms of time management. I have a fiancé (who is also a med student) who lives with me so it helps to have two people caring for the dog. Between the two of us, our dog jogs a couple miles almost every day of the week and gets to go to the dog park quite often as well. Again, she has her dog door, so if we are unable to be home for a long stretch of time, she can easily go outside whenever she wants. She's had some lonely days third year but she's still got it pretty damn good.

Just keep in mind that dogs are a huge time sync. It will influence where you live and where you can reasonably go to residency (like I'm not trying to take a 60lb golden retriever to live in a tiny apt in NY/LA/Chicago/etc.). It will always have to be part of your planning whenever you have to leave town and it will limit your day-to-day freedom. Even with your best efforts, some dogs can just end up being psych cases or behavioral problems. I'm fortunate that my golden retriever is very low maintenance, easy to train, and doesn't destroy things if I'm gone for awhile. I have another friend who was in a very similar position to myself -- they rescued a 6-9ish month old dog and the dog is very difficult to manage (like straight crazy town)...and they're pretty much stuck with it because they're not just gonna euthanize the damn thing or anything like that.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
PathoTurnUp1865 said:
I think dogs are a waste of time and money. You're keeping an animal imprisoned for your personal joy? Not to mention they s*** and piss everywhere. They jump on every single person they see and your guests will more than likely not want that. I advise against it, but to each his own.
Click to expand...

They only do that if you're a s***ty trainer. I'd also guess most dogs would rather be "imprisoned for out personal joy" than end up in a kill shelter. If you're going to use that logic why should someone ever have a baby? After all, they piss and **** everywhere for years then jump all over the place for several more...
 
Stagg737 said:
They only do that if you're a s***ty trainer. I'd also guess most dogs would rather be "imprisoned for out personal joy" than end up in a kill shelter. If you're going to use that logic why should someone ever have a baby? After all, they piss and **** everywhere for years then jump all over the place for several more...
Click to expand...
When during MS 2 will op have time to train a dog? He/she will be at school most of the day. So to keep the dog from going bat s*** crazy they will need to keep them locked up all day if they're in an apartment or outside of they have a house. If they have a house the dog is going to be a nuisance to the respectable neighbors. Neighbors call the police, now op has to deal with that. Long story short, don't do it op. Don't you do it.
 
PathoTurnUp1865 said:
When during MS 2 will op have time to train a dog? He/she will be at school most of the day. So to keep the dog from going bat s*** crazy they will need to keep them locked up all day if they're in an apartment or outside of they have a house. If they have a house the dog is going to be a nuisance to the respectable neighbors. Neighbors call the police, now op has to deal with that. Long story short, don't do it op. Don't you do it.
Click to expand...

If OP is at a school where class attendance is mandatory during MS2, then I think getting a dog is a bad idea. If he's at a school where he can watch lectures at home, then he should have plenty of time to train a dog. Mine was potty trained pretty quickly and she very rarely had an accident in the house after like 3 months old.
 
PathoTurnUp1865 said:
When during MS 2 will op have time to train a dog? He/she will be at school most of the day. So to keep the dog from going bat s*** crazy they will need to keep them locked up all day if they're in an apartment or outside of they have a house. If they have a house the dog is going to be a nuisance to the respectable neighbors. Neighbors call the police, now op has to deal with that. Long story short, don't do it op. Don't you do it.
Click to expand...

Didn't realize you were specifically talking about OP. To be fair though I adopted a dog M1 and he was already house broken when we rescued him. I lived 5 minutes from campus, so I'd leave in the morning, come back for lunch to walk him, and then head back to school. Lived in an apartment, no issues at all. Honestly getting him was the best decision we've made since I started med school. That being said, if OP is alone and doesn't have an SO, it would be a bad decision to get a dog as an M2. I don't think it would be much of an issue during pre-clinical years. As others have said, it's a bad decision as a single person who'll soon be starting M3 or residency though.
 
You don't need a dog in med school. You will be the dog yourself!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
I've held off on getting a new dog or even transferring my dog from my parent's house to my apt simply because I'm afraid I'll kill it from neglect. I imagine it's hard enough to take care of yourself in med school on top of the fact that most dogs require lots of affection. I've thought about a cat though since they're so independent. For the most part, all they need is food, water, litter box, and the occasional acknowledgment of their existence.
 
I'm an MS4. I love dogs and will probably get one eventually. That said, a cat is in my immediate future—a dog is not. I'll explain.

MS1 and MS2, I probably could have handled a dog. I was in a PBL curriculum and had to actually be at school 3 days a week but even so, class started at like 9. I could easily get up, walk the dog, feed it, whatever. I had plenty of time where I could play with the dog, exercise it, etc. It would have been fine.

Third year would not be at all fine with a dog. To begin with, I had to live in what was essentially a call room about 2 hours away for a 6 week rotation, not of my own choosing. Sometimes your school will make you do a rotation at a site that will take you away from your apartment. Even if that's not the case for you, at least half of my rotations I was practically living like a zombie where I was chronically sleep deprived as it was, and would barely have time to eat, study for a half hour, and go to sleep. Surgery and OB are typically rough like that. If I had a dog, it would be home alone literally all day. I just don't think it's fair to the dog.

If you have someone else with a better schedule who can take care of it, it might become doable.

Cats, though, I think are much easier.
 
Several people in my class have dogs. I personally think it's really unfair to the dog. Maybe not as much in pre-clinical years because you can study at home if you want. But I think it's mean 3rd/4th year because you will be away long hours. Dogs are like children - they need to be cared for, and they crave companionship and physical presence.
 
mbeus said:
Several people in my class have dogs. I personally think it's really unfair to the dog. Maybe not as much in pre-clinical years because you can study at home if you want. But I think it's mean 3rd/4th year because you will be away long hours. Dogs are like children - they need to be cared for, and they crave companionship and physical presence.
Click to expand...
I like to think my dog craves not being in a high kill shelter, but what do I know?

The whole "not fair to the dog argument" really loses its teeth if you adopt, imo. It's not like I ripped a golden retriever from its middle class home in the suburbs where she had 24/7 companionship, an acre of land and got to jog 2 miles a day. No one is taking care of these animals, and a real home is preferable to the shelter environment, even if you can't be there all the time.

If you are a responsible human being and can commit to feeding/walking/taking out your dog a few times a day you are giving them as good a life as they could ask for and I say go for it.
 
english said:
I'm thinkin about getting a dog? Just finished MS1 and think I could handle the responsibility. And of course, I know there are people in medical school with their own families and kids to take care of and hand medical school just fine. Just wondering if anyone bought a dog during med school and what the experience was like?
Click to expand...

Don't, unless you will have a responsible roommate or SO who can come home at some point during the day to let the dog out while you're at the hospital for 10-16+ hours during 3rd year. Very few people at my school had dogs, and those that did either had someone who could be there during the day, drop in, or they took the dog to a doggie daycare. A ton of people had cats as they're more self-sufficient.
 
mbeus said:
Several people in my class have dogs. I personally think it's really unfair to the dog. Maybe not as much in pre-clinical years because you can study at home if you want. But I think it's mean 3rd/4th year because you will be away long hours. Dogs are like children - they need to be cared for, and they crave companionship and physical presence.
Click to expand...

It's true, but it also depends on the dog and the support structure around it.

Another reason why fostering might be a good way to go, as you can try out different temperaments etc.

Lots of good perspectives in this thread.
 
PrettyLadyDoc24 said:
I bought my puppy close to the beginning of residency. He's my whole world and just having him around makes me feel calm and wonderful. He's almost 2 years old now and I wouldn't trade him for anything!
Click to expand...
what residency are you in??
 
thanks for all the input everyone. I live really close to campus and watch most lectures from home except for a few required classes each week so I think I could handle a dog during M2. I have been looking into fostering/adopting a dog. Although I am still thinking about it as I'm a little nervous about what I would do during third year and currently I do not have a SO to help out with taking care of the dog. Then again a dog could help me get a SO...
 
english said:
thanks for all the input everyone. I live really close to campus and watch most lectures from home except for a few required classes each week so I think I could handle a dog during M2. I have been looking into fostering/adopting a dog. Although I am still thinking about it as I'm a little nervous about what I would do during third year and currently I do not have a SO to help out with taking care of the dog. Then again a dog could help me get a SO...
Click to expand...

don't do that to the dog
 
Last edited:
english said:
I'm thinkin about getting a dog? Just finished MS1 and think I could handle the responsibility. And of course, I know there are people in medical school with their own families and kids to take care of and hand medical school just fine. Just wondering if anyone bought a dog during med school and what the experience was like?
Click to expand...

Hello English,

When I was in graduate school and professional school, I would have loved having a cat or a dog ... but I waited until I was fully prepared to be a responsible "pet parent." In fact, I waited (very patiently) until I had completed my education and post-graduate training, etc.

Meanwhile ...

A few of my classmates adopted some pets (including puppies and kittens) because they felt lonely, and wanted a loyal companion who would happily greet them whenever they returned home, following a stressful day of classes, or clinical rotations. After all, a loving and faithful dog would always accept the student, during good times, as well as challenging times, and a dog would always provide instant (and affectionate) companionship ... you know ... sort of like instant gratification, via puppy cuddles.

Unfortunately, many of these same students were unable to provide attention and proper care for their pets while the students were still in school. Some of the puppies and dogs started to bark when they were left alone or started to "act out" in other ways (e.g., separation anxiety). In many cases, these pets were often shuffled away to relatives (and many relatives really didn't want the pet), or worse yet, the pet was surrendered to a local animal shelter. In those cases, the pet often had NO choice in choosing its fate, and it's likely some of them were euthanized. I don't know about you ... but that type of outcome truly sickens me.

So ...

1. It is important to remind yourself that you will be working long hours, and exhausted ... and studying, and exhausted ... and on-call, and exhausted. In your clinical rotation years, there will be many times when you will not be able to provide the care, love, attention, comfort, and companionship, that a pet deserves (and requires), even though you have the best intentions, and love pets. There will be times when your pet will need (and want) you, and you will NOT be available for your pet. For instance, if you're absent for an extended period of time (or if you need to travel for a conference or to visit family), who will take care of your pet? It's all about reality, and the practice of medicine is all about reality.

2. These comments apply to both dogs and cats. Contrary to popular belief, cats are NOT necessarily solitary creatures; and many cats crave companionship, and need companionship, as well as stimulating playtime, to thrive.

3. You must also be prepared to be financially responsible for your pet. Indeed, a pet is analogous to a "child" and you must be a responsible "parent." Pets cost money ... food, bedding, supplies, immunizations, flea treatment, veterinary care, etc. Reliable (and bonded) pet sitters cost money, too.

Kindly do not underestimate the stresses, rigors, and time commitment associated with medical school, as well as with your post-graduate residency.

Now, here is the GOOD news:

When you're truly ready to adopt a pet, you will feel ready, prepared, and willing (and in all the good ways) ... and not feel needy, isolated, or lonely.

In so doing, you will be able to fully care for, and love, and appreciate your pet every single day, and your pet will provide you with many years of love, affection, and companionship.

Thank you.
 
Last edited:
I have a husband who is the primary caretaker of the dog we got a couple months ago. We also have 2 cats. I am an MS4.

Honestly, I would strongly advise against it. I don't even take care of the dog most of the time and I still think it's too much and I wish every day that we didn't get him (my husband adores him, so we are keeping him.) but It's a ton more work than I have the energy to do. The dog class that fit our schedules is at 8:30 at night so that's when we go to puppy training after an exhausting day of rotations. Gotta go walk the dog in the middle of a uworld set because he needs to go out. He's cute and all but he is a ton of work and money. I would have much rather stuck with my cats for the time being
 
Affiche said:
It sounds though like you have a puppy, which is a VERY different from adopting an adult dog. I wouldn't advise anyone to get a puppy, much less a med student lol.

The dog I adopted came to me as a foster first, but he was fully housebroken (maybe 1-2 accidents the first week while adjusting) and knew basic commands the first day I had him. He was out of the jumping/chewing/whimpering stage and settled in nicely. Sure, the first week was an adjustment, but we decided very quickly that we couldn't give this guy up. No regrets.
Click to expand...


We have a 3 year old adult lab mix. He jumps on everyone which sucks extra because he is 80lbs. We attend adult dog classes
 
Get a cat man, they're the best. They don't require you to take them on walks in the middle of the winter at 5 in the morning. Plus, contrary to what dog people might say, cats can be super affectionate! My cat is almost dog like as well. She was able to take a 14 hour road trip no problem! Plus, cats are just super cute !
image.jpg
 
Dr.JD.House said:
Get a cat man, they're the best. They don't require you to take them on walks in the middle of the winter at 5 in the morning. Plus, contrary to what dog people might say, cats can be super affectionate! My cat is almost dog like as well. She was able to take a 14 hour road trip no problem! Plus, cats are just super cute ! View attachment 205862
Click to expand...

03b91e2b1ecb351d7822bf4982599a1fcad24ead456db8d28c03c0fbe462d8d1.jpg


@MeatTornado
 
I think there's wisdom in what people are saying about having someone else in the home who can help - SO, dedicated roommate. I adopted a 2 year old rescue dog last year (my reward for getting into med school!) with the understanding that my husband will help when school starts. There are cheaper ways to get help in a pinch (Rover.com, Dogvacay.com) but you need a regular plan and you must consider when you're on the wards, not just class schedule.

We dog-sat for friends a couple times before biting the bullet, but it was a huge lifestyle adjustment. But I refused to settle for a cat - I love dogs!
 
I'm so glad I found this thread. I am a non-trad applying this year and I am TERRIFIED I won't be able to bring my beagle along with me wherever I end up. I always joke that she is my antidepressant, but it is so true... daily walks, snuggles and helping me destress after a long day has made my life 1000x more manageable. She will be 3 by the time I start M1 so she is already trained and I can send her to live with my parents when things get hectic during M3/4 if need be. I just don't think I can go back to living life without her around to cheer me up.

Some non-traditionals have kids, well I have a dog. It's a hard fact.

I will say getting a dog during medical school would be challenging. You just don't know what kind of dog you will end up with and there are lots of challenges/expenses you don't think about. Example: I skipped flea medicine last month and now I am dealing with an itchy dog ...and BUGS!! EWWWWWW! I've already blown through $100 and MANY hours devoted to cleaning both the dog and my house.
 
The only part that sucks about having a dog is figuring out what to do with them when you need to go out of town, especially for the weeks on break when you want to go back home or out of the country. Airplane travel isn't easy for them especially if you have a big dog.

Not only that but for the days when you are out of your house all day doing whatever (which will happen), you'll feel awful about leaving them alone all day.

I think it's a lot more manageable if you live with another person though who also cares for the dog
 
littlelynne said:
I'm a fourth year in vet school, and I just got my first dog last November. I would say, she's a great companion and great for stress relief. She makes me get out and go for walks and I am more active with her, which is nice. She gives me an excuse to take breaks from working, which I love. On the other hand, she has not been a cheap pet to own, she's about 8lbs so feeding her isn't expensive, but she just had emergency orthopedic surgery and that wasn't inexpensive. So make sure you are financially ready as well. Also, I would recommend a dog that is an adult and already house trained. If you're busy all day you won't have time to train a puppy, and it'll turn into a nightmare fast! Definitely doable to have a dog, you just have to get one that is a mellow breed at an age where they can handle being alone for the better part of the day when you're really busy 🙂


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...
I just had this weird day dream where vet students are each presented with an animal to keep them sane during vet school. Kind of like harry potter.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

H
Undergrad Research in Medical School
Replies
2
Views
746
GoSpursGo
GoSpursGo
L
How to identify productive lab in medical school / Getting into research M1?
Replies
5
Views
655
AJS59
AJS59
F
Research Experience Needed in Medical School
Replies
2
Views
872
flatbush_jedi
F
Future Dr. Hopefully
Anatomy before starting medical school
Replies
13
Views
1K
guytakingboards
G
Goro
Goro's guide to success in medical school (2024 version)
Replies
2
Views
3K
LunaOri
LunaOri
Top