Favorite responses upon hearing you are going to vet school

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On my way home to FL last year, I ended up in a middle seat and I was pissed... ten minutes later I found out I was sitting between two veterinary ophthalmologists who are flown around the world to treat sea lions. They were on their way back from Australia Zoo and she showed me about 300 pictures. I was so flipping excited!! Then I found out she had been to the clinic I just left (when I moved) for a lunch and learn, and THEN found out she is the wife of the neurologist we always referred to. They both gave me their business cards, pep talked me about vet school , and told me to call them during 4th year :love:

I wish I was that lucky!

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On my way home to FL last year, I ended up in a middle seat and I was pissed... ten minutes later I found out I was sitting between two veterinary ophthalmologists who are flown around the world to treat sea lions. They were on their way back from Australia Zoo and she showed me about 300 pictures. I was so flipping excited!! Then I found out she had been to the clinic I just left (when I moved) for a lunch and learn, and THEN found out she is the wife of the neurologist we always referred to. They both gave me their business cards, pep talked me about vet school , and told me to call them during 4th year :love:

That does sound amazing! I'm jealous.:laugh:

Once at work, I got in a small argument with someone about the fact that there is only one vet school in PA. She was telling me about how there was a vet school in Pittsburgh that so and so went to, and I should apply to that school. I tried to explain to her nicely two or three times that it was a vet tech school, not a vet school. It didn't work, and the argument ended with her telling me that I should look into it because whoever she knew said it was a vet school. I ended up just letting it go because there was no way she was going to believe me unfortunately.
 
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My absolute favorite:

Mom: TW, what is this in the cat's ears???

Me: I'm not quite sure mom

Mom: well you're the vet!

Apparently I have already graduated vet school without stepping foot inside of it.

:laugh: I've been getting that since I was about 10! Anyone that has ever known me knows I want to be a vet and then for some reason think I already know everything. They always approach me with questions by saying "You're going to be a vet, so... 'what medical issue does this animal have and how do I fix it'?" Umm... key text "GOING TO BE"

Every (human) medical professional is impressed and comments on the difficulty of getting in, then proceeds to drill me on what was entailed in getting in and what I will study during vet school and how they can't imagine having to know so many areas of medicine and species, etc...

Others give a "Oh... congratulations." and ask how many years it will take and then sound shocked when I say 4. Then are further shocked/confused when I tell them I want to specialize- they say "oh, you mean like small or large animals..?" No. Like dermatology, etc... "THEY HAVE THOSE (for animals)!?!?" :D Yup they do!
 
Let me sew with this old thread......

I'm still waiting for my rejections. My highly intelligent math teacher friend knows that I've been taking science classes for years, and studying for my (one, two, three) GRE exams for my two attempts at the VMCAS. He asked me recently:

Friend: so how's vet school?
Me: I'm not in vet school. I'm trying to get INTO vet school.
Friend: but you've been studying so much, taking so many classes, and taking so many tests.
Me: that's right.
Friend: you mean people do all this work and still don't get in?

I've decided I'm not going to talk to non-veterinarians ever again.
 
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So I was shadowing at a local clinic this semester. One vet introduced me to two others there. (Female vet) points to (Male vet and husband) behind her and says "don't marry a classmate. You'll double you debt like that!!" and snaps her fingers. I was surprised at how up front she was, but it was a good laugh!!

My grandmother, bless her sweet heart, continually raves about my siblings and cousins (PhD, Army Specialist, HS valedictorian, violin prodigy, etc.) then gets to me and asks "how much longer is it going to take you to learn how to train dogs?!" :bang: Wow. Those both involve animals I guess. Thanks gran. :rolleyes:
 
Like everyone else, I've gotten a lot of the community college/two year program, you're going to be so rich when you graduate type of responses. Two of my favorites though (for vastly different reasons):

Hanging out with my friend's mom and older sister.
Friend's mom: BD! <Friend> just told me that you were accepted to vet school! That's wonderful!
Me: Thanks, I'm really excited!
Mom: So how long is the program? One year? Two years?
Me: It's four years actually.
Mom: FOUR YEARS?! That's just as long as a real doctor!
Sister: Mom, she will be a REAL doctor!

I just wanted to hug her for saying that. :laugh:

A slightly more frustrating one that I get repeated (from the same person, no less):

Aunt: All those vaccines the vets push us to give our cats, I'm certain they don't really need them, the vet just wants our money. Doesn't matter though, because in four years we'll be getting FREE VET CARE!

Bahahahahahaha, no. Just no. My mom will be getting free vet care for life because she is so generously supporting me financially during vet school despite not having a whole ton of money herself. The rest of the family MIGHT get vet care at cost IF I decide to own my own practice, and that's a big if. The fact that she always chooses to make this announcement in the middle of big parties in front of everyone also drives me up the wall. :rolleyes:
 
I've noticed too that medical professionals and pre-med students are generally impressed by how competitive and challenging it is.

There's also the response to my expressing interest in various specialties: "Vet specialists? I don't understand why anyone would spend that much on an animal." What an appropriate and polite response...

My family is the complete opposite of wanting medical advice from me. I adopted a cat from a family member, and was instructed to "be sure to give him water" and other similar advice. Really? What do you think I've been doing while working at the clinic, taking extra undergrad physiology, and volunteering for lots of animal care?:rolleyes::laugh:
 
I had mixed responses. Most said some version of "congrats", but a few did a dismissive "well of course you were going to get in".

The most awkward was at the clinic where I've worked for years. Most of the other techs/assistants/receptionists were great, but there was one who's first response was "I was going to go to vet school too, but I decided to spend more time with my family instead." Um, ok?
 
I've noticed too that medical professionals and pre-med students are generally impressed by how competitive and challenging it is.

There's also the response to my expressing interest in various specialties: "Vet specialists? I don't understand why anyone would spend that much on an animal." What an appropriate and polite response...

My family is the complete opposite of wanting medical advice from me. I adopted a cat from a family member, and was instructed to "be sure to give him water" and other similar advice. Really? What do you think I've been doing while working at the clinic, taking extra undergrad physiology, and volunteering for lots of animal care?:rolleyes::laugh:

Yea it's weird reading the ones that are like "oh it's 4 years? I thought it was only 2" or whatever. Anyone I've told has said something along the lines of "wow isn't that like really hard?"
 
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I usually get, "Oh, wow! Vet school is sooooo hard to get into! Did you apply to schools in the Caribbean? And I heard the job market is terrible ...But good luck!"

Or I get, "You'll get in...don't worry! And you'll get a great job! I know you will!"

Somehow, neither of these responses is especially comforting.
 
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I usually get, "Oh, wow! Vet school is sooooo hard to get into! Did you apply to schools in the Caribbean? And I heard the job market is terrible ...But good luck!"

Or I get, "You'll get in...don't worry! And you'll get a great job! I know you will!"

Somehow, neither of these responses is especially comforting.

No one really understands how uncomforting "I know you'll get in!" actually is. It's hard to explain to others how much you DON'T want to hear that.
 
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No one really understands how uncomforting "I know you'll get in!" actually is. It's hard to explain to others how much you DON'T want to hear that.
Yes. There was this one time when someone said some like, "I know its scary and you're scared, and that's ok, but just hang in there." I wish everyone was that supportive.
 
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I recently got "Oh cool! Like the army?!"
 
Me: "I got into vet school!!"
Person: "Awesome! Med school huh?"
Me: "No, veterinary school."
Person: "Oh...ok."


EVERY. TIME.
 
Recently, I've told people I'm a veterinarian and been asked what it's like to be a vet tech. I just kind of look at them.
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No one really understands how uncomforting "I know you'll get in!" actually is. It's hard to explain to others how much you DON'T want to hear that.

I hate this, and I try not to do this to other people. As an aside, I also hate it when say, a friend or family member or pet is ill and people tell me, "Oh, I'm sure they'll be fine!" No, you don't know that. Stop it. Unless you're a legit psychic, in which case, we're going to go buy a lottery ticket.
 
No one really understands how uncomforting "I know you'll get in!" actually is. It's hard to explain to others how much you DON'T want to hear that.
I absolutely HATE it when people do that. I appreciate that they support me, but they don't really comprehend how competitive vet school is and that even though to them I may be an awesome candidate for vet school I'm more average (or below). It also makes me feel like I will disappoint them if I don't get in :(

Also the other day I got my haircut and the hairdresser was in shock that I had to go to undergrad before going to vet school.
I'm pretty sure no one would be comfortable if their Dr. went to med school straight out of high school and then 4 years later at the ripe age of 22 would be in charge of their health...
 
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...It also makes me feel like I will disappoint them if I don't get in.

Totally this!

The other day I was crying at the prospect of letting everyone down. (I'm going deep here, people) When everyone says, "You will get in!" constantly, the pressure considerably mounds. And I sometimes feel like I'm being crushed under it. I mean, what will I say should I not get in?! That I failed? That I'm not good enough? That I couldn't overcome my past failures? Etc? I know none of that is true, and I am better than negative thoughts, BUT... is that what everyone else will think of me? My mom said that no one will think less of me, but I'm not convinced.
 
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I think the big thing is that we will think less of ourselves. You can't deny that. If you don't get in, you simply couldn't compete.
I personally am staying quite about my application process. No one gets updates via Facebook or Twitter or anything. That way, I won't get any "SO DID YOU GET IN?!" in the next couple of months.
My extended family is constantly telling me I'm pessimistic and exaggerating when I said I know I won't get in my first try. I prefer to call it being realistic.
 
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Totally this!

The other day I was crying at the prospect of letting everyone down. (I'm going deep here, people) When everyone says, "You will get in!" constantly, the pressure considerably mounds. And I sometimes feel like I'm being crushed under it. I mean, what will I say should I not get in?! That I failed? That I'm not good enough? That I couldn't overcome my past failures? Etc? I know none of that is true, and I am better than negative thoughts, BUT... is that what everyone else will think of me? My mom said that no one will think less of me, but I'm not convinced.

They won't. I applied three years in a row. Just about every vet I worked with and all family/friends/etc were very supportive and recognized how difficult it is. I used to hate that "don't worry, you will get in" when I was applying too, but people not applying can't understand how that sounds to us, they are just trying to be supportive by saying that. Many times they don't know what else to say when we are feaking out about applications and getting an acceptance, so it is just a way of supporting and not meant to make you feel worse (even though I know it does make it feel like there is more pressure on you then). :)
 
I hate this, and I try not to do this to other people.
See I just complete view this differently than the rest of you.

When people say "I know you'll get in" or the like.. they are really just saying they think very highly of you, and believe in you. Of course they know nothing of the odds, and they aren't putting any pressure or anything, just take it as a vote of confidence that you are viewed externally very positively, and stop handicapping your chances (calculating odds I mean).
 
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Also the other day I got my haircut and the hairdresser was in shock that I had to go to undergrad before going to vet school.
I'm pretty sure no one would be comfortable if their Dr. went to med school straight out of high school and then 4 years later at the ripe age of 22 would be in charge of their health...

This!

I was recently talking to a friend from undergrad. We were both science majors and had a few classes together, but we haven't been in touch much since graduation. She was asking how things are going and I mentioned being in vet school and she replied "Oh, that's awesome! Wait . . . didn't you do that already?!" Apparently she thought being pre-vet meant that I would become a vet shortly after undergrad, not that I had to do another four years of school.

I'm a little shocked that so many people seem to think a few basic biology and chemistry classes qualify us to dispense controlled medications and perform surgeries. :eek:
 
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I think the big thing is that we will think less of ourselves.
Absolutely. I keep prepping myself, just in case, by going over all of the reasons why not getting in could be a positive - no huge debt, blah, blah, blah - but I don't think that I'd ever truly believe that BS. But, yeah. :sigh:
They won't. I applied three years in a row. Just about every vet I worked with and all family/friends/etc were very supportive and recognized how difficult it is. I used to hate that "don't worry, you will get in" when I was applying too, but people not applying can't understand how that sounds to us, they are just trying to be supportive by saying that. Many times they don't know what else to say when we are feaking out about applications and getting an acceptance, so it is just a way of supporting and not meant to make you feel worse (even though I know it does make it feel like there is more pressure on you then). :)
Thanks, DVMD :)
 
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My own mom (who is a veterinarian!) always reminds me: you can always go to dental school, make way more money and work better hours!
 
I go to a very small liberal arts school (about 2,300 students...there are 20 bio majors in my graduating class) and those who aren't local will ask, "Oh, is [name of undergrad] known for their veterinary medicine program?" Or "Ohh, I didn't know [name of undergrad] had that!" um...no.

And of course there's always the- "Is that a 2 yr program?"

And- "You're going to be a vet?! That's so cool! I wanted to be a vet, but I could never put an animal to sleep."

And- "Oh that's so exciting! I'm so jealous you'll get to play with puppies and kittens all day!" Oh, is that what vets do all day? Thanks for the reality check.

And- "Vet school... I've heard that's harder to get into that med school and that it's tougher than med school. Why is that?" I know most people sincerely don't understand this, so I try to have patience without going into great detail or sounding pompous but it usually goes something like, "well, human doctors treat 1 species, and they typically specialize to treat 1 part/feature of human medicine. Vets are trained to treat 100's of species with varying anatomy, digestive systems, and physiology. They're family practitioners, surgeons, cardiologists, oncologists, dentists, optometrists, gynecologists/urologists, dermatologists, etc."

And- "My cat has this gaping laceration in its neck and I put Neosporin on it but before I took him to the vet I figured I'd ask your opinion first."; "I thought I'd give my cat some of my dog's leftover medication. Do you think this will work?"; "My dog has been is so much pain or throwing up, can I give her [over the counter human meds] and if so, what is the dosage?" My personal fav- owner calls me in panic "I'm at work and my daughter called me telling me Islet (golden ret) is throwing up and it looks like intestines! She's throwing up her intestines! Could you please calm my nerves and run over to check on her?! It would make me feel so much better." :bang: Again, I don't even have my bachelors. I'm obviously not a vet yet but oh boy...
 
My absolute favorite:

Mom: TW, what is this in the cat's ears???

Me: I'm not quite sure mom

Mom: well you're the vet!

Apparently I have already graduated vet school without stepping foot inside of it.
haha omg my boyfriend does this to me all the time.... "your the vet in the family!":laugh:
 
mine is more of a harmless idiotic question:
Me: "I want to be a vet"
Person: " so you like animals?"
Me: *fake smile* "yes":bang:
 
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mine is more of a harmless idiotic question:
Me: "I want to be a vet"
Person: " so you like animals?"
Me: *fake smile* "yes":bang:

There was a vet student on Jeopardy a few years back who brilliantly answered the question with: "Yes! They're cute AND tasty!" :laugh:
 
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I’ve gotten a lot of similar responses as you guys when I tell people I’m applying to vet school. The only one that really shocked me is when I ran into a girl from school and her response was,
“Oh I could NEVER be a vet, I just can’t bring myself to hurt animals!”

Are you tripping?

My bad, I forgot that maybe a total of 5 seconds of discomfort to protect animals against diseases that could kill them is torture. As well as trying to end their suffering when they are in fact in pain. I must hate animals :beat: (not too sure why this emoticon exists, but it works)
 
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There was a vet student on Jeopardy a few years back who brilliantly answered the question with: "Yes! They're cute AND tasty!" :laugh:

I also love it when I tell people what I will be going to school for and they immediately ask me if I'm a vegetarian. Then they get all confused when I tell them I'm not.
 
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I also love it when I tell people what I will be going to school for and they immediately ask me if I'm a vegetarian. Then they get all confused when I tell them I'm not.

I haven't really gotten that one, but when I first started dating my current boyfriend I showed up to a date wearing my favorite jacket, which is a dark brown suede. He took one look at me, raised an eyebrow and said "I'm really not sure how to feel about a pre-vet wearing leather." I asked him how it would be any different from a pre-vet who eats meat, and he had to think about it for a bit before finally saying, "Well I guess it isn't any different, it's just weird."

He has since been thoroughly educated on my opinions about food/production animals. He won't be making that mistake again. :laugh:
 
And- "Vet school... I've heard that's harder to get into that med school and that it's tougher than med school. Why is that?" I know most people sincerely don't understand this, so I try to have patience without going into great detail or sounding pompous but it usually goes something like, "well, human doctors treat 1 species, and they typically specialize to treat 1 part/feature of human medicine. Vets are trained to treat 100's of species with varying anatomy, digestive systems, and physiology. They're family practitioners, surgeons, cardiologists, oncologists, dentists, optometrists, gynecologists/urologists, dermatologists, etc."

To be fair we are mostly trained to treat dogs, cats, horses, and cows. I feel like I will be okay with dogs and cats when I graduate, and somewhat okay with rabbits, and anything else should not have me practice on it!
 
Went to a family party the other day. One of my distant and slightly older cousins comes up to me (she is a known stoner BTWs) and says, "oh my gosh I'm so glad to hear you are planning on going to vet school! Did you apply to *some random school* in NC? I was looking into going there when I was in undergrad and wanted to be a vet!" I looked at her kind of funny and said that I was pretty sure the only vet school in NC was NC state. She insisted and insisted that this was an accredited vet school with a small class size, farm on campus and some sort of teaching hospital. I asked her whether it was undergrad, or maybe vet tech, or just a graduate school, but she swore up and down that before she dropped out of undergrad in her 3rd year, this was the "accredited vet school" she was going to apply to. I just gave up, nodded my head and told her the deadline had passed anyway...

I also frequently get the "Why would you want to be an animal doctor? Don't you like people?" or "Wouldn't you make more money as a human doctor?" or even "So you are leaving your fiance for four years to become a doctor for animals? Isn't that kind of selfish? Don't you want to start a family?"
 
I also frequently get the "Why would you want to be an animal doctor? Don't you like people?" or "Wouldn't you make more money as a human doctor?" or even "So you are leaving your fiance for four years to become a doctor for animals? Isn't that kind of selfish? Don't you want to start a family?"

Yes, you should feel guilty for pursuing an education and a career because we all know our only purpose as women is to procreate. When I hear things like this, I just want to yank out my uterus and slap them in the face with it.
 
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The "why don't you go be a human doctor" gets me every time. Obviously, if I had wanted that, then that's what I would be doing. Blech. People are gross.
 
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Yes, you should feel guilty for pursuing an education and a career because we all know our only purpose as women is to procreate. When I hear things like this, I just want to yank out my uterus and slap them in the face with it.
and then when you're in the middle of vet school, it rips out some poor cow or horse's uterus and slaps you in the face with it and you wonder why you didnt want to just stay at home with your rich husband and raise babies (not that that is by far an easy task but sometimes "housewife" with or without kids just seems like it would be more rewarding!). ;)
 
I also frequently get the "Why would you want to be an animal doctor? Don't you like people?"

I don't get this one so much. Anyone who spends five minutes with me figures out that I don't like people. ;)
 
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I got back in town for the holidays a few days ago, just finished my first semester and had the following conversation last night with my boyfriend's buddy's fiancée:

GF: Wow, you're back! You've been gone since like.......
TL: August.
GF: So you're done now right?
TL: Not quite.
GF: So you have to go back!?
TL: Yes, after New Years.
GF: Wow, how much longer?
TL: o_O
 
I got back in town for the holidays a few days ago, just finished my first semester and had the following conversation last night with my boyfriend's buddy's fiancée:

GF: Wow, you're back! You've been gone since like.......
TL: August.
GF: So you're done now right?
TL: Not quite.
GF: So you have to go back!?
TL: Yes, after New Years.
GF: Wow, how much longer?
TL: o_O

Hopefully he doesn't love her for just her smarts...
 
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Got a nice one last night. I was at a shindig full of MDs who have known me for years. When they found out of my acceptance, they were all so very elated for me. Best comment of the night from an MD:

Real doctors treat more than one species.

That's gotta be a bumper sticker, right? Makes me wish I had a car.
 
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Got a nice one last night. I was at a shindig full of MDs who have known me for years. When they found out of my acceptance, they were all so very elated for me. Best comment of the night from an MD:

Real doctors treat more than one species.

That's gotta be a bumper sticker, right? Makes me wish I had a car.
Currently wearing my shirt that says that. In K-State purple o course
 
We gots da shirts that say that too. I 'spect most schools do, or have.

I try not to wear it to the gyno or anything - just in case it ruffles any physician feathers... :rolleyes:

I make a point to wear it to doctor appointments. Most of them love it.
 
Went home for the holidays but I don't like telling people the news, because seriously it's wasted - Nobody appreciates the struggle like us!!!

Haha, I am a year out of undergrad and distant relatives or friends still ask Q's like:

"So are you the last one going off to college now?" No... no, I did that already actually...awk

Sitting in the airport two days ago, coming back from the holiday and I was working on my interview topics... The Q scribbled in my notebook at the time was "Why did you choose UCD? <My undergraduate college>"
This chick next to me asks all sweetly, "Oh are you trying to get into UC Davis for undergrad??"

Uh... "Nope, Already did that... graduated... going to vet school now actually.." Turns out she's my age and she just graduated from there too.
 
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