You'll find this out soon enough, but this jumped out at me so I thought I'd point it out. Whether you think you need the experience or not is a nonissue. Many schools have minimum hours needed in order for your application to be submitted. You can have a 4.0, but if you have no experience your chances of getting in are basically nil. Luckily you have plenty of time to rack up some experience hours. I would suggest taking this summer to start getting some shadowing under your belt.
Out of curiosity, what made you so set on vet med if you haven't had much experience with it?
I didn't mean to imply that I don't intend to get experience or think that it's unnecessary for applying to schools. I've only recently decided to change my career path, and have been working close to full time on top of school, so I have yet to have the opportunity to do any shadowing. As you said, I'll be utilizing the summer to do so.
Vet med has been something I've wanted to do for a long time - I've always enjoyed caring for animals. I suppose that's a kind of vague reason but it just feels like the right path. I really didn't think I was cut out for extensive schooling(I didn't do so well or even really try in high school), so I settled for vet tech since it's a relatively easy 2 year degree. I don't know what changed but while I was waitlisted and taking gen eds I found that I really enjoy school and want to be something more than just a vet tech, thus my decision on vet med instead.
In line with this, you might be able to ask about where to get vet experience in the area. There might be a way for pre-vets to do something through the vet school, or maybe there are a lot of successful applicants from that area who have worked with a particular clinic. If you haven't gotten any vet experience yet, it can be hard to get your foot in the door, but that might help you figure out a place to start looking.
That's a good idea. I wasn't sure if it was okay to look for experience opportunities through the school or to ask someone at the school or if they expected you to do everything independently.
A few things that stand out here to me....
-Why are you leaning towards a biochem major? Are you genuinely interested in biochemistry? Is biochemistry something that you could see yourself doing in 10-15 years should you not get accepted into vet school? Your major needs to be based on something that you are really interested in so that if vet school does not work out you are able to "fall back" on it and not be disappointed or frustrated with what you are doing. I am not saying don't do biochem, if that is what interests you then go for it, but be sure that is something you really want to do and that you are not just majoring in that because it will end up getting you the pre-reqs for vet school and get you a degree at the same time.
-I 100% understand the "I really want to be a vet, this is all I have ever wanted, I can't seem myself doing anything else bit". I have been there. I have wanted to be a vet since I was able to walk basically. But up until I actually did get experience within the field did I realize how naive I was about what being a vet is really like. I still wanted to be a vet after getting the experience (obviously), but my viewpoint and recognition of what being a vet actually entails became much more realistic. I can just about guarantee that what you envision it to be in your head vs. what it is really like are two very different things. You really, really should go get experience within a veterinary setting. You need to get your feet wet and watch what goes on. I could attempt to explain some of the things I know you are not thinking of, but explaining it does not do it justice, you need to witness it and really see what it is like for yourself. This is why vet schools require you to have experience before you apply because what you think being a vet involves and what reality truly is are often two different things and while some people still fall absolutely in love with the profession after getting experience there are others that realize it is not for them. So, short version: Get experience and do it sooner rather than later. A great question to ask would be if they have any idea of where you could get your foot in the door to get experience or if they have any recommendations for starting off with gaining some veterinary experience.
-If you do choose to go the vet route, getting a vet tech degree is rather pointless. So only go on with the vet tech program if you end up deciding along the way that being a tech is more up your alley than actually being a vet.
Honestly, I'm not 100% interested in biochem, but I haven't found any other undergrad major at UW that would interest me more. I enjoy chemistry and biology and would be interested research if my plans for vet school fall through, so it seemed like a good choice. I'm definitely not considering it just because it covers the prereqs. I've considered Zoology and Animal Science as well, but I really can't see myself enjoying zoology in the long run and animal science seems to be more about farm and food animals than anything else. I may be wrong, but that's the gist I've gotten from looking through the program's website. I know that vets have to deal with both large and small animals, but I really can't see myself only working with large animals for my entire career.
I feel like I have a realistic expectation of what being a vet is like, but I'm sure you're right and that I'll find that it's a lot different than what I though once I get to experience it. Like I said before, I really don't mean to come off as unappreciative of the importance of experience, I just haven't had a chance to get my foot in the door yet. I'm hoping this position at the wildlife rehab will be beneficial in the mean time. It's through the local humane society, and I was hoping to get a position in the medical center or at least working with companion animals, but the wildlife center was the only availability they had at the moment.
I get what you mean about vet tech being a waste of time. I haven't given up my place in the program yet just in case something fell through, but since it doesn't seem like that's going to happen, I'll be removing myself before fall class registration next month.
Thanks everyone for the replies : )
