Getting Experience in a Vet School Town?

[HappyHorse]

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Hey guys!

So I've been having a BIG problem trying to get veterinary experience while away at school. Because my undergrad is also one of the veterinary colleges, all of the practices anywhere near here are absolutely saturated with pre-vet/veterinary tech students and I haven't been able to find work or shadowing anywhere. I've contacted about 11 clinics so far (still waiting to hear back from a few) and they've all pretty much turned me down.

I was wondering if anyone else had this same issue and how you were able to eventually find...well...anything! I have a few months experience under a veterinarian from back home that I worked with over the summers but I'm staying here this summer and worried I still won't be able to find anything by then.

I'm in my second year here at undergrad and I really need to start chalking up some hours! Any advice would be much appreciated 🙂

 

[PetPony]

Have you asked at the teaching hospital yet? I know I was too intimidated an figured there were too many people there already. I tried really hard to find other places, but eventually gave up, got over myself and asked at the large animal teaching hospital. I am now shadowing there! 🙂

I don't know if you are looking for an actual job, but if you are fine with shadowing, you could ask there. 🙂

 

[HappyHorse]

You know I actually haven't and for the reason you just described! Hahaha. I thought for sure that if other hospitals were already overflowing with volunteers that the actual teaching hospital on campus most certainly would be.

I guess I'll try my luck there too then.

I was also wondering if things would quiet down a lot in the summertime as a lot of students go back home. Hopefully a lot more would open up then as well.

 

[PetPony]

You know I actually haven't and for the reason you just described! Hahaha. I thought for sure that if other hospitals were already overflowing with volunteers that the actual teaching hospital on campus most certainly would be.

I guess I'll try my luck there too then.

I was also wondering if things would quiet down a lot in the summertime as a lot of students go back home. Hopefully a lot more would open up then as well.

I thought so! hahaha I was actually the only person shadowing at the large animal hospital until this week, when my friend started. I also only know of one person in the small animal clinic. So at least at UGA, there really aren't that many people asking to follow the vets.

I don't know how it will be over the summer, but I will definitely try again then. I hate my current job and hope that I might get the chance to work at a vet clinic for at least those two months.

 

[Trilt]

You know I actually haven't and for the reason you just described! Hahaha. I thought for sure that if other hospitals were already overflowing with volunteers that the actual teaching hospital on campus most certainly would be.

I guess I'll try my luck there too then.

I was also wondering if things would quiet down a lot in the summertime as a lot of students go back home. Hopefully a lot more would open up then as well.

Definitely ask! I also kind of thought there'd be overflowing with undergrads at my hospital, but I was definitely the first undergraduate some of the departments had seen in ages. I kept getting mistaken for a third year vet student.

As far as "real" veterinary clinics; if they say yes or even "maybe," just be persistent. I called the clinic I volunteered at something like twelve times.

 

[hairlessratlvr]

Another option is veterinary related research. It it is a good way to diversify your experience. I don't know your location well or how research oriented the school is, but at Davis I simply looked up labs online that were in areas of veterinary research I found interesting and sent them e-mails. In my e-mail I specifically stated why I was interested in their lab and how it would be mutually beneficial if I volunteered there (pretty much e-mailed a cover letter) and I also attached my resume. Something to consider if you are still struggling to find a clinic.

 

[PetPony]

Another option is veterinary related research. It it is a good way to diversify your experience. I don't know your location well or how research oriented the school is, but at Davis I simply looked up labs online that were in areas of veterinary research I found interesting and sent them e-mails. In my e-mail I specifically stated why I was interested in their lab and how it would be mutually beneficial if I volunteered there (pretty much e-mailed a cover letter) and I also attached my resume. Something to consider if you are still struggling to find a clinic.

After I shadowed for about 2 months, I asked the vets at the vet school about their research and will be with two different projects (one watching, one helping) over the summer. Once you have the contacts, there are so many things you can do.

Definitely be persistent! It shows that you really are interested.

 

[breenie]

This was my situation in undergrad, and my unhelpful advice is... get creative, and get aggressive.

Seems like you've already gotten used to the rejection, which is good. Ask everywhere. I found a few places that would let me shadow (odd times at the emergency clinic, a place who was owned by someone a family member knew), despite the oversaturation. Just. Keep. Hounding. Do. Not. Stop.

Also... take some animal-related jobs. One of my BEST veterinary connection was made from working for a farmer. She knew someone and gave me a recommendation to them, which ended up being my best shadowing experience (as well as best learning and professional experience). I still interact with that veterinarian a lot, and would have NEVER figured out to contact him or that he was a good resource if it weren't for her. So, start from the ground, and build up. Animal experience is good, and it can often be an avenue into veterinary experience. I was able to get the attention of dairy vets once I could say I had milked cows and goats as a JOB instead of just being "kind of interested" in the dairy industry.

And, perhaps the only useful and applicable tip from this post... the pre-vet craze drops off at about a 45-50 minute drive from the university. If you have a car, can pay for gas, and are willing to devote the time... I guarantee you can find a clinic 1 hour away that would love to have you. I found quite a few in Wisconsin. 🙂

 

[skittles12]

I definitely agree that you should ask at the teaching hospital. Is there a pre-vet club at your undergrad? Here at UT the pre-vet club set up volunteer opportunities at the teaching hospital. I spent a semester shadowing in the physical therapy department and loved it.

Also, look at other things such as zoos, shelters, etc. It may not be veterinary experience at first, but it could lead to it. Especially if the teaching hospital does work for the zoo, as is the case here. I got to see some pretty cool turtle care when I interned at the zoo.

Best of luck to you--just keep asking!

 

[marino0213]

Happy Horse,
Do you currently attend OSU? I see that it says your current location is Ohio. If so, then you should definately get involved in the pre-vet club. At the current moment, the club has a volunteer opportunity in the SA hospital and is working on opening up another opportunity in the coming weeks. Also, you can volunteer at LA hospital if you would like to. In addition, the club sends out any job posting that they come by and quite a few of those are for veterinary assistant posistions and research opportunites.

PM me if you like more info about how to contact the Vet Med Center about volunteering. (I don't want to post personal e-mails here!)

 

[HappyHorse]

Happy Horse,
Do you currently attend OSU? I see that it says your current location is Ohio. If so, then you should definately get involved in the pre-vet club. At the current moment, the club has a volunteer opportunity in the SA hospital and is working on opening up another opportunity in the coming weeks. Also, you can volunteer at LA hospital if you would like to. In addition, the club sends out any job posting that they come by and quite a few of those are for veterinary assistant posistions and research opportunites.

PM me if you like more info about how to contact the Vet Med Center about volunteering. (I don't want to post personal e-mails here!)

PM sent! 😀

 

[twelvetigers]

I had the same situation. Here was my chain of events:

Research scholars program as freshman -> contact at vet school -> summer job doing research -> job in diagnostic lab -> job at vet clinic in town working with a spouse of a teaching hospital clinician I met while working the lab

So the moral of this story is... make contacts! And look for work in places other than vet clinics, because you don't know what could get your foot in the door (or what you might like a lot more than you thought you would).