Hands-on experience

[Schumi]

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I have a lot of hands-on experience with horses, but not enough with small animals. The small animals clinics I have worked at did not let a non-certified tech to perform most of the procedures... Will that hurt me a lot in vet school?

 

[Emio]

if horses are your only hands-on experience, yes, it will. if your equine experience is beyond extensive, the others won't have to be nearly so impressive, but they would like to see that you have experience with other types of animals. just the fact that you've been a volunteer (?) in small animal clinics is a big plus, but try to get some shelter experience as was mentioned in another thread; they tend to let their volunteers get more involved than some practices mihgt. also, zoo and/or wildlife or even livestock experience would be beneficial to really show that horses aren't the only thing you've had experience with.

 

[Bill59]

The main purpose of veterinary experience is so that you really see what veterinary medicine is like, so you know what you're getting into. A lot of people think they want to go into veterinary medicine until they see what it's all about. The veterinary schools want this to happen before you get accepted, not after.

Learning how to safely handle various species is also helpful. Learning how to do specific medical procedures (venipuncture, injections, cystocentesis) is a bonus but is not that important. In fact there's a reason many practices don't have laypersons doing these procedures.

 

[Schumi]

Thanks Bill.

I start classes on 08/12, and just start thinking about it. I can handle dogs and cats, it is just that I did not have a chance to do the more things like venipuncture, placing catheters, etc. The reason I did better with large animals, it was because I worked one on one with a mobile vet, so he was extremely nice, and let me do a lot with the horses, including intubating to treat for colic...

 

[Schumi]

Hi there.
I actually did work at a small animal practice, but for "liability" reasons, only the techs can do certain procedures... I also volunteered for an animal shelter in San Mateo, CA for five years. If you see my reply to Bill you will see why I had a better opportunity with large animals.
Thanks for the advice,
Schumi 🙂