Hi all, I am a first year veterinary student at Iowa State University. I am interested in applying for a zoo residency and internship in the future. I realize how important research is. I got accepted to a summer research program with an opportunity for co-publication. The downfall is that it is in more of a genetics field working on treatments for genetic diseases more on the human side. It is a project on the forefront of research for the treatment of neuromuscular disorders. I would also most likely get published. But I am unsure if this would be a good choice for me, or if I should decline and try to get something more zoo/wildlife related during my second year? Its tough since there aren't a lot of wildlife opportunities for me in the middle of Iowa.
Help: Future zoo residency help
- Thread starter moose124
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I’m not a zoo med person, but personally I would just do it even though it’s maybe not as relevant for zoo medicine. It will be good experience and you will have a publication on your resume for rotating internship and residency apps. You can always still try and get a more zoo/wildlife-related research experience next summer even if you do this one this summer.
Thanks! They just told us if you do the program your first year, you are less likely to get a project your second year. They give priority to students who haven't done the program yet. I was just a little concerned about that. But your definitely right about it maybe helping out the resume anyways
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@WildZoo and @pinkpuppy9 may be able to offer more tailored insight, but I agree with the above advice too. The experience of research and publishing will be helpful no matter what the particulars are. However, if you think there would be the opportunity for something more specific to your field of interest, of course that would be preferable. What are the chances you are a. Accepted to the program again and b. The research is more zoo-specific? Those are important questions to answer before making your decision, in my opinion. And like battie said, there are always other opportunities out there if you look; diversifying would be a good thing 
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I definitely wouldn't turn down this experience for the potential maybe of getting something more zoo related next year. You don't know if that's going to happen. Now, of course if there was some zoo project that you're considering right now too, that's a different situation, but it doesn't sound like the case. Research experience is still good even if it's in a distantly related field. The skills you acquire through the experience will be beneficial, so will being published, and it's just one of those things where it's generally useful to have those doors open.
All that being said, you absolutely should look into getting involved in the zoo field specifically as well. It doesn't have to be through that same program. You do have an ACZM diplomate at Iowa State - I would reach out to her for advice. Even if she doesn't have something herself you can work on, she may have contacts she can put you in touch with. If you've got exotics/zoo clubs, get involved there. Leadership positions in those organizations give you an opportunity to network with potential guest lecturers and such. If you have the extra funds, join the relevant organizations and consider attending conferences. More networking, learning about things that aren't touched on much in vet school, and it'll be good to have on your CV as evidence of your dedication to the field.
Note that I'm speaking from the position of a vet doing PhD research in wildlife health, so this is based on advice I have been given in pursuing zoo medicine, not on personal success in doing so since I'm not at the internship/residency application part yet
Thanks so much! This was a breath of fresh air. I am pretty involved in the exotics clubs and in contact with an exotics faculty advisor. I guess my next question would be, do you think experience in other aspects of vet med unrelated to the field you are attempting to apply for residency in hurt you in any way?I definitely wouldn't turn down this experience for the potential maybe of getting something more zoo related next year. You don't know if that's going to happen. Now, of course if there was some zoo project that you're considering right now too, that's a different situation, but it doesn't sound like the case. Research experience is still good even if it's in a distantly related field. The skills you acquire through the experience will be beneficial, so will being published, and it's just one of those things where it's generally useful to have those doors open.
All that being said, you absolutely should look into getting involved in the zoo field specifically as well. It doesn't have to be through that same program. You do have an ACZM diplomate at Iowa State - I would reach out to her for advice. Even if she doesn't have something herself you can work on, she may have contacts she can put you in touch with. If you've got exotics/zoo clubs, get involved there. Leadership positions in those organizations give you an opportunity to network with potential guest lecturers and such. If you have the extra funds, join the relevant organizations and consider attending conferences. More networking, learning about things that aren't touched on much in vet school, and it'll be good to have on your CV as evidence of your dedication to the field.
Note that I'm speaking from the position of a vet doing PhD research in wildlife health, so this is based on advice I have been given in pursuing zoo medicine, not on personal success in doing so since I'm not at the internship/residency application part yet
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No, I don't think so. Especially for zoo. I mean, it kind of encompasses most everything, right? So there's something to be learned from most areas of vet med. I think the only way it could hurt you is if focusing on experiences in those other areas leads to you not getting experiences in your field of interest. Certainly if you spend a ton of time on small animal surgery, and are being compared to someone who has that same amount of time doing exotics research or something, whereas you have very little, that's going to maybe put you at a disadvantage. But I don't think anyone is going to look at an application that has both and say "well we don't like that you pursued this other interest as well".
That all makes sense. Thanks so much for your advice
