However, I disagree with SOV and Minnerbelle about shadowing being the same as working.
Well obviously, they are two different things. No one is denying that fact.
In my experience you learn a lot more working at a clinic versus shadowing.
I agree that you would be learning MORE working in most cases over being a shadower (and my intention isn't to devalue what techs do/know at all), but I'm not sure you'll necessarily be learning
more of the specific things admissions are looking for when they evaluate a candidate for vet school. And by that I mean, in my little thought bubble about how admission works, they decide based on questions like:
- has the applicant demonstrated that they are academically qualified to graduate vet school and pass boards?
- do they stand out from others with positive and interesting characteristics?
- does the applicant have enough understanding of the profession so that we can reasonably assume he/she knows what she's getting into?
I think all SOV and I are saying is that you don't need to be a tech to satisfy that to
get in to vet school. That can be evidenced by the large number of people who get in every year who have never worked as a tech. Or has worked as a "tech/assistant" but doesn't actually know much. Whether that's to the detriment to those those individuals in their future career is certainly debatable. If you think that adcoms are making a mistake by choosing their classes that way, you are entitled to your opinion, but that doesn't change the fact that this is what it is.
The interaction as a assistant/tech with the vet and clientele can be vastly different than if you were shadowing.
Again, very true. But that's not what anyone is trying to argue. Your opinions might differ, but I don't think you necessarily
need these interactions with clients to understand what the profession is about (or make a decision about whether it's one you want to enter or not). Same thing with tech skills, autoclaving, cleaning, and what have you. Those are both skills that are important for vets to know, but they're both teachable given that the person is able.
Yes, shadowing is great for giving students a view of the profession but again in my opinion doesn't give the whole picture of what a vet does.
Perhaps, but neither does a tech job. There are plenty of techs out there who satisfactorily perform their jobs that don't really understand what a vet does. There are plenty who do, but again, that's my point. It really is what each individual makes of their time in the clinic. As long as the shadower learns enough to make a case for themselves in their PS/interview, then that's really all that matters. It is up to them to make up for whatever they're deficient in once they're in vet school (some as a part of the curriculum, but often times, outside of school).
I also think skills learned as an assistant or tech are extremely beneficial and aid in studying in school and the first few years of practice. Let's face it SDNer's a large majority of first year students lack basic animal handling principles and simple veterinary skills. That's why Vet colleges now have intro courses to fill in the gaps. I feel as potential applicants we should do the best we can to make ourselves well rounded and qualified to be vets. Sorry about the soapbox rant again.
And let's face it Wycolo, first-years in any vet school class come from a huge variety of backgrounds in part because vet med is a very very diverse field. It is very short sighted of you to think that everyone should fit the clinical practice mold. You'll see when you start that all of your classmates have different strengths/weaknesses. It is also short sighted of you to presume that students who come in with less animal handling/tech skills aren't as qualified as you.
That being said, I do agree that if you can, then it's a great opportunity to have that experience as a tech. The longer you can do it in more diverse and more intense environments, the better. It will no doubt make
some parts of vet school easier, and you will have less of a learning curve leading up to clinics. But I think it's really important to remember that it's all a matter of what opportunities people have in front of them, and at what cost it takes to take one over another. Becoming a tech isn't always the best choice for everyone. Also remember that it is definitely possible to gain that experience in the first couple of years if you make time/effort to do so. And it can be more efficient, as you're a lot more likely to be able to do "stuff" as a vet student.
I
I give major kudos to any pre-vet full time student who manages a full-time job as well...and keeps up their grades. *bows down*
