How to get a job as a wildlife veterinarian

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cloverbug

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Hello, I'm a third year student right now but I'm really interested in wildlife population health. I've been trying to just look to see what kind of jobs would allow me to do that kind of work, but I feel like I just end up going in circles. Does anyone have any tools or resources I can look into to try to find more information on how to get into that specialty? Internships/residencies are really unlikely because my GPA is not great. Short story reason is my depression kicked my butt and I had difficulties staying emotionally up enough to do as well as I know I'm capable of doing. It's my own fault, but it also limits how I can get progress. I'm applying to externships for 4th year that provide more experience in wildlife health, but nothing is confirmed yet. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks!

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I do not think there is much chance of getting there without at least some degree of a masters or PHD level in wildlife sciences/ecology. I have heard of zoo veterinarians partly working in the area but they do not have the focused education either of those wildlife biologists or even zoologist working with that particular species or ecosystem. I once tried to get into field and was told I did not have the depth of background a wildlife biologist and was less suited. This was told me by a veterinary pathologist/Phd.
 
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Hello, I'm a third year student right now but I'm really interested in wildlife population health. I've been trying to just look to see what kind of jobs would allow me to do that kind of work, but I feel like I just end up going in circles. Does anyone have any tools or resources I can look into to try to find more information on how to get into that specialty? Internships/residencies are really unlikely because my GPA is not great. Short story reason is my depression kicked my butt and I had difficulties staying emotionally up enough to do as well as I know I'm capable of doing. It's my own fault, but it also limits how I can get progress. I'm applying to externships for 4th year that provide more experience in wildlife health, but nothing is confirmed yet. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks!
Hi friend. Are you at all interested in doing this kind of work in a government setting? I can pass on the contact info for the Maryland state wildlife vet if you think talking with her would be helpful (she's very much about forging your own path, and that may work for you). She does a ton of field work with the state wildlife (stranding response, field necropsies, etc.). She's also extremely approachable and nice, so that's always helpful.

Also, don't beat yourself up about your grades. We only get 9 opportunities to make/break our vet school GPA, and this makes is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to improve from rough times. We also don't get real grades for clinics or most of the electives we're forced to take. This is why some of us have been piping up about this in those school-wide meetings with the dean. It's kind of ridiculous when you think about how the whole system works.
 
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Hi friend. Are you at all interested in doing this kind of work in a government setting? I can pass on the contact info for the Maryland state wildlife vet if you think talking with her would be helpful (she's very much about forging your own path, and that may work for you). She does a ton of field work with the state wildlife (stranding response, field necropsies, etc.). She's also extremely approachable and nice, so that's always helpful.

Also, don't beat yourself up about your grades. We only get 9 opportunities to make/break our vet school GPA, and this makes is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to improve from rough times. We also don't get real grades for clinics or most of the electives we're forced to take. This is why some of us have been piping up about this in those school-wide meetings with the dean. It's kind of ridiculous when you think about how the whole system works.
That would be great! Due to having to work to pay bills, it's been difficult to get to conferences to make connections. That and I'm horrible at going up to strangers. Social anxiety is not my friend. And yes, how things are set up grade wise are really tough on us. Ecotox and Whittington's exotic mammal classes are the only ones I know that were for a grade. I just feel bad about mine because I know I can do better if I wasn't so busy and if my depression didn't destroy my motivation. I wish we got grades for clinics. I think it would help a lot of us. I mean, they make us take assessments all the time so I don't see why we couldn't get a real grade for it.
 
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