I Think Now Is The Time....

[jtom]

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After thinking about it I am starting to look at career paths other then a vet. As some of you may know, I am 24 years old with a decent gpa but have no animal/vet experience. I graduated 12/2008 with a biology degree. What I believe I failed to mention is that since I graduated, I have not been able to find a real job, probably was not the best time to graduate with the economy.

Up until now, I have been searching for clinics to shadow and work at. I planned on taking the GRE again and just working until next years application cycle at a clinic to get hours in. I got a few replies and things looked promising. However, after thinking about it for the last few days, I am very frightened that I will not get into vet school. I would find out in a little under two years whether I got in if I apply next year. I am just so nervous that I could be 26 and have never had a real job with the only thing to show for it being that I was an assistant at a vet clinic.

I think it is just extremely difficult for someone like me being a few years older then alot of applicants and just starting to get volunteer hours in without real work experience in any other field. Combined with the highly competitive nature of vet school admissions, I just am so afraid that I will be 26 and not have anything to show for it.

I started looking for alternative programs to get into. MPH degrees seem interesting to me and I have found a few that I can apply to for this fall. I was just wondering if anyone thinks my reservations about vet school are logical and if there is any other career paths similar to vets that have stable jobs and also any other types of degrees I could get with a biology background. I thought I could possibly work part time at a clinic while in school for another program and still apply to vet school but I am not sure how great of a committment I can make.

Thanks!

 

[BlacKAT33]

I think this is a completely normal thing to think. If i hadn't gotten into school this year I would have been out looking for a real job too (because i was only on a 2 yr fellowship before). I have friends who have bio degrees and it has been really hard finding jobs in this market. If i had no vet experience yet i would be really nervous too.

Sorry but i have kind of forgotten your background even though i know its probably posted throughout other threads. But if your stats are decent, and if you dont have a job now...i may give it one fast shot before you give give up on vet school. You can get animal/vet experience now. If you dont have a job, you can rack up hours really fast!! i mean 40 hrs a week! I know you're worried it wont work out, so why not apply for MPH at the same time?? i thought about doing this but by the time i finished supplementals i got lazy. I think this is a good idea. Now, if you dont want to go to vet school then its not worth it. But why not give it 1 shot while your young? If it doesnt work out, you can also apply later in life. But if you KNOW you want to go to vet school id just test the waters first before adding more yrs to my life getting another degree/working another job. Maybe just your IS school and 1 OOS school. And then multiple schools for MPH? The MPH deadlines are also later than vet school i think so you'd have extra time to complete that.

edit: you may also consider schools have that DVM/MPH programs! i know vmrcvm just started this this year. if you dont get into their DVM program u could at least do MPH and then gain residency while you're doing it. you'd also get some good eLORs if you are close with your profs and i think you could gain some connections at the school. you'd also be by the vet school so you could gain animal/vet experience on the side of your MPH

 

[VeganSoprano]

I think an MPH is a solid plan - it's my backup as well. You can also gain vet experience while you're in school and decide if you want to pursue a DVM after graduation. I understand your reservations about possibly being 26 with only an undergrad degree and no professional work experience and I think if an MPH interests you, it's a good idea. If you started vet school after your MPH, you would be 30-32 when you graduated which is still not very old.

 

[jtom]

I planned on applying to an mph program for this fall- there are still many schools with deadlines in july. I am just not sure how many hours I can obtain to apply with for this application cycle. So far I have a few intereted vets who will allow me to interview for volunteer positions but I am assuming those will be part time. I guess I feel that I would be lucky to have a few hundred hours in before I needed to apply in August/Septemer for the october deadline. I honestly think it might be more realistic to just not apply this year and try to get part time work during my first year in an mph program and go from there. I have also looked at going to mph programs at schools with dvm programs and plan on applying to one this weekend.

 

[cRose]

There's nothing wrong with pursuing vet med while having a "back-up" career in place, in case that it never pans out.

A MPH degree is a great idea. You will most likely be able to acquire some of that experience that you're hoping to get simply by being a grad student. Vets have a vast array of career options, but the options are even more diverse for a DVM-MPH.

You could also try to get some part-time work or shadowing gig at a clinic near your school. That way, you would have both clinical and research experiences by the time that you apply.

There is nothing wrong with delaying your application by a couple of years in order to get good experiences as well as to ensure that if it never pans out, you have a solid career ahead of you, anyway. In the grand scheme of things, waiting one or two cycles to apply to school will not make much of a difference. But you shouldn't give up on vet med if it's something that you're really passionate about.

 

[that redhead]

You know, I have the same worries some times. Last summer, I decided that I couldn't be a vet because I couldn't get through Orgo. I threw in the towel and started looking at jobs as lab animal techs (which is what I do now, only I'm also a student). I'm qualified and I'm sure I could find a job. I also have other animal-related fields I could go into. I considered becoming a farrier, a barn manager, etc. There are jobs out there.

But then I realized I wouldn't be happy doing that. I need to be a vet, with everything in me. That sounds so cliche and sappy and silly but it's true. I think you need to ask yourself if you can be truly happy doing something else. If the answer is yes, by all means, go for it and best of luck! Me? I'll be here as long as I need to be, applying away. I would be lying if I said I didn't want to get in my first try, though.

 

[nyanko]

I just am so afraid that I will be 26 and not have anything to show for it.

You gotta be kidding me...this statement is absurd. You're going to be 26 either way, you know?

 

[No Imagination]

Make sure you understand what you are getting into with an MPH. While it certainly does compliment a DVM very well, it is not at all what I thought it would be when I contemplated it.

With that said, while I would have been 'happier' doing an MS in a physical science, I think the job prospect (for a career outside of teaching) are MUCH better with an MPH than other MS degrees.

Just wrap you head around it - I would give you my opinion of it, but i've been corrected (here on SDN) that not all programs are created equal, and your experience might be very different then my own, so gonna have to check it out for yourself.

 

[jtom]

You can PM me your experiences in your mph program if you like.

I think that I have been approaching this from the wrong angle. I have placed getting into vet school as my primary concern and had planned on simply just shadowing/working at vet offices for this year and then applying next year. I think experience hours should become secondary and a part time committment while I pursue a mph degree. I just cannot shadow for a year straight and not feel nervous about my future.

As others have said, maybe it would be wise to apply to MPH programs at schools that also have DVM programs. That way I can gain residency and possible connections in the area when and if I apply to the vet school.

I had one question: if I got an mph degree would that balance out a lower GRE score- 1110? I really dont want to have to retake the GRE, as is the program I am looking at applying to their vet school requires the biology GRE.

Thanks again guys!

 

[VeganSoprano]

I don't know about the degree itself, but 1110 should be a competitive GRE score as long as your GPA is strong. It's a score that pretty much won't help or hurt you.

 

[No Imagination]

You can PM me your experiences in your mph program if you like.

To clarify, I did not do an MPH - just applied and visited a few schools looking into it, and did not like what it entailed.

 

[rileyroo]

i think you would benefit from looking at the Successful Applicants Stats c/o 2014 Thread (and earlier..c/o 2013, 2012..) you'll see that not all of us are 22, people got in with a gre score lower than yours, gpa lower than yours, little to no experience, etc.


just a thought.

 

[jtom]

If I applied to a school for mph and it also had a vet program, could I apply this year and possibly finish the second year of my mph and start the vet program the same year assuming I get in?

Thanks!

 

[parietal]

If I applied to a school for mph and it also had a vet program, could I apply this year and possibly finish the second year of my mph and start the vet program the same year assuming I get in?

Thanks!

Depends on the school, but generally no. Ohio State and Colorado State's Veterinary Public Health programs are exceptions to this, however. But I think the deadlines for both of those programs have passed...

Edited to add: I am incorrect. Ohio State's Veterinary Public Health program deadline has been extended to May 31.

 

[philomycus]

You gotta be kidding me...this statement is absurd. You're going to be 26 either way, you know?

Yep. I started vet school at 35 and have just finished my 3rd year. I'll be 39 when I graduate. You are nowhere near "older"

 

[parietal]

Yep. I started vet school at 35 and have just finished my 3rd year. I'll be 39 when I graduate. You are nowhere near "older"

Yeah, that statement of jtom's made me feel ancient, too. I'm 33 and will be 37 when I finish my DVM. But I have no regrets. I had a very fulfilling first career, and I've mostly felt like my age is a benefit rather than a hindrance.

 

[jtom]

My main concern with being 26 was that I would also have no real work experience or other careers, it was not solely based on my age.

 

[BarnyardPunch]

My main concern with being 26 was that I would also have no real work experience or other careers, it was not solely based on my age.

In this economy, you probably won't be alone in that situation. MPH isn't a bad idea, if you're actually interested in that area and aren't just trying to bide time.

If you're not able to find "real" work, try finding a volunteer position that has some amount of leadership or self-starting aspect to it so you can illustrate professional growth even as a volunteer (or as a vet assistant). Spearhead a project, take on a public-facing role. Identify a challenge and come up with a suggested solution, hopefully then implement it.

This kinda thing sounds good to any potential employer too, so it's not like you'd be wasting time while waiting for the job market to recover in your area.

Good luck!

 

[jtom]

I really need some advice!

So I started to apply to mph programs. I need 2-3 letters of reference for each school. I emailed my former professors that have written letters for me last week at my undergrad university. I have since then not gotten a response and realized that last week was finals week and this week the campus is closed until summer session starts next week. While I could just wait until next week to see if they reply, I also looked and none of my professors are teaching summer courses this summer! The deadlines for the programs are in july. Am I screwed? Since I graduated I have only worked at a resturant and I think it would look odd if I have three managers from the same restaurant write letters for me, not to mention I was laid off from that job 4 months ago.

Thanks!

 

[moosenanny]

I'm sure there's a way your professors can check their email from home. Don't you think so too?

 

[jtom]

I realize the obvoius nature of my question but usually in the past they do not answer emails unless they are in the office.

 

[Tiktaalik]

I realize the obvoius nature of my question but usually in the past they do not answer emails unless they are in the office.

They're probably either taking a post-finals break or scrambling to meet grade submission deadlines. Don't panic.

 

[nyanko]

I'm going to suggest that you take a deep breath and calm down a little about all of this. There really is no massive rush here. Do what you can do for the applications and if the people don't respond within the next two weeks or so try again. If the professors are tenure-track research professors, they will be on campus most likely even if they are not teaching classes over the summer. It's a good time to conduct research. If they're adjunct or lecturers, you might have a harder time tracking them down, but then I'd figure that those types would probably check their email at home more often.

 

[der2002]

I'm going to suggest that you take a deep breath and calm down a little about all of this.

ditto to this and the whole application process in general

 

[parietal]

ditto to this and the whole application process in general

👍

 

[jtom]

Thanks guys I will calm down a little. I guess with the schools I am applying to they only allow fall admission and I dont want to wait until the following year to start school. The earliest deadline is July 1st so I do have time.

 

[Minnerbelle]

Thanks guys I will calm down a little. I guess with the schools I am applying to they only allow fall admission and I dont want to wait until the following year to start school. The earliest deadline is July 1st so I do have time.

yep! definitely calm down some, cause if you're contacting professors you haven't seen in a couple of years (esp if they weren't your BFF's) reeking of desperation, it won't paint a good image of you and won't be conducive to your prof writing a magnificent LOR.

 

[Tiktaalik]

Echo: Chill, bro. I can tell from your posts that you like to know what's up and can get a little type A, just like most of us. The best approach is to do what you can when you can, and don't let things outside your control stress you. We're rooting for you.