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is your family supportive about vet school?
Started by lailanni
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Lailanni, I'm sorry your parents aren't supportive of veterinary school! Hopefully when they actually see how much work it requires they'll come around!
I know my family certainly needed to come around to the idea of vet school!
My dad is VP of a big private company so when I was the first of his daughters to go to college he wanted nothing more than for me to be a business major. He definitely didn't like it when I told him I wanted to study biology. He said, and I quote, "I know a woman who has a degree in microbiology you could talk to. She's my secretary now, that should tell you where that degree will get you." 🙄 I finally told him to shove it one day and I dragged him to school with me and took him to all my classes (cell biology, histology, immunology, genetics lab, and biochemistry) and that changed his mind pretty quick as to how dedicated I was and how hard I worked. Now he's really supportive actually (this whole thing was over 4 years so it did take some time) and he's even going with me over spring break to tour Texas A&M and he's really excited about it. That's how I won him over!
My mother has always been supportive about vet school but worries constantly about how much it's going to cost and how long it'll be before I can work. She keeps asking when I'm going to get out of school and "into the real world" as if school is some kind of lazy vacation for me 🙄.
My step-father is in the medical profession and of course the first thing he said when I told him I wanted to be a veterinarian was "Why don't you want to be a REAL doctor?" My grandpa said the same thing, he was a nurse in the navy during WWII and he said it was my obligation to become a doctor if I was smart enough to do so. I just kept showing them my tests though and telling them about everything I have to learn about in veterinary school (they were SHOCKED that you can have an oncology program for anything that's not human 🙄) and now they're supportive of me as well 🙂.
I'm very thankful that my boyfriend has been super supportive of me from the beginning, so that's one person that never needed convincing...and he actually IS going to med school!
Likewise, I support him too!
So keep your chin up Lailanni, I started out with the majority of my family fighting against me and now they're all really interactive and supportive of my goals! It can be done!
I know my family certainly needed to come around to the idea of vet school!
My dad is VP of a big private company so when I was the first of his daughters to go to college he wanted nothing more than for me to be a business major. He definitely didn't like it when I told him I wanted to study biology. He said, and I quote, "I know a woman who has a degree in microbiology you could talk to. She's my secretary now, that should tell you where that degree will get you." 🙄 I finally told him to shove it one day and I dragged him to school with me and took him to all my classes (cell biology, histology, immunology, genetics lab, and biochemistry) and that changed his mind pretty quick as to how dedicated I was and how hard I worked. Now he's really supportive actually (this whole thing was over 4 years so it did take some time) and he's even going with me over spring break to tour Texas A&M and he's really excited about it. That's how I won him over!
My mother has always been supportive about vet school but worries constantly about how much it's going to cost and how long it'll be before I can work. She keeps asking when I'm going to get out of school and "into the real world" as if school is some kind of lazy vacation for me 🙄.
My step-father is in the medical profession and of course the first thing he said when I told him I wanted to be a veterinarian was "Why don't you want to be a REAL doctor?" My grandpa said the same thing, he was a nurse in the navy during WWII and he said it was my obligation to become a doctor if I was smart enough to do so. I just kept showing them my tests though and telling them about everything I have to learn about in veterinary school (they were SHOCKED that you can have an oncology program for anything that's not human 🙄) and now they're supportive of me as well 🙂.
I'm very thankful that my boyfriend has been super supportive of me from the beginning, so that's one person that never needed convincing...and he actually IS going to med school!
Likewise, I support him too!So keep your chin up Lailanni, I started out with the majority of my family fighting against me and now they're all really interactive and supportive of my goals! It can be done!
I'm home on spring break and had lunch with my mom and grandma today.
I may've posted this before in previous threads, but, my mom was never supportive or encouraging of me to pursue vet school, and my grandma seemed neutral on it, until I got my acceptance letter, when she became downright unhappy about it.
So the best quote of today has to be, "Could you get your old job back, if you went back there? Would they still give it back to you?"
"Why would I want my old job back, gram?" I asked. "I'm going to be a doctor. Why would I want to be a manager again?"
My grandma looked at me with a mixture of surprise and seriousness: "Well, in case you can't do it... "
I may've posted this before in previous threads, but, my mom was never supportive or encouraging of me to pursue vet school, and my grandma seemed neutral on it, until I got my acceptance letter, when she became downright unhappy about it.
So the best quote of today has to be, "Could you get your old job back, if you went back there? Would they still give it back to you?"
"Why would I want my old job back, gram?" I asked. "I'm going to be a doctor. Why would I want to be a manager again?"
My grandma looked at me with a mixture of surprise and seriousness: "Well, in case you can't do it... "
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" If you end up with a boring, miserable life because you listened to your mother, your father, your priest, to some guy on television, to any of the people telling you how to do your ****, then you deserve it."
-Frank Zappa
-Frank Zappa
My family/loved ones are very mixed about the whole thing. My parents are kind of happy, mostly because i'm happy, but they're very unhappy about the debt I'll be in, and because I'll be moving away (finally!!). The rest of my family is either kind of happy or neutral, but they're spread out all over the country anyway. My boyfriend and most of my close friends are proud of me, but really don't want me to go, and that combined with the parents' reaction is making it really tough. The only people that are 100% supportive are the ones in the general area I'll be moving to (which I guess makes sense).
But, that Zappa quote is excellent, and if I've learned anything since undergrad it's that you have to do what will make you happy, so I'm going!! Hopefully the bf will move with me - that's the current plan - but if he doesn't, either it will work out or it won't, but if it doesn't it's probably for the best anyway (although I doubt I'll feel that way if it happens🙂, at least I know it subconsciously!)
But, that Zappa quote is excellent, and if I've learned anything since undergrad it's that you have to do what will make you happy, so I'm going!! Hopefully the bf will move with me - that's the current plan - but if he doesn't, either it will work out or it won't, but if it doesn't it's probably for the best anyway (although I doubt I'll feel that way if it happens🙂, at least I know it subconsciously!)
Sheesh, it seems like most everyone on here at least has someone who isn't totally thrilled about this. My family is RIDICULOUSLY supportive. In fact, I can't call my brother these days (he lives in Cali) without the first words out of his mouth being, "Have you heard anything? Any news?" I'm waiting on Davis and he really wants me to go there. My parents are also incredibly supportive/involved.
Finally, my SO is truly a gem. He is completely supporting me in this, despite the fact that he's not really an animal person and sees his dreams of financial independence slipping away as we get ready to pay large sums of money for this education. But he's moving with me and is as on board with it all as I could ask for. The other night when we were talking about it, he even made it a point to tell me that he that, even though he knows this won't happen, should I feel like I chose the wrong school or if vet school isn't right for me after all, it'll be ok. He'll still support me no matter what I want to do. Isn't he great?! (I'd insert the lovey smiley here, but it makes me feel a little silly, so I'll refrain.) 🙂
Ok, that's all.
Finally, my SO is truly a gem. He is completely supporting me in this, despite the fact that he's not really an animal person and sees his dreams of financial independence slipping away as we get ready to pay large sums of money for this education. But he's moving with me and is as on board with it all as I could ask for. The other night when we were talking about it, he even made it a point to tell me that he that, even though he knows this won't happen, should I feel like I chose the wrong school or if vet school isn't right for me after all, it'll be ok. He'll still support me no matter what I want to do. Isn't he great?! (I'd insert the lovey smiley here, but it makes me feel a little silly, so I'll refrain.) 🙂
Ok, that's all.
VAgirl im right with you! My whole family is super supportive of me. Sometimes I think they are even more excited about things than I am (just when it hasn't hit me yet!). They are always asking me what is going on! I live with my grandmother and she used to tell me when the mailman was here incase i wanted to go down and catch him (i put a stop to that because i became even more anxious about the mail each day!). I have a cousin who is my age and we grew up a town apart so we are really close and he keeps telling me how he meets people and says "HI, my cousin is going to vet school" (i hope never to meet these people as I will be thoroughly embarrassed!)
I think they all thought i was crazy when about two years ago i started to think about people medicine (i mean i was crazy) and were thrilled when i finally decided on vet med as they knew it was right for me! My mom mentioned the other day how it just dawned on her that i was going into a slightly dangerous field when there was discussion of a rabies vaccine, but she laughed it off!
I wish everyone on here could have total support from your families. But don't let anyone keep you from your dreams (ok im done being sappy, sorry for the derailment!)
I think they all thought i was crazy when about two years ago i started to think about people medicine (i mean i was crazy
) and were thrilled when i finally decided on vet med as they knew it was right for me! My mom mentioned the other day how it just dawned on her that i was going into a slightly dangerous field when there was discussion of a rabies vaccine, but she laughed it off!I wish everyone on here could have total support from your families. But don't let anyone keep you from your dreams (ok im done being sappy, sorry for the derailment!)
Yay for families getting it!!
Wow VAgirl, keep that one under lock and key! 🙂
My SO made me promise the other night that if I didn't like vet school that I would leave. I really do get that he wants to be financially secure and live a "normal" life (I've been in school almost the entire time we've been together, and poor for a large chunk of it), but it really kind of makes me sad 🙁 I almost feel like people want me to fail at it, and I really don't know how to handle that. Perhaps it's my own paranoia, I don't know. But I did have to defer this year's acceptance so I won't be starting until 2009, and everyone's pretty happy about that - except me of course. So is it really paranoia?
<sad and confused over something that should be really really happy and exciting>
🙁 I'm sorry tastrophe. That's tough. I guess only you can say if it really it really feels like they (your SO? your fam?) want you to fail. I mean, my SO has joked about not wanting me to go to vet school. (When I was struggling with admissions essays and jokingly asked him if he wanted to do them for me, he said "OK. I'd write 'Take me, I'm awesome; take me, I'm awesome' over and over again." Then he thought about it and said, "Oh, wait, no. I'd write, "Don't take me, don't take me, don't take me." Obviously I wrote my own admissions essays.😉) And I know that he's sacrificing a lot for me to go and if it didn't mean so much to me, would gladly have me stay at my high paying job. But that's the difference. It does mean that much to me. So he's behind me. And I know any jokes are just that.
For your situation, it has got to be really tough. What does "if you don't like vet school" mean? If you have a hard week? A rocky class? A tough semester? It sounds to me from what current vet students say that vet school is kind of like a love/hate relationship anyhow. So will he be able to support you through that? Will he take any complaints as license to see if you're ready to leave yet? That kind of a situation could easily undermine one's confidence and happiness. Also, if you guys end up together, your debts become his. So if he's not on board with that, will he resent it in the long run?
I'm not trying to be overly negative. I really don't know what's right for you. But it seems to me there's a difference between wishing your partner had a different dream and wishing your partner would change their dream to something you found more suitable or give up on their dream. The first idea seems to me to be a part of the human condition...there's always going to be something we wish we could change about our partner. But if we accept that trait/goal as is, then we're ok. But the second idea seems like the person is waiting for something to make things better and thus not accepting their partner as is.
Gah, sorry this post is so long. PM me if you'd like to talk more. I apparently have a lot to say.😉 Hang in there, though. I think things have a way of becoming clear over time.
My boyfriend of 1.5 years and I broke up shortly after I got accepted to half the schools I applied to. I think he realized my dreams were coming true and couldn't handle it. It's for the better though, and trust me, I feel your pain. So now I'm just terrified to move to Fort Collins with no friends, no family, no boyfriend, no nothing... just me and the dog! But I'll be okay, and you will too because you're going to be a vet!!!!!
I broke off my three year engagement because my fiance` was too demanding and distracting for me to be able to do well in vet school.
I don't regret it at all, as I'm making 4.0s in my classes and am much happier knowing that I can concentrate on my dreams and not on the his needs.
I'm pretty strange, though.
I don't regret it at all, as I'm making 4.0s in my classes and am much happier knowing that I can concentrate on my dreams and not on the his needs.
I'm pretty strange, though.
You WILL be ok, Rex! Bummer that he couldn't handle being a part of your dreams, but better to find that out now and not let him drag you down during vet school. As someone with a husband and kids, I think being single would actually be infinitely easier during vet school, provided you have someone somewhere in the world willing to kick you out of the depths of despair from time to time and remind you that you can do this. Your classmates will likely be able to do that for you, though, so no worries.
I remember what a convoluted ride you've had getting to this point, so congratulations, and you are better off without him, eh?👍
I don't think you are strange. I think you are well grounded and balanced and know what you want.
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yah, i think "convoluted" pretty much sums it up. and last year when i didn't get in i'm pretty sure he was excited..... so yes, definately better off without him!
I'm sorry to hear that some families are unsupportive of their aspiring veterinarians. My family has always been pretty supportive, but that probably has a lot to do with the several members of my Dad's family that are DVMs. I'm just glad that they really get it that this is who I am and that I just CAN'T be anything other than me.
Also, I just wanna say how ridiculous it is that some people think that MD's are superior to DVM's. Tons of stats show that it is WAY harder to get into vet school than med school. Also, Pre-meds at my university, are a dime a dozen in the biology department. Its honestly so bad that when I tell ppl I am a Pre-Vet Major, they automatically just assume that I said Pre-med. I also get the feeling that the majority (NOT ALL) of Pre-meds are more interested in salary and family approval than science/medicine.
Stick with it and be proud! At least no one can say that we didn't follow our hearts!
Also, I just wanna say how ridiculous it is that some people think that MD's are superior to DVM's. Tons of stats show that it is WAY harder to get into vet school than med school. Also, Pre-meds at my university, are a dime a dozen in the biology department. Its honestly so bad that when I tell ppl I am a Pre-Vet Major, they automatically just assume that I said Pre-med. I also get the feeling that the majority (NOT ALL) of Pre-meds are more interested in salary and family approval than science/medicine.
Stick with it and be proud! At least no one can say that we didn't follow our hearts!
The only problem I've run into is my dad not wanting me to go down the large animal pathway. He would rather I take a "safer and higher paying" position as a small animal vet. 👎 This is very frustrating b/c I've friggin' shown cattle and horses all of my life AND been a large animal tech for almost 5 years now! I guess it's just b/c I'm the youngest girl...
Other than that concern, everyone is really excited 😀
Other than that concern, everyone is really excited 😀
Actually, we were just talking about this in another thread (I forget which one) and the statistics we were looking at showed that it was about equally difficult to get into vet school as med school. Now, we didn't account for the IS vs. OOS thing, but I'm not exactly sure how one goes about doing that. Just for the heck of it, though, I may look into calculating it because I'm curious.
So I'd be curious to know the statistics you are referring to.
(P.S. Sorry, I'm really good at hijacking threads.😳)
My family is super supportive. Now, if I hadn't gotten in this second time around, I could see where their patience my have waned a little. But now that I know I'll be going to vet school, they couldn't be happier. My dad had knee replacement surgery yesterday, and apparently he was telling his orthopedic surgeon all about vet school and the surgeon said something to the effect of "I wish I had gone to vet school" 😱 This is a very well know surgeon who also works for several professional athletic teams in the area. He makes a mint, I'm sure, and even he has regrets about not following the vet path!
Funny, I've heard a few other human doctors and a dentist say the same thing. If they had to do it over, they would have picked vet med.
I haven't heard any vets say the same -- if I had to do it over I would have picked human med. We win! 😉
I haven't heard any vets say the same -- if I had to do it over I would have picked human med. We win! 😉
Here's my opinion about the "harder to get in" idea: (and no-one is allowed to get mad at me 😛)
1) Both are hard to get into, so this whole argument is somewhat lacking in purpose!
2) There are fewer vet schools than med schools, but fewer vet wannabees than premeds
3) there are likely more unqualified people applying to be vets than there are applying to be doctors. I know this is controversial, but I think that there are a higher proportion of people who think that their extensive pet-owning or horse-showing activities are qualification enough to be vets. On the other hand, "wanting to be a doctor" has a long tradition of people being obsessed with grades, scores, etc. I think more people think they can walz into vet school than think they can similarly tumble into med school... and are often shocked to find themselves rejected!
4) By numbers, perhaps there is more "competition" per seat as a 1st year vet student around the country than there is for med students. However, a lot of that competition is quickly rejected and weeded out (for bad grades, for no vet experience) whereas fewer med students are as dramatically unqualified to be doctors.
5) Final conclusion:
both are hard!🙄
Final conclusion:
Amen! And for me, I think maybe I'll leave it at that. 🙂
The keynote speaker at SAVMA symposium said that some ridiculous percentage of lawyers, human doctors, and dentists would choose another profession if they had to do it all over again. (The percentages varied between 60-80%.) But 85% of vets would do it all over again and not change a thing! It seems we do win!
I don't think my parents understand what it means to do something you have passion for. My extended family thinks as long as you get a paycheck every week..thats what is imporant. (direct quote 2 days ago). My parents want me to where the demand and money is. ... which is opposite for me... If I'm not passionate about what I'm doing... I'm not going to do it.
My parents told me directly that they don't support what I'm doing and if I leave Wisconsin (which I am) they won't be plugging anythign into my education. (Right now all they are paying for anyways is books)
My SO of 3 years doesn't support me either... not really.
My friends don't support me either.
They don't think I'll get there because it's so competitive and ALL of them tell me to give up now.
Oh yeah and none of them support me being a vegetarian.
"You're so stupid." "It's not like you're making a difference" "Are you kidding me... you won't eat this piece for 1000 dollars?" "What happened to my daughter"
Let's just say... I don't really like being home when everyone else is here.
My parents told me directly that they don't support what I'm doing and if I leave Wisconsin (which I am) they won't be plugging anythign into my education. (Right now all they are paying for anyways is books)
My SO of 3 years doesn't support me either... not really.
My friends don't support me either.
They don't think I'll get there because it's so competitive and ALL of them tell me to give up now.
Oh yeah and none of them support me being a vegetarian.
"You're so stupid." "It's not like you're making a difference" "Are you kidding me... you won't eat this piece for 1000 dollars?" "What happened to my daughter"
Let's just say... I don't really like being home when everyone else is here.
I worked for an SA vet for a few years whose heart was definitely not in it and said over and over again that he wished he had gone into research. He did a lot of his own research on the side (human pharm), but was obviously limited by equipment/funding.
On the other hand, one of my favorite profs, who is new and recently completed her PhD in neuroscience, has told me multiple times that if she had it to do over again she would have seriously considered going to vet school.
On the other hand, one of my favorite profs, who is new and recently completed her PhD in neuroscience, has told me multiple times that if she had it to do over again she would have seriously considered going to vet school.
Yes. People don't seem to understand that it's like getting into medical school, only there are far far fewer seats in this country so really, getting into any veterinary school is like getting into the best medical schools in the country.
I'm also constantly amazed when people think that veterinary school is only a year or two... there seems to be a lot of misunderstanding... (which, I suppose strikes me as extremely odd, having wanted to be a veterinarian since I was 5 years old.)
Other things that piss me off (a little unrelated): when people seem to think that because I have "a plan" that my life is all set in stone and it's just daisies and tulips from here on out. And when they hear about $100k+ in debt they go, "oh, but you'll make money once you're out" and don't seem to understand that is not the case. Yeah, yeah, I know I got myself into it, but it still sucks.
Yeah, I constantly get people who think it's a 2 year program thats way easier to get into than med school 😡
I know what I'm going to do. You can do it too!! 😀
When I get into a practice, I'm going to make my own damn booklet about being a vet. You know, one of those things they stick out to read when you're in the waiting room.
It'll be all about the process, the facts & figures so people will get a clue. Yes, it's just as tough as med school. It IS 4 years. We do NOT get rich - salary comparisons to human doctors/dentists/etc. The average graduate debt. The many different ways vets help the community.
Someone needs to inform these people!
I know what I'm going to do. You can do it too!! 😀
When I get into a practice, I'm going to make my own damn booklet about being a vet. You know, one of those things they stick out to read when you're in the waiting room.
It'll be all about the process, the facts & figures so people will get a clue. Yes, it's just as tough as med school. It IS 4 years. We do NOT get rich - salary comparisons to human doctors/dentists/etc. The average graduate debt. The many different ways vets help the community.
Someone needs to inform these people!
While my dad has, for quite some time, been trying to convince me to go to medical school, I have to admit that I've been blessed with parents who, in the end, only really want what's best for me. Despite his med school urgings (he's a doctor himself and it would be his dream come true for me to take over his ophthalmology practice), he was all "I'm so happy for you and proud of you and knew you could do it" and so forth when I got into UTK. It sounded a little cheesy, but I know it's not easy for him, especially with his family being kind of conservative (in India, where we're from, it's considered somewhat low-caste to work with animals), and it was really sweet.
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THAT needs to be said more than once!
Lailanni,
I'm so sorry to hear that you and so many others have to deal with this. It's so depressing to be reminded that there are so many non-animal people in the world and people that just don't get it. I am SO looking forward to people in vet school that I can relate to!
I also went through the funny looks when I first announced that I was applying, since I already have a career. But then when I kept at it and didn't give up people realized maybe I was actually serious.
My family have not been animal people, and they are not sure where I got the passion for their well-being since I was a child. When I was about four years old I saved a honey bee from drowning in the pool and it stung me. I still remember my Mom looking bewildered as I was crying and explaining to my friend that "she just has a BIG heart".
Nonetheless, they have been supportive -although I lost my Mom last year. She had developed dementia and couldn't remember anything EXCEPT that I had applied to vet school and she kept wanting to know if I got in.
My father was an extremely accomplished human surgeon for 30 years. He has never once pressured me to human med. In fact, last year when I first applied to vet school he handed me his retired surgical instruments.
Then of course My Husband has been most supportive. Even when I'm not so sure. When pressed why, he just jokes that all our animals are getting older and will need free vet care in a few years
.So hang in there guys, we know why we are doing this and someday we can help make a better world for animals.
My family is so incredibly supportive, it makes me want to cry. But I come from a family of hippies and scientists, so it's understandable. To the day he died, my father was a dedicated r&d physicist. He was in school into his 30's, and dedicated his entire life to the development of stoichiometric explosive detection systems, even when the pay wasn't exactly consistent. And my mother always supported him in his dream; she was willing to hold off the marriage until after my father got out of school, and she actually helped him out with his thesis. All my parents ever wanted for both me and my brother is for us to follow our dreams, and when I finally became passionate about veterinary medicine they were so excited, happy and proud. Even my little brother offered to help his poor vet sister pay off student loans when he becomes a rich engineer (he's 16 now).😛
My uncle actually had a friend who went on to become a surgeon after her was rejected from whatever vet schools he applied to, because according to him it was easier to get into med school.
That being said, we have one old relative who likes to spout the "why don't you become a REAL doctor" nonsense. But she gets shot down by the rest of my family real quick.
My uncle actually had a friend who went on to become a surgeon after her was rejected from whatever vet schools he applied to, because according to him it was easier to get into med school.
That being said, we have one old relative who likes to spout the "why don't you become a REAL doctor" nonsense. But she gets shot down by the rest of my family real quick.
The more I think about it, maybe my parents are becoming more supportive of my vet med dream because they are just relieved that I didn't follow my heart into what I said I wanted to do at five years old (ish): work at Dairy Queen *part-time* and have my own rummage sales! They probably became very worried when I said this! 😀
My family is interesting. My dad is supportive until I remind him that I'm going to be crazy in debt -- then it's "well you made this choice". My mom is ALWAYS supportive. So are my grandparents and brother.
I'm actually having a lot of problems with one of my roommates being totally unsupportive. When I found out I got into WI, she goes: "oh, that's good. does it mean that you'll be less cranky?" WTF?!?!?!
She also is one of those "pets are not as important as humans" people, who doesn't keep her rabies tag on her dog at home .... which is kinda illegal, i think .... so yeah, its fun.
I'm actually having a lot of problems with one of my roommates being totally unsupportive. When I found out I got into WI, she goes: "oh, that's good. does it mean that you'll be less cranky?" WTF?!?!?!
She also is one of those "pets are not as important as humans" people, who doesn't keep her rabies tag on her dog at home .... which is kinda illegal, i think .... so yeah, its fun.
Ooh. I like that... that is reassuring!
It's so true. My cousin just got into dental school and when I asked her if its what she really wanted to do her answer was "HELL NO". Even though everyone has given me a hard time about me going to vet school, I know I will fullheartedly be able to tell my kids to go for their dreams - because you can!
My parents have always known that I wanted to work with animals - but I guess like lots of parents, they thought that I would "out grow" that. After 3 years of college and a degree in Biology I began applying to vet schools. My dad was confused as to why I didn't just send out apps to med schools "your not losing anything anyway". What he didnt get is that you cant have references doing it both ways. However, he convinced me to take the MCATs (i whooped my fellow pre-meds asses 😛) but my dad was so sad that with great scores I still wasn't applying to med school.
When time came for interviews, my parents were both supportive. My mom has always been the person in my family who says "go for your dreams". We moved from Russia, and she has always said that she moved here so that her kids could do what they wanted from their life and not have to choose a profession out of necessity. She has always been my backbone and I was always really appreciative of that.
My dad on the other hand has been that person that doesn't want to say to your face "why the hell are you cleaning up dog **** to slave for four years and get a job which pays so little" but does anyway. My dad's mother and both of his brothers are really close and ever sicne I was ten or so they have been all gangin up on me and trying to change my mind. My grandmother has always told me "why don't you go into physical therapy like your mom - she works 3 days a week and makes enough to support you in such a nice house". And everyone has always said the same thing. It wears you down time and time again - but I usually just try to walk away and ignore them. After a while you realize it's kind of pointless.
When I try to tell them that its a very lucrative field because its so hard to get into their only response is "well then go to med school - you can so get in." And my brother has probably been the most judgemental of all "go to NYU medical ... its right here in the city...one of the top medical schools and you can so get in. why do you have to be so different?" For him its like ive chosen some horrible life-ruining path.
The fact that I got waitlisted by 2 schools and rejected from the rest did NOT by ANY means help the situation. You guys all know how hard you studied, how great your grades were, how awesome your test scores were, how much experience you had to get...and so on and so forth. And I have always gotten in - always worked my little butt off. And so this started a new wave of "just go to med school so that you can not care about your job, make money, and vacation" cycles.
The moment I got into a school though - I got to tell you - the whole entire situation changed. Of course my mom, always so supportive, told me she knew the right thing would happen (kinda a hippie in her own right 😍) but then my dad so was proud, and my grandma (who just a week ago had told me to give up my foolishness)...and everyone actually. Everyone had realized how hard it was, and that just because it was animals it didn't mean that I wasn't appreciated.
So...actually I have gotten both sides of the coin here. I've had everyone discourage me and now everyone is rooting for me. To tell you the truth it feels so foreign to me that it makes me not believe I got in!!! 😀 I know that my happiness will be crushed once I realize how much four years of studying looks like in terms of books to memorize...but I'm basking in the glory for the moment!
By the way, it was great to read everyones story - differeing from no support to so supportive. It reminds me that we're in a field that needs alot of change. Not just the vet field - but the docs and dentists. I can't tell you how many doctors I go to who care so little about their job that they can't be bothered to even make a diagnosis and just try to send me on my way to a different doctor just to avoid doing any work whatsoever. Personally, I'm so glad I'm not in their shoes - to get up in the morning and despite your work!!!
That statistic on 85% of vets not changing their career paths even if they had a chance...I got to say that vet school may be hard to get into...but maybe there's a reason for that! Although, on the flip side, they should think of making it easier or there's gonna be a helluva vet shortage soon!
My parents have always known that I wanted to work with animals - but I guess like lots of parents, they thought that I would "out grow" that. After 3 years of college and a degree in Biology I began applying to vet schools. My dad was confused as to why I didn't just send out apps to med schools "your not losing anything anyway". What he didnt get is that you cant have references doing it both ways. However, he convinced me to take the MCATs (i whooped my fellow pre-meds asses 😛) but my dad was so sad that with great scores I still wasn't applying to med school.
When time came for interviews, my parents were both supportive. My mom has always been the person in my family who says "go for your dreams". We moved from Russia, and she has always said that she moved here so that her kids could do what they wanted from their life and not have to choose a profession out of necessity. She has always been my backbone and I was always really appreciative of that.
My dad on the other hand has been that person that doesn't want to say to your face "why the hell are you cleaning up dog **** to slave for four years and get a job which pays so little" but does anyway. My dad's mother and both of his brothers are really close and ever sicne I was ten or so they have been all gangin up on me and trying to change my mind. My grandmother has always told me "why don't you go into physical therapy like your mom - she works 3 days a week and makes enough to support you in such a nice house". And everyone has always said the same thing. It wears you down time and time again - but I usually just try to walk away and ignore them. After a while you realize it's kind of pointless.
When I try to tell them that its a very lucrative field because its so hard to get into their only response is "well then go to med school - you can so get in." And my brother has probably been the most judgemental of all "go to NYU medical ... its right here in the city...one of the top medical schools and you can so get in. why do you have to be so different?" For him its like ive chosen some horrible life-ruining path.
The fact that I got waitlisted by 2 schools and rejected from the rest did NOT by ANY means help the situation. You guys all know how hard you studied, how great your grades were, how awesome your test scores were, how much experience you had to get...and so on and so forth. And I have always gotten in - always worked my little butt off. And so this started a new wave of "just go to med school so that you can not care about your job, make money, and vacation" cycles.
The moment I got into a school though - I got to tell you - the whole entire situation changed. Of course my mom, always so supportive, told me she knew the right thing would happen (kinda a hippie in her own right 😍) but then my dad so was proud, and my grandma (who just a week ago had told me to give up my foolishness)...and everyone actually. Everyone had realized how hard it was, and that just because it was animals it didn't mean that I wasn't appreciated.
So...actually I have gotten both sides of the coin here. I've had everyone discourage me and now everyone is rooting for me. To tell you the truth it feels so foreign to me that it makes me not believe I got in!!! 😀 I know that my happiness will be crushed once I realize how much four years of studying looks like in terms of books to memorize...but I'm basking in the glory for the moment!
By the way, it was great to read everyones story - differeing from no support to so supportive. It reminds me that we're in a field that needs alot of change. Not just the vet field - but the docs and dentists. I can't tell you how many doctors I go to who care so little about their job that they can't be bothered to even make a diagnosis and just try to send me on my way to a different doctor just to avoid doing any work whatsoever. Personally, I'm so glad I'm not in their shoes - to get up in the morning and despite your work!!!
That statistic on 85% of vets not changing their career paths even if they had a chance...I got to say that vet school may be hard to get into...but maybe there's a reason for that! Although, on the flip side, they should think of making it easier or there's gonna be a helluva vet shortage soon!
My mother is a vet, going into her 27th year of practice. As a kid it was SO EMBARRASING when she would pick me up in her dirty scrubs with flecks of hair or wreaking of anal sacs. Or when we'd sit down to dinner with friends and she'd launch into the story about the Biggest Kidney Stone She's Ever Seen. Or when she'd have to go out on emergencies, stay out late, be exhausted the next day and scream at us for being the wretched little ingrates that we definitely were. Yeah, that wasn't exactly a classic Cleever Family moment.
But as I got older I started to see my mom and her career in a different light. She truly does something she loves, which more and more I see as a scarce and treasured thing. She works hard, earns every nickel of her pay and then some. She has shown limitless compassion to people by giving limitless compassion to the creatures they love so much. She has forged decades long friendships based on trust and respect (and multiple generations of pets). When she moved across the country after 25 years in the area where I was born and raised, the outcry was overwhelming. Clients that followed her from the private practice to the corporate one that bought it out were crushed that they could not then follow her 1300 miles west. Flowers, gifts, and baskets of cards from more eloquent animals than I could ever have guessed could pen a note (opposable thumbs, what?). One woman (I kid you not) wrote my mom into her will: "in case anything should happen to happen to me while Fluffy is still alive, Dr. M will take full custody of the cat" (My mom gave her approval...very apprehensively.) My mom rescued cats, dogs, bunnies, etc and gave them second chances at life. Stop. Pause. How often do people get to literally give another being another chance at Life? Though she is far too humble to admit to it, my clever mother quietly went about prescribing atypical anticancer treatments. That worked. We have one dog who, seven years after being diagnosed with metastic bone cancer, is living proof.
Maybe this sounds like a bit of hyperbole; it probably is. But I was just as prissy and dismissive a teenager as your daughter (more so, I'm sure). Now I think of who I respect anymore than anyone in the world, it is undeniably my mom. She raised three kids, basically solo after a tough divorce, remarried, dealt with both her parents dying and still managed to help people and their pets throughout it all. Many times she has reflected that even when times got stressful, work was the best therapy. I don't know if there are many of my peers who can even comprehend that.
And, though it was consummately uncool at the time, I look back on the countless hours of surgeries I got to sit in on, daylong school holidays and "sick" days turned into observational experiences and indentured vet tech servitude; the IVs she let me run and the hypothermic kittens she'd let us "save"; don't forget the the stool samples I learned to take and the tapeworms that were as mesmerizing under the microscope as on the big wall chart where i first learned that how many worms there actually were, not out there in the dirt--all of this-- and I think, Wow. That was a unbelievably crazy, unique childhood. I'm really freaking lucky. And your daughters are too, though it may take them awhile to realize it. In the mean time, don't hold back any of those awesome stories or experiences. Whether the girls show it or not, it will stick with them. And being able to claim you have a functional knowledge of the full process of castrating a dog has a remarkably intimidating effect on potential suitors.
It should come as no surprise then that, after wandering unimpressedly down some of society's more "mainstream" paths, I too am considering the veterinary career.
Well said.
me too... 100% they support me. there's no doubt on the veterinary medicine career in the futureveterinary medicine= best field out there. great demand. do what your heart tells you to do, not what other people say. this is your life, not theirs.
you know where i'm from, there's very little negativity about vets. most people think vets are really rich. but over here vets are definitely not hard to get in to relatively.
also i think we've got a lot of kids coming into vet, maybe trying to make a lot of money. and when we look at any sites of money for vets we think "what on earth? something wrong with this site!"
so really different situation over here
also i think we've got a lot of kids coming into vet, maybe trying to make a lot of money. and when we look at any sites of money for vets we think "what on earth? something wrong with this site!"
so really different situation over here
Where are you from, mickyo?
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Thanks Keasby, I enjoyed reading that. 🙂
Wow, Keasby, you made my night. Thanks! And your mother sounds like someone who has an awesome kid. 🙂
