same!! When did you submit your VMCAS?
Reception is usually veterinary experience, fyi. As long as you are supervised by a veterinarian, it's considered veterinary. Assistant positions will get you more hands on experience, but reception is a great place to start!The fact that I have no clinical experience (other than shadowing in 2009/2010, which I just decided to add to my VMCAS) really worries me. I've been trying since April to get an assistant/tech job, but lately there have been few clinic openings in my area (mostly for receptionists and LVTs). Of the several I've interviewed, most seemed interested or offered me another position, but then never called back when they said they would (please, I'd much rather be told "sorry, we chose someone else" than be left hanging).
A few places straight up told me during interview "oh, but you say you're applying to vet school, so you might only be around for a year and we're looking for someone more long-term"--even though I explained many times how unlikely it is I'd get accepted on the first attempt. It was so messed up, you'd think being a serious vet school applicant would help your case, not hurt it.
Actually the one place that treated me well was--an adoption/admin position at a cat shelter. (they offered it after I sent resume trying to apply as a tech which was already filled) They kept constant contact with me and even called me back for a second interview. Ultimately they explained that they finally decided on another applicant because they knew I was really in need of a clinical position. I was told their new mobile vet service would be starting in Aug/Sept and to keep a lookout for it to apply but I haven't heard anything as of yet.
Sorry for that tangent, job searching is frustrating
Okay, that's good to know! So a kennel tech position would fall under this as well? (a VCA offered me that as a way to get my foot in the door, since they're an emergency clinic and I wasn't quite experienced enough for their more advanced needs, but again they never contacted me further...)
The VMCAS definition of veterinary experience is "veterinary clinical, agribusiness, or health science experiences which took place under the supervision of a veterinarian." It doesn't define specific job roles other than saying "clinical." With that being said, it's also dependent on the hospital you work at. Say you work in a huge hospital with a large kennel, grooming, etc. You may or may not have a veterinarian as your direct boss or even come into regular contact with one. At smaller hospitals, veterinarians oversee everything, do hiring, etc. That kennel tech position may or may not be veterinary. It may fall under VMCAS' definition of veterinary, but it also doesn't mean you'll actually get decent clinical experience. That's where the 'quality over quantity' of hours comes into play. 100 hours as a groomer/kennel attendent does not always equal 100 hours as a tech/veterinary assistant. It really depends on the hospital.
When I shadowed back in '09-10, it was a nice experience--the vet presented a lot of opportunities for me to get an up-close look at procedures like spays (and wrote me a great LOR, too bad I couldn't get back in touch working with him again in time to get a new one for VMCAS), while the techs demonstrated how things like snap tests work. When I did "work", it was only minimal cleaning like wiping counters or taking out trash. I would be comfortable shadowing like that (with the occasional hands-on since I'm no longer a high schooler)--I am just concerned about the idea of full-on "volunteering" for a private practice clinic, alongside paid techs.
The fact that I have no clinical experience (other than shadowing in 2009/2010, which I just decided to add to my VMCAS) really worries me. I've been trying since April to get an assistant/tech job, but lately there have been few clinic openings in my area (mostly for receptionists and LVTs). Of the several I've interviewed, most seemed interested or offered me another position, but then never called back when they said they would (please, I'd much rather be told "sorry, we chose someone else" than be left hanging).
A few places straight up told me during interview "oh, but you say you're applying to vet school, so you might only be around for a year and we're looking for someone more long-term"--even though I explained many times how unlikely it is I'd get accepted on the first attempt. It was so messed up, you'd think being a serious vet school applicant would help your case, not hurt it.
Actually the one place that treated me well was--an adoption/admin position at a cat shelter. (they offered it after I sent resume trying to apply as a tech which was already filled) They kept constant contact with me and even called me back for a second interview. Ultimately they explained that they finally decided on another applicant because they knew I was really in need of a clinical position. I was told their new mobile vet service would be starting in Aug/Sept and to keep a lookout for it to apply but I haven't heard anything as of yet.
Sorry for that tangent, job searching is frustrating
I didn't though! I would only mention along with my undergrad degree/experiences that I was currently "preparing to apply for vet school" (it's only my first attempt), with the main point being that I'm in need of clinical experience to achieve that end, but some of them apparently took that to mean "so you're getting into vet school and will be gone by next year." Despite my constant assurance that it's highly unlikely I'll get in anywhere this year. 🙁 Like I said, I only mentioned this with the intention of helping my case (showing that I was serious about and prepared for the job). Guess I shouldn't even bring up the "applying/applied" part anymore unless it's for a temporary shadowing thing.
bad me! My only experiences at the SVM itself were Spay Days/one raptor rehab day, pre-vet club and a small ruminants class.
they FINALLY updated my status/entered coursework on the portal!
I just need to submit the info that I will be taking Physics II in the spring, that's their only prereq I'm missing.
My last 45 is abysmal though, way lower than my cumulative 🙁 it's 3.12!
I never calculated it myself and didn't expect it to be that low...I guess it's still including my bad second-to-last undergrad semester where I had a medical issue and failed biochem, and that last year's post-bacc classes haven't helped bring it up much since they were Bs and not As...while I have an overall upward trend in my undergrad coursework (minus said bad fluke semester), that last 45 being so low makes me look terrible...
and my required course/prereq GPA is 3.39 (aargh, so close to 3.4!)I hope getting an A in my in-progress bio class and whatever I get in Ochem lab/phys II in the spring will help nudge those up!nevermind I just saw that fall '15 grades are not factored into the GPA 🙁 for next attempt, I guess...
Submitted VMCAS on deadline day, was verified on...October 9th. Surprised to actually find a change in portal status today.
