Making the decision to go international

[ponio]

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[peachy3214]

I can say without a doubt that there is NOTHING wrong with going international. The schools in the UK are accredited by the AVMA for a reason. They are GREAT programs! Just as good if not better then some programs in the US. I attend Glasgow and think it was the best decision I ever made. I can't speak from UCD as it was recently accredited(someone correct me if im wrong) but I know that Glasgow and Edinburgh are very good programs.

I choose to go abroad because it was actually cheaper for me then to go out of state(go figure) I am saving about 10,000+ a year by attending Glasgow. Getting used to life in the UK has been difficult for me to be honest. I am from a rural area and I NEED my sun. Glasgow is very urban and I go weeks without seeing the sun haha. BUT there is so much to do here and the people are great and the school is so amazing that I got over it.

Some people were able to bring their animals over but not until after christmas. It is a process. I personally dont have any pets over there because I go home to the states at every break and dont feel comfortable leaving my animals in the UK for long periods of time.

I would say look into why you feel like you need a change. Why would it require changing countries versus cities. Moving abroad is a big step and it has it rewards but I strongly believe that you should pick a school because you feel its a good fit for you and will mold you into the best vet that you can be and not let where it is located influence your decision 🙂

Let me know if you have any other questions!

 

[lostbunny]

(Hey I tried to send this over a PM, but I don't think it worked...)

Hey Ponio,

I'm originally from Canada and I had my heart set on OVC for EVER. I also thought of international schools as a last resort, but then I caught the travel bug... eep. lol.

I've spent a lot of time getting info about international schools and I've pretty much made the decision to go international. The funny thing is... recently I've been looking at UCD. One of my friends (Also from Canada) is in her first year there, and she recommended it to me.

The most important thing when looking at Int'l schools is to check if they're accredited by AVMA. If you don't already know, they have a list of all the internationally accredited schools on their website.

The only hassle about int'l schools is that they're all a bit different, so you may need certain pre recs for one, and not the other. Also, for the most part, they expect you to have really good marks and/or really good experience.

All in all, its totally worth having a look into. In the end, as long as the school is accredited thats all that really matters.

As for the life change, I'd strongly recommend doing some sort of long term travel before you go to vet school if you're unsure of how you'd go. I've been in Australia since July of 2010, and I'm totally loving it- but being away from friends/family is harder on some people then others. So nothing worse then getting accepted to some int'l school and then hating it because you're away from everything you know. Travel also looks really amazing on a CV and is priceless in terms of life experience. But you said you went to Ireland a few years ago so maybe you're already travel 'experienced'.

In terms of pets, my dog passed away last June and since then I'm pretty reluctant to get a pet now because I know in the next few years I want to travel and I won't be able to take them along. My friend at UCD took her dog with her, but he came a few months after she arrived. Make sure you look into the requirements for them and make a decision based on that. For example- if you're bringing a dog into Australia, it has to be quarantined for like 6 months- so thats something to look into.

Anyways if you have anymore questions... or need to chat about anything else, feel free to msg me back 🙂

 

[mas185]

I have always wanted to go to vet school and I have always wanted to go to Tufts.

Aww ponio I feel your pain!! I spent the last 7 years at Tufts (undergrad and then a part time master's while working at the vet school). It will forever and always be my happy place. BUT last year I applied and got into UC Dublin and am now a first year here (I got into a few other US schools but not Tufts ... apparently they thought I needed a change of scenery!). And I have to say as much as I loved Tufts, I am sooooo happy I ended up in Ireland!!

My boss at Tufts was English and he's the one who told me I should go to a UK/EU school because it would suit my style of learning and personality way better and it has the added benefit of when you graduate you can work pretty much anywhere in the whole world. You end up with an internationally recognized education and you get to spend 4 years in Europe!! Since you've already spent time here I don't need to tell you how amazing Ireland and Dublin are so if you have any specific questions about the program (actually for either Tufts or UCD) let me know!

As for the international schools as a last resort, its definitely not!! (if you go to one of the AVMA accredited schools that is) It actually is exactly the same when you're finished and if you were going to have to go to an out of state school it usually works out costing you less!!

I'll also add that I did bring my Newfie with me to Dublin and while it wasn't easy it was worth it for me 🙂 If you want more details on that I wrote up a word doc for the incoming students to help them get their pets here with much less stress than I had haha so you can PM me ur email and i'll send it to you if you want.

Good luck with your apps M.A.

PS if it makes you feel any better 4 of the 5 of the LAH residents at Tufts when I left were international students so you can still go later on if you want 🙂

 

[CurrySpice]

I think it's AWESOME that we (as in pre-vets) have the option to go to fantastic schools abroad. It's viewed as a major step-down for medical & dental school (b/c of accreditation issues), but one of the best vet schools in the UK or Australia is going to give just as good an education as one of the top schools in the USA. And honestly, people don't tend to be real picky with their vet's credentials. You just need a solid education that will allow you to administer proper treatment.

I'm graduating this year having bitten by a huge travel bug. Headed to travel around Europe for 6 weeks with my sis, then WWOOFing in New Zealand for some unknown amount of time! It definitely throws a hitch in the application plans, but I think it will be worth it to travel. If my NZ plans work out & I'm there until May I will probably only apply to Edinburgh's vet school (and maybe RVC if I can do a phone interview). They don't require interviews, have a 4 year program, fantastic profs/facilities/city, and is slightly cheaper than my IS. If I know that my travel plans have ended by the time VMCAS is due, then I will certainly apply more broadly and take a few online pre req classes.

 

[lostbunny]

If I know that my travel plans have ended by the time VMCAS is due, then I will certainly apply more broadly and take a few online pre req classes.

I'm sorry to tell you this.... but your travel plans will NEVER end. Once you've been bitten... its a life long condition that you have to just have to deal with.
😉

 

[drwildlife]

And honestly, people don't tend to be real picky with their vet's credentials. You just need a solid education that will allow you to administer proper treatment.

This is what I've been saying for a long time!

 

[ponio]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'm sorry for not responding sooner, I was drowning in a paper for my master's program...

I'm glad I'm not the only one in this situation.

The idea of going abroad is pretty intimidating, though it is also very alluring. 4 years seems like such a long time, but I've discovered that time flies by way to fast when you are immersed in school.

My critters are a major deterrent though... I'd take my dog in a heartbeat, and probably my cat, but by the time I got out of school my ponies will be old men. I don't really ride them, one is a rescue and way too small to be ridden and the other is just a grump, but it is still a scary thought.

I guess ultimately it depends on who will have me anyway, so maybe I don't need to be freaking out just yet.