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DenTony11235
Assuming I go to a school that allows pets, how realistic is it to raise a pup? Or have a dog?
I wouldn't recommend it.
It is very possible to have a dog during first and second year. However, you can expect to be away from home for 12+ hours per day during some of your clerkships. IMO, it's not right to leave a dog alone that long without anyone else to care for him/her.
-Bill
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1. I highly doubt there is a school that is going to tell you that you cant have a pet. Its more a landlord-by-landlord basis, and if you want to have a dog you'll be able to find one who will let you
2. Unless you have someone to help you out: roommates/significant other/etc... Its not going to be easy to care for a dog your 3rd and 4th years when you are unable to be home for large chunks of time. But again, there are plenty of parents who go to med school so its far from impossible if you choose to do it.
2. Unless you have someone to help you out: roommates/significant other/etc... Its not going to be easy to care for a dog your 3rd and 4th years when you are unable to be home for large chunks of time. But again, there are plenty of parents who go to med school so its far from impossible if you choose to do it.
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I have a bulldog, and I spend a lot of time away from home while I'm in grad school. I'm fortunate to have an SO that helps me care for him. If you're living alone, it may be irresponsible to own a dog since you won't be home a lot during your last two years.
This is my third year out of college. I adopted a 3 year old dog right when I started studying for MCAT last year, and I'll be starting an MD/PhD program this summer. I currently work 8+ hour days and commute another 2+ hours. I've found ways to make this be ok for my dog so I think in med school he will be fine. He has low energy and sleeps most of the day anyway. I keep an eye on him with a webcam. I've had enough means to be able to pay for a dog walker (local community college student) to come daily and take him out for lots of exercise and attention. I have a backup plan of a neighbor or a roommate if my dog walker flakes.
I expect to buy a condo or house near my med school, so having a med school residence that allows pets isn't an issue. I would sayif you can't afford a dog walker or doggy daycare, a few bucks to pay a local student, or have friendly neighbors who will let your dog out or walk him, it's not a great idea. But if you really want it and it will enhance your experience and help de-stress, you will be able to find a way. Don't let people tell you it's impossible because it isn't. I would also suggest not getting a puppy now-- consider an older dog who needs a home and will be much more relaxed and lower energy. Don't try to deal with training a puppy in med school. And I think of it like this sometimes-- my dog was adopted from the shelter and I have been able to give him a great life even working long hours, a much better life than he may have had otherwise (or no life at all). And he is the perfect study buddy.
I expect to buy a condo or house near my med school, so having a med school residence that allows pets isn't an issue. I would sayif you can't afford a dog walker or doggy daycare, a few bucks to pay a local student, or have friendly neighbors who will let your dog out or walk him, it's not a great idea. But if you really want it and it will enhance your experience and help de-stress, you will be able to find a way. Don't let people tell you it's impossible because it isn't. I would also suggest not getting a puppy now-- consider an older dog who needs a home and will be much more relaxed and lower energy. Don't try to deal with training a puppy in med school. And I think of it like this sometimes-- my dog was adopted from the shelter and I have been able to give him a great life even working long hours, a much better life than he may have had otherwise (or no life at all). And he is the perfect study buddy.
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Aptly put
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Next on my to-do list: the med school puppy frat.
You can join as an M1 or M2, but not as an M3 or M4. You can only be in the house during clinical years if you were in during preclinicals.
M1s and M2s are on some sort of cycling schedule for dog-care responsibility.
Everyone gets to live with and play with the puppies (I call all dogs puppies regardless of age).
I'm joking, clearly...but perhaps I'll foster a dog or two during preclinicals.
You can join as an M1 or M2, but not as an M3 or M4. You can only be in the house during clinical years if you were in during preclinicals.
M1s and M2s are on some sort of cycling schedule for dog-care responsibility.
Everyone gets to live with and play with the puppies (I call all dogs puppies regardless of age).
I'm joking, clearly...but perhaps I'll foster a dog or two during preclinicals.
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This is funny, because I've been thinking about this myself. I told my husband that if he gets deployed during my time in medical school I'm getting a frenchie to replace him.
But honestly, I would love to have a puppy I could train to be one of those special visiting/therapy dogs that could come to the hospital with me occasionally. I realize my ideas in general tend to be a little uncouth, but I'm holding on to this one long-term.
But honestly, I would love to have a puppy I could train to be one of those special visiting/therapy dogs that could come to the hospital with me occasionally. I realize my ideas in general tend to be a little uncouth, but I'm holding on to this one long-term.
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You are only being selfish by adopting a puppy/dog during medical school, so you can play with it a few hours when you get home. During the clinical years, you may be moving around to other rotation sites or you be on 24 hour call. It's just not fair to the animal.
Get a cat--they require less companionship.
Get a cat--they require less companionship.
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It will be fine for the non-clinical years.
It will be very, very hard during your third year. During your more time consuming rotations you will work 12-16 hours a day, 6 days a week. You will also have to do overnight call during your third and fourth year. That means you don't go home from 6 am until 6am or later the next day. During those long periods at the hospital you will need someone to come walk the dog and feed it. Also, during fourth year you might decide to do away rotations. It will be almost impossible to find places to live for a month while bringing a dog.
I own a dog with my SO who is not in medical school. She does 90% or more of the dog care. I love having a dog but it would not have been far to the dog if I didn't have her.
Lastly, do a search. This question has been asked many, many times. The consensus is always "don't get a dog if you'll be the only one taking care of it".
It will be very, very hard during your third year. During your more time consuming rotations you will work 12-16 hours a day, 6 days a week. You will also have to do overnight call during your third and fourth year. That means you don't go home from 6 am until 6am or later the next day. During those long periods at the hospital you will need someone to come walk the dog and feed it. Also, during fourth year you might decide to do away rotations. It will be almost impossible to find places to live for a month while bringing a dog.
I own a dog with my SO who is not in medical school. She does 90% or more of the dog care. I love having a dog but it would not have been far to the dog if I didn't have her.
Lastly, do a search. This question has been asked many, many times. The consensus is always "don't get a dog if you'll be the only one taking care of it".
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You obviously have not met my cat. I'm not saying this is never true, but not all cats are created equal--some (like mine) need attention just like dogs, sans being walked around the block and let out to relieve themselves.
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Please don't, unless you live with someone not in medicine who is on board with doing most of the care for the dog. I long for a dog as much as the next person (family dog is with my parents, but I'd love to come home to a furry buddy) and I even considered getting a cat after Step 1, but I think even a cat would be miserable with the hours you pull as a 3rd year. When you're in the hospital for 12-16 hours a day and try to sleep for 6-7, that doesn't leave much time for activities at home or attention for pets.
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That's exactly why you should be getting a cat (2 to keep themselves company) instead of a dog if you were to choose one during medical school. I wouldn't want my dog sitting at home waiting to be let out.
Cats are not completely domesticated and if you were to generalize, cats are definitely more independent than dogs. I have two house-cats myself (both needy and affectionate, one more than the other--they can meow for an hour straight), but honestly most (if not all) cats are not sitting all day by the window waiting for you. More likely the cat's trying to look outdoors and will plan to sleep for the majority of the time you're gone, it's in their behavioral physiology. I know because I've checked in on them with a camera when I was away for longer periods of time.
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We could argue the whole cat versus dog nature/behavior, but it all boils down to each individual pet having their own specific needs. My cat needs a lot of interaction and stimulation, and yours maybe not as much. But nobody should be getting a cat over a dog based on convenience.
Returning to the original post, I would agree that any pet might suffer if their owner has little time to devote to their care--and it sounds like that is the scenario here for a medical student.
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This. Don't get a puppy, get a housebroken lazy adult dog who is already spending their whole day doing nothing in a shelter, probably in a cramped space with 2 roommates. Even if you can only get it out for a walk once a day it's life is going to be much improved just by you providing it with the bare necessities and a little love and attention.
That said, obviously it would be easier to just get a cat, but lets be real, a cat is no substitute for a dog.
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I got a dog towards the end of M2. Definitely doable, but you'll need someone else around that isn't a medical student to help you out when you won't be around. My fiance and I live together, so she was able to take care of the dog when I had to be at the hospital for hours on end. We've also got a couple of cats, though, so she has some friends at home when neither of us is at home.
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Was thinking about getting a pair of rats during med school (fun to play with, smart, snuggly, and they can socialize with each other when I'm gone) but I'll likely be headed military and dont' want to have to abandon them after the preclinical years. Seriously, though. Think about rats. They are awesome pets, and also super cute
I've met many people with pets in med school. On the top of my head I can also immediately think of someone who is single with a dog in med school, as well as someone who decided to have a second baby in her second year. It's completely doable as long as you're willing to put in the money and sacrifice time otherwise spent on other things.
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hmmmm what about fancy rats? They're low maintenance but very smart and bond well with humans?
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I would kill to have a puppy in med school. I hate that I likely won't have enough time to handle that responsibility.
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That is not at all how I would describe a rat...
I'll resist the urge to post pictures of pet rats, but you'd be surprised. Dumbo rats are particularly cute.
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I was thinking hedgehog...adorable, can be litter-trained, I can set up their habitat so they can go for 24hrs without me, etc...
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I used rats in research in undergrad and part of the thing was to make sure they were used to and comfortable around humans so that our presence during testing would not stress them out (we were examining stress and depression). Since I was the only one in the lab who didn't mind the rats, it was my job to "play" with them several times a week. Rats freaking SNUGGLE. And then of course we had to sacrifice them
But +1 to rats and little fuzzy things. I had hamsters and guinea pigs growing up too.
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Talking about socializing pet rats reminded me of a story: one time my friend took his very gentle male rat Jack to socialize with a few female rats he was babysitting for a friend. When he put Jack on top of the female rats' cage, they got really crazy and came up and bit Jack's foot. Poor ol' Jack. The only time he really tried to hang out with ladies didn't end so well.
I can understand one's instinct to wanting a pup that's cute as hell. But eventually they'll become adult dogs and you'll have to learn to love them when they are less cute and when they are old. There are so much rewards to be felt to give a rescued adult dog another chance who had it tough earlier in its life.
Plus the temper of an adult dog is predictable. Less house training. Hire a dog walker for days that you'll be away for too long or when you can't socialize with it. That's not ideal, but a much better life than sitting in a crammed shelter.
I can understand one's instinct to wanting a pup that's cute as hell. But eventually they'll become adult dogs and you'll have to learn to love them when they are less cute and when they are old. There are so much rewards to be felt to give a rescued adult dog another chance who had it tough earlier in its life.
Plus the temper of an adult dog is predictable. Less house training. Hire a dog walker for days that you'll be away for too long or when you can't socialize with it. That's not ideal, but a much better life than sitting in a crammed shelter.
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I decided to get a dog my senior year of undergrad-much different from med school, but it helped me learn the lesson before getting there. I love her to death, but I definitely feel it limits what I can do and has put more stress on balancing school work and a social life. Now, she's part husky, so I constantly have to keep her busy so she doesn't get bored. For the happiness of the dog and yourself, if you must get one, get an old dog or one that runs around the living room once and has to nap the rest of the day. I would still advise against it though.
If I didn't have the help of friends and family with her, it definitely wouldn't have worked.
If I didn't have the help of friends and family with her, it definitely wouldn't have worked.
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Dawwwww
I'd love one. The only problem is, I also sometime like to babysit dogs...not sure how they would get along.
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OP. Unless you have large amounts of money or a significant other with time to help take care of the dog, DO NOT get a dog in medical school. Go volunteer at an animal shelter in your free-time to get your doggy fix and also de-stress a bit.
Cost is a big issue that hasn't been thoroughly addressed here. My first dog was a rescue, a healthy puppy for $75 who came neutered with his vaccines started. By the end of the first year or year and a half, I'd spent almost $2,000 on him in vet bills alone. Not including food, toys, kennel, dog bed, etc. First there was the rest of his vaccines. After that, he got giardia, then we couldn't get rid of it so he needed another round of treatment, plus special food. Then he had some really bad skin allergy with bad itching, raw spots, and chewing the corners of the walls while I was gone because he was so miserable. that required a steroid shot. Then he started having issues with his eye. His lid had a slight deformity that got worse as he got older where it rubbed against his eyeball causing irritation and discharge. More meds for that and they didn't work too well. The option was to treat with meds for the rest of his life or do surgery. So I did opt for surgery on that which resolved the problem. Lastly was the abscess on his belly. Vet said he probably poked the spot walking through the shrubs. More vet bills, more meds.
That was pretty much it for his health issues, but wow was I not prepared for that financial hit on top of routine costs and I'm a gainfully employed person with a solid income. Also, try managing a dog with giardia having diarrhea all over when you can't get home every 2 hours to let him out. Thank God for tile floors in the bathroom.
Granted that was quite a bit of bad luck and he's fine now at 5 years old. Dog number two has been pretty easy by comparison. I've only had to treat her for giardia.
I also work full-time and commute to grad school. Unless you have very nice friends, a sig. other, or someone you can pay to walk your dogs when you get home, it just ins't fair to the animals. I take mine to doggy daycare once a week, a friend lets them out when I'm at class in the evening once a week, and I paid dog walkers to come let them out for a midday bathroom break/exercise fix. That adds up too and I still feel guilty for leaving them alone as much as I do.
Cost is a big issue that hasn't been thoroughly addressed here. My first dog was a rescue, a healthy puppy for $75 who came neutered with his vaccines started. By the end of the first year or year and a half, I'd spent almost $2,000 on him in vet bills alone. Not including food, toys, kennel, dog bed, etc. First there was the rest of his vaccines. After that, he got giardia, then we couldn't get rid of it so he needed another round of treatment, plus special food. Then he had some really bad skin allergy with bad itching, raw spots, and chewing the corners of the walls while I was gone because he was so miserable. that required a steroid shot. Then he started having issues with his eye. His lid had a slight deformity that got worse as he got older where it rubbed against his eyeball causing irritation and discharge. More meds for that and they didn't work too well. The option was to treat with meds for the rest of his life or do surgery. So I did opt for surgery on that which resolved the problem. Lastly was the abscess on his belly. Vet said he probably poked the spot walking through the shrubs. More vet bills, more meds.
That was pretty much it for his health issues, but wow was I not prepared for that financial hit on top of routine costs and I'm a gainfully employed person with a solid income. Also, try managing a dog with giardia having diarrhea all over when you can't get home every 2 hours to let him out. Thank God for tile floors in the bathroom.
Granted that was quite a bit of bad luck and he's fine now at 5 years old. Dog number two has been pretty easy by comparison. I've only had to treat her for giardia.
I also work full-time and commute to grad school. Unless you have very nice friends, a sig. other, or someone you can pay to walk your dogs when you get home, it just ins't fair to the animals. I take mine to doggy daycare once a week, a friend lets them out when I'm at class in the evening once a week, and I paid dog walkers to come let them out for a midday bathroom break/exercise fix. That adds up too and I still feel guilty for leaving them alone as much as I do.
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I got a frenchie about six years ago and I will be starting school this fall. I have been reading tons of the past posts about pets and I intend to take him with me for the first two years of med school. There seems to be a consensus that it is eminently doable during those first two years. He will then go and live with a responsible family member for years three and four most likely. I agree with the above posters about getting a puppy. When I first got this puppy he was unable to hold it for the entire day I was at work. Luckily, my work was close to home and was flexible enough to allow me to run home on my lunch hour to allow him to relieve himself. That being said, we still had a lot of "misses" early on and he ended up having to sit in his own urine until I could get home.
If you're going to do it, I highly recommend getting an older dog. People have also mentioned that they have either a frenchie or its bigger/squishier cousin, the bulldog. There are often additional costs to these breeds, but they have a much lower activity requirement than a retriever or a husky. I believe with solid planning and the maturity to say, "While I would love to go to the bar with all the other med students, I have a dog at home that needs to pee instead" being a responsible pet owner in medical school is doable even if you do not have a significant other to leave holding the (poo) bag.
Sorry for the longish post by there is my 2(0) cents.
If you're going to do it, I highly recommend getting an older dog. People have also mentioned that they have either a frenchie or its bigger/squishier cousin, the bulldog. There are often additional costs to these breeds, but they have a much lower activity requirement than a retriever or a husky. I believe with solid planning and the maturity to say, "While I would love to go to the bar with all the other med students, I have a dog at home that needs to pee instead" being a responsible pet owner in medical school is doable even if you do not have a significant other to leave holding the (poo) bag.
Sorry for the longish post by there is my 2(0) cents.
