Non-trad students... let's hear your stories

[surgeon4maya]

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Hi everyone...
been reading on this board for a long time... but never actually posted!
So here is to first time poster
So, I am 22, just finishing my Bachelors in International Business... and signing up for pre-reqs to vet school for this fall!
I have about a solid year of science pre-reqs to get accomplished so that would put me in the class of... 2015!?!? Yikes... and would really like to be a surgeon... so that's a 3 year residency.. I officially qualify as a life-long student!!!! 🙄
Either way, wanted to be a vet when I graduated high school and never went because I couldn't afford to take my horse with me. No regrets because I had 7 wonderful years with my wonderful mare... but had to put her down a couple of weeks ago and the drive to go to vet school just creeped back into my life.
The fact that she died at 10 from a ruptured spleen that really couldn't be explained of course spiked my interest even more but here I am...
Definitely would try to get into UF (Florida) as that would be IS for me... Have the grades from my bachelors... just need to do the same for my science reqs now...
Either way, what's your story... and what made the change of heart from one major to vet school??
Thanks for sharing! 🙂

 

[nyanko]

Hi everyone...
So, I am 22, just finishing my Bachelors in International Business... and signing up for pre-reqs to vet school for this fall!
I have about a solid year of science pre-reqs to get accomplished so that would put me in the class of... 2015!?!? Yikes... and would really like to be a surgeon... so that's a 3 year residency.. I officially qualify as a life-long student!!!! 🙄

You young whippersnappers need to get off my lawn with this talk. You don't count as a lifelong student if you'll be done before the age of 30, which you could possibly be if you actually can get the pre-reqs done in one year. 😉

 

[surgeon4maya]

You young whippersnappers need to get off my lawn with this talk. You don't count as a lifelong student if you'll be done before the age of 30, which you could possibly be if you actually can get the pre-reqs done in one year. 😉

HAHA... Ok, fair enough... but best case scenario, I will be done when I am 31... so not falling in the "under 30" division!
I admire people that go back to do what they love later in life (ok, so I'm talking above and beyond 30 when deciding about vet school here)!!! I think it's awesome! So... my hat is down to you guys 👍

 

[DVMorBust]

You young whippersnappers need to get off my lawn with this talk. You don't count as a lifelong student if you'll be done before the age of 30, which you could possibly be if you actually can get the pre-reqs done in one year. 😉

So what would you call us young whippersnappers? The non-trad non-trads? The non-traditional-traditionals? Non(trad^2)? (Non-trad)^2?

😀

 

[nyanko]

^^^^ I call you....well, um, there are no words. 😍

HAHA... Ok, fair enough... but best case scenario, I will be done when I am 31... so not falling in the "under 30" division!
I admire people that go back to do what they love later in life (ok, so I'm talking above and beyond 30 when deciding about vet school here)!!! I think it's awesome! So... my hat is down to you guys 👍

I'll be 29 when I begin if I get in this year, but I've got 2 bachelors degrees and will have a MS, and am applying to dual degree DVM/PhD programs. It's sad, in a way.

And there are lots of people here older than me and with far more interesting stories than "I screwed around a whole lot in undergrad then got serious and had to dig myself out of a huge hole."

 

[DVMorBust]

And there are lots of people here older than me and with far more interesting stories than "I screwed around a whole lot in undergrad then got serious and had to dig myself out of a huge hole."

Ah, but you've got honesty down pat.

 

[Caninerepro]

Yeah I don't think you can really call your self a respectable non-trad unless you START vet school after 30. Whiney babies!

The grumpy old man

 

[Caninerepro]

To answer the original posters question however. I started college at 16, dropped out to go play hockey for a while, then decided to run the Iditarod. (why not!) After that I showed dogs professionally for about 10 years. Once I had sufficiently sowed my wild oats, I went back to school, finished my BS, also got an MS, and am starting vet school this fall. I will be a lot closer to that decade after 30 by the time I am done with school. This is my version of a retirement plan.

Basically, I always knew I wanted to be a veterinarian, even the kind of vet I wanted to be, I just was not grown up enough to follow through with my dream at 20. We will see if I am mature enough yet, the jury is still out on that one.

 

[cozycleo]

I got two associate degrees, my second one as a paralegal. I worked for attorneys for six years. At age 26, I got fed up and quit to back to the luxurious life of retail so that I could concentrate on returning to school for my first undergrad degree in biology. I'll be 28 this fall and won't be done until at least 30. Then I'll apply for a DVM/MPH program at that point. A definite stretch from the corporate law work I was doing for so long. 😀 I think that qualifies as non-trad.

 

[SaintSamson]

Um, I guess I may qualify for the category of semi-non-traditional?
Long story short, I am in the process of digging myself out of my academic black hole, which could very well take 2+ years.
I was getting a bachelors in Japanese and Business, but now I've converted to Biology, so I have a lot more science classes to go! heh
Then hopefully off to vet school, where I'm very much interested on reproduction, so I may tack on some more years of school, lol.
And I'm turning 24 this summer....

 

[Pointer1330]

Long story short, I was a small animal pharmaceutical rep for a couple years, then ended up meeting and marrying my wife who is a Vet (met at a wedding, I wasn't hitting on my clients 🙂). Working as a rep really got me interested in veterinary medicine but it wasn't until I started working with my wife for a couple years that I knew there wasn't anything else I wanted to do. I'm in the middle of taking my prereqs and if I'm fortunate enough to get in I'll begin vet school when I'm 30.

 

[carolinaowl]

To the OP: there are probably multiple non-trad threads that you may find helpful or inspiring if you use the search function. Here is one that I could easily find because I posted to it

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=617531

As a 32 y.o. who just finished 6 years of post-bac course work, I tend to agree with Nyanko about the whipper snappers.

 

[sumstorm]

I graduated college in 2001 with most all of the pre-reqs that were typicaly required then. However, I was pretty sure I couldn't go to vet school due to finances (I worked FT through undergrad) and I landed an amazing opportunity to go on a Watson Fellowship (1 year international travel conducting independent research.) So, I married my sweetheart who had just received a kidney/pancreas transplant (long distance for 3 years) and left the country...just before 9/11. I spent the year researching conservation efforts in parks, wildlife refuges, sanctuaries, and zoos. It was an amazing year.

When I returned to the US, my first husband died of an immune complication to an infection involving his transplants. I was still in financial straits and needed a new environment, so I took a position at a zoo as a curator. I enjoyed the challenge for setting up new programs and promoting a small zoo, working towards accreditation, and even won some major awards for my work, but I wasn't really happy. I was too removed from the animals, with ~75% of my work focused on administration, management, reports, etc. I felt pretty disconnected. Finally, Hurrican Rita put a tree through my house while I was on a SAR (search & rescue) expedition into New Orleans. Zoos don't need a lot of curators during such a recovery...my salary could do more to repair and restore the zoo than I could...so it was the cosmic push to move on.

I relocated for a position with NOAA in the Northeast (at first without a home or money to afford one). Fisheries observer including marine mammal necropsy. Amazing, challenging, exhausting, and fascinating position. My farm girl background (parents have a small organic farm in Indiana) melded well with the independently owned vessels in the N. Atlantic fishing fleet. When our budget was cut drasticly for homeland security, I was laid off. I was then in a quandry....my education had pushed me towards zoo work and animal behavior...there aren't a lot of positions for my skills/knowledge/passions (zoo curator positions are relatively few and far between.) For a while I ran my own training business (still do) that catered to behavioral issues. I didn't really love it though; I enjoyed my clients and their pets, and loved the problem solving, but the gaps between training practice and science, the stand-offs on both sides, etc frustrated me...and I just felt out of place. Oh, I also married again to a wonderful man.

So I met with a career counselor. The counselor asked about my happiest memories and about my childhood desires...what I would have done if I could do anything. The answer was immediate; Veterinarian. I was pretty familiar with SA veterinary medicine; my mother had worked as a groomer and vet tech for most of my childhood. I had ample experience at the zoo with vets, and even in NOAA, I worked with DVM and PhD's for the marine mammal necropsies and tissues sample analysis. It all started to make sense....my entire life I had pushed towards the mixture of people, animals and science that are components of vet med.

Soon after, my husband received a job offer with a couple of options for relocation. We intentionally selected the state with the cheapest vet school that accepted 'old' grades. He moved first, and I moved down 4 months later after completing a house flip. I started taking pre-reqs that were unique to NCSU (business classes, animal nutrition) and biochem, which has become pretty common. I took the GRE again, and established residency, then applied along with several other schools. I was, much to my amazement, accepted.

Now, a new chapter to enjoy.

 

[DVMorBust]

Sumstorm - it's nice to see the whole timeline!

 

[flyhi]

I am definitely in the 'older' non-trad category, but certainly not as 'seasoned' as Caninerepro

Graduated college in 1995 with a degree in Biology. Always wanted to be a Vet. I was told I basically needed a 4.0 to get in, so I didn't bother even applying. Playing 3 sports in college did not allow for a plethora of study time, but I did Ok.

Got out of college, got married and became a corporate jet pilot. Did that for 7 years, got divorced and decided to stay on the ground for a bit.

I was the first employee in a start up Finance/Insurance operation and 5 years and 14 employees later, here I am.

Moved out to Vegas to fight semi-professionally as an avocation (thus crossing off my second lifetime goal after being a vet) and decided it was time to hang up my gloves and pursue the vet school thing finally. The credit markets had a huge impact on the timing of this decision. I applied to two international schools a few months ago having missed the US application cutoff.

I was accepted to University of Edinburgh in Scotland and took a deferral to enter the 4 yr program next year. I will be into my 4th decade when I graduate 😱. I plan on opening my own practice.

 

[AUhopeful]

I guess I would be considered a semi non-traditional student. I am a married 25 year old with two associate degrees and a BA in Psychology. My husband finally gave me the push to pursue a career that would make me happy so here I am. It has always been a dream of mine but I needed that "kick in the butt" to make me realize that it was something I could accomplish (no matter how many times it takes).I am applying for the class of 2014 so here's to keeping fingers and toes crossed!! I will be applying to Auburn (IS) and Mississippi State. Large animal medicine is where I want to be 🙂

I currently work as a lab assistant for the Biology dept. at my old community college. I also volunteer at the local equine hospital (since April 2008) and I LOVE it!! I have approximately 2,000 SA vet hours, 500 LA vet hours, 150 hours as a zookeeper in the aviary, roughly 1,000 misc. animal experience hours (barn assistant, humane society, etc.) and my GPA is average, ~3.6 overall. I wish everyone luck and here's to pursuing our dreams!!!

 

[blkjkvet]

I felt compelled to post, as I disagree about being a non-trad and being under the age of 30. I am returning to school, granted it has only been 5 years, but it is still time away from the routine and rigors of attending school. It is still an adjustment to go back to school when you have a husband, dogs, cats, horses, house, among other responsibilities. No, I don't have children, but someone who is 40 doesn't have to either.

I have made the choices to "quit" college after my first year (out of high school) and run a successful real estate brokerage. After much thought I want to be passionate about what I do, and vet school is it. I have sold my business, and taken a regular job, and after 7 years in real estate it is challenging. I don't have a four year degree, I will be finishing that and applying to vet school. I will be 31 if all goes as I have planned at this time.

So, yes, regardless of being 25 years old I consider myself a non-trad, and I believe my experiences and path will help my become a better applicant.

 

[firelily]

I agree with you, blkjkvet, not all non-trads have to be over 30.

Heh, I say that even though I'm 29 and will definitely be at least 30 by the time I start vet school! But you're right...there's lots of ways to be a non-traditional student. When I started the journey back to vet school when I was 26, there were times when I thought I was way too old and didn't have the right background to do it, even though I have a B.S. in Bio! Now I'm realizing that I'm not the only one, so thanks to everyone for their stories.

Personally I consider myself a non-trad because I didn't plan on going to vet school since I was in high school and even though I have a bio degree, I definitely wasn't on the pre-vet track in undergrad so I didn't take many of the pre-reqs! Over the last 3 years I've gone back to school part time while working as a lab tech. I work with mice so I'm getting tons of animal experience, but I haven't been able to get real hands-on vet experience, just shadowing up to this point.

I have about 150-200 hours at each SA and equine clinics, and I volunteer at an animal shelter as well. If I don't get in this year, I'd like to kick my butt into full gear, quit my job and start working as a vet assistant, if I can find a vet job in this economy, that is!

 

[surgeon4maya]

Thank you everyone for posting!!! It's so nice and exciting to hear everyones' story!!! 🙂
Definitely very motivating!
Congrats to all for pursuing your dreams!!! 😉

 

[No Imagination]

Yeah I don't think you can really call your self a respectable non-trad unless you START vet school after 30. Whiney babies!

The grumpy old man

What about BEING 30 when you start? That cool?

Please say it is, as its the only thing I have to go on, knowing I will be 34 when I am finished

 

[Caninerepro]

Hey everyone, I just want to clarify, as I think a few people took me too literally -- Flyhi knows me better than to take anything I say too seriously. I think you can rightly call yourself a non-trad at any age, the idea is that you did not follow the "traditionally accepted" path of coming out of high school, doing college in four years then going straight into vet school. The cool thing about we non-trads is we have done different and unique things before we decided to pursue our ultimate dream -- we are well-seasoned. 😎 That is the only prerequisite, not attaining a certain age bracket before you started. I think it is really cool to hear everyone's varied and interesting stories, that is why I posted here in the first place! I am well aware that I am about to become the oldest living vet student! 😛 I will save Flyhi and Sumstorm (my usual nemeses) the trouble of pointing that fact out.

 

[DVMorBust]

What about BEING 30 when you start? That cool?

Please say it is, as its the only thing I have to go on, knowing I will be 34 when I am finished

It means you're the best of both worlds - old enough to have the Allure of a Non-Trad, young enough to not be drinking Metamucil all the time! 😀

How Keen!

 

[DVMorBust]

Hey everyone, I just want to clarify, as I think a few people took me too literally -- Flyhi knows me better than to take anything I say too seriously. I think you can rightly call yourself a non-trad at any age, the idea is that you did not follow the "traditionally accepted" path of coming out of high school, doing college in four years then going straight into vet school. The cool thing about we non-trads is we have done different and unique things before we decided to pursue our ultimate dream -- we are well-seasoned. 😎 That is the only prerequisite, not attaining a certain age bracket before you started. I think it is really cool to hear everyone's varied and interesting stories, that is why I posted here in the first place! I am well aware that I am about to become the oldest living vet student! 😛 I will save Flyhi and Sumstorm (my usual nemeses) the trouble of pointing that fact out.

Oh, come on. The 'I'm the jokey jerk' bit is amusing for a while, but you weren't the only one grumbling about it so stop taking all the credit!

😀

 

[Caninerepro]

Yes but the Metamucil poke was a low blow!

 

[DVMorBust]

Yes but the Metamucil poke was a low blow!

Do you honestly expect anything less from me?

To make this post more OT, here's my story:

Always had interest in the profession, but didn't think I was smart enough to cut it.

I went to college right after HS, but after Freshman year took a working student position for the summer (goal then was to be a professional eventer...) Due to an injury and some other extenuating circumstances, I wound up coming back and finishing up my UG.

Removed myself from the horse world for a few years, got a BA in Linguistics (studying Linguistics, Mandarin, Spanish, and Portuguese) because it was interesting and I still didn't think I had the stones for hard-core science, and took a management position in IT. Did that for a couple years while finishing up my degree, then started riding again and had that 'oh, duh. This is what was missing!' moment. Graduated, got married, told myself I'd regret not pursuing vet school forever...two years later here I am!

 

[nyanko]

Hey everyone, I just want to clarify, as I think a few people took me too literally -- Flyhi knows me better than to take anything I say too seriously.

Not me. I'm always serious. 100%.

I believe wholeheartedly that there is absolutely an arbitrarily decided concrete age cutoff where you can call yourself a non-traditional student and everyone else is just a complete poser so there!!! 😡

 

[aspiringDVM]

This is my version of a retirement plan.

🤣The combination of this statement and the bright idea smiley is perfection. 🤣

 

[Caninerepro]

🤣The combination of this statement and the bright idea smiley is perfection. 🤣

I simply aim to please my ladies. Of course as a male in a female dominated profession, much less the real world, I never attain my goals in your eyes, but there you go. Love ya my princesses! 😉 😍😍😍