Ok to use a vet tech as a reference?

[lcarter103]

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I just need some advice regarding my references for my vet school application this year.

I will be submitting my application for vet school sometime in the next 2 months (I'm in Canada, so no VMCAS deadline). For this school, I have to give the names of 3 referees, at least one of whom must be a vet. I already have 2 of my referees lined up, and they are the same as I used last year (one vet, one employer). I'm just not sure of who to use for
my third reference. I've been working in a new job since the middle of August, as a research assistant at a large veterinary consulting company which provides veterinary services and conducts research
studies on feedlots. I think it's great experience for vet school, but the problem is that there are about 13 vets who work here and I don't really work with any particular one of them more than another. So I don't feel like any of them really know me well enough to give me a reference.
However, I have worked quite closely with one of the techs, both out in the field, in the lab, and in the office. She actually also used to work as a tech at the college that I'm applying to, and knows a lot of the faculty there. So I am considering using her as a reference, if she's willing. My concern is that the vet school will think it is strange to use a tech as a reference rather than a vet, and my application will be weakened as a result.
But I really can't think of anyone else at this job that I feel comfortable asking, so it's either using her or not having a reference from this job at all.

Any advice/opinions you could give me would be appreciated.

 

[RTHA06]

If you already have a veterinarian as a reference, then I would use this technician's reference too. They seem to know your work habits and experience level well enought to make a fair analysis of your time spent at this facility and if they know of the program you intend to pursue, you will be even better off. The best thing with references (as told to me by one admissions board member at UC Davis) is that you want the time and depth of time spent with you to be significant. The more someone knows of the profession and of your performance in such environments--the more your reference will hold weight. A technician can give many valuable points about your experience and work ethic that will help the admissions committee see your potential. I hope this helps...
good luck.

 

[CanadianDVM]

I just need some advice regarding my references for my vet school application this year.

I will be submitting my application for vet school sometime in the next 2 months (I'm in Canada, so no VMCAS deadline). For this school, I have to give the names of 3 referees, at least one of whom must be a vet. I already have 2 of my referees lined up, and they are the same as I used last year (one vet, one employer). I'm just not sure of who to use for
my third reference. I've been working in a new job since the middle of August, as a research assistant at a large veterinary consulting company which provides veterinary services and conducts research
studies on feedlots. I think it's great experience for vet school, but the problem is that there are about 13 vets who work here and I don't really work with any particular one of them more than another. So I don't feel like any of them really know me well enough to give me a reference.
However, I have worked quite closely with one of the techs, both out in the field, in the lab, and in the office. She actually also used to work as a tech at the college that I'm applying to, and knows a lot of the faculty there. So I am considering using her as a reference, if she's willing. My concern is that the vet school will think it is strange to use a tech as a reference rather than a vet, and my application will be weakened as a result.
But I really can't think of anyone else at this job that I feel comfortable asking, so it's either using her or not having a reference from this job at all.

Any advice/opinions you could give me would be appreciated.

Which school are you applying to? I dont know about OVC (i'm at WCVM), but I would be inclined to tell you to steer clear of this for Saskatoon - simply becasue admissions here is a little screwy - they're really about the "old boys club" - if you get what i'm saying. I'm not sure how Bailey et al. will look at a RVT's reference. Seems that the only thing UofS cares about is your grades (and then they'll go to your references, which also have to be glowing and persuasive).

Do you have another option for a reference?

 

[lcarter103]

Which school are you applying to? I dont know about OVC (i'm at WCVM), but I would be inclined to tell you to steer clear of this for Saskatoon - simply becasue admissions here is a little screwy - they're really about the "old boys club" - if you get what i'm saying. I'm not sure how Bailey et al. will look at a RVT's reference. Seems that the only thing UofS cares about is your grades (and then they'll go to your references, which also have to be glowing and persuasive).

Do you have another option for a reference?

It is WCVM I'm applying to. I concur completely with their admissions being a little screwy. My other option for a reference is to use the wildlife biologist I used last year; but I'd really wanted to use someone from this job as it's such good experience. If you don't mind me asking, who did you use as your referees? Any other advice for someone *trying* to get into WCVM?

 

[CanadianDVM]

It is WCVM I'm applying to. I concur completely with their admissions being a little screwy. My other option for a reference is to use the wildlife biologist I used last year; but I'd really wanted to use someone from this job as it's such good experience. If you don't mind me asking, who did you use as your referees? Any other advice for someone *trying* to get into WCVM?

I used a prof. from undergrad, a vet i worked with, and a family friend who has known me for a long time (he is a MD).

 

[kate_g]

I'm not familiar with the Canadian system... Is this the kind of thing where your reference writes a letter and sends it to the school, or do you just provide contact info and someone from the admissions committee calls them up and talks to them in person?

If it's the former, then this option requires some coordination, but... You could have one of those 13 vets write you a reference letter, drawing heavily on opinions provided by the tech you work closely with. So, you talk to the tech and explain the situation. You ask her which of the 13 vets she thinks would be most amenable to the arrangement (one that you think likes you, for instance, or the one that she's most comfortable with). The tech and the vet have a (private) conversation about you, and then the vet writes a letter - possibly acknowledging that the in-depth information about direct experiences came from the tech. Or alternatively, the tech writes up a letter, discusses it with the vet, and then both of them sign it.

 

[Bill59]

If the tech was your supervisor, I think it would be fine.

If the tech was more of a coworker/peer, then no.

 

[Quaggi]

i had my supervisor who was also a tech write me a letter on VMCAS, she knew my work habits and abilities better than any of the 40 vets at the hospital. i ended up getting into a lot of schools, so i think as long as its a supervisor its ok