Pets in Med school-how realistic?

[Ruby109]

I've had a dog for over a year now, she's a little older, pretty lazy and lives well under my busy life style. How realistic is it for me to think that I can still be a good owner if I get into medical school? Any thoughts or past experience is appreciated!!

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[hoihaie]

cannot determine unless you post a picture of your awesome lazy dog. its a rule.

 

[Ismet]

Please please please please don't get/have a dog if you're not going to have someone to care for it when you're out of the house for 8++ hours during clinical years, or during pre-clinical if you have required lectures all day. I would love to come home every day to a dog, and it would have been perfectly feasible in MS1/MS2 as I didn't go to class, but that dog would be horribly neglected now that I'm a 3rd year and out of my apartment for 12 hours a day. Most of my classmates with dogs have significant others who are not in medicine who are able to care for the dog, at the very least let it out to pee in the middle of the day. On the other hand, one of my classmates now has to pay an arm and a leg for doggy daycare because it's not fair to leave the dog alone in an apartment all day.

Cats are fine. I'd have a cat if I wasn't so allergic.

 

[manofmen]

when i went on an interview the student host's dog pooped on my phone charger. otherwise, the dog seemed to be thriving from the attention it got from half the med school class.

 

[Lawpy]

These are one out of few instances where I would recommend having a cat as a pet rather than a dog.

 

[Ruby109]

Please please please please don't get/have a dog if you're not going to have someone to care for it when you're out of the house for 8++ hours during clinical years, or during pre-clinical if you have required lectures all day. I would love to come home every day to a dog, and it would have been perfectly feasible in MS1/MS2 as I didn't go to class, but that dog would be horribly neglected now that I'm a 3rd year and out of my apartment for 12 hours a day. Most of my classmates with dogs have significant others who are not in medicine who are able to care for the dog, at the very least let it out to pee in the middle of the day. On the other hand, one of my classmates now has to pay an arm and a leg for doggy daycare because it's not fair to leave the dog alone in an apartment all day.

Cats are fine. I'd have a cat if I wasn't so allergic.

Thank you for the feedback. I work full time so there is no one home 9+ hours a day now with her and she thrives just fine, however I am a little concerned about what would happen when I was on rotations...

 

[Ruby109]

cannot determine unless you post a picture of your awesome lazy dog. its a rule.

This is for you eating while laying down...laziness at its best!

 

[Ismet]

Thank you for the feedback. I work full time so there is no one home 9+ hours a day now with her and she thrives just fine, however I am a little concerned about what would happen when I was on rotations...

Yeah dogs can be fine for 8-9 hours, especially if they're used to it. But with rotations, you really never know when you get home. I leave at 6:30am and technically we get our last patient at 4:15pm, but I've stayed as late as 6 finishing up my notes. Then a half hour for bus ride + walking home. My roommate is on a more demanding rotation, she leaves before me in the morning and often doesn't get home until 8 or 9pm. It's variable and your schedule is not your own anymore.

 

[Ruby109]

Yeah dogs can be fine for 8-9 hours, especially if they're used to it. But with rotations, you really never know when you get home. I leave at 6:30am and technically we get our last patient at 4:15pm, but I've stayed as late as 6 finishing up my notes. Then a half hour for bus ride + walking home. My roommate is on a more demanding rotation, she leaves before me in the morning and often doesn't get home until 8 or 9pm. It's variable and your schedule is not your own anymore.

Wow! Thank you for being so informative, it gives me a lot to think about! If I get into med school, the dog is definitely coming, but it looks like I'll have to seek out care options in years 3 and 4.

 

[drcrispmd]

I have the same 3 dogs (2 border collies and a shar pei) that I have had since starting med school. I was married the first 2 years of school and now ex hubby had them. I have had then by myself since starting clinicals and now finished with residency. I rented a house with a fenced in back yard and had a doggie door. They were able to go in and out of the house as they please. My house I bought for residency has a good size yard that is fenced and I put a doggie door in the back door. I play with my dogs when I get home and weekends. They are fine. They can be an expense. Mine travel with me (750 mile drive to my parents) and do just fine. I do not like putting dogs in crates for all day. It is possible. My shar pei is more like a cat. He just sleeps most of the day.

 

[hoihaie]

This is for you eating while laying down...laziness at it's best! View attachment 183715

buahahaha so cute!!

 

[RTC19]

This is for you eating while laying down...laziness at it's best! View attachment 183715

She's just precious! What kind of dog is she?

 

[Ismet]

I have the same 3 dogs (2 border collies and a shar pei) that I have had since starting med school. I was married the first 2 years of school and now ex hubby had them. I have had then by myself since starting clinicals and now finished with residency. I rented a house with a fenced in back yard and had a doggie door. They were able to go in and out of the house as they please. My house I bought for residency has a good size yard that is fenced and I put a doggie door in the back door. I play with my dogs when I get home and weekends. They are fine. They can be an expense. Mine travel with me (750 mile drive to my parents) and do just fine. I do not like putting dogs in crates for all day. It is possible. My shar pei is more like a cat. He just sleeps most of the day.

Something like that would be ideal (more than one dog so they can socialize, plus ability for them to go outside regardless of if someone was home). Unfortunately that's not really a possibility in the city I'm in for med school, maybe for residency!

 

[Ruby109]

She's just precious! What kind of dog is she?

Thank you! She's a German Shepard/pit bull mix, but I tend to leave the "pit bull" out because she's so friendly and I don't want others to think less of her :-/

 

[Gauss44]

I've had a dog for over a year now, she's a little older, pretty lazy and lives well under my busy life style. How realistic is it for me to think that I can still be a good owner if I get into medical school? Any thoughts or past experience is appreciated!!

If you are at home studying a lot, the dog might think it's her/his lucky day. If not, maybe a neighbor or friend could keep her company now and then.

Just be sure to find an apartment/house that allows dogs. Some don't.

 

[Goro]

It's doable. You do need some down time, even if only for a dog walk or some frolic time.

I had a student who rescued wild cats from around our campus.

I've had a dog for over a year now, she's a little older, pretty lazy and lives well under my busy life style. How realistic is it for me to think that I can still be a good owner if I get into medical school? Any thoughts or past experience is appreciated!!

 

[BamaNicole]

Cats are great.....they can double as alarm clocks like mine did at 4 IN THE FREAKING MORNING

 

[drcrispmd]

I was fortunate that the military was paying my housing in NJ so I could afford a house instead of an apartment. I spent 6 months in Detroit and just had an apartment. My border collies stayed with my parents since they are not apartment dogs. My shar pei went with me and did just fine by himself during the day (with piddle pads). Definitely check about dogs and if they have a weight requirement. A lot of apartments I checked had a 25, 30, or 50lb weight limit. If your dog is used to being alone, it will do fine. If you have had it a long time, giving it away may be harder on the dog than being alone. I would leave the TV on some Wrigley would not get too lonely. Like I said before, he is more like a cat (lazy and sleeps most of the time).

 

[xffan624]

Cats are great.....they can double as alarm clocks like mine did at 4 IN THE FREAKING MORNING

Mine woke me at 2 am this morning. It's usually to go outside, but he usually does it around 4 am.

 

[AspiringERMD]

Get a pair of parakeets. They keep eachother company, and they're incredibly low maintenance. And cute. And their chirping always makes me cheery!

 

[Vans42]

My fiance and I have a dog and cat, but if it weren't for him (he is working, not in school) I wouldn't have dreamt of it. Maybe if you end up with a non-med school roommate who is willing to help out that could work.

 

[tmn]

I'm not sure a dog or cat would be able to get a competitive MCAT score

 

[deleted407021]

I second a bird. If you must have a non human companion, they're the best. I have a sun conure named Sonny (we are bffs; for some reason I'm he center of his little universe) and all you have to do is spend part of your evening with him and keep his area fresh and tidy. Otherwise, he's self sufficient. Granted, I'm not in med school, I couldn't see a bird being a problem, so long as you attend to him. They NEED stimulation to be healthy.

 

[cupcakesandcadavers]

hamsters are awesome too
mine was so friendly and great, i used to walk it on a little hamster leash i bought
indoors only of course. hehe

 

[hoihaie]

or a chinchilla; they're so chill and fluffy!

 

[areserine]

or a chinchilla; they're so chill and fluffy!

Also a bit off topic, but rats also make good pets! They're social animals so they actually want to hang out with you, and they're smart enough to be taught tricks and to use a litterbox!

 

[TheShaker]

Get a pair of parakeets. They keep eachother company, and they're incredibly low maintenance. And cute. And their chirping always makes me cheery!

That or doves. Their sounds are just relaxing little coos, although their lifespan is pretty long so you're going to have a coordinate a move with them at some point. I think social rodents like guinea pigs, rabbits, and rats can be good options too. Just get them in pairs, since you should be doing so by default anyway.

 

[Ismet]

That or doves. Their sounds are just relaxing little coos, although their lifespan is pretty long so you're going to have a coordinate a move with them at some point. I think social rodents like guinea pigs, rabbits, and rats can be good options too. Just get them in pairs, since you should be doing so by default anyway.

Unless you get a male rat. Male-male rat pairing can be bad.

 

[kami333]

Unless you get a male rat. Male-male rat pairing can be bad.

They usually work better in the long run than male-female pairings, unless you wanted to start your own rat colony It's only a problem if you try to introduce adult male rats to each other, shouldn't be a problem if you pair them while young or get siblings from the same litter and never separate them.


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[Ismet]

They usually work better in the long run than male-female pairings, unless you wanted to start your own rat colony It's only a problem if you try to introduce adult male rats to each other, shouldn't be a problem if you pair them while young or get siblings from the same litter and never separate them.


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True. Plus baby rats are the cutest things.

I did research on adult male rats, and putting them together or even in a cage where another male rat had been was a huge stressor. But they were young and paired when we got them, so that makes more sense that they'd be fine if left paired.

 

[NStarz]

If your dog is older, just be aware that aging animals come with vet bills.

 

[chalupabatman13]

Thank you! She's a German Shepard/pit bull mix, but I tend to leave the "pit bull" out because she's so friendly and I don't want others to think less of her :-/

Hey, I've got a pitbull and I EMPHASIZE her breed BECAUSE she's so damn nice! You should consider doing the same. Plus, she's coming with me to med school when I drive up on Thursday and I can't wait to have her to look forward to when I get home.

 

[Ruby109]

Hey, I've got a pitbull and I EMPHASIZE her breed BECAUSE she's so damn nice! You should consider doing the same. Plus, she's coming with me to med school when I drive up on Thursday and I can't wait to have her to look forward to when I get home.

I like the way you think!!

 

[NickNaylor]

During medical school my now-fiance and I got two cats and a 4 month old puppy. Cats aren't a problem at all since they're relatively independent, but dogs present more of a challenge since they require some degree of regularity when it comes to a schedule. That isn't a problem so much in MS1/MS2/MS4 for the most part, but it could certainly become a problem during MS3. I simply wouldn't have been able to have a dog during MS3 without someone else to rely on to share the responsibility. If you're on your own, just expect to have to pay for a walker or otherwise take your pup to some form of doggy day care if your schedule gets hectic.

 

[Promethean]

You already have the dog. If you didn't, I think it would be reasonable to advise against getting one. I think it is like kids, that way. I'm never going to disparage someone who took that plunge, but it does complicate things a little. But it would be cruel to both of you to split you up, now that you are together, so there will have to be a way to make it work.

Consider having a non-medical roommate who likes dogs and has a schedule that is different from your own. It might be worth renting a larger place just so that you can sublet a room to someone who can help keep the dog walked, fed, and entertained while you are away. Separation anxiety can develop even in older dogs that are left alone too long. They really are pack animals and like to have company as much as possible.