Pre-Vet Foundations

[futuredogtorb]

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As I begin my journey to veterinary medicine, I started to wonder: what foundations should pre-preveterinary learners focus on?

I immediately thought of animal husbandry, as well as veterinary medicine ethics and animal welfare ethics.

Is there anything else aside from those that I should be focusing on in a self-learning format before I enter pre-veterinary curriculum? I’m currently a veterinary assistant student through an online program and I will be starting to gain some veterinary hours once I get to the externship (I know it’s not a requirement to go through an AVA program, but I prefer the solid educational foundation before I enter clinicals), though I will probably also take this time to shadow different environments.

 

[pp9]

A bit different than what you are asking for, but more important than trying to self-teach yourself topics: Pre-vets should focus on making sure the career is right for them/they are right for it (the latter is harder to figure out imo). They can do this by getting as much career exposure as possible - GP, ER, etc. Soliciting feedback too. Given how the field is trending, I'd try to get experience in both privately owned and corporate clinics as well. You can make a lot of choices in life that will influence your happiness and career satisfaction, but you can't change vet med and you can't change your personality. You really do need to make sure you and vet med mesh well.

They should also seriously evaluate the financial position they will be putting themselves in by attending veterinary school. We have gone from 'Vet school is expensive and we don't get paid well' to 'the cost of vet school may very well ruin your life.' And yet, so many are still barreling toward it without serious thought about what life looks like after. This is more important now than it ever has been with all of the new loan rules.

Otherwise, ethics is hard to teach/learn because it can be so nuanced and context-specific, and what one person feels is 'ethical' might be seen as the opposite by another. I've also found that what one might feel strongly about as a prevet might not necessarily translate to reality, but it can be hard to understand that before you are the one wearing the white coat. Vets are also in the unique position of balancing both human and animal welfare on a regular basis which further complicates what 'ethical' looks like for us.

Anything else you need to know is taught in school frankly. Some schools might have specific questions during interviews, but they wouldn't be anything beyond what you'd learn during veterinary experiences.

 

[juggling-zebra0831]

Rising 2nd year veterinary student here! Second everything above too 🙂
Getting clinical hours in multiple different settings (research, GP, ER/speciality, LA rural in another country) has definitely helped me upon entering my program, albeit taking a few unplanned gap years after my undergrad. It introduced me to concepts such as one-health and also taught me that care exists on a spectrum. The curriculum your school offers and classes you take will lay the foundation for upper level coursework you take once in veterinary school. But beyond that, I found it useful to take time to self-reflect and think more broadly about how certain experiences shaped me and my "why". This was helpful when I went to go write my personal statement but also more generally allowed me to validate/confirm if continuing down this path was right for me. I used to keep a running list in my notes app on my phone where I would just write down anything from experiences that stood out to how they made me feel or what I learned from them or about myself along the way. Most importantly, own your journey and your path! It's so easy to get lost in comparing it to others...trust me I have done that more than a number of times myself and still is something I have to practice daily.
Wishing you all the best!

 

[battie]

Foundations should pre-preveterinary learners focus on?

Learning how to learn. You've got a decade to figure the veterinary medicine aspect. You'll be learning for the rest of your life. So figure how you learn and what you need to be successful.

Also how to adult. I wish I had taken a personal finance class and a cooking class. Those are life foundations.

 

[supershorty]

A bit different than what you are asking for, but more important than trying to self-teach yourself topics: Pre-vets should focus on making sure the career is right for them/they are right for it (the latter is harder to figure out imo). They can do this by getting as much career exposure as possible - GP, ER, etc. Soliciting feedback too. Given how the field is trending, I'd try to get experience in both privately owned and corporate clinics as well. You can make a lot of choices in life that will influence your happiness and career satisfaction, but you can't change vet med and you can't change your personality. You really do need to make sure you and vet med mesh well.

They should also seriously evaluate the financial position they will be putting themselves in by attending veterinary school. We have gone from 'Vet school is expensive and we don't get paid well' to 'the cost of vet school may very well ruin your life.' And yet, so many are still barreling toward it without serious thought about what life looks like after. This is more important now than it ever has been with all of the new loan rules.

Also how to adult. I wish I had taken a personal finance class and a cooking class. Those are life foundations.

Reiterating these points and adding: figure out what you like to do to recharge. Taking care of yourself is so important and in veterinary school and beyond, you need to find ways to do that for long-term maintenance of your mental health. That may be something athletic, or an activity you like to do on your couch, or setting aside an hour to listen to a favorite podcast - whatever it may be, figure out what it is now so that when you're in a situation that's more demanding of your time, like vet school or internship/residency should you choose to pursue those afterward, you know how to help yourself stay yourself.

I made a point during vet school and beyond to continue doing my particular kind of athletic training, and while I still experienced mental health struggles during my rotating internship, I overall was often happier and in a better place than many of my internmates. But I knew at that stage of my life what I needed to do to achieve that. If I'd been trying to find something that brought me happiness and relaxation in that situation, I don't think I would have succeeded. So find the things that make you who you are when you're happy and figure out what you need to do in order to keep those a regular part of your life.