Premeds to prevet

[prissy1818]

I was taking the medical school route but always had an interest in veterinary but was scared to pursue that since I've gotten so many discouraging words about that field specially when I volunteered at a vet clinic one of the vet techs said that it would be better to take the medical route so I listened :-/. I think what really doubted me about taking the medical school route was scribing in the ER. I hated it and didn't even make it through that because of how much I disliked it. I don't know if it was the ER itself or just the medical field but I always felt right working around the veterinary field. I don't know if it's too late to go the veterinary route sincw I'm getting older (28) so don't know if I should continue that route. Any thoughts?

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[SkiOtter]

Have you shadowed a veterinarian yet to see if this is the field you DO wasn’t to be in? You will need a letter of rec from a vet to apply (for like 99.9% of places, VAMD doesnt require LORs anymore but will read them if you send them) and you’ll need to have a decent amount of vet field experience before applying
I would also recommend researching the amount of debt you’d be getting yourself into before you decide on this path. It’s a scary amount of debt and if you aren’t 100000000% set on being a veterinarian, you may want to think hard about it.
You can also use the search function or go through the last couple pages of new threads and see similar posts to yours with more replies.

 

[prissy1818]

Have you shadowed a veterinarian yet to see if this is the field you DO wasn’t to be in? You will need a letter of rec from a vet to apply (for like 99.9% of places, VAMD doesnt require LORs anymore but will read them if you send them) and you’ll need to have a decent amount of vet field experience before applying
I would also recommend researching the amount of debt you’d be getting yourself into before you decide on this path. It’s a scary amount of debt and if you aren’t 100000000% set on being a veterinarian, you may want to think hard about it.
You can also use the search function or go through the last couple pages of new threads and see similar posts to yours with more replies.

I have shadowed a vet a while ago back and lived it But like I said when a vet tech told me the downside of it that really changed everything and I changed my route to medicine. I was always undecided between the two but between the two let's just say I would rather be around animals than people lol. But like you mentioned the debt is scary

 

[MAD MIKE O7]

I think that if becoming a veterinarian is truly what you want to do then go for it. That being said, you should be sure of your decision before spending years of your life and going into massive amounts of debt for a career you are unsure about.

As for your age, there is no issue with taking a few more years to figure things out. The average age for those entering veterinary school is 25 but I've spoken to several vets who were in their thirties when they started veterinary school.

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[SkiOtter]

I have shadowed a vet a while ago back and lived it But like I said when a vet tech told me the downside of it that really changed everything and I changed my route to medicine. I was always undecided between the two but between the two let's just say I would rather be around animals than people lol. But like you mentioned the debt is scary

As a veterinarian, you DO have to be around people. A lot. You have to talk to owners and see what they’ve noticed about their animal that made them bring them in, you have to discuss treatment options with people, you have to have employees. A lot of what you deal with as a vet is gonna be people. And pretty little hands-on animal time. If you want to deal with animals (almost) exclusively, there’s teching or other things in the animal field that are not vet-related.

 

[JaynaAli]

Being a vet is actually a lot more about the people than you would think. Yes, we treat animals, but the vast majority of a practicing veterinarian's day is talking to clients, discussing treatment plans, discussing costs, calling about test results, and convincing people your recommendations are worth it. Vet techs are actually a lot more 'hands on' with the animals than most vets. Just something to think about.

 

[SoFloGryffindor]

I have shadowed a vet a while ago back and lived it But like I said when a vet tech told me the downside of it that really changed everything and I changed my route to medicine. I was always undecided between the two but between the two let's just say I would rather be around animals than people lol. But like you mentioned the debt is scary

Shadow more vets and different kinds of vets to make sure that what YOU want. If you really wanted to do it other people's opinions should have not deterred you.

And be sure to defend your decision when applying to vet school. They want an aware applicant with a set goal in mind.

 

[prissy1818]

As a veterinarian, you DO have to be around people. A lot. You have to talk to owners and see what they’ve noticed about their animal that made them bring them in, you have to discuss treatment options with people, you have to have employees. A lot of what you deal with as a vet is gonna be people. And pretty little hands-on animal time. If you want to deal with animals (almost) exclusively, there’s teching or other things in the animal field that are not vet-related.

I meant it in a sense of directly interacting with them during examinations, it feels like I'm much more comfotable around animals than people during that since I've been through both from volunteering and working in both fields. I feel like I have more emapthy towards animals and the owners of them

 

[Cephal0pod]

I was always undecided between the two but between the two let's just say I would rather be around animals than people lol.

As others have noted, being around animals is certainly a perk, but a very big part of a veterinarian's job is being around and working with people. You will not escape people-ing by pursuing a career in this field.

Note that there are a lot of ways you can work with animals that do not involve becoming a veterinarian or taking on astronomical amounts of debt - I would encourage you to not only spend more time shadowing a veterinarian, but also explore some of those options.

 

[SkiOtter]

I meant it in a sense of directly interacting with them during examinations, it feels like I'm much more comfotable around animals than people during that since I've been through both from volunteering and working in both fields. I feel like I have more emapthy towards animals and the owners of them

I feel this. I cannot deal with human bodily fluids. Someone got a big cut on their finger? Count me the **** out. Watch a leg amp on a dog? Count me the **** in.
Also don’t enjoy looking in peoples mouths, which I have to do in one of my current jobs which is

 

[prissy1818]

As others have noted, being around animals is certainly a perk, but a very big part of a veterinarian's job is being around and working with people. You will not escape people-ing by pursuing a career in this field.

Note that there are a lot of ways you can work with animals that do not involve becoming a veterinarian or taking on astronomical amounts of debt - I would encourage you to not only spend more time shadowing a veterinarian, but also explore some of those options.

Not really looking into other options since I've always been a person that likes a challenge and don't like settling for less. I like taking on big responsibilities so I it was always between veterinarian and physician

 

[prissy1818]

I feel this. I cannot deal with human bodily fluids. Someone got a big cut on their finger? Count me the **** out. Watch a leg amp on a dog? Count me the **** in.
Also don’t enjoy looking in peoples mouths, which I have to do in one of my current jobs which is

Well not so much a human bodily fluids it takes me a lot to get disgusted I can still be eating next to a pile of vomit (not that I would but that's how much I don't mind it) but I feel I can sympathize with the animal owners more than with a patient themselves

 

[prissy1818]

Also another thing my GPA isn't so competitive and I understand there are a limited amount of veterinary schools vs med school which is another thing that throws me off too. I'm just thinking realistic here as well

 

[SkiOtter]

Also another thing my GPA isn't so competitive and I understand there are a limited amount of veterinary schools vs med school which is another thing that throws me off too. I'm just thinking realistic here as well

There are quite a few who care more about last 45 or 36 hour gpa and science gpa more than cumulative, if those are pretty good.

 

[DVMDream]

If you could be happy doing anything else other than vet med then run and do that.

 

[Cephal0pod]

Not really looking into other options since I've always been a person that likes a challenge and don't like settling for less. I like taking on big responsibilities so I it was always between veterinarian and physician

There are a lot of challenging and fulfilling careers that are not being a veterinarian or physician. They are not "less" - just different.

If you do apply to veterinary school, you will need to be able to explain why you are pursuing that avenue of working with animals vs. some other route. It is important to have an educated, well thought out answer for this.

Note that I am not necessarily trying to discourage you from pursuing veterinary medicine. I am strongly suggesting that you gain more understanding as to what veterinary medicine is really like and keep an open mind.

Blinders don't do anyone any favors.

Keep asking questions and do your research. It's a cool field, but there are a lot of other cool fields out there, too.

 

[prissy1818]

There are a lot of challenging and fulfilling careers that are not being a veterinarian or physician. They are not "less" - just different.

If you do apply to veterinary school, you will need to be able to explain why you are pursuing that avenue of working with animals vs. some other route. It is important to have an educated, well thought out answer for this.

Note that I am not necessarily trying to discourage you from pursuing veterinary medicine. I am strongly suggesting that you gain more understanding as to what veterinary medicine is really like and keep an open mind.

Blinders don't do anyone any favors.

Keep asking questions and do your research. It's a cool field, but there are a lot of other cool fields out there, too.

I understand what you mean but I love the biological and physiological aspect of it that's why and working hands on as well. I've been a volunteer at a vet clinic and really loved it but like I mentioned what discouraged me to do that career was a vet tech that I used to volunteer with

 

[pinkpuppy9]

I understand what you mean but I love the biological and physiological aspect of it that's why and working hands on as well. I've been a volunteer at a vet clinic and really loved it but like I mentioned what discouraged me to do that career was a vet tech that I used to volunteer with

That tech wasn't wrong. You need to know what you're getting yourself into. Insane debt with comparatively little pay, a job that can be endlessly stressful/depressing/frustrating while also having moments of joy thrown in, clients that can really make you want to throw in the towel for good, and so on. It's not all bad, but the bad stuff weighs pretty heavily on people. Not to get really dark, but even the suicide rate for vets is high. That tells you something.

I know you've said you shadowed before, but really, you should start again. Tell the DVM that you're deciding between human and animal medicine and ask them not to hold back on you. Volunteer/shadow at multiple clinics with multiple vets if you can. Ask each one what they think of the field. Make sure you get to be there for client interactions, good and bad. You have a big decision to make with what seems to be very little experience to go off of.

 

[prissy1818]

That tech wasn't wrong. You need to know what you're getting yourself into. Insane debt with comparatively little pay, a job that can be endlessly stressful/depressing/frustrating while also having moments of joy thrown in, clients that can really make you want to throw in the towel for good, and so on. It's not all bad, but the bad stuff weighs pretty heavily on people. Not to get really dark, but even the suicide rate for vets is high. That tells you something.

I know you've said you shadowed before, but really, you should start again. Tell the DVM that you're deciding between human and animal medicine and ask them not to hold back on you. Volunteer/shadow at multiple clinics with multiple vets if you can. Ask each one what they think of the field. Make sure you get to be there for client interactions, good and bad. You have a big decision to make with what seems to be very little experience to go off of.

Love this response I'm starting on the volunteer process again and will take your advice on asking multiple people. Thank you!

 

[pinkpuppy9]

Love this response I'm starting on the volunteer process again and will take your advice on asking multiple people. Thank you!

Good luck! Everyone here just wants anyone considering vet med to be fully aware of the downsides of being a vet. Hopefully the clinics you shadow at will let you see pretty much everything from the vet's desk work to surgery.

 

[nohika]

Well not so much a human bodily fluids it takes me a lot to get disgusted I can still be eating next to a pile of vomit (not that I would but that's how much I don't mind it) but I feel I can sympathize with the animal owners more than with a patient themselves

As some of the vets would tell you here, not all animal owners are easy to sympathize with. A lot will argue with you. Some will yell at you. A vet here told a story about being threatened and having to call the cops. And that's not an isolated incident. Some will tell you your degree is worthless because they Googled the problem. You'll get called a whole lot of names, etc.

Spend some time here, and like others have said, talk to vets. Lots of them. I'd also talk to the receptionists and the techs who tend to be the front line of the pissed off people.

Just because someone owns an animal doesn't in any way automatically make them a good or even decent human being.

 

[prissy1818]

As some of the vets would tell you here, not all animal owners are easy to sympathize with. A lot will argue with you. Some will yell at you. A vet here told a story about being threatened and having to call the cops. And that's not an isolated incident. Some will tell you your degree is worthless because they Googled the problem. You'll get called a whole lot of names, etc.

Spend some time here, and like others have said, talk to vets. Lots of them. I'd also talk to the receptionists and the techs who tend to be the front line of the pissed off people.

Just because someone owns an animal doesn't in any way automatically make them a good or even decent human being.

It honestly sounds exactly the same when I worked at the ER department. I know you're trying to help out but to my understanding I will encounter dinguses anywhere regardless where I work. But to be honest I would be more understanding toward pet owners I just have more affinity towards animals than human

 

[pinkpuppy9]

It honestly sounds exactly the same when I worked at the ER department. I know you're trying to help out but to my understanding I will encounter dinguses anywhere regardless where I work. But to be honest I would be more understanding toward pet owners I just have more affinity towards animals than human

So this is why we're telling you that you need to shadow. I can't tell you how many times I've looked at a pet owner and wondered if they were even from this planet, let alone a functioning adult. Is it possible to understand why an owner would buy lifesaving medication and not use it at all, or pay for a $6,000 surgery only to refuse to make the dog wear an E-collar (The owner called the day after we sent it home to let us know that it's intestine was coming through the body wall because the dog had chewed its incision so furiously)? I could go on.

In an ER, if a person is going to do something stupid or dangerous, that's on them. In the vet world, you are treating animals that solely depend on their person. If their person is going to be an dingus, that pet will suffer and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it.

And then there's the people that would do anything for their beloved animals, if only they could afford it.

Edit:

So this is why we're telling you that you need to shadow. I can't tell you how many times I've looked at a pet owner and wondered if they were even from this planet, let alone a functioning adult. Is it possible to understand why an owner would buy lifesaving medication and not use it at all, or pay for a $6,000 surgery only to refuse to make the dog wear an E-collar (The owner called the day after we sent it home to let us know that it's intestine was coming through the body wall because the dog had chewed its incision so furiously)? I could go on.

In an ER, if a person is going to do something stupid or dangerous, that's on them. In the vet world, you are treating animals that solely depend on their person. If their person is going to be an dingus, that pet will suffer and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it.

And then there's the people that would do anything for their beloved animals, if only they could afford it.

Wait, why is prissy allowed to swear and I'm not?! How do I take my training wheels off?

 

[MAD MIKE O7]

So this is why we're telling you that you need to shadow. I can't tell you how many times I've looked at a pet owner and wondered if they were even from this planet, let alone a functioning adult. Is it possible to understand why an owner would buy lifesaving medication and not use it at all, or pay for a $6,000 surgery only to refuse to make the dog wear an E-collar (The owner called the day after we sent it home to let us know that it's intestine was coming through the body wall because the dog had chewed its incision so furiously)? I could go on.

In an ER, if a person is going to do something stupid or dangerous, that's on them. In the vet world, you are treating animals that solely depend on their person. If their person is going to be an dingus, that pet will suffer and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it.

And then there's the people that would do anything for their beloved animals, if only they could afford it.

Yeah we had an owner let their pet rip open their stitches 3 times because they didn't want an E-collar... people are crazy sometimes.

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[prissy1818]

So this is why we're telling you that you need to shadow. I can't tell you how many times I've looked at a pet owner and wondered if they were even from this planet, let alone a functioning adult. Is it possible to understand why an owner would buy lifesaving medication and not use it at all, or pay for a $6,000 surgery only to refuse to make the dog wear an E-collar (The owner called the day after we sent it home to let us know that it's intestine was coming through the body wall because the dog had chewed its incision so furiously)? I could go on.

In an ER, if a person is going to do something stupid or dangerous, that's on them. In the vet world, you are treating animals that solely depend on their person. If their person is going to be an dingus, that pet will suffer and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it.

And then there's the people that would do anything for their beloved animals, if only they could afford it.

Edit:


Wait, why is prissy allowed to swear and I'm not?! How do I take my training wheels off?

My bad didn't think that word was that harsh but yes in that aspect I understand how owners will go through anything to save their lives even going with the most stupidest decision ( like not euthanizing you're 19 year old dog cause you're not ready even they clearly look like there suffering which I witnessed) but you're right you're gonna be seeing those types of negative things in both veterinary and medical field but would see why it would be more frustrating for animals since you as the doctor would know the best treatment while the owner doesn't and would want to take a different approach but animals can't have a say. I have decided to take the advice and just shadow for a while while still completing my science prerequisites since both schools require similar prerequisites and after that officially decide since I will have a good amount of time shadowing

 

[DVMDream]

My bad didn't think that word was that harsh but yes in that aspect I understand how owners will go through anything to save their lives even going with the most stupidest decision ( like not euthanizing you're 19 year old dog cause you're not ready even they clearly look like there suffering which I witnessed) but you're right you're gonna be seeing those types of negative things in both veterinary and medical field but would see why it would be more frustrating for animals since you as the doctor would know the best treatment while the owner doesn't and would want to take a different approach but animals can't have a say. I have decided to take the advice and just shadow for a while while still completing my science prerequisites since both schools require similar prerequisites and after that officially decide since I will have a good amount of time shadowing

Don't forget to also shadow other aspects of human medicine. ER is a very specific niche of human medicine and just may not fit you. There are plenty of other specialties that you can explore before you completely eliminate human medicine as a career path.

And shadow multiple aspects of veterinary medicine, not just small animal GP practices. Don't forget about equine vets and food animal vets and heck even small animal ER is going to be much different than small animal GP.