Question about medical experience

[Donut.vett]

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I was accepted into the pre-med mentor program at my school. I only applied and interviewed to gain experience and practice for the vet school interview process, but somehow I got in to this very competitive program. I am basically paired up with a pediatrician at a hospital, who I shadow and also go through several rotations like : surgery, radiology, etc. I have always wanted to be a vet and have accumulated lots of vet experience hours but I never gave myself the shot at experiencing human medicine. Anyway, my real question is should I update my VMCAs with this experience? I will be accumulating a lot of hours throughout this program. Would they look at my application differently because it is not animal medicine related?

 

[that redhead]

I was accepted into the pre-med mentor program at my school. I only applied and interviewed to gain experience and practice for the vet school interview process, but somehow I got in to this very competitive program. I am basically paired up with a pediatrician at a hospital, who I shadow and also go through several rotations like : surgery, radiology, etc. I have always wanted to be a vet and have accumulated lots of vet experience hours but I never gave myself the shot at experiencing human medicine. Anyway, my real question is should I update my VMCAs with this experience? I will be accumulating a lot of hours throughout this program. Would they look at my application differently because it is not animal medicine related?

Not sure that I'd update with this...I'd be concerned that admissions would see this as you double-dipping for a human medical application and not fully committed to vet med vs. human med.

 

[hazelmoo]

SF! That sounds like a lot of fun, but unless you are thinking about switching, I would maybe talk to someone and drop the program to give other students a chance to gain some medical experience who want to go to medical school to become human doctors. If you are genuinely interested in human med, I would stay in it to see if it is something you would rather pursue!

 

[pp9]

SF! That sounds like a lot of fun, but unless you are thinking about switching, I would maybe talk to someone and drop the program to give other students a chance to gain some medical experience who want to go to medical school to become human doctors. If you are genuinely interested in human med, I would stay in it to see if it is something you would rather pursue!

I agree with this. It's certainly a great learning experience, but it always irked me when students who were not pre-vet/had no interest in applying to vet school would take up jobs at veterinary clinics/the teaching hospital. I don't have a shot at getting good veterinary experience if you got the job before I got to campus, and are holding onto it until you graduate. I can also see why you'd want to keep it (especially if it's paid), but if you truly have no interest in human med, consider giving it to someone who really wants this experience. You can always keep an eye out for mock interview opportunities. Most campuses have some sort of job-preparation center that you can take advantage of.

 

[Devastating]

I agree with this. It's certainly a great learning experience, but it always irked me when students who were not pre-vet/had no interest in applying to vet school would take up jobs at veterinary clinics/the teaching hospital. I don't have a shot at getting good veterinary experience if you got the job before I got to campus, and are holding onto it until you graduate. I can also see why you'd want to keep it (especially if it's paid), but if you truly have no interest in human med, consider giving it to someone who really wants this experience. You can always keep an eye out for mock interview opportunities. Most campuses have some sort of job-preparation center that you can take advantage of.

Hahaha, I kind of thought this whenever a guy I knew from quidditch at LSU took up a kennel attendant position at one of the more well-known local clinics (he was in something kinesiology-related). I felt a little bad and selfish for thinking it, but at the time I thought "why would college students who have nothing to do with pre-vet or animal studies in general take up a vet clinic job, when we have so many pre-vets who could really use that employment experience?"

I would think that a human med experience like this could be something interesting to add to your non-animal VMCAS experiences, but then again redhead makes a good point. I agree with all the posts above me.

 

[Minnerbelle]

"why would college students who have nothing to do with pre-vet or animal studies in general take up a vet clinic job, when we have so many pre-vets who could really use that employment experience?"

Cause it's a job, and they like caring for animals and thought it would be a cool experience to work with them?

I think it's a little entitled to feel like these positions should be preferentially held open for people who might be prevet...

As for the OP, if human medicine is something s/he would like to consider if s/he doesn't get into vet school this year, I think it would be a great experience. If not at all interested, I feel bad for the pediatrician mentor who is putting in his/her time and effort on someone who doesn't even care. I would include this experience on vet school apps if applying AFTER this experience happened. But I certainly wouldn't when this experience is occurring AFTER applications for vet school has been submitted. Why would any adcom think favorably on an applicant who applied for a medical school mentoring program AFTER submitting apps for vet school?

 

[Donut.vett]

Cause it's a job, and they like caring for animals and thought it would be a cool experience to work with them?

I think it's a little entitled to feel like these positions should be preferentially held open for people who might be prevet...

As for the OP, if human medicine is something s/he would like to consider if s/he doesn't get into vet school this year, I think it would be a great experience. If not at all interested, I feel bad for the pediatrician mentor who is putting in his/her time and effort on someone who doesn't even care. I would include this experience on vet school apps if applying AFTER this experience happened. But I certainly wouldn't when this experience is occurring AFTER applications for vet school has been submitted. Why would any adcom think favorably on an applicant who applied for a medical school mentoring program AFTER submitting apps for vet school?

I was accepted into this program May of last year but it only started recently. And I'm not completely disinterested in human medicine at all, I just love animals more. But then again I haven't really tried for human medicine because I was always dead set on vet med.

 

[Donut.vett]

I think I really tried this out because my family has suggested that I should just be a doctor. My family and friends have always made comments like, "You'll get paid more if you're a real doctor, blah blah blah".
But I'm really glad I got paired up with a pediatrician because I love kids, which makes it more interesting to me.

 

[pp9]

I was accepted into this program May of last year but it only started recently. And I'm not completely disinterested in human medicine at all, I just love animals more. But then again I haven't really tried for human medicine because I was always dead set on vet med.

In that case, it's probably worth completing if you have any nagging thoughts in the back of your mind about human med (whether they were planted by your family or not). It will either put those to rest or cause you to change your path.

Cause it's a job, and they like caring for animals and thought it would be a cool experience to work with them?

I think it's a little entitled to feel like these positions should be preferentially held open for people who might be prevet...

As for the OP, if human medicine is something s/he would like to consider if s/he doesn't get into vet school this year, I think it would be a great experience. If not at all interested, I feel bad for the pediatrician mentor who is putting in his/her time and effort on someone who doesn't even care. I would include this experience on vet school apps if applying AFTER this experience happened. But I certainly wouldn't when this experience is occurring AFTER applications for vet school has been submitted. Why would any adcom think favorably on an applicant who applied for a medical school mentoring program AFTER submitting apps for vet school?

I don't think anyone said they should be 'reserved' for prevets. I think we're just commenting on how frustrating it is, that's all.

 

[hazelmoo]

I think I really tried this out because my family has suggested that I should just be a doctor. My family and friends have always made comments like, "You'll get paid more if you're a real doctor, blah blah blah".
But I'm really glad I got paired up with a pediatrician because I love kids, which makes it more interesting to me.

Hate when family/friends say this! Vets are real doctors! Ugh... End rant. Lol

 

[DVMDream]

I don't think anyone said they should be 'reserved' for prevets. I think we're just commenting on how frustrating it is, that's all.

Why is it frustrating? It shouldn't be is the point. Other people besides prevets are allowed to apply for and work as vet assistants or technicians if they so wish. You shouldn't be frustrated by someone else's success on obtaining a job and supporting themselves through college.

 

[pp9]

Why is it frustrating? It shouldn't be is the point. Other people besides prevets are allowed to apply for and work as vet assistants or technicians if they so wish. You shouldn't be frustrated by someone else's success on obtaining a job and supporting themselves through college.

It's easily frustrating when you're hoping to find a veterinary job and there are no openings. How did it turn into me being frustrated by a particular person's success?

 

[Minnerbelle]

I don't think anyone said they should be 'reserved' for prevets. I think we're just commenting on how frustrating it is, that's all.

My interpretation of your comment was that prevets deserved those jobs more than others, which I didn't agree with... but I guess that's not what you meant? it is totally within your rights to be frustrated by anything in life as long as it doesn't affect anyone else.

I'm frustrated when I drive to a Wendy's at 2am and it turns out they closed at 1am, and I'm like all pissed off because it says on the sign that they are open late night. But I don't actually expect them to do anything differently I guess. I'm just personally sad, which is fine. It's not like I'm going to bitch to the staff, manager, or corporate about it.

 

[Devastating]

I didn't mean to seem pretentious or start an argument on Steph's thread...hence my "I felt a little bad and selfish for thinking it, but..."

Let it be known that I don't actually think that somehow all vet-clinical positions should be exclusively held open for pre-vet students 😛 I think the student SVM jobs at LSU were pretty much only advertised to pre-vet or animal sci students anyway.

 

[pp9]

My interpretation of your comment was that prevets deserved those jobs more than others, which I didn't agree with... but I guess that's not what you meant? it is totally within your rights to be frustrated by anything in life as long as it doesn't affect anyone else.

I'm frustrated when I drive to a Wendy's at 2am and it turns out they closed at 1am, and I'm like all pissed off because it says on the sign that they are open late night. But I don't actually expect them to do anything differently I guess. I'm just personally sad, which is fine. It's not like I'm going to bitch to the staff, manager, or corporate about it.

Idk...that's a pretty tough blow to overcome. I am very serious about my late night fast food.

 

[DVMDream]

Idk...that's a pretty tough blow to overcome. I am very serious about my late night fast food.

Taco Bell is always open to give you that nice laxative effect whenever you want! 😉

 

[pp9]

Taco Bell is always open to give you that nice laxative effect whenever you want! 😉

😍