Senior in High School; Future PreVet With Questions!

[mckyle]

Hey! I am currently a senior in high school (I will be graduating a semester early in December and will start college in January.) I have gotten the opportunity to shadow a veterinarian who does "farm calls" next week, and I am extremely excited about it. I've read a lot about keeping track of hours and notes for when I apply to vet school; should I go ahead and start doing that now, or wait until I'm actually in college?

I'm also wondering what exactly constitutes animal experience? I live on a farm and we have 6 horses and a pony. Would cleaning the stalls and such count as animal experience hours? I'm also wondering if I should go ahead and keep track of those too.

Alright, last thing: can anyone give me some advice on getting ready for college in January? I want to start on the Pre-Vet track ASAP, so any info I can get on preparing for and for my first semester in college would REALLY be appreciated!

Thanks!

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[PetPony]

Start counting the hours now already for the shadowing! You can use all of those already.

And make sure that you keep up with studying when you start college. I never had to study in high school and took too many classes at once in my first semester and after a while it was a bit too much for me. I didn't keep up with everything like I should have and it got bad. You don't have to study for hours every day, just don't get behind.

 

[mckyle]

Great to know about that! I just set up an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of my hours since I know I can use them I also have a notebook set up for taking notes during the shadowing, although I'm not sure how much detail I should attempt to retain from my experiences. (Even if they aren't useful for vet school, I'm still going to take them just to learn!)

I'm one of those people who never has to study in high school too! I'm definitely planning on hitting the ground running in January though, because I've already looked at pre-reqs for vet school and they look pretty tough. How many classes did you take your first semester?

 

[adams30]

I'm one of those people who never has to study in high school too! I'm definitely planning on hitting the ground running in January though, because I've already looked at pre-reqs for vet school and they look pretty tough. How many classes did you take your first semester?

Good thing that you realize that they will be tough because they are. Be careful, college is WAY different than high school (especially makes a difference on where you go too). I'm a senior in undergrad and all my friends who "were the people who never studied in high school" ended up struggling in college because they thought that they could get away with the same approach. That is not so.

If you've taken AP classes in high school like AP Bio or AP Chem, imagine that year long class condensed down to only a few weeks along with several other similar classes. THAT'S what college is like. It's MUCH more challenging and you'll HAVE to study for most things - especially if you want to do well. Don't make the mistake of underestimating any class.

I took a full course-load every semester, at my school that was 18 credit hours and was about 6-7 classes a semester. So I always had a lot on my plate. I majored in the sciences (Animal Science major and a Chemistry minor) and I also had to use some of my electives to get certain vet school pre-reqs in. Some vet schools like to see that you have taken challenging loads every semester since vet school is very rigorous and they pile a lot on you at once.

But it's good that you are already starting to shadow a vet and log your hours. That is a good practice to have and continue throughout college. Keep it up and make sure to get a variety of experience.

On the owning horses thing, while that's great experience be careful, some vet schools don't count animal/pet ownership as animal experience hours. Try volunteering at a shelter, at a zoo of some sort, or in a research lab that works with animals. That will count for animal hours.

 

[mckyle]

I figured that ownership wouldn't count as real experience hours, thanks for clearing that up.

I will definitely be studying in college! I don't think it has fully hit me yet what I'm in for as far as challenge, but I have a little bit of a realization. No way will I underestimate my classes, I saw my freshman year of high school how much a little slacking can hurt - even with a weighted grade scale.

Would being in the honors curricula in college have any impact on vet school apps? I'm planning on applying for the honors program anyway, but if it is going to help me out some in terms of getting into the grad school that would be great too! I am a little worried that that might be putting too much on my plate though.

 

[prevetdreamer]

definitely track your hours now! You will be glad you did You can track your hours with your family's pets, but be very conservative with it. For my horse ownership, I'm only putting down the time I was actually riding or working with my horse and maybe like an hour per week for cleaning etc. Also, keep it separate from everything else so you can put it on your application or leave it off depending on what the schools want.

As far as college goes, since it is your first semester I would take it a little easier. This may be different than what others may tell you or what you want to do, but there are a few good reasons for this. Since you don't really know what college will be like or how hard the classes are, it might be easier to get good grades and less stressful if you don't overload yourself with hard classes. Also, it is a lot better to get all A's in 4 easier classes than worse grades in more/harder classes. Your first semester sets your GPA for the rest of you undergrad and it's easier to continue a good streak than try to increase it after a bad semester. You're required to take some lower level classes to get your degree anyways, so why not start out with a few. You can probably take an intro to animal science class or something like that too. College is a great experience good luck!

 

[adams30]

As far as college goes, since it is your first semester I would take it a little easier. This may be different than what others may tell you or what you want to do, but there are a few good reasons for this. Since you don't really know what college will be like or how hard the classes are, it might be easier to get good grades and less stressful if you don't overload yourself with hard classes. Also, it is a lot better to get all A's in 4 easier classes than worse grades in more/harder classes. Your first semester sets your GPA for the rest of you undergrad and it's easier to continue a good streak than try to increase it after a bad semester. You're required to take some lower level classes to get your degree anyways, so why not start out with a few. You can probably take an intro to animal science class or something like that too. College is a great experience good luck!

I agree that you don't want to take too many hard classes your first year cuz you do need to set your GPA.

I took a full load my first semester but I had only like 1 hard class with 5 other easier ones and that helped out. My classes all got harder after that semester.

You can mix "hard" classes with some easier ones to help distribute the work load.

 

[Trilt]

Great to know about that! I just set up an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of my hours since I know I can use them I also have a notebook set up for taking notes during the shadowing, although I'm not sure how much detail I should attempt to retain from my experiences. (Even if they aren't useful for vet school, I'm still going to take them just to learn!)

I'm one of those people who never has to study in high school too! I'm definitely planning on hitting the ground running in January though, because I've already looked at pre-reqs for vet school and they look pretty tough. How many classes did you take your first semester?

Make sure you back up the excel sheet! I personally just made a google doc so I didn't have to worry about it if my computer crashed - you definitely don't want to lose everything.

I took 15 credit hours my first semester in undergrad, spread across four classes and labs. That's generally a standard amount of courses per semester for the schools in my area, but credit hours and such vary widely by university.

 

[prevetdreamer]

You can mix "hard" classes with some easier ones to help distribute the work load.

I have pretty much done this my entire undergrad education. Granted, past a certain point, they are all hard lol but I usually try to have at least one class that's easier than the others. I also make sure that I have at least one class that I am genuinely interested in. If I don't, the semester just kindof sucks

 

[LetItSnow]

Great to know about that! I just set up an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of my hours since I know I can use them I also have a notebook set up for taking notes during the shadowing, although I'm not sure how much detail I should attempt to retain from my experiences. (Even if they aren't useful for vet school, I'm still going to take them just to learn!)

Be careful taking notes: the vet you are with may not want you recording any client-identifying information. If in doubt, ask the vet first.

Regarding the spreadsheet - great foresight. My suggestion is that you go create an account at VMCAS - https://portal.vmcas.org/ - and look at how the 'experience' section is laid out (what info they want, etc.). It's free to create the account and there's no harm in doing so.

Then, construct your spreadsheet to mimic the info they want. Will make it a breeze down the road when you're ready to apply.

 

[mckyle]

Make sure you back up the excel sheet! I personally just made a google doc so I didn't have to worry about it if my computer crashed - you definitely don't want to lose everything.

I took 15 credit hours my first semester in undergrad, spread across four classes and labs. That's generally a standard amount of courses per semester for the schools in my area, but credit hours and such vary widely by university.

Oh yeah, I also have a hard copy in a notebook AND everything is going to be saved to my flash drive each update. I may do a Goodle doc too, that's a good idea!

I have pretty much done this my entire undergrad education. Granted, past a certain point, they are all hard lol but I usually try to have at least one class that's easier than the others. I also make sure that I have at least one class that I am genuinely interested in. If I don't, the semester just kindof sucks

Being a Bio major, I think that I will be interested in at least one class each semester... unless college science isn't fun!

definitely track your hours now! You will be glad you did You can track your hours with your family's pets, but be very conservative with it. For my horse ownership, I'm only putting down the time I was actually riding or working with my horse and maybe like an hour per week for cleaning etc. Also, keep it separate from everything else so you can put it on your application or leave it off depending on what the schools want.

As far as college goes, since it is your first semester I would take it a little easier. This may be different than what others may tell you or what you want to do, but there are a few good reasons for this. Since you don't really know what college will be like or how hard the classes are, it might be easier to get good grades and less stressful if you don't overload yourself with hard classes. Also, it is a lot better to get all A's in 4 easier classes than worse grades in more/harder classes. Your first semester sets your GPA for the rest of you undergrad and it's easier to continue a good streak than try to increase it after a bad semester. You're required to take some lower level classes to get your degree anyways, so why not start out with a few. You can probably take an intro to animal science class or something like that too. College is a great experience good luck!

That sounds good for cleaning and such; I'll put it as an hour of "other" experience.

Alright, it looks like I definitely need to focus on my first semester's courses so I don't push myself too hard without knowing what I'm going to get into!

I agree that you don't want to take too many hard classes your first year cuz you do need to set your GPA.

I took a full load my first semester but I had only like 1 hard class with 5 other easier ones and that helped out. My classes all got harder after that semester.

You can mix "hard" classes with some easier ones to help distribute the work load.

Could you give me an example of what your first semester courses looked like?

 

[mckyle]

Be careful taking notes: the vet you are with may not want you recording any client-identifying information. If in doubt, ask the vet first.

Regarding the spreadsheet - great foresight. My suggestion is that you go create an account at VMCAS - https://portal.vmcas.org/ - and look at how the 'experience' section is laid out (what info they want, etc.). It's free to create the account and there's no harm in doing so.

Then, construct your spreadsheet to mimic the info they want. Will make it a breeze down the road when you're ready to apply.

This vet works in a rural area (the "Everybody knows everybody" kind of place) so I don't think there will be much issue, but I will definitely ask first.

Thanks for the link, I didn't realize I could go ahead and see all of that info!

 

[adams30]

Could you give me an example of what your first semester courses looked like?

My first semester classes will probably look nothing like yours since I had to take some college specific ("welcome to college") type classes that were mandatory.

I took an animal biology class with lab
I took my intro to animal science course for my major and that had a lab too
I took a freshman class (it was called issues in agriculture since I'm in the college of agriculture at my university) that was required for my college
I took a computer science class for a gen ed
I took an anthropology class with lab for gen ed too

Basically I took mostly gen eds my freshman year. I started taking my chemistry classes second semester freshman year starting with gen chem. My sophomore year was strictly math/science classes and same with junior year (with the exception of my 2 history classes).

I finished gen chem classes and labs during sophomore year, started physics and labs (im doing my second semester of physics this fall), I also took anatomy & physiology, genetics & cell bio, animal nutrition, and growth/reproductive biology sophomore year along with statistics and calculus.

I did a study abroad for 3 weeks in South Africa last summer for ecology/African wildlife

Junior year I took a full year of organic chemistry, microbiology, biochemistry, and a bunch of 300/400 level science classes like Adv Reproductive Physiology and some hands on animal science classes like horse training.

Senior year I'm taking like all 300/400 level science classes (all to do with bio/animals/cell bio) and physics.

But each school is different. Most people do a bunch of gen eds freshman year like what I did. I didn't really get into my major/minor until sophomore year.

 

[uoguelph]

Introductory Psychology
General Chemistry I
Biological Concepts of Health
Physics for the Life Sciences I
Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology

Introduction to Biodiversity
General Chemistry II
Physics for the Life Sciences II
Introduction to Spanish I
Calculus

 

[Spinach Dip]

My first year was general ed stuff. College writing and math and so on.



As for notes, I would suggest writing in a physical notebook. You can then transfer the info into excell. Remember, computers can crash. Paper lasts forever. (If you don't like notebooks, just print off your excell charts every week or so and file them somewhere safe.)

 

[krist]

My advice (that I can think of off the top of my head, if I think of more I will add later)

1. Get A's!! I think the fact that you already think you know what you want to do and have a concrete goal will help you, but I'd give anything to go back and get my butt up for 8 am bio class and get more A's than I did...it caused me to have to apply to vet school twice and severely limited my application options.

2. Get to know your professors and talk to them during office hours, labs, etc so they know your face and name. This can lead to very helpful research experience potentially, and it is a lot easier to ask a professor who at least knows you a little bit to write you a letter of recommendation (even though you are a few years away from that).

3. Have fun! (just not too much fun, see #1 ) make friends, join clubs that aren't necessarily related to vet med, get involved with your school! Vet schools definitely like to see a well-rounded applicant and community service is always helpful!

 

[mckyle]

Thanks for the course lists guys! Unfortunately my college doesn't offer many unique science classes, but some of those courses look really awesome! So stick with mostly General Ed my first semester?

My advice (that I can think of off the top of my head, if I think of more I will add later)

1. Get A's!! I think the fact that you already think you know what you want to do and have a concrete goal will help you, but I'd give anything to go back and get my butt up for 8 am bio class and get more A's than I did...it caused me to have to apply to vet school twice and severely limited my application options.

2. Get to know your professors and talk to them during office hours, labs, etc so they know your face and name. This can lead to very helpful research experience potentially, and it is a lot easier to ask a professor who at least knows you a little bit to write you a letter of recommendation (even though you are a few years away from that).

3. Have fun! (just not too much fun, see #1 ) make friends, join clubs that aren't necessarily related to vet med, get involved with your school! Vet schools definitely like to see a well-rounded applicant and community service is always helpful!

thankfully, I'm going to attend a small college (roughly 800 resident undergrads), so hopefully I will be able to get to know all of my professors really well!

I can definitely tell that I'm gonna be working my tail off my first year to keep those A's...!

As for notes, I would suggest writing in a physical notebook. You can then transfer the info into excell. Remember, computers can crash. Paper lasts forever. (If you don't like notebooks, just print off your excell charts every week or so and file them somewhere safe.)

Yeah, I'll have a notebook for hard copies of spreadsheets and another notebook with just random notes from the shadowings I do. Definitely don't want t lose my info... I'm pretty sure I would be in the floor crying if I did.

 

[PetPony]

I also take notes when I shadow, but it's nothing very specific that I write down. It's usually pretty general (names of diseases, what causes it, symptoms) and terms that are used by the vets/vet students (NSAID etc).

 

[mckyle]

Alright, I'll try not to be too detailed (although I think I'll be unsuccessful in that the first few times just because of the excitement haha!)

What should I wear when I go to shadow Monday? This doctor owns his practice, but he doesn't actually have a building - he does "house and farm calls" really. I don't want to be way overdressed, but I also want to look like I know what I'm doing.

 

[PetPony]

Alright, I'll try not to be too detailed (although I think I'll be unsuccessful in that the first few times just because of the excitement haha!)

What should I wear when I go to shadow Monday? This doctor owns his practice, but he doesn't actually have a building - he does "house and farm calls" really. I don't want to be way overdressed, but I also want to look like I know what I'm doing.

I usually wear scrubs if I don't know what I'm supposed to wear. You could always ask the vet if he wants you to be dressed a certain way. In Germany, the vet didn't care at all as long as it was clean and not inappropriate. At the vet school I either wear scrubs or kakhis with a polo shirt because that's the dress code. So it always depends on the vet.

 

[Spinach Dip]

Alright, I'll try not to be too detailed (although I think I'll be unsuccessful in that the first few times just because of the excitement haha!)

What should I wear when I go to shadow Monday? This doctor owns his practice, but he doesn't actually have a building - he does "house and farm calls" really. I don't want to be way overdressed, but I also want to look like I know what I'm doing.

When I shadowed a horse vet, we wore scrubs on top and blue jeans on the bottom.

But ask the person you are shadowing, as they will be able to answer your question more than anyone here.

 

[LetItSnow]

What should I wear when I go to shadow Monday? This doctor owns his practice, but he doesn't actually have a building - he does "house and farm calls" really. I don't want to be way overdressed, but I also want to look like I know what I'm doing.

The very best thing to do is just ask the doctor what he'd like you to wear. Some docs care, some don't - but in the end, it's their livelihood and their business, so you'll ingratiate yourself with them if you take the time to ask questions like "what should I wear". Just call him up and ask before Monday.

That said, if you want to be prepared ... I've always worn scrubs in small animal clinics, jeans/khakis and a comfortable shirt at the equine clinics, and coveralls with the farm doc.

 

[Finnsheep]

Alright, I'll try not to be too detailed (although I think I'll be unsuccessful in that the first few times just because of the excitement haha!)

What should I wear when I go to shadow Monday? This doctor owns his practice, but he doesn't actually have a building - he does "house and farm calls" really. I don't want to be way overdressed, but I also want to look like I know what I'm doing.

I agree- ask the vet.

That said, I have always worn jeans and a more professional-looking shirt (polo, whatever). If you may wear t-shirts, keep them professional. I'd basically avoid logos. Maybe a 4-H logo shirt, etc. would be okay, but you always want to keep a clean appearance.

If you have long hair, tie it back. Nothing like placenta and manure in your hair. (Oh, oh- I have to say this- placenta is supposed to be great for your hair, especially sheep placenta...but I would never ever put that in my hair. I am not bothered at all by getting dirty, but a decomposing placenta smells REALLY bad...and I just spent last Sunday afternoon "peeling" mucous and placenta and other birth membranes and fluids off the towels we used to clean off the kids, before throwing them in the wash. Suffice to say it doesn't come off easily.)

Also, don't forget about footwear. What might be appropriate for a small animal clinic is just not going to cut it when it comes to cows and horses and sheep. NO open-toes shoes. No sneakers. No soft shoes. At the bare minimum, I would go with sturdy closed toed shoes. I personally wear leather steel-toed boots. If you are female, you can get really nice ones that do not look clunky at TSC- Schmidt brand is what I always get. They are not cheap- something around $70 I think- but they last a long time. Riding boots might work, cowboy boots, etc.

Especially if you will be working around cows, I would invest in a pair of chore boots, and bring them along. Ask the vet if he thinks they will be necessary. Anywhere there are cattle, there is a whole lot of manure, and you don't want to be ankle-deep in it without some kind of protection.

Don't forget to ask questions, take it all in, and have fun! Farm calls are my favorite!

Take advantage of the time riding in the truck between calls to discuss things with him- questions about vet med, how to get in vet school, what to concentrate on for now, little tips about handling livestock, etc. He has been through it all already.

 

[TXvet]

It has been 20 years since I applied to vet school but I think my advice still somewhat applies. I would take only 13 to 15 hours your first semester (I took 13). As stated above by some, getting a good GPA you first semester is very important. I took general chemistry + lab, biology, finite math, a gym class and another course which I can't recall (this was 1990-my memory has faded some). Also, get involved with some clubs if possible, extracurricular activities will look good on your application to vet school. I went to a large college (Texas A&M) so getting to know my professors was a bit difficult but I worked for the dean of my major and he was one of my letter of recommendation writers. If you can I recommend applying to vet school early-this will help you save money in the long run. Good luck!!