thirty and starting my life over. i need some advice.

[japchin]

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Hi everyone. I joined this forum after searching information online for over 4 hours this morning. I am in a stressful position to say the least. The only positive is that it has forced me to really make a plan and get my act together.

Situation: I am 29, almost 30. I am divorced, have a minimum wage job (dog walker) in an expensive city (Chicago). I am going through a break up with a man I thought I may marry. We lived together and he paid most of the rent & bills due to my income. I went to college for a few years 10 years ago, but those credits no longer transfer. At the moment myself and my pets are staying at my parents house until I can formulate a plan. I have barely any money saved.

Why is this relevant to this forum? I want to be a veterinarian. Ever since I was young, I have wanted to work with animals. I was a dog groomer for 5 years with plans to open my own shop and make it a career, however I injured my back resulting in needing spinal fusion surgery (at the age of 26!) and therefore cannot groom anymore. Thus after my surgery, I needed a mild job and since I can't live without animals in my life, I became a dog walker. Have been doing it for 2 years now and it just isn't paying any bills or allowing me to save money. I volunteer a lot with a local dog rescue and have a lot of experience working with animals, as you can see. I even groomed inside of a vet clinic for about a year, so I'm not totally foreign to the environment.

My question I guess, is how is the best way to start from scratch and work towards becoming a Veterinarian. I think my only choice at this point is to begin from nothing at a Community College, since it would be the most affordable. What classes do you recommend on focusing on? Do Veterinary programs look down upon this? I am going to contact a school and set up an appointment with an advisor, I just feel so low and anxious about this that I thought a post on this forum may help me see the light a little more clearly.

Also, how do you all afford having to study and go to classes full time? I feel like it will never work for me, and it feels defeating- and I haven't even begun! I just need to take a deep breath, I guess. Any advice and insight would be greatly appreciated. 😱

 

[nohika]

Also, how do you all afford having to study and go to classes full time? I feel like it will never work for me, and it feels defeating- and I haven't even begun! I just need to take a deep breath, I guess. Any advice and insight would be greatly appreciated. 😱

You become the most organized person in existence. 😉

Tbh, especially since you've been out of school so long, I'd either ease in slowly when it comes to the difficulty of your classes (IE, don't overload with sciences), or go part-time your first quarter/semester to "test the waters", per se.

Generally vet schools will require a year of biology, a year of gen chem, a year of o-chem, and a year of physics as the most basic requirements. Many schools have school-specific requirements that you can find on the SVM webpage (I believe you can find those through the AVMA?).

When it comes to organization, keep a planner or some type of calender where you can chunk out your time each day. Set aside time for work, time for assignments, and even some time (even 15 min before bed) for yourself, whether you read, play a game, whatever. It helps keep you sane. Don't forget to track travel time too, since that adds up. Smartphones are useful here, especially if you use an electronic calender since you can port it around with you.

 

[japchin]

Thank you nohika. I appreciate the quick response immensely. I am sitting here a bit of a wreck, refreshing the page hoping someone would reply. 🙂

It is a good idea to take things slowly. I need to make a conscious effort not to get in over my head or it could be very discouraging. I also need to work on being more organized. Thank you for the tips.

 

[Packen]

Hi Japchin, welcome to the forum!!

Sorry this is going to be short, on my way out the door, but wanted to say that even though you have faced so much adversity, it is great to see you still going after your dreams!!

My advice would be to start off with some part time intro science classes at CC. Many CCs don't offer upperlevel sciences that some vet schools require (ie Micro), but I don't think many vet schools look down on taking classes at CC, especially lower level ones. When I went back to school, I worked full time and took night or online classes. It was the only way I could afford to do it.

 

[StartingoverVet]

I wouldn't normally give this advice, but since you need money, you might consider getting a job at a vet clinic, even just as a receptionist if you can't handle the physical work of being a kennel worker.

You need to learn what is involved in being a vet, as all you have right now is the "dream". The reality may not be to your liking, or you may find it is perfect. You won't know until you are more involved.

 

[nohika]

Thank you nohika. I appreciate the quick response immensely. I am sitting here a bit of a wreck, refreshing the page hoping someone would reply. 🙂

It is a good idea to take things slowly. I need to make a conscious effort not to get in over my head or it could be very discouraging. I also need to work on being more organized. Thank you for the tips.

I would also see if you can try and get some shadowing time at a veterinary clinic. I understand you've groomed there, but I think there's a big difference between being a groomer and being a tech/shadow/vet. That way you can really understand if you want the job that's being offered.

Also, sliding into the science classes like Packen mentioned will up your chances of succeeding and acing them, instead of getting overwhelmed. And it also helps you see if you can master the science classes that prove to be difficult for some.

 

[Packen]

I wouldn't normally give this advice, but since you need money, you might consider getting a job at a vet clinic, even just as a receptionist if you can't handle the physical work of being a kennel worker.

You need to learn what is involved in being a vet, as all you have right now is the "dream". The reality may not be to your liking, or you may find it is perfect. You won't know until you are more involved.

👍

 

[japchin]

Thanks for all of your input. I actually just applied to a job in a vet clinic yesterday morning. I am really, really hoping to hear back from them and get my foot in the door.

I do realize it is still just a "dream" at this point, but I need something to inspire me right now and that is the only thing I have. In my spare time I research pet nutrition just for fun, and like to research ailments my clients dogs have at home and come up with the best course of action to help them. I realize this is definitely not on par with actual coursework or anything but at least my heart is in the right place and it is a definite interest of mine.

 

[StartingoverVet]

I do realize it is still just a "dream" at this point, but I need something to inspire me right now and that is the only thing I have. In my spare time I research pet nutrition just for fun, and like to research ailments my clients dogs have at home and come up with the best course of action to help them. I realize this is definitely not on par with actual coursework or anything but at least my heart is in the right place and it is a definite interest of mine.

I like this story. In fact, remember this when you write your PS, because it shows your interest in the practice of medicine, and not just a love of animals.

Get a job, and slowly work the classes.
Forget about your age, or the amount of time it will take. Just enjoy the process if you can.

I am MUCH older than you, and it took me about 3 years to do the classwork (and I already had a BS degree). So just one step at a time.

Good luck

 

[japchin]

I like this story. In fact, remember this when you write your PS, because it shows your interest in the practice of medicine, and not just a love of animals.

Get a job, and slowly work the classes.
Forget about your age, or the amount of time it will take. Just enjoy the process if you can.

I am MUCH older than you, and it took me about 3 years to do the classwork (and I already had a BS degree). So just one step at a time.

Good luck

Thank you. This made me cry (in a good way). I do need to just take it one step at a time. I would be lying if I said I am not terrified. One step at a time, though!

 

[Packen]

Thanks for all of your input. I actually just applied to a job in a vet clinic yesterday morning. I am really, really hoping to hear back from them and get my foot in the door.

I do realize it is still just a "dream" at this point, but I need something to inspire me right now and that is the only thing I have. In my spare time I research pet nutrition just for fun, and like to research ailments my clients dogs have at home and come up with the best course of action to help them. I realize this is definitely not on par with actual coursework or anything but at least my heart is in the right place and it is a definite interest of mine.

Good Luck!!!

 

[ashilb]

Welcome to the forum. I'm sorry that your going through just a tough time but look at it as everything happens for a reason. Community college is the way to go for people like us that can't afford the big tuittion. Knock out all the lower level classes and transfer to a university and apply to med school in your junior year. If you do some research on the forum some people got into med school without having a degree. I wish you all the best and if you ever have any question feel free to ask, this forum is very helpful.
Sent from my SPH-M580 using SDN Mobile

 

[zanydogz]

Thanks for all of your input. I actually just applied to a job in a vet clinic yesterday morning. I am really, really hoping to hear back from them and get my foot in the door.

I do realize it is still just a "dream" at this point, but I need something to inspire me right now and that is the only thing I have. In my spare time I research pet nutrition just for fun, and like to research ailments my clients dogs have at home and come up with the best course of action to help them. I realize this is definitely not on par with actual coursework or anything but at least my heart is in the right place and it is a definite interest of mine.

It sounds like you have a basic plan in the works. Stay positive and keep your chin up high. You can do this! Good luck to you!!!!

 

[japchin]

I can't tell you how much I appreciate all of this positive feedback and encouragement. It may sound silly but I was seriously so down and low about myself and my situation that it was hard to even go on living.

I just applied to another position in a vet clinic. I really need a miracle here. It would be such a relief to get a job and get my feet wet.

 

[VeggieBurger11]

Thank you. This made me cry (in a good way). I do need to just take it one step at a time. I would be lying if I said I am not terrified. One step at a time, though!

You can do it! As everyone else said, take it slow, don't take on so much that you are overwhelmed, as that will not lead to success.

I am 40 (eeek, 41 next month), so don't worry about your age. It's just a number. I just decided in March to finally pursue being a vet. I am lucky in that my husband has a great job, so I don't have some of the financial stresses you have, but it is TERRIFYING just the same. I just got to the end of my rope where I decided I needed MORE. I began this summer with a math class, because for me it has been 20 years since I have taken any math or science courses. Community Colleges are great for most classes; just some of the vet schools require that a few of the courses be upper division, meaning from a four year college. You'll need to research the various schools you might be interested in to see what their prerequisites are, once you are ready to do that.

It is great that you are volunteering with a dog rescue, but as others have pointed out, try to get some direct veterinary experience. Is there a spay/neuter clinic near you? I volunteer for one and they are aware that my goal is to apply to vet school, so they are trying to match me with tasks that are suitable to that goal, versus just answering the phone.

You can make it happen. Just go slow, stay focused. Feel free to message me. Good luck!

JPS
www.vettedlife.com

 

[nyanko]

Hi OP,

I want to approach this delicately, but as most people in this forum know, that is definitely not my forte. So I'll be a little more direct.

If you can't handle the physical work of grooming, I would definitely speak to some veterinarians and more importantly, the student disability center at the schools you're thinking of applying to. While being a veterinarian can definitely lead to careers that are less physically demanding than that of a groomer, many types of work that DVMs do are definitely just as demanding if not moreso. Surgery is one instance I'm thinking of that is a wide area of vet med that you will have to do in school specifically, regardless of whether you plan to do surgery after you graduate or not. I do know of people who have made it through with physical limitations, but I would certainly talk to the disability specialists (most schools have a student disability center - I use ours for a learning disability reason rather than a physical and it's okay to need help) at a school with a vet school to discuss the sorts of accommodations that people have previously made.

If it was a temporary thing and your back would be okay with the demands now, that's obviously fine. But if it's going to be a long standing issue, I'd look into the logistics now, before you devote a lot of time and effort to get there and then start to have problems.

edit: and don't worry about your age, that's definitely the last thing you should let stop you. 🙂

 

[abbercadaver]

It's never too late to pursue your dream, japchin. 🙂 There are definitely older folks on here, SOV, for one, who can tell you that age definitely does NOT matter.

Because you love animals and want to work with them is a good basis to build your desire to go to vet school on. However, like several people have said, you need to make sure the reality of a veterinary practice is somewhere you see yourself. You'll also need experience directly under a veterinarian (sometimes up to 500 hours minimum) to actually apply to vet school.

You could always be a vet tech, that is less schooling, less requirements, and DEFINITELY less debt to incur. SO many of us are graduating with $100,000+ in debt from vet school alone, not to mention anything one has incurred from undergrad. This is a VERY expensive profession. Make sure this is definitely where you want to be before you commit that kind of time and money to it.

Like Nyan said, it is a very physically demanding job. You have to wrestle with horses, cows, 150lb dobermans, and ridiculously mean cats. You are up and down from the floor for the big dogs, you are on your feet all day, you are in surgeries for hours on end, you lift up to 100lbs or more onto exam tables. Make sure you can physically handle this (even if you plan to do research when you graduate, you'll need to do this in clinicals).

I'd start with basic classes. Your CC is fine. 🙂 Just sign up for college algebra, chemistry, biology, etc. Definitely start part time or not working for a semester to make sure you can handle the course load. Your grades are VERY VERY important. Even some with 4.0s are rejected every year.

If you like those courses, and do well in them, start looking into more difficult ones. Anatomy, organic chemistry, physics, biochem.

Check this website (http://www.aavmc.org/Students-Appli...nary-Medical-College-Application-Service.aspx), there is a lot of good information there. Start considering where you might apply. Check out what courses are required for applying. Remember that out of state (OOS) tuition is usually VERY expensive. Consider establishing residency to gain in state (IS) tuition for when you apply to vet school. There are less than thirty vet schools in the US.

Good luck, and try to keep your head up. 🙂 We're here for you!!

 

[StartingoverVet]

Hi OP,

I want to approach this delicately, but as most people in this forum know, that is definitely not my forte. So I'll be a little more direct.

If you can't handle the physical work of grooming, I would definitely speak to some veterinarians and more importantly, the student disability center at the schools you're thinking of applying to. While being a veterinarian can definitely lead to careers that are less physically demanding than that of a groomer, many types of work that DVMs do are definitely just as demanding if not moreso. Surgery is one instance I'm thinking of that is a wide area of vet med that you will have to do in school specifically, regardless of whether you plan to do surgery after you graduate or not. I do know of people who have made it through with physical limitations, but I would certainly talk to the disability specialists (most schools have a student disability center - I use ours for a learning disability reason rather than a physical and it's okay to need help) at a school with a vet school to discuss the sorts of accommodations that people have previously made.

If it was a temporary thing and your back would be okay with the demands now, that's obviously fine. But if it's going to be a long standing issue, I'd look into the logistics now, before you devote a lot of time and effort to get there and then start to have problems.

edit: and don't worry about your age, that's definitely the last thing you should let stop you. 🙂

I don't think this needs to be so delicate😱, and the advice from Nyanko is really sound. Physical limits are real, and they can limit what you will pursue in vet med, but by informing the schools, accommodations can be made. And be realistic. There will be some things that are not possible to do, but that doesn't mean you are precluded from the profession.

 

[LetItSnow]

My question I guess, is how is the best way to start from scratch and work towards becoming a Veterinarian.

The single most important thing you need at this point is to take the long view. You need to realize, understand, and agree that it it's a long haul journey and it's going to take you a few years just to get into school. If you're the impatient type it'll be hard. It's totally doable, but you need some patience.

I think my only choice at this point is to begin from nothing at a Community College, since it would be the most affordable. What classes do you recommend on focusing on?

The pre-reqs and only the pre-reqs. Look at a few schools you're likely to want to apply to, figure out their pre-reqs, match it up with the nearest community college, and go to town. Watch out for the upper level courses (organic chem, maybe biochem, etc.): doublecheck whether the CC has them and, if so, if they meet the vet school requirements.

Do Veterinary programs look down upon this?

You get answers both ways on this. I did all my science pre-reqs at a CC (including orgo/biochem/micro...) and my school (UMN) never said boo about it. In fact, they publish specific lists for all the local community colleges noting which courses meet their requirements. On the other hand, some people (especially folks who shelled out for more expensive university courses and want to rationalize having spent the extra money) will tell you that vet schools 'look down' on the CC courses. I think there might be a tiny bit of truth to it for SOME admissions people at SOME schools, but it's 95% hogwash. Just be careful to make sure all the CC courses meet the requirement. Just because it's called 'microbiology' doesn't mean it's the level the vet school wants, for instance.

Also, how do you all afford having to study and go to classes full time?

I worked full time and took two classes per semester (and started a family, and spent 1.5 days/week in a clinic building experience and .5 days/week in the teaching hospital building experience) .... as mean as it sounds ... to some degree you just have to suck it up and work your butt off. But you CAN do it.

At this point, the two things you need to do are rock the pre-reqs with an awesome GPA and start building veterinary experience by working or shadowing in a clinic (or find some other creative way to get vet-specific experience). Your goal with experience is to build steady hours and establish relationships with a vet (or vets) who will write you a letter of recommendation.

Last comment: The physical side of vet work can be kinda demanding. Going up and down off the floor gets old. Standing at a surgery table for a few hours trying to constantly remind yourself to spread your legs rather than bend over when you're a complete suturing novice like me makes your back ache. I'd consider strongly if your back is up for it. I don't want to discourage you, but the physical side is real and something you should think about.

Good luck!

 

[mutsugo]

Hi!

I went to CC and transfered to a 4 yr university and got into vet school. I started vet school around your age. So you are not alone!

I remember, as a pre-vet student, I had to drop off my resumes at 20 different clinicis JUST for a volunteer work! I did not get any response from them because they were looking for experienced ones. I was depressed but kept on going and finally got one!!!

You may not hear from them right away but do what you can do now and keep on going!

 

[OwlandPussycat]

Wow, it sounds like you are going through a lot right now! Like others have said, there's no such thing as "too late". Looks like you've gotten some really good advice in this thread about how to get started, make sure this is the career for you, etc.
I agree with Nyanko that you do need to be cautious about your back. There's no shame in stepping back and realizing that the physical demands of the job may not be the best for your health, but you definitely want to be thinking about it sooner rather than later. I'm sure there are tons of jobs that will allow you to help animals without putting your health in jeopardy.
The road to vet school is long, expensive, and often discouraging. It's definitely a long-term goal, so i wouldn't think of it as a way to improve your life in the short term. If I were you, I would focus on making more immediate changes that will give you the quality of life that you will need to thrive as you gather prereqs and experience. Even if you can't get a veterinary-related job now, do find work that will allow you to support yourself. Academics should be your top priority, and you want to make sure that things like financial concerns won't hinder your success in this area.
I'm definitely not saying this to be discouraging, so don't take it the wrong way, but the decision to pursue a veterinary career won't fix your life. In fact, it will probably make it a hell of a lot more difficult for the time being (because you will have to juggle work/school). It's definitely doable, though, and I encourage you to pursue your dream!

 

[briankirby]

I agree,
As long as u have your health,age doesnt matter.
I know of someone who went back to med school at 46 as a single mom with 4 kids!

You can do it! As everyone else said, take it slow, don't take on so much that you are overwhelmed, as that will not lead to success.

I am 40 (eeek, 41 next month), so don't worry about your age. It's just a number. I just decided in March to finally pursue being a vet. I am lucky in that my husband has a great job, so I don't have some of the financial stresses you have, but it is TERRIFYING just the same. I just got to the end of my rope where I decided I needed MORE. I began this summer with a math class, because for me it has been 20 years since I have taken any math or science courses. Community Colleges are great for most classes; just some of the vet schools require that a few of the courses be upper division, meaning from a four year college. You'll need to research the various schools you might be interested in to see what their prerequisites are, once you are ready to do that.

It is great that you are volunteering with a dog rescue, but as others have pointed out, try to get some direct veterinary experience. Is there a spay/neuter clinic near you? I volunteer for one and they are aware that my goal is to apply to vet school, so they are trying to match me with tasks that are suitable to that goal, versus just answering the phone.

You can make it happen. Just go slow, stay focused. Feel free to message me. Good luck!

JPS
www.vettedlife.com

 

[chondro]

This is a very inspiring thread, and to japchin I am in a similar situation, my life has been a rollercoaster for the past ten years and I am now almost twenty seven years old and ready to pursue my dreams. I am at a point where nothing can distract me and noone can dissuade me from achieving my goal of becoming a vet, just take it slow and stay optimistic and when the road gets rough think of what lies at the end of it 🙂

 

[OH Bunny Girl]

As you can see from all the great responses, you are not alone! My advice to you - go for it but save your pennies!!! Taking pre-req's and the GRE (hopefully only once, not 4 times like me) are only some of the costs you will encounter. Application, supplemental, and transcript fees add up pretty quickly.

Also, if you're not hired as a paid employee by a vet clinic, just ask to shadow to get a feel for it. And if you already have connections at a place where you used to groom, why not start there? Or start at the place where you take your pets (this is what I did), so you are already a kind-of familiar face. Some doctors will give priority to those who are already clients, compared to people who want to shadow but take their pets elsewhere.

And, my biggest piece of advice, don't allow anything or anyone to discourage you! Use that fuel as motivation and don't give up!

 

[Emiloo4]

Japchin,
As someone who has multiple chronic ailments (my back included), it is a VERY scary decision to pursue vet med. I was a technician for 3 years and I can tell you like everyone else, being a vet is probably more physically demanding than being a groomer. And leaning over tables to groom dogs is a very similar situation to leaning over exam tables or surgery tables all day. My back hurts just sitting here typing this, so to say I'm scared is an understatement .

That being said, I have wanted to be a veterinarian since I could remember, and after years of seeing what it actually entails... the physical, mental, and emotional demands... I want it more than ever. I had to sit down with myself and really think about whether or not I was wasting $150K to pursue something I may end up not being able to handle physically. I ended up needing encouragement from these same people helping you above lol, and have made the decision to attend veterinary school starting this August. Only you know your limitations and what can stop you. I am personally taking a big risk, but it's worth it to me. However, there is nothing wrong with realizing your physical limitations and being able say "this just isn't gonna work for me". Don't kill yourself, because in the end, your health is the most important thing.
I wish you the very best of luck in your decision and we are here for you if you need anything.
Chronic back sufferers unite! 😉

 

[Cypress]

I am also a returning student - will be turning 30 during my first year of vet school - took 3 tries and adding a master's degree to my list of accomplishments to get in - but I did it. I decided 4 years ago to pursue this path after working for a little while in a slightly different field.

Best advice I received when I was fretting about how old I thought I was - you can either be 30 and in vet school or 40 wishing you were in vet school. So if its what you want then just make a plan - and push ahead. Life is what you make it and the journey is the destination. Getting into vet school in itself is a HUGE accomplishment - graduating and becoming a vet another great accomplishment. Take pride in each step and enjoy the experience.

This path is not for the faint of heart - you must be tough, willing to deal with rejection, exhaustion, feelings of self doubt, etc. I know my own personal feelings after receiving my acceptance this past Feb, after a couple years of rejection - was a feeling like none other, my hard work and perseverance had paid off.

You have made a huge step in just acknowledging this is a dream you want. One step at a time and it can become your reality.

Talking to a school to get some advice is a great idea. Community college to start to begin the process of getting your undergraduate degree. Its important to get good grades right away. So like suggested - start slow till you gain your momentum.

Money is a whole other story - being in debt is just a way of life for myself and my husband (we are both still students about to start our doctorates). We have accepted this as a part of life and keep our eye on the prize of having a life long career with a solid income. We set a budget and live by it. But we are living mostly off student loans and his fellowship money during the school year and we both work our tails off during the summers. We will be well over $100 K in debt when we graduate - but we will be making enough money to make loan payments and working in fields we love - not much more we could ask for I suppose.

Doing research online is a great way to get info - the more info you have the better. So you are on the right path.

Good luck!!

 

[jradjsb]

Like it's been said before, this is a very physically demanding job (much more than grooming). I know a vet that's not even 50 and has already had 2 knee replacements and multiple shoulder surgeries. I would volunteer for a while at a clinic and really pay attention to how much physical activity the vet does. I would do this before starting undergrad, so that you wont waste time and money taking pre-vet courses then realize that you can't physically do it.

 

[SnowyRox]

You get answers both ways on this. I did all my science pre-reqs at a CC (including orgo/biochem/micro...) and my school (UMN) never said boo about it. In fact, they publish specific lists for all the local community colleges noting which courses meet their requirements. On the other hand, some people (especially folks who shelled out for more expensive university courses and want to rationalize having spent the extra money) will tell you that vet schools 'look down' on the CC courses. I think there might be a tiny bit of truth to it for SOME admissions people at SOME schools, but it's 95% hogwash. Just be careful to make sure all the CC courses meet the requirement. Just because it's called 'microbiology' doesn't mean it's the level the vet school wants, for instance.!

... or people could be saying that because it's true. I had a few pre-reqs left after undergrad and e-mailed several vet schools with course descriptions from a few different schools asking which would be most appropriate. Minnesota & Iowa didn't care. Penn recommended the one that was not at the CC (although I ignored them and was still accepted). I think Wisconsin also preferred the one at a 4-year uni. My fancy degree doesn't change the fact that I got a variety of replies when asking specifically about a CC class.

A community college is definitely where the OP should start taking a few classes, but I would be prepared to take some of the upper level classes at a 4-year university. And remember that not all CCs are created equal. I took my pre-req at the local CC online.... and it was hilariously easy. I spent no more than a handful of hours TOTAL on the class. Every exam was open book. You could retake the exam (only one for the course) and homework assignments as many times as you wanted. Ridiculous. I would be uncomfortable taking more pre-reqs there because I didn't learn anything. If you are at a better CC and getting a good education, then you should stay as long as you can.

...and the advice to talk to the student disability center is great advice 👍. You don't want to spend $$$ and not be able to reach your goal.

 

[StartingoverVet]

Like it's been said before, this is a very physically demanding job (much more than grooming). I know a vet that's not even 50 and has already had 2 knee replacements and multiple shoulder surgeries. I would volunteer for a while at a clinic and really pay attention to how much physical activity the vet does. I would do this before starting undergrad, so that you wont waste time and money taking pre-vet courses then realize that you can't physically do it.

Fair comments, but not all aspects of vet med require the same amount of physicality. Don't paint the industry with such broad strokes.

I mean, do you WTF is gonna need knee replacements because she is a veterinary pathologist? Just one of many examples.

 

[david594]

Fair comments, but not all aspects of vet med require the same amount of physicality. Don't paint the industry with such broad strokes.

I mean, do you WTF is gonna need knee replacements because she is a veterinary pathologist? Just one of many examples.

Yeah, but most of people looking to do path/research/public health/industry dont show up on the forums with posts like this:

Why is this relevant to this forum? I want to be a veterinarian. Ever since I was young, I have wanted to work with animals.

I usually read comments like this as "I want to be a practicioner", not the much smaller percentage of people that go into less common fields of vet med.

 

[LetItSnow]

... or people could be saying that because it's true. I had a few pre-reqs left after undergrad and e-mailed several vet schools with course descriptions from a few different schools asking which would be most appropriate. Minnesota & Iowa didn't care. Penn recommended the one that was not at the CC (although I ignored them and was still accepted). I think Wisconsin also preferred the one at a 4-year uni. My fancy degree doesn't change the fact that I got a variety of replies when asking specifically about a CC class.

So... it's not true, but two school explicitly said they don't care, one said they did but accepted you in spite of their own answer (so apparently they don't REALLY care; and congrats!), and Wisconsin "preferred" the one at the 4 year?

Sounds to me like your own evidence suggests it doesn't matter.

And remember that not all CCs are created equal.

That is most definitely true! But it's also true of 4-year degrees.

 

[jradjsb]

Fair comments, but not all aspects of vet med require the same amount of physicality. Don't paint the industry with such broad strokes.

I mean, do you WTF is gonna need knee replacements because she is a veterinary pathologist? Just one of many examples.

I agree that not all aspects require so much physicality, even some practitioners don't have the physical demands. It really just depends on the clinic or specialty. That being said, I believe the larger percentage of veterinary jobs are very demanding physically and the OP really needs to observe a few different clinics and specialties. Then ensure that his/her body can handle it before going $100-200k in debt for school.

 

[RadRadTerp]

A community college is definitely where the OP should start taking a few classes, but I would be prepared to take some of the upper level classes at a 4-year university.

Do most community colleges even offer upper-level science classes? I thought that since they're usually 2-year programs, you basically go to them for mostly intro level work. I only took an intro to statistics course and a basic American history course at a local CC to cover some college core requirements.

 

[LetItSnow]

Do most community colleges even offer upper-level science classes? I thought that since they're usually 2-year programs, you basically go to them for mostly intro level work. I only took an intro to statistics course and a basic American history course at a local CC to cover some college core requirements.

I suspect you're right about most CCs, but I know that a couple of our CCs out here have programs where people can get B.S. degrees in cooperation with one of the state schools. All the classes are held at the CC (and all the teachers came from the CC), but the upper level courses were through the state school.

The only two courses I had to take through that program were biochem and genetics. The CC offered every other pre-req course.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Fair comments, but not all aspects of vet med require the same amount of physicality. Don't paint the industry with such broad strokes.

I mean, do you WTF is gonna need knee replacements because she is a veterinary pathologist? Just one of many examples.

Uh....well, considering I've thrown my back out twice doing necropsy on extremely large (1500-2200 lb) horses and bulls....yeah, pathology is pretty strenuous too 😉

But I agree with what you are saying. Radiology, for example, would be a great specialty for someone with physical ailments. Everything comes to you sedated or anesthetized

 

[StartingoverVet]

Uh....well, considering I've thrown my back out twice doing necropsy on extremely large (1500-2200 lb) horses and bulls....yeah, pathology is pretty strenuous too 😉

Figures I choose a bad example. Point taken on pathology. I guess I was thinking more of sitting in some corporate lab working on blood samples. Shows my continual, ongoing ignorance and the education thereof.

Thanks.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Figures I choose a bad example. Point taken on pathology. I guess I was thinking more of sitting in some corporate lab working on blood samples. Shows my continual, ongoing ignorance and the education thereof.

Thanks.

Actually Clinical Pathology would also be a good option - they mostly do slides, blood, csf, etc. I would just say no on Anatomic cause sometimes we really get a workout!

 

[lailanni]

I agree that not all aspects require so much physicality, even some practitioners don't have the physical demands. It really just depends on the clinic or specialty. That being said, I believe the larger percentage of veterinary jobs are very demanding physically and the OP really needs to observe a few different clinics and specialties. Then ensure that his/her body can handle it before going $100-200k in debt for school.

+1. Also don't forget the clinical year in school. There was many a time I didn't sit for hours and hours at a time. Plus scrubbing into 6+ hour surgeries. Running patients back and forth. Not to mention patient care - lifting your paralyzed neuro dog to pee outside. Bending over for blood draws, etc. I'm not sure what the OP's constraints are, but it may be a limiting factor.

I'd also suggest spending time in a veterinary clinic. I'd say if you have time to volunteer with a rescue, take some of that free time at shadow at at clinic if you can't find a job. It'll give you a better picture of what general practice is like (there are, of course, other aspects of vet med but general practice is a big one!) It'll show you the technical side - blood draws, dentals, surgery, routine exams, etc.

Also when people tell me they love animals and want to be a vet, I always tell them "you can love animals, but you also have to love science." It's several years of science courses to get in and several more years of science to get out 😉 If you've been out of school for a while ease in slowly and see if it's something you enjoy. If not, just keep in mind that there are MANY careers that let you work with animals, being a vet is just one. You don't have to be a vet to work with animals.

 

[Spinach Dip]

Radiology, for example.... Everything comes to you sedated or anesthetized

Oooooh. That sounds like the job for me!

😀

 

[jradjsb]

Oooooh. That sounds like the job for me!

😀

I hate to change the subject of the thread, but this leads me to ask a question that I have been thinking about for a while. Why go into vet med to be a radiologist or pathologist or other specialty that doesn't directly involve patient care? Keep in mind I am going into my first year and I understand that I may find that my interests may change once I get experience in certain fields, but do people actually go into vet med with the intentions of being a pathologist or radiologist? If so, why not go to med school? Like WTF said clinical path is mostly slides, so whats the difference in looking at slides from animals and slides form humans...besides $50-75k. Same for radiology. I work in radiology and looking at films is looking at films. Human radiology is probably more exciting because of more hands on exams, more MRI and CT, not to mention the 100's of thousands more to be made and job availablilty. I'm not trying to knock anyone's choices I just don't understand why you want to be a vet rad...etc and make $60k when you can go to med school and be a MD rad and make $300+k. I'm sorry if I offend anyone with this, but with the cost of school, vet salary, and job availability it just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[nyanko]

Um, maybe because you're more interested in the disease processes of other animals than of humans?

 

[wolfspeaker]

Because going to Med school involves HUMAN cadavers and doing HUMAN medicine.

 

[Spinach Dip]

I hate to change the subject of the thread, (...etc...)

Because going to Med school involves HUMAN cadavers and doing HUMAN medicine.

Ding Ding Ding! We have a winner!



BTW, you obviously missed my sarcasm. I posted that because I was envisioning the following discussion:

AdCom: So... tell us why you want to be a veterinary radiologist.
Me: Well, I like animals, but not when they're conscious.

 

[jradjsb]

Because going to Med school involves HUMAN cadavers and doing HUMAN medicine.

I agree that the human cadaver part would suck, but I am talking about medicine in which there is very little pt-dr interaction. Such as clinical pathology where you spend most of your time in a lab and look at slides that the only way you know what they are from is by looking at a piece of paper. Once out of school and working the job of a human pathologist and a vet pathologist would be very similar ( leaving out necro). In which case you have to look at the job oppurtunities and pay. I assume that a job as a vet path or rad or very competitive with only a handful of jobs per state and I'm sure MD pays better to DVM. I admit I am looking at this as an outsider, as I am going into vet med as a clinician. I am drawn to vet med because of the amount of pt interaction. I want to do the diagnostics, med/surg, etc. Human medicine is too specialized and doesn't allow one person to do it all like vet. That's why I am going to vet school. If I wanted to specialized I would have gone to med school. Maybe I asked it wrong because I don't mean to ruffle feathers, so let me try again. Why did you choose your speciality?

 

[hai1983]

I agree that the human cadaver part would suck, but I am talking about medicine in which there is very little pt-dr interaction. Such as clinical pathology where you spend most of your time in a lab and look at slides that the only way you know what they are from is by looking at a piece of paper. Once out of school and working the job of a human pathologist and a vet pathologist would be very similar ( leaving out necro). In which case you have to look at the job oppurtunities and pay. I assume that a job as a vet path or rad or very competitive with only a handful of jobs per state and I'm sure MD pays better to DVM. I admit I am looking at this as an outsider, as I am going into vet med as a clinician. I am drawn to vet med because of the amount of pt interaction. I want to do the diagnostics, med/surg, etc. Human medicine is too specialized and doesn't allow one person to do it all like vet. That's why I am going to vet school. If I wanted to specialized I would have gone to med school. Maybe I asked it wrong because I don't mean to ruffle feathers, so let me try again. Why did you choose your speciality?

I'm only in the process of applying to vet school, so this is total hearsay, but the radiologist who comes to the clinic where I work to do ultrasounds for us went into radiology because when she was in general practice she got sick of not being able to get answers as to what was going on with pets because owners had financial concerns, didn't care to pursue diagnostics, etc. The puzzles were driving her mad, as were some of the people, and so she specialized so that her job could primarily be figuring out what was going on with patients. And honestly, her personality is not well suited to dealing with people, so I think specializing was a good call all around.

I don't think I know anyone who went into vet school planning to specialize in pathology or radiology, but the pathologist and radiologists I know well are happy doing what they do, primarily because dealing with clients wore on them too much. They like patients, but not working directly with the people who come with the patients.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

I hate to change the subject of the thread, but this leads me to ask a question that I have been thinking about for a while. Why go into vet med to be a radiologist or pathologist or other specialty that doesn't directly involve patient care? Keep in mind I am going into my first year and I understand that I may find that my interests may change once I get experience in certain fields, but do people actually go into vet med with the intentions of being a pathologist or radiologist? If so, why not go to med school? Like WTF said clinical path is mostly slides, so whats the difference in looking at slides from animals and slides form humans...besides $50-75k. Same for radiology. I work in radiology and looking at films is looking at films. Human radiology is probably more exciting because of more hands on exams, more MRI and CT, not to mention the 100's of thousands more to be made and job availablilty. I'm not trying to knock anyone's choices I just don't understand why you want to be a vet rad...etc and make $60k when you can go to med school and be a MD rad and make $300+k. I'm sorry if I offend anyone with this, but with the cost of school, vet salary, and job availability it just doesn't make sense to me.

I chose my specialty, and vet school, because of the IMMENSE variety.

The working job of a veterinary pathologist and a human pathologist is quite different in terms of that. One specific disease manifests in many different ways depending on species, breed, etc (not to mention all the normal variable likes age, immune status, etc). I was tempted to do med school and pathology, but I felt like only focusing on one species would eventually bore the crap out of me.

Yes, looking at slides is looking at slides, but the variety and crazy **** we see is different.I would rather be diagnosing elephant herpesvirus, or portosystemic shunts in bearcats, or pythiosis in horses and dogs, or bran's disease in camels, or systemic cryptococcosis in cats, or bornavirus in tropical birds, or toxoplasmosis in lemurs, or Chagas dz in dogs, than look at endless, endless, mind-numbing human breast and prostate slides.

Pathology allows me to specialize in molecular and cellular disease processes without losing the variety and becoming too focused. Other veterinary specialties also retain this "do it all" mentality pretty well because we have to keep track of so many species-specific things, that you will never get bored. Plus, some of us are simply more interested in some areas than other. It's great that you want to do everything, but me? I hated surgery, optho, etc. I still don't like rads. I LOVE pathology.

Personally, I prefer less patient/client contact because I'm an introvert at heart, and although I'm very good at interacting with clients, it leads me to emotional burnout. I'm much happier on the necropsy floor or at my scope, or teaching students from time to time, than 8-12 hours a day of constant human/animal interaction.

 

[abbercadaver]

I chose my specialty, and vet school, because of the IMMENSE variety.

The working job of a veterinary pathologist and a human pathologist is quite different in terms of that. One specific disease manifests in many different ways depending on species, breed, etc (not to mention all the normal variable likes age, immune status, etc). I was tempted to do med school and pathology, but I felt like only focusing on one species would eventually bore the crap out of me.

Yes, looking at slides is looking at slides, but the variety and crazy **** we see is different.I would rather be diagnosing elephant herpesvirus, or portosystemic shunts in bearcats, or pythiosis in horses and dogs, or bran's disease in camels, or systemic cryptococcosis in cats, or bornavirus in tropical birds, or toxoplasmosis in lemurs, or Chagas dz in dogs, than look at endless, endless, mind-numbing human breast and prostate slides.

Pathology allows me to specialize in molecular and cellular disease processes without losing the variety and becoming too focused. Other veterinary specialties also retain this "do it all" mentality pretty well because we have to keep track of so many species-specific things, that you will never get bored. Plus, some of us are simply more interested in some areas than other. It's great that you want to do everything, but me? I hated surgery, optho, etc. I still don't like rads. I LOVE pathology.

Personally, I prefer less patient/client contact because I'm an introvert at heart, and although I'm very good at interacting with clients, it leads me to emotional burnout. I'm much happier on the necropsy floor or at my scope, or teaching students from time to time, than 8-12 hours a day of constant human/animal interaction.

You make your job sound SO cool. 😍 🙂

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

You make your job sound SO cool. 😍 🙂

Part of it is the location - we have a LOT of infectious disease here, so it makes for very cool cases. I just like being the one that has the final word, know what I mean?

I mean, you can do rads and u/s and bloodwork and exlaps and stuff all you want, but I'm the one that actually gets to open up the entire animal and see everything that is wrong, and also get to see what is going on at a cellular level. That's why path appealed so much to me.

 

[wolfspeaker]

I agree that the human cadaver part would suck, but I am talking about medicine in which there is very little pt-dr interaction. Such as clinical pathology where you spend most of your time in a lab and look at slides that the only way you know what they are from is by looking at a piece of paper. Once out of school and working the job of a human pathologist and a vet pathologist would be very similar ( leaving out necro). In which case you have to look at the job oppurtunities and pay. I assume that a job as a vet path or rad or very competitive with only a handful of jobs per state and I'm sure MD pays better to DVM. I admit I am looking at this as an outsider, as I am going into vet med as a clinician. I am drawn to vet med because of the amount of pt interaction. I want to do the diagnostics, med/surg, etc. Human medicine is too specialized and doesn't allow one person to do it all like vet. That's why I am going to vet school. If I wanted to specialized I would have gone to med school. Maybe I asked it wrong because I don't mean to ruffle feathers, so let me try again. Why did you choose your speciality?

So, basically, you are choosing to be an ANIMAL general practitioner over being a HUMAN general practitioner. Did you know that human GP's make way more money than Veterinary GP's? You just contradicted your own question posted earlier about why not choose human pathology over vet pathology because 'hey, it pays more'.

No offense dude but 👎thumbdown👎 Do you even like animals? Do you want to better their lives, their owners lives? Maybe you do, but I haven't gotten that impression. I get the impression you would rather be in human medicine. You know that you could work in a small town as a GP and be general surgery also, right?(as a human doctor).

Another reason why some people do VET pathology and not HUMAN pathology. The love of animals and love of science behind them.

 

[kakurubird]

Part of it is the location - we have a LOT of infectious disease here, so it makes for very cool cases. I just like being the one that has the final word, know what I mean?

I mean, you can do rads and u/s and bloodwork and exlaps and stuff all you want, but I'm the one that actually gets to open up the entire animal and see everything that is wrong, and also get to see what is going on at a cellular level. That's why path appealed so much to me.

😍 all your posts in this thread. Really informative and interesting. Thanks for sharing so much on here!