Too unconventional to work?

[shuvee]

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Hello everyone!

I have recently been pondering a rather unconventional method of (eventually) applying to a vet school.

My plan last year was to get all my requirements in two years (I'm halfway there now) and then apply just in case and then spend another year or two getting a Science Degree (Biology major, most likely) before applying again.

However I've been thinking recently that I don't want to piddle around getting this degree for another 2 or 3 years in hopes that I get accepted after I finish(Living in Manitoba, the WCVM is the only school I can apply to, I believe).

My hometown has a good nursing program, very hands-on and whatnot and since nursing has always been my backup plan, I was thinking that after getting all my core requirements (once again, applying after just in case) going back home and enrolling in the RN program and then applying to the vet school each year.

Since I'd already have the requirements for the WCVM and would eventually have a nursing degree would I still be able to be accepted, or would I be better off with my original plan of going into nursing after I get my BS if I don't get accepted?

I'm looking at it from the angle that the nursing degree is basically a science degree (you need to take microbiology, anatomy, etc), but is one with which you actually have a job after finishing it.

So what does everyone think? Too unconventional to work, or should I go for it?

Thank you!

 

[katryn]

I certainly don't see anything wrong with going for a nursing degree vs. some other science based degree, or any degree really. There are those of us out there who got accepted off of degrees not even related to science.

My only concern would be to talk to the vet school and make sure they will accept you while you are in the middle of the nursing program. I'm not sure how it works for nursing, but I know it's a pretty s***ty thing to do to quit in the middle of a master's degree, and some vet school flat out will not accept you if you are in the middle of one. So I would talk to WCVM about that before proceeding.

Provided the above is not a problem, make sure that you are ok with getting a year into the nursing program, and never finishing because you got accepted into vet school. Are you willing in essence to waste that money?

 

[gilch]

First of all, I think it could work.

Your post read a little oddly to me...

My plan last year was to get all my requirements in two years (I'm halfway there now) and then apply just in case and then spend another year or two getting a Science Degree (Biology major, most likely) before applying again.

However I've been thinking recently that I don't want to piddle around getting this degree for another 2 or 3 years in hopes that I get accepted after I finish (Living in Manitoba, the WCVM is the only school I can apply to, I believe).

I was thinking that after getting all my core requirements (once again, applying after just in case)

then applying to the vet school each year.

I'm kind of wondering what your stats are and why you think it will take X number of tries before getting in to vet school. I get that you are also talking about just pre reqs vs degree, which would almost certainly help your chances. And obviously we all wonder at admission decisions and should take nothing for granted...but if you have a good reason for believing that it will take a few tries then I don't really think nursing school is going to help. I don't know much about the Canadian schools, but at most US schools, if gpa is a problem, for instance, doing well in upper level sciences, rocking the GRE, having significant research or veterinary experiences would be more of what I'd expect to help.

I think that while nursing is science based, it's not the kind of curriculum that would help make up for a deficet in your app. I also think that adcoms would wonder why the switch from nursing to vet med. In your case it doesn't seem like a career switch rather than a plan for getting in the long way.

Whatever you decide, good luck!

 

[sumstorm]

I think that while nursing is science based, it's not the kind of curriculum that would help make up for a deficet in your app.

This would be my concern. My understanding is that if you need to improve GPA you are better off proving yourself in upper sciences, and that in some nursing programs (much like some tech programs) the sciences aren't considered 'strict' enough (ie they are more applicable/functional, which seems like a good thing to me, but what do I know?) I also have 0 knowledge about Canadian schools. But can't Canadians apply to the US/UK/Aus/NZ schools as well?

 

[shuvee]

GPA isn't an issue for me, at least at the moment. Taking mostly sciences last year I ended up with a 3.98 or something, which amounts to just over 3.53 on the 4.0 scale, and have roughly the same grades so far this year I have a decent amount of animal experience from work, and am doing a bunch of volunteer stuff now.

I guess I'm just a little daunted by the statistics of applicants > those who get accepted. People keep telling me how hard it is. There are only 5 schools in Canada. Only Albertans can apply at Calgary, the 3 eastern schools accept very, very few western students, and my best bet, the WCVM only accepts something like 19 Manitoban students a year. There are a lot of people in pre-vet programs here, so it's coming down to be quite competitive.

Correct me if I'm wrong but don't US schools take SAT scores into consideration? They aren't required in Canada, so I didn't take it when it was offered at my high school. I've thought about overseas schools as well, but after some research I realized that they get veryy pricey.

I guess I did make it sound like I was going to apply a million times haha. But what I meant was putting in an app once I get the basic prereqs next year just to see what happens. I read that most people don't get accepted until they have a degree of some sort under their belt. Since I don't want to spend 4 (possibly less seing as I probably have a bunch of course equivalents already) years getting a nursing degree only to be accepted into vet med right after finishing, I was going to apply after one or two years in the nursing program and see how that went.

After all, I would prefer that if I just never get in I will have a job at the end of my school as opposed to just a Science Degree, etc.

Thank you all for replying!

 

[sumstorm]

Just a couple of suggestions. last time I took the SAT's was 1996. They certainly weren't asked for in my vet school app.

I graduated with a science degree and worked for 10 years; so the concept that science degree = no employment doesn't really make sense to me. Admittedly, an advanced degree such as an MS or a PhD or a DVM can make finding some jobs easier, but there actually are folks who can't find work in nursing (mostly because they don't actually like nursing, and arean't happy at works.)

So, my best advice is pretty basic; examine nursing. Is this a career you will enjoy? Look into both the actual work, and the requirement for obtaining the credentials. I stress that because I know some folks who couldn't get through nursing school because they couldn't handle some clinical aspects (in particular one couldn't hack pediatrics, another couldn't deal with geriatrics, and another quit after one hour on a burn unit.)

Having said all that, knowing what I know now, I may have gone into nursing if I could have hacked it. There are shortages world wide that would enable travel and immigration. But Canadians have that great work exchange program that Americans lack...so that might not be such an advantage. And I don't know if I could have hacked nursing; it's a very different skill set than doctoring (I say that based on discussions with nurses > MD's or DVM's) and in my opinion requires dealing with far more flack. But if you like it and are good at dealing with the people and problems, it can be an excellent career.