Vet Experience?

[2015Vet]

I have noticed on here that everyone has veterinary experience hours in the thousands, when I apply next year I will probably only have about 1000-1200 hours, will that be enough? It will be mixed, some SA some LA, hopefully some Zoo. Can I count the fact that my cat has needed daily medication and monitoring of his heart rate and respiration rate for the last 2 years? Any ideas for getting more experience?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[EqSci]

I had about 500 hours and was accepted into 2 schools. Check out the "successful applicant" thread - you will find that the majority of people have one or two weak spots on their application. The point of experience is to learn what the profession is like. If you can demonstrate that you have done that, you will be fine! Good luck.

 

[redsteven]

I have noticed on here that everyone has veterinary experience hours in the thousands, when I apply next year I will probably only have about 1000-1200 hours, will that be enough? It will be mixed, some SA some LA, hopefully some Zoo. Can I count the fact that my cat has needed daily medication and monitoring of his heart rate and respiration rate for the last 2 years? Any ideas for getting more experience?

I didn't have nearly as many vet hours as most other applicants, but I still had a lot of work experience involving animals.

Do you have non-veterinary animal working experience?

 

[absvet]

I have about 200 small and 200 large, plus a bunch of research. The adcom at Tufts told me 400-600 was pretty standard for their applicants, and since they are not on VMCAS, they can separate it differently - they don't have "veterinary experience" separate from "animal experience." You put everything, including research, together.

 

[sumstorm]

I don't think you will be able to count your cat unless you were directly supervised by a vet. I think the daily medicating and such falls under pet owner responsibility.

 

[EqSci]

I don't think you will be able to count your cat unless you were directly supervised by a vet. I think the daily medicating and such falls under pet owner responsibility.

Agreed.

 

[2015Vet]

I didn't have nearly as many vet hours as most other applicants, but I still had a lot of work experience involving animals.

Do you have non-veterinary animal working experience?

Yeah, I have TONS of non-vet animal experience. I grew up on a farm and have always been around/handled a wide variety of animals, I volunteer at a dog rescue and help out at kiddie horseback riding lessons. Okay, I feel a lot better now.
Yeah, I didn't think the cat stuff would count, I was feeling desperate after seeing all those people with 5000+ hours! Thanks guys!