Vet or Vet Tech??

[Soph2014]

I've never used a site like this before and my post will probably be VERY lengthy, so please bear with me! I'm a senior in high school and I've always been dead-set on becoming a vet tech. However, I recently thought about pursuing this career even further and becoming an actual veterinarian. I'm usually not a very impulsive person, but something was pulling me towards this route. However, I'm not sure if I can handle it or what to expect. I have always been an A student, maybe one or two Bs along the way. Usually those Bs are in math or science, which is obviously a concern. I have always taken honors classes. I took AP US History last year, passed with a B in the class and passed the AP exam with a score of 3. As a senior, I only have 3 classes and I am making all As. I study more than the average student at my school, but I'm also one of those kids who HAS to study in order to pass a test and be confident about the material. English is my easiest subject. I took English 101 through our tech school this year and made 100s on every paper. I enjoy writing essays and research papers because it comes naturally to me (my mom is an English teacher and my dad is an engineer, so my skills in English obviously came from her!). I understand that majoring in animal science/prevet is focused heavily on sciences and math, so this is a huge concern for me. Also, I don't think I'm in the top 20 of my class anymore because I made some low Bs in chem and APUSH last year, but I should be in the top 30. I have taken the SAT and ACT once each, and made a 1640 on the SAT + writing (math was my lowest @ 500) and a 27 on the ACT. I am in the National Honor Society, Spanish NHS, and BETA club.

I have a lot of volunteer and internship experiences at vet clinics and shelters. I did an internship at a local day vet last semester for a class at our career and technology center. This semester, I am interning at an animal shelter. I have a passion for animals and am constantly fostering and volunteering every opportunity that I get.

If I were to go the vet route, I would probably have to take a year or two of classes at our local tech school just because I never applied for any universities--I was dead-set on being a tech. I am concerned that vet schools will not consider me if I don't stay at a university for all 4 years. In that case, all of the education would be a waste.

Basically, I'm trying to outline my schooling and experience so far so that you can judge how good of a candidate I would be. I'm obviously not the smartest, but I do try hard in school and take it very seriously. I am just so torn about this. I don't know if I should stick with being a tech, or pursue this even farther. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

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[hedgehogcatcher]

There are a lot of different paths you can take towards becoming a veterinarian. It sounds like you are a very motivated and hardworking person. Either path could be rewarding, and keep this in mind: you can become a vet tech, work for a while, and then decide to pursue vet med if you change your mind later on. (probably way easier than going to vet school and then changing your mind...)
Vet schools do look at your grades, but if you can prove that you can pull a steady GPA in college classes and do ok in harder science classes while doing other things other than school, you have a good chance. Solid GREs help too. It sounds like you have lots of animal experience. Keep it up- it's valuable. See if you can get a job in a vet clinic and really scope out the pros and cons of each route. Shadow veterinarians that *don't* work in clinics - specialists, public health professionals, etc. There are tons of things you can do with a DVM. I can't say what your chances are, really, but you definitely have one.

Other things you should think about when considering each side are finances and career prospects. Vets make more than techs, but vet school is massively expensive, takes a very long time to complete, and takes a long time to pay off. It has to be 100% worth it to you, either way. There are lots of hurdles, bummers and rewarding aspects of each path. I hope that helps.

 

[lailanni]

You seem like a diligent person who could pull off the grades and experiences necessary for vet school. But what specifically appeals to you about being a veterinarian?

What has made you think "I'd rather be a veterinarian instead of a tech now"?

If your answer is something like "I really want spend years studying science and use that knowledge to help animals, plus I enjoy interacting with owners!" or "I enjoy research and the many aspects of veterinary medicine in the health field" then it might be a better match than being a tech.

If you think "I'd love to be a vet because I could help animals more, be hands on and spend more time with them" - I would stick to being a tech. I personally think that techs are more hands on, plus a vet spends a ton of time charting, interpreting diagnostics, calling owners, etc.

Both positions help animals. One is just a more significant time/money investment. And that extra time you put in at vet school isn't going to be hands-on animal time, it's years of science classes. I'm not trying to dissuade you, but if "I enjoy science" isn't part of your answer, vet school may be a bit of a challenge.

As mentioned above, you certainly can start out as a tech and see how it goes. There are many veterinarians who have done that. I personally know at least 8 classmates who went that route, and I'm sure the number would have been higher if I had asked.

 

[Soph2014]

Thank you both so much for your responses! I definitely need some brutally honest advice here--this is my future! I really appreciate it!

Honestly, I had been thinking about becoming a vet for a while and brushed it off. Then I started having dreams about it (which was odd to me). Once I get ideas about something, I research the crap out of it. I felt like being a vet would allow me to help animals more because I would be able to play an actual role in diagnosing and in their treatment. Being called "doctor" and being in a highly respected position also isn't so bad!! The science part...not so much. I truly enjoy learning new things, but chemistry never really clicked with me (part of it was because we had a teacher who didn't really care). Physics is a little difficult for me also, but luckily my teacher is pretty easy and I can make As. I had an awesome bio teacher in 10th grade, but that class was super hard! He tested us using college-level material. I never made below a B in his class and I studied very hard. I passed his final exam with an A and I cried tears of joy because I studied my butt off for that. Obviously, college would be harder than an honors course in HS. I don't think I would do as well in a college environment. If I was stronger in math and sciences, then I would pursue a veterinarian career without a doubt. This is my biggest obstacle.

What made me seriously consider this was when I read several statements about how it's hard to grow from being a tech. If you change your mind and decide to be a veterinarian when you're only certified as a tech, you have to start from scratch because no tech classes transfer over. That scared me a little because going back to school as an adult (possibly with a family, etc) seemed very overwhelming. I doubt I could stay focused and felt like I would regret not pursuing this field while I'm younger.

I'm meeting with my guidance counselor tomorrow to go over some things. I'm really leaning towards just staying in the tech route and maybe specializing after I'm certified. I don't think much good can come from impulse decisions. I just hate having second thoughts about my future.

 

[NStarz]

I wouldn't write anything off until you start taking your college courses High school and college classes are very different. And most of veterinary medicine is biology, so if you enjoy that, you're pretty good. Chemistry and physics are important in some aspects (acid-based status in the body, respiratory physiology), but it's mostly biology. I would work on taking the pre-requisites for vet school (biology I and II, chemistry I and II, physics I and II, etc.) and then go from there.

 

[LetItSnow]

If you have the discipline to force yourself to study, it doesn't (yeah, yeah, within reason) matter how smart you are.

I mean, you have to have SOME smarts to get through vet school, but it's not rocket-science. Communication skills, a customer-service mindset, and business skills are at least as important.

Anyway. If you are the person who can tell yourself "buckle down and study" and then actually DO it ... you'd most likely be fine in vet school. College is a good 'test'. You're already on track, so just keep on keepin' on, keep your options open, and figure it out in a year or two.

 

[Soph2014]

Thank you all so much!! I went in my guidance counselor's office today planning on telling her I've decided to stay on the vet tech path, but I'm being pulled in the other direction once again. I expressed my concerns about the science and math based curriculum and she assured me that I could probably handle it because I'm a very strong student. She recommended that I make an appointment with the university that I'm looking at for undergrad (Clemson) to talk to the head of the animal science department about my options. I'm going to fill out an application to Clemson this weekend and my counselor is going to include a recommendation.

This is very overwhelming for me, but I did put this on myself! I wish I would have applied earlier just in case something like this were to happen. If I don't get accepted into Clemson, I will probably have a hard time going the rest of the way. I am a very late applicant and my senior year is super easy, which obviously doesn't look great. Oh well, what can you do I guess.

 

[gumtree]

I wish I would have applied earlier just in case something like this were to happen. If I don't get accepted into Clemson, I will probably have a hard time going the rest of the way. I am a very late applicant and my senior year is super easy, which obviously doesn't look great. Oh well, what can you do I guess.

You're not a late applicant in the grand scheme of things. There are TONS of current and graduated vet students who were "late applicants"--people who went to school for different things and held jobs in completely different careers for a number of years before they decided to go back to school for a few years to complete their pre-reqs for vet school. I know vet students who applied upwards of 5 times (that's 5 years!) before they were accepted into vet school. There is no longer a "correct" path to getting into vet school; the whole idea that you have to get into a 4 year college with a big animal science program immediately after graduating high school, and then immediately after that get into vet school is just bogus. I would have either burnt out or begun to seriously question my sanity if I went straight from HS --> college --> vet school.

What I'm saying is, don't freak out! Apply to college and apply to tech school and see where you get in. Don't make any decisions hastily--you have a LOT of time to think things over.

 

[lailanni]

You're not a late applicant in the grand scheme of things. There are TONS of current and graduated vet students who were "late applicants"--people who went to school for different things and held jobs in completely different careers for a number of years before they decided to go back to school for a few years to complete their pre-reqs for vet school. I know vet students who applied upwards of 5 times (that's 5 years!) before they were accepted into vet school. There is no longer a "correct" path to getting into vet school; the whole idea that you have to get into a 4 year college with a big animal science program immediately after graduating high school, and then immediately after that get into vet school is just bogus. I would have either burnt out or begun to seriously question my sanity if I went straight from HS --> college --> vet school.

What I'm saying is, don't freak out! Apply to college and apply to tech school and see where you get in. Don't make any decisions hastily--you have a LOT of time to think things over.

Ditto. I had classmates that were in their 30's and 40's; some came from very different non-vet career backgrounds. You're still in high school - you're not late at all.

 

[Fly Racing]

Did you know you can apply for a vet assistant position (unlicensed vet tech and some states call everybody a "tech")? Most vet school applicants have paid work experience at vet clinics. People DON'T go to tech school to get these jobs. As one option, I would consider taking the next year off from any school and working full time in a clinic. You may have to start in the kennels or the stalls and work your way up (that's normal ), but you'll both see and experience first hand the difference in the two careers and they are vastly different in my opinion. For me, working in a clinic has solidified that while I am a good tech and do the best for my employer every day, I am not cut out for a long term career as a tech. For me, it far to unstimulating as far a challenge and opportunity. For me, I also have plans that don't mesh with maxing out at $14/hour (if I move to another state!) and while there is no guarantee I will be financially successful as a veterinarian, there is plenty of opportunity. The difference between high school when I "want to be a vet" and 10 years later with 2 degrees and 2 years as a tech (working my way up to the highest possible position in a referral hospital), I can say with conviction, I want to be a vet because.... and talk for 30 minutes about how the career is well suiting and my plans for research, practice ownership, and other long term goals which are substantiated by first hand experience and years of career research. That a lot different that saying I want to be a vet because I think I would really enjoy the career! I know that this experience is going to make pushing through the challenges in vet school easier as I will have more drive to work towards what I know I want.

The number one advice I will give to you is don't go to tech school right now. Tech school will not give you any realistic feel for the industry in either capacity. It's two years that you are paying money, not making money. As a working tech you can learn light years more in two years than you can in school. Also, the practice I am at pays the same to assistants and LVTs. I also live in a state that legally allows me to do all of the same things which most states do. As a referral hospital, we almost always have a tech student doing their internship and I have yet to have one come in with 1/10th (honestly, possibly 1/100th including practical skills) of the knowledge I have. I know it sounds like I'm being mean, but I'm being brutally honest with you. Some of our interns say they are still considering going to vet school and most of them don't even know they need at least 3 more years of classes at a regular college. And most of them went to tech school, because "I had to go to college." That's a perfectly legitimate reason, but before you do that, make sure you're not still unsure about spending another 7-9 years in school after that.

I took a year of between HS and college (graduated early, so I could show my upper level horse, but he got hurt). I traveled for the summer with my horse and then worked full time in a warehouse starting with packing boxes and worked my way up to shift supervisor the next two years. And you ask, what does this have to do with vet med? Nothing and everything. I grew up and had to live in the adult world of paying for my self and gave me a understanding of what it really cost to live well and support horses (not on $9 an hour). I saw other people working their way through school, starting and supporting families, and making career choices. And honestly, I had fun. I worked with great people who gave me opportunity to move up and I thrived on the challenges. It gave me real life experience to connect my classes to and that gave me an advantage. I had an employer that promised me employment following college (and they did. My pay went from $11/hour to an over 50k starting salary). Don't ask why I quit that job and took a $9/hour one at the vet hospital, that's not for this thread, lol!

My point is, don't panic about working a year. It might be a great thing and it won't hurt. It also doesn't really show up somewhere (unlike taking a year off after you start college, which the vet school application specifically asks for an explanation about). So slow down and give you self some time and experience before making any decisions. Despite what society tell us, the direct route through school and to a career is often not the best route.

Also, and very importantly, many colleges will still accept applications through this summer. So if you do want to go to non-tech school next year, you can.

 

[Soph2014]

I really appreciate all of the help from each and every one of you! It means so much to me that you all would take the time out of your day to respond to me! Unfortunately, I still have absolutely NO idea what I'm going to do. It's like one minute I'm researching and think "wow, this could totally be me one day. I can definitely do this" and the next minute I think the exact opposite and want to stick to being a tech. This is so hard for me since it's so late in the school year. The pressure is unreal. I know some of you think I can afford to wait, but I want to start whatever path I choose immediately. If I take any time off of school, I'll probably get very lazy. I don't want to look back and think "what if," but I also don't want to be miserable and depressed in a situation that I can't handle because I'm weak in the subjects being taught.

My guidance counselor can't really provide much advice, my friends and oldest cousin in college are saying I need to be a vet, my mom thinks I should be a tech. It's stressing me out to the point of tears. I have such a huge passion for animals, but I don't know where I need to be.

 

[dyachei]

I really appreciate all of the help from each and every one of you! It means so much to me that you all would take the time out of your day to respond to me! Unfortunately, I still have absolutely NO idea what I'm going to do. It's like one minute I'm researching and think "wow, this could totally be me one day. I can definitely do this" and the next minute I think the exact opposite and want to stick to being a tech. This is so hard for me since it's so late in the school year. The pressure is unreal. I know some of you think I can afford to wait, but I want to start whatever path I choose immediately. If I take any time off of school, I'll probably get very lazy. I don't want to look back and think "what if," but I also don't want to be miserable and depressed in a situation that I can't handle because I'm weak in the subjects being taught.

My guidance counselor can't really provide much advice, my friends and oldest cousin in college are saying I need to be a vet, my mom thinks I should be a tech. It's stressing me out to the point of tears. I have such a huge passion for animals, but I don't know where I need to be.

so don't stop. get pre-reqs for both fields while you shadow/get experience.

 

[gumtree]

My point is, don't panic about working a year. It might be a great thing and it won't hurt. It also doesn't really show up somewhere (unlike taking a year off after you start college, which the vet school application specifically asks for an explanation about). So slow down and give you self some time and experience before making any decisions. Despite what society tell us, the direct route through school and to a career is often not the best route.

This. Soph2014, you sound a bit wound up about this decision. First off, don't worry about what your cousin or your mom thinks you should do. Ultimately this decision is yours to make and you need to do what's best for you. Since you feel very torn about whether to pursue tech school or college, I would follow Fly Racing's advice and find a job working in a vet clinic. The pros are huge: you can try out the tech thing, you can talk to vets and techs about their career paths, you can increase your technical skills (necessary to become either a tech or a vet!) as well as your problem solving and people skills, and you'll have work experience that you could ultimately put on your vet school application should you decided to go that route.

You say that you want to start your choosen career path immediately, but taking a year to decide is not a long time in the grand scheme of things, and hastily making a decision like this could be costly in the long run. I took a year off before applying to vet school to work in a small animal clinic, and I'm SO GLAD I did. If you want to talk more about this, message me!

 

[Soph2014]

You're exactly right, gumtree. I realized last night while talking to my parents that I really am in the mindset that my entire future hinges on this one decision, and I shouldn't allow myself to think that way. I'm not going to get bent out of shape about it anymore. If I try one route and decide it's not for me, I'll just go down the other path. I know my future is important, but it's not worth stressing over while I'm this young. Everyone's advice has been super helpful to me and I really appreciate it!