VMCAS App Help

[verbal_kint]

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Howdy,

I hope I'm not the only one still working on the app.

I'm having a little trouble distinguishing between animal experience and veterinary experience.

Many of my experiences seem to fall under both catergories. For instance, if you worked at a zoo and did a lot of basic husbandry, feeding, and cleaning, but also helped with treatments like giving antibiotics, cleaning up wounds, giving fluids, etc what would that fall under? would that be veterinary experience? animal experience?

what about research experience? would it just be animal experience if you used animals in your research, but it wasnt really vet related research? What if some was vet related and some was unrelated?

grrr... it's even frustrating just trying to explain.

any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[mammalmama]

I understand how frustrating the application is. I'm still working on mine. I think the animal experience section refers to stuff that is not veterinary related per se, but does deal with animals. You could put your research down for that. As for the veterinary experience, I think they are looking for the clinical experience. Anytime that you worked or volunteered for a vet that's what they want you to put there. Hope this helps.

 

[bern]

I'm still working on mine, too. I had almost finished when the hurricane flattened my city, but now I'm a bit behind.

And I have no idea if my transcripts (from two schools in New Orleans) were sent out before the hurricane hit (I had mailed the requests the week before). If not, there's no way I can get official copies sent out before the deadline. I can't imagine the school wouldn't be able to give me an extension given the circumstances, but it's worrisome nonetheless. At least I e-mailed a copy of my personal statement to myself - I think I'd really blow a fuse if I had to write the damn thing over again!

As to your question, Verbal - since you've had jobs that fit more than one category, you'll probably have to pick one or the other. So if a position included mostly vet-related responsibilities you could put it there. You could still list the husbandry duties in your description. If you think the job could fit equally well in more than one category, put it in the one you think will make your application the most balanced. This is what I've been trying to do, anyway. It's frustrating because the instructions for the application are often so vague - but I suppose that's part of it. Organization is one more way for the committee to evaluate you.

 

[mokadet]

Side note: Bern - did you get the email from VMCAS? I think they are trying to be accomodating to people effected by Katrina. You just need to email them and explain your situation.

Main idea: Animal vs. Veterinary experience
I have found from filing out applications that different schools consider the experiences differently and I think that this might be why VMCAS is so vague. But a general rule of thumb is if your boss/point of reference was a licensed vet then is is vet experience otherwise it's animal. Research is sometimes difficult (I work in research now). I listed mine under animal experience as my boss is a PhD and not a DVM. Some schools (many of the ones I'm applying too) require a more detailed description of your experience as a "supplemental application" and for these I find that they define the parameters better. For example: Virginia Tech divides it into three categories: Veterinary/Clinical, Animal, and Research.

And to throw in a personal opinion, I think if a school cares so much how you classify the experience they would require a supplemental like Virginia Tech that explains what they want. So, I wouldn't worry too much about the VMCAS as long as you have it all there somewhere.

 

[verbal_kint]

would being part of a pre-vet club be considered EC and not animal or vet experience? The advisor is a dvm, but... i dunno

 

[PAThbrd]

would being part of a pre-vet club be considered EC and not animal or vet experience? The advisor is a dvm, but... i dunno

I would probably put it under "extracurriculars and community service". Thats where I put our Horsewomen's Association...

 

[verbal_kint]

Thanks!

So for each experience you need to list the dates from when to when. What if you are still working at the place? Do you just guess when you will stop working there or just put this month?

 

[PAThbrd]

Thanks!

So for each experience you need to list the dates from when to when. What if you are still working at the place? Do you just guess when you will stop working there or just put this month?

I listed the date through when I expected it to stop. i.e. my on campus employment will be through the academic year so i put 8/05 as the start date and 5/06 as the end date. I only counted my hours up for august/september though for the hours of experience box and in the big description box i explained how many hours i expect to work between now and the end of the year along with my job duties. I hope that makes sense...