What is the difference between the higher ranked and lower ranked vet schools?

[PippyPony]

Just popping in to say that I've been told by two separate ex-Michigan resident pet owners that "surely other vet schools are nice and do a fine job, but Michigan is the top vet school in the country" and so obviously we can't hope to fix their pet quite as well

I don't think they meant to be insulting, just very proud of michigan lol

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[PippyPony]

My school has the largest small animal caseload in the country. So there

 

[Ariel-Li]

My school has the largest small animal caseload in the country. So there

Which school is that, pardon my ignorance?

 

[PippyPony]

Which school is that, pardon my ignorance?

Tufts. But at least 2 schools like to claim something to that effect.

It also doesn't matter. Go to the cheapest school.

 

[jaboo]

Tufts. But at least 2 schools like to claim something to that effect.

It also doesn't matter. Go to the cheapest school.

Huh, I heard it was Penn.

Goes to show: all schools like to hyperinflate their self-importance.

 

[MixedAnimals77]

Huh, I heard it was Penn.

Goes to show: all schools like to hyperinflate their self-importance.

Humble WSU peeps know we don't have the highest case load of anything

 

[Missxfurr]

So if I don't plan to work in the area where my vet school is going to be (am planning to do residency in a "higher ranked" and better located school), I hope this doesn't negatively impact my future job outlook?

I don't think it will negatively impact your future job outlook at all. A lot of the vets in Michigan are MSU grads (for example), but there are plenty who aren't and they're doing just fine.

When I confirm that pet owners in Michigan think MSU makes the best vets it's more so they'll make comments to that effect if I mention Michigan State. If I say I'm a student there then someone might say "Oh yeah, I hear that's one of the best vet schools" or whatever. But it's not like the average pet owner is running around asking their veterinarian where they went to school or using that to decided who they're willing to see. And certainly the employers generally don't care because they're well aware that it doesn't matter where you went to school.

To give another perspective, I'm from Michigan and work at a referral hospital and sometimes clients ask me if I'm a tech and I tell them I'm a vet student. They always assume I go to MSU, but I have never had any negative comments from clients when I tell them I go to school on a Caribbean island. Most of the time they are very intrigued. But also agree that clients rarely ask the vet where they graduated from.

 

[PippyPony]

Huh, I heard it was Penn.

Goes to show: all schools like to hyperinflate their self-importance.

Exactly.

My guess is that the numbers are close enough where it swaps off from year to year. Also, it depends on how they actually slice and dice it -- for example, if satellite clinics get included in those counts. And I think sometimes schools are tight lipped about actual numbers because you could theoretically kinda back into a revenue/profitablity thing with that kind of data.

It also isn't necessarily a great thing for learning purposes to be inundated with cases. Sometimes a little breathing room is better.

 

[MOOSEygoosey]

I agree with what @jaboo said, rankings don't matter but the reason high ranked schools are the way they are is because of funding, with more funding comes more opportunities, comes better stats and often good well-rounded doctors. Cornell doesn't interview though which, as jaboo said, leads to a lot of people in the school with poor communication skills and/or people skills. Jaboo, myself, and our cohort imo are great at both of those and I do feel like a decent portion of our class will do well on clinics, we tend to get blinded by some of the REALLY bad people in our class (like they elicit visceral reactions every time they open their mouths). There are definitely classmates I wouldn't trust with a dead fish but there's probably people like that in every class in every school. I went to Cornell because it's my IS and it was one of the cheapest options (like within $5k of each other total for the 4 years of the other 2). I can honestly say I had a lot of negative feelings about Cornell in the beginning and the elitist attitude is ridiculous but so many of the vets I've met here are so humble and just wonderful people!

 

[ajs513]

Let’s just all be glad that Harvard’s vet school went under a century ago, otherwise we’d have another massive ego to handle in the vet med realm.

 

[SkiOtter]

To give another perspective, I'm from Michigan and work at a referral hospital and sometimes clients ask me if I'm a tech and I tell them I'm a vet student. They always assume I go to MSU, but I have never had any negative comments from clients when I tell them I go to school on a Caribbean island. Most of the time they are very intrigued. But also agree that clients rarely ask the vet where they graduated from.

same for me but with Illinois.

 

[vetmedhead]

If you live in Texas, pet owners probably think the same about TAMU.

That's not a "probably", that's a "definitely". Down in TX people are, like, actively disappointed when I say I'm not going to A&M

Coloradoan infatuation with CSU is almost cult like, tbh

Which is weird because I feel like most general public people I've talked to in CO in general didn't know which one was the vet school between CSU and CU. Including some actual clients who were surprised we weren't in Boulder lol

 

[vetmedhead]

Although once they figure it out they're super gung-ho about us. Also we have a random smattering of prominent faculty (like every school), but they pull in the absolute WEIRDEST clients in the whole world.

One of our surgeons gets people who are legitimately obsessed with him before they ever walk in the door and they lavish him with gifts and stuff. One of them even complimented how soft his hands were one time... What's the funniest is that he registers absolutely none of this as even remotely worthy of his attention, because his clients do this for him all the time so it's not out of the ordinary anymore. Also I don't know that he recognizes how weird his clients are compared to everyone else's? So if you swing by at the right time you can make off with some super good food from the rounds room that someone probably spent $$$$$ importing and delivering to him

We also have a couple faculty that I have seen the local cat ladies legit swoon over. They're very excited when they find out I know him

 

[Georgethecat]

I feel like All the people that I've seen saying "Ranking doesn't matter" are usually from lower ranked schools.
I don't try to offend anyone here, but I'd like some insights from those who attend the higher ranking schools.
Would you say that ranking doesn't matter as well?

Because one of my vets graduated Cornell and she said ranking matters and the quality of education is different.
She also said you only get the degree once so she would pay extra to get a DVM degree from a higher ranked school.
I was going to go to my in-state school but this changed my mind. I want to hear from other students who go to higher ranked schools.

So... how high up in the rankings counts as “higher ranked schools”?

 

[Coopah]

Yeah... I could've gone to CSU as my IS-didn't (my OOS is cheaper). Will be gladly taking the NAVLE from a school with a pass rate equal to or better than CSU(ranked #3). Will be graduating with more hands on experience especially with COVID things. Will be graduating with way less debt because of my choices and will likely have it paid off within ~5yrs or less of graduation so I can move on with my financial life.

However, @MOOSEygoosey @vetmedhead @Coopah since you want opinions from "high ranked school" peeps

Uh yeah go with the cheaper school. You'll get a great education anywhere and honestly Davis is great, (if I hear number one school one more time I will scream) but that's only because if the research we do. It has almost nothing to do with the curriculum. Not saying the curriculum is bad but I don't think it's somehow better than other schools. Vet school is something where you get out what you put in. Don't destroy your financial future for the name brand. Hell, even the admissions board AT Davis recommends going to your IS school, wherever is cheapest.

 

[Coopah]

That's not a "probably", that's a "definitely". Down in TX people are, like, actively disappointed when I say I'm not going to A&M

Which is weird because I feel like most general public people I've talked to in CO in general didn't know which one was the vet school between CSU and CU. Including some actual clients who were surprised we weren't in Boulder lol

You do not even KNOW how many people I've spoken with in California that are like "well they're a Davis grad they must be good"

 

[battie]

So if I don't plan to work in the area where my vet school is going to be (am planning to do residency in a "higher ranked" and better located school), I hope this doesn't negatively impact my future job outlook?

I'm going back to Colorado to live after graduation. Not a single employer cared about where I went to vet school when I was applying for jobs. They cared about what kind of medicine I wanted to practice.

 

[VIN-Foundation]

So... how high up in the rankings counts as “higher ranked schools”?

I draw the line right below the school I graduated from.

 

[battie]

I draw the line right below the school I graduated from.

I will do the same! It will be a great, inclusive list

 

[Ariel-Li]

just turned down my offer at cornell to go to a cheaper “lower ranked” school. i think my quality of education is gonna be just fine, thanks.

Dana, be careful...when you said PennVet was "lower ranking" and "cheaper", it's the truth (how weird) but pretty sure lots of people want to punch you in the face

 

[Dana_May_B]

Dana, be careful...when you said PennVet was "lower ranking" and "cheaper", it's the truth (how weird) but pretty sure lots of people want to punch you in the face

Hahahaha didn't mean to offend anyone!!!!!! Please don't punch my face!!! I totally get that my situation is extremely unique haha

 

[ajs513]

Dana, be careful...when you said PennVet was "lower ranking" and "cheaper", it's the truth (how weird) but pretty sure lots of people want to punch you in the face

It’s okay, she just felt Pennui... I mean... ennui at the thought of attending Cornell.

 

[Lawpy]

This is why i happily chill in the vet forums. On the med side, it's... uh... elitist.

 

[Minnerbelle]

I'm going back to Colorado to live after graduation. Not a single employer cared about where I went to vet school when I was applying for jobs. They cared about what kind of medicine I wanted to practice.

Honestly, currently a lot of employers only care that you’re a body and you have a DVM and that you’re not such a hot mess that a client would be disgusted the second they saw you. Literally any warm body... it’s such a hot associate’s market.

Another year or two or three of being seriously understaffed and overworked, or take the rando newbie from whatever vet school they came from?

 

[AuburnVet]

Price. The only difference is price. In case no one has made that joke yet

 

[VIN-Foundation]

Most important ranking of US vet schools

 

[PippyPony]

We also have a couple faculty that I have seen the local cat ladies legit swoon over. They're very excited when they find out I know him

Please tell me more

 

[vetmedhead]

Please tell me more

He loves cats and gives tons of lectures to the general public about them. He's also a very well known infectious disease IM guy so he does conferences e v e r y w h e r e

So anyway all of these crazy cat ladies either see stories about him or occasionally have him as their clinician when they bring their cat to IM and they are obsessed with him. He's a nice guy and vaguely in their age group (aka he has white hair so he's fair game to these ladies lol) and I think they misconstrue everything as weird flirting.

We do a cat conference with him every year and you would not believe how many cat ladies told me he emailed them personally with info about it (overlooking that he emailed everyone who signed up about it). They also would basically run into the room when it was his time to speak and felt super special when he called on -them- to answer their question (he answered everybody's questions).

 

[mmmdreamerz]

Tufts. But at least 2 schools like to claim something to that effect.

It also doesn't matter. Go to the cheapest school.

My school definitely has a similar claim lolol. Lord knows if it’s true.

 

[battie]

One of our surgeons has a Facebook fan group cause she does the BOAS surgeries. 🤣

 

[SkiOtter]

One of our surgeons has a Facebook fan group cause she does the BOAS surgeries. 🤣

I wanna see this pls

 

[battie]

I wanna see this pls

I have personally not seen it. The crazy brachy owners to me about how they joined the page lol