What to know?

[nohika]

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So I'm considering (deciding) between nursing and veterinary. I hate making these kind of decisions, and am trying to do it the logical way. Since sometimes I'm not the most logical human being, I have trouble deciding "the rest of my life".

I kind of like with veterinary that if I don't get in, or decide not to do it, a bachelor's degree will do for several other occupations. Anyways - that wasn't my question.

What I was asking...is what do you, as pre-vet students, think I should know before committing to the field? If this should go in the other forum (maybe it should, hmm), then feel free to move it.

I shadowed for 13 hours and have some idea of what this profession will be like (even though that was a year and a bit ago, I remember it very, very vividly and can still list off everything I observed). I wanted to be a vet for several years when I was young after a dog we had got hit by a car. No matter what I've changed my major to, I seem to always come back to it. I always think about it when I go to the veterinarian's (my dog was sick on Saturday, so that's kind of what started this). I'm looking at making a "list" for each profession about what draws me to it, and in the end, follow my heart.

I guess this is kind of a cheesy post, so thanks for any advice you can give! 😍

 

[nyanko]

First of all you need way more than 13 hours to really get a good idea for the field. So the best way to start is to get more hours, and get them in different areas of vet med. It's really a very diverse field.

 

[nohika]

First of all you need way more than 13 hours to really get a good idea for the field. So the best way to start is to get more hours, and get them in different areas of vet med. It's really a very diverse field.

The clinic I was at had both small animal and large animal, and honestly, I'm not interested in anything beyond private-practice. I know I need more hours, but the clinic I shadowed at took lots of pleading to even let me do that - I'm a liability, I guess.

 

[PrimalMU]

Get a summer job at a clinic. That's really the only way you can tell if vet med is for you. 13 hours is nothing... I've put in 13 hours in a single day! Get 100-200 under your belt and see how you feel.

 

[eventualeventer]

Agreed. I don't think you can really say that this is what you want to do for the rest of your life if you've only put in 13 hours (I agree with others, that is barely more than a single work day). IMO, you need to see if this is still what you want to do when you are hungry and exhausted and haven't sat down all day and all of the clients are b*tchy and the patients seem like they are actively trying to make your life difficult, because you will have days like that. You have to know that, when the chips are down, you still have the drive to keep going and not lose your patience with the animals, to tell yourself that things will get better and to remind yourself why you're doing this in the first place.

Maybe not everyone has that before they get to vet school, but that's how I would approach choosing a profession.

Don't just make a list with what you like about each profession -- make a list about what sucks about each profession, and whether you can deal with it.

If you are having trouble finding opportunities, maybe you should ask if you can volunteer or shadow at a shelter with the shelter vet. Someone on another thread mentioned contacting TNR (trap, neuter, release of feral cats) programs.

Also, how do you even know you're not interested in anything other than private practice if you've never even experienced anything else? It sounds to me like you have some preconceived notions of the field that you have not actually investigated and tested fully.

 

[deleted266066]

The clinic I was at had both small animal and large animal, and honestly, I'm not interested in anything beyond private-practice. I know I need more hours, but the clinic I shadowed at took lots of pleading to even let me do that - I'm a liability, I guess.

Getting more experience in the private practice realm will at least help confirm whether or not you want to be a veterinarian and pursue the pre-vet path that leads you to that ultimate destination, so following up with that would be a good start before committing to a large switch in education.

By the way, although you might be completely certain that private practice is the absolute and only place you would work, veterinary schools will want you to acquire numerous hours at a wide variety of veterinary positions (think farms, zoos, emergency hospitals, etc). It will show that you know for sure what the general veterinary career is all about, and that you have been exposed to a good portion of the fields within veterinary medicine to actually know you aren't missing out on anything.

I've helped a bunch at a farm despite knowing (and now reconfirming) that I don't have an interest in large animal medicine, but it's still been a good experience and teaches me a bunch of things I never would have known had I not explored this area of veterinary medicine. I also used to think I had no interest in veterinary research, but now that I'm getting involved with it, I find it quite interesting and would consider pursuing that track later on. Who knows! It also looks good to be well-educated on the career in general anway and shows some innovation and curiosity, which will be appealing to veterinary school adcoms. That, and most other pre-vets applying will have assorted experiences not based just in one area, giving them an edge over those who did not explore other fields.

 

[david594]

I agree with everyone else that 13 hours really isnt going to tell you much. Everything still seems all shiny and impressive to you only because you aren't familiar with it. After a day or 2 that cat neuter might seem pretty boring, after a couple weeks you may decide you would rather sleep in than come see another routine dog spay.

And until you actually really get to know the doctors, they probably aren't going to tell you how they truly feel about their job. How they are stressed that some client is going to sue them, or how they disagree with the boss/owner/manager and feel like they are always being told they are treating their cases wrong.

 

[sumstorm]

I agree with everyone else that 13 hours really isnt going to tell you much. Everything still seems all shiny and impressive to you only because you aren't familiar with it. After a day or 2 that cat neuter might seem pretty boring, after a couple weeks you may decide you would rather sleep in than come see another routine dog spay.

And until you actually really get to know the doctors, they probably aren't going to tell you how they truly feel about their job. How they are stressed that some client is going to sue them, or how they disagree with the boss/owner/manager and feel like they are always being told they are treating their cases wrong.

Or the 15th ear slide of the day, or the 3rd long detailed explanation about HWP, or the 10th time you have someone demand to know how you dare to charge so much for a 'simple' procedure like a spay, or the joys of convincing someone that their dog with it's severe heart murmur isn't ok to have puppies, or that final euthanasia that oculd have been prevented with justa little more or faster time and attention by the owner.

Also, the field is really diverse...even if you think you will only do clinical practice, you will still need to work with specialists, public health officials, research info, etc....and there will be students in vet school who will be pursueing these other fields, so it is worth having some idea of what other possibilities exist. Also, a fair number of vets change careers for various reasons; knowing the possibilities can be important.

Also, filling pre-health pre-reqs doesn't necessarily make you very marketable job wise in 4 years. I have a BA in bio.... and jobs that paid more than waitressing were hard to find, even with my degree.

These are pretty different fields and different positions within those fields.

 

[cowgirla]

Also, filling pre-health pre-reqs doesn't necessarily make you very marketable job wise in 4 years. I have a BA in bio.... and jobs that paid more than waitressing were hard to find, even with my degree.

Agreed. I've got a B.S. in Animal Science and can't find anything but vet tech jobs (that tend to pay even less than waitressing...) Nobody in the job world cares the undergrad coursework... they want "3-5 years experience" or a masters degree.

 

[Minnerbelle]

I know I need more hours, but the clinic I shadowed at took lots of pleading to even let me do that - I'm a liability, I guess.

Yep, you are a liability (so are we all). Do a lot more pleading with a lot more places! We've all been there, done that, and that's how people on here generally end up with hundreds or thousands of experience hours.

Whining about how difficult it was to just get 13 hrs of shadowing experience is not going to get you into vet school. Asking people to explain what to consider before deciding on vet med instead of figuring out from personal experiences is also not going to get you into vet school either.

Sorry to be such a meanie, but I think you really need to adjust your attitude. Getting into vet school is HARD WORK. Everyone else is putting in the extra effort no matter how difficult their life circumstances are because becoming a vet is a dream they would sacrifice anything for. These are the people you will be competing against, so I would keep that in mind.

...stepping off the soapbox now to go watch some tv.

 

[nohika]

Yep, you are a liability (so are we all). Do a lot more pleading with a lot more places! We've all been there, done that, and that's how people on here generally end up with hundreds or thousands of experience hours.

Whining about how difficult it was to just get 13 hrs of shadowing experience is not going to get you into vet school. Asking people to explain what to consider before deciding on vet med instead of figuring out from personal experiences is also not going to get you into vet school either.

Sorry to be such a meanie, but I think you really need to adjust your attitude. Getting into vet school is HARD WORK. Everyone else is putting in the extra effort no matter how difficult their life circumstances are because becoming a vet is a dream they would sacrifice anything for. These are the people you will be competing against, so I would keep that in mind.

...stepping off the soapbox now to go watch some tv.

Allright, to address this post and all the others (I just got home from class).

I kind of figured that 13 hours wasn't as much as it could be, so I'll see about talking to the three clinics that are near and see if any will let me shadow for a while. Also, more what I was asking was what you guys thought the pros and cons of the field are. To be honest, it's been more difficult to find an "honest" report of what happens - then again, I may not be looking in the right places.

In the comment to "private practice"...what I should have said, is working directly with animals. I don't mind large animals (though they're obviously a big bigger, and a big "scarier") or zoo animals. What I meant is that I'm not too interested in research - but who knows, that could change.

I'm well aware veterinary school (and even pre-reqs) is incredibly difficult. The reason I gave up this idea in the first place a year ago was that I couldn't hack it right out of high school. I think one thing that was nice was that the person whom I "shadowed" was the owner of the clinic I was at - she took me under her wing and kind of shoved me in there. I definitely plan to go talk to her, and there's two other clinics within walking distance. I have three weeks to make a decision, honestly. 😱

I'm a "newbie" and really don't know nearly as much as I need to - and I know that. So I really do respect all of your guys' wisdom. 😍

 

[shred4life]

I would also agree with the other posters and say that you should definetly get experience in all fields of vet med before you decide what you want to practice.

If you decide small animal private practice is what you want to do, then you should expect to work very hard. Get as much experience as you can in all fields (wildlife, research, small animal, food animals, and equine are the major ones) and try to get as close to A's as possible in all pre-req's. You have to really commit to the field and understand that not every day is going to be birthing adorable kittens or giving puppies their first check up. You will have to deal with a variety of animals (even if you do small animals), and many of the times you will see animals on the worst day of their lives. You have to be prepared for this as a vet, and know that you will also have to euthenize animals on a regular basis when it is in their best interest. You will also have to commit to working a lot with the pet's owners. They are your clients and where your salary will come from. It is often a good idea to have very strong people skills and a background in running a business when venturing into small animal vet med.

Hope this helps and best of luck to you. If you get your grades for your pre reqs where they need to be, get your experience hours way up, and truly have a passion for animals and veterinary medicine, the rest will fall into place and it will only be a matter of time till you are on your way to reaching your goals (although you should also be prepared that you may have to apply to vet school 3+ times before you get in and should be prepared to have to work in the mean time) You will have to work your butt off, but in the long run it will be worth it.

 

[nohika]

I would also agree with the other posters and say that you should definetly get experience in all fields of vet med before you decide what you want to practice.

If you decide small animal private practice is what you want to do, then you should expect to work very hard. Get as much experience as you can in all fields (wildlife, research, small animal, food animals, and equine are the major ones) and try to get as close to A's as possible in all pre-req's. You have to really commit to the field and understand that not every day is going to be birthing adorable kittens or giving puppies their first check up. You will have to deal with a variety of animals (even if you do small animals), and many of the times you will see animals on the worst day of their lives. You have to be prepared for this as a vet, and know that you will also have to euthenize animals on a regular basis when it is in their best interest. You will also have to commit to working a lot with the pet's owners. They are your clients and where your salary will come from. It is often a good idea to have very strong people skills and a background in running a business when venturing into small animal vet med.

Hope this helps and best of luck to you. If you get your grades for your pre reqs where they need to be, get your experience hours way up, and truly have a passion for animals and veterinary medicine, the rest will fall into place and it will only be a matter of time till you are on your way to reaching your goals (although you should also be prepared that you may have to apply to vet school 3+ times before you get in and should be prepared to have to work in the mean time) You will have to work your butt off, but in the long run it will be worth it.

It's good every day won't be birthing adorable kitties and doing a puppy's first checkup, because I didn't see either of those when I was there, haha. The reason I liked my shadowing experience is the variety I saw - from a dog with a "cherry eye", I think it was called, who had to be euthanized, to the critical case that I assisted with that was put down, to the Alpaca that needed a blood transfusion. It's true everything was cool and shiny since I hadn't been there long...so I'm definitely going to look into shadowing more.

I know it will take a while to get over doing euthanasias - I'm well-aware. When I volunteered at the humane society, we were required to watch a movie about euthanasia because we never knew which pets would be back the next time we were there.

...the hardest part is, is that I have three weeks to make a decision.

 

[deleted266066]

You might want to look into maybe having an "interview" of sorts with at least the vet you shadowed, and possibly others if they'll let you. Unless you have time to shadow 10+ hours a week or so for the next 3 weeks, I think asking them to be as honest as possible with you when you interview them (assuming they're up for it) is probably your best bet, on top of whatever shadowing you can get in.

When I shadowed a group of 4 veterinarians at a clinic over the summer, each week I had a general outline of questions I made sure to squeeze into the conversation at some point. Examples of questions I was interested in: what are your favorite and least favorite parts of the job, what got you interested in vet med and were those expectations met, what are you most disappointed about this career, what is the most rewarding aspect, what are your favorite/least favorite surgeries to perform, what kinds of owners drive you crazy. Etc etc. I also asked the women vets how vet school affected their outlook on family planning, if they had ever considered specializing in anything, what they did to raise their chances of gaining admittance into med school... So if you can get some to sit down and answer some questions for you, realizing that they still might not be totally honest but you can hope for the best, it might clarify some things for you.

And as always, take what they say with a grain of salt; everyone goes into vet med for their own reasons with their own expectations, and those can drastically affect how they will portray the profession to you, either in good or bad ways, which might not necessarily be applicable to your own situation. Regardless, at least you could get a little more insight on one field of vet med.

 

[david594]

...the hardest part is, is that I have three weeks to make a decision.

You need to keep in mind that its not as straight forward as simply saying "I want to be a vet." And then you will be all set. <50% of the people that apply to vet school each year get in. There are quite a few people that apply multiple times before they get in.

The decision to pursue veterinary medicine is easy, getting a competitive application together is a the hard part.

 

[Shanomong]

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[nohika]

I think you have a very mature attitude about this. It was hard to tell from your original post, but you took the constructive criticism very well 👍 and you seem to have a realistic understanding of how much more you have to learn/experience.

So what should you know getting into it?

It pays significantly less than human medicine and for the most part garners less respect from the general public.

Its dirty.

Euth's will get easier overall, but you have to find that balance between sensible and cynical.

It's largely working with people, as every animal has an owner...but given your interest in human nursing I don't think that'll be a problem for you.

It may take you more than one try to get in.

Vet school is expensive, you can expect to be at least $100,000 in debt by the end (and that's a conservative estimate... not including undergrad, or OOS tuition, or the more expensive schools)

You might hate vet school. Though in general I think that feeling subsides after the initial shock... we've lost some very intelligent, competent classmates who decided the career wasn't really worth dealing with the stress of the education (but these were also people who aren't sure that vet med is what they need to do to get where they want to be)

It opens up more doors than you could ever imagine. I am also small animal and would like to end up in a specialty practice... but it's really exciting to see how many things I can do with this degree. If I end up hating my career, there's an endless number of things I can try out!

College (undergrad) is an amazing life experience, and you should give it a shot regardless. I wouldn't trade my college years for anything. I met my husband and my best friends there. I have memories that'll last a lifetime. It was INSANELY fun. I say do it, and think big... go away somewhere, dorm, live the whole experience. And I beg to differ with the above... you can obtain any degree you want in college along with your pre-reqs. And there are some BA's or BS's that can put you right into a career. Though I'd recommend taking as many sciences as you can schedule in addition to your major if you chose to go that route, because they will help you later on if/when you go to vet school.

Good luck, 3 weeks is such a short time for such a big decision! Another thing I can say about vet med is that it'll always be there... and many people come here after they've tried other things (including me!). So if you think you want to give nursing a shot, and decide that was a mistake later on, you can always go back 🙂. Let us know what you decide!

Thank you very much for your answer! 😍 In a way, veterinary is like nursing - there's so many different things to do with it. Yeah, three weeks is a really good time...I think my choice right now is to pick which one I think/feel in the long run will be worth it. One of my friends told me to not focus on the journey there, but to focus on the end result. I'm really trying to get a good idea and understand exactly how it works - I'm definitely still a newb, so it's awesome that there's forums like this that can help people like me out.

I'm just worried that if I try nursing, and it's really, really not for me (nursing school is supposed to be difficult [though I doubt it beats veterinary school]), that it will smash my GPA into the ground. Ugh, this is such a tough decision... As is life, I suppose.

ETA: I'm aware that I may not get in first try...I think what's made me so cautious is doing so bad the first time I attempted my pre-reqs a year ago I crashed and burned. I'm hesitant to commit to things...I guess that partially comes with age.

 

[nyanko]

I'm hesitant to commit to things...I guess that partially comes with age.

I've got 10 years on you, and the idea of committing to anyone or anything absolutely terrifies me!

 

[nohika]

I've got 10 years on you, and the idea of committing to anyone or anything absolutely terrifies me!

That's incredibly reassuring, you know that? A lot of the time I seem to think it's just me, because everyone else seems so secure in what they want.

...I guess this may sound rude, but do you have any tips on how to overcome it?

 

[Shanomong]

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[nohika]

Well in all honesty, Nursing is not even close to the level of intensity and difficulty of information you'll learn as a doctor-in-training... if you can't survive nursing school (assuming you're really trying), you won't survive vet school. So it's one way to find out...

What I'm concerned about is I'll find I hate nursing and won't be able to survive it because I can't stand the material. I'm a people person, but I don't know if I can handle quite /that much/ of people.

 

[nyanko]

...I guess this may sound rude, but do you have any tips on how to overcome it?

When it comes to relationships, if I knew the answer to this I think my SO would be much happier with me. 😉

As you can guess by the fact that I'm 29 and just came to this conclusion enough to actually pursue it recently, it wasn't really something that just came overnight to me either. I first got a degree in Computer Science, then worked in a shelter for awhile thinking I wanted to do shelter med, then worked in a clinic for awhile figuring clinical med was the best option, then when I started to do some research during my second bachelors degree, and took Genetics for the first time, it really really just...clicked for me, I guess?

Mostly, it works for me because there is so much variety! I want to go into veterinary academia, and be a professor at a vet school. I can pursue diverse research interests, and though there are certainly restrictions (ie where the funding comes from), I feel a lot less tied down to one little thing doing research. The motivation is more tangible and fluid.

So it's certainly okay to not really know what you want to do with the rest of your life right this second. I mean, you're ahead of where I was at your age, anyway. But, my original point was that if you're like me, going out there and getting your hands dirty, really throwing yourself into it...that's the best way you're going to learn about vet med and yourself. And I know your situation with your mother makes it difficult, but really you do need to be considering what's best for you too...nobody is going to look out for you like you, and don't forget that.

 

[nohika]

When it comes to relationships, if I knew the answer to this I think my SO would be much happier with me. 😉

As you can guess by the fact that I'm 29 and just came to this conclusion enough to actually pursue it recently, it wasn't really something that just came overnight to me either. I first got a degree in Computer Science, then worked in a shelter for awhile thinking I wanted to do shelter med, then worked in a clinic for awhile figuring clinical med was the best option, then when I started to do some research during my second bachelors degree, and took Genetics for the first time, it really really just...clicked for me, I guess?

Mostly, it works for me because there is so much variety! I want to go into veterinary academia, and be a professor at a vet school. I can pursue diverse research interests, and though there are certainly restrictions (ie where the funding comes from), I feel a lot less tied down to one little thing doing research. The motivation is more tangible and fluid.

So it's certainly okay to not really know what you want to do with the rest of your life right this second. I mean, you're ahead of where I was at your age, anyway. But, my original point was that if you're like me, going out there and getting your hands dirty, really throwing yourself into it...that's the best way you're going to learn about vet med and yourself. And I know your situation with your mother makes it difficult, but really you do need to be considering what's best for you too...nobody is going to look out for you like you, and don't forget that.

😍😍 You guys are so awesome here. I've emailed two clinics about potentially job shadowing and plan to see if I can visit a few others this coming weekend or maybe later this week in person to see if I can do do maybe 15-20 hours. I know that's not nearly as much as it should be, but I guess I don't want to sound pushy nor put time constraints on myself (when I've got class to attend as well). I'm also going to see an advisor tomorrow (or at least get directed to one) and see what classes I'd need, etc, and get this fun mess figured out.

I'm still not making an ultimate decision for a few more weeks, but for today, veterinary medicine is winning. We'll have to see if that sticks in a few weeks, or after I start the first quarter of pre-reqs. I'd love to work as a veterinary assistant, but since I live right next to two veterinary tech schools the hospitals seem to not want to hire anyone unlicensed. I'm definitely going to see if I can find some volunteer opportunities as well.

I talked to my mother again today, and she's still not happy that I'm considering switching. She brought up a semi-valid point that I seem to keep running away from things because I get scared. I really think throwing myself into the middle of it and actually facing the challenge might help that - I don't know, to be honest. 😕 At the very end...all I can do is try, right?

 

[Shanomong]

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[deleted266066]

😕 what am I missing? is this from another thread....?

yup

 

[nohika]

😕 what am I missing? is this from another thread....?

😱 My apologies, Shanomong. I mentioned to my mom that I was considering switching majors and she kind of flipped out on me. Doesn't want me to talk about it and is still "pressuring" me into nursing. She's made it clear that it's my decision, but she isn't going to be happy with it unless it's what she wants.

...kind of adds to the pressure, because I know if I don't do well, she'll rub it in my face like she did last time.

 

[MaChien]

😱 My apologies, Shanomong. I mentioned to my mom that I was considering switching majors and she kind of flipped out on me. Doesn't want me to talk about it and is still "pressuring" me into nursing. She's made it clear that it's my decision, but she isn't going to be happy with it unless it's what she wants.

...kind of adds to the pressure, because I know if I don't do well, she'll rub it in my face like she did last time.

wow... that sounds like my mom, when i was a highschool freshman, i was thinking of maybe getting into physical therapy(a fleeting thought really) i made the mistake of telling my mother. I have since graduated and started pre-vet and she still wont let it go. 😡

 

[nohika]

wow... that sounds like my mom, when i was a highschool freshman, i was thinking of maybe getting into physical therapy(a fleeting thought really) i made the mistake of telling my mother. I have since graduated and started pre-vet and she still wont let it go. 😡

My mother looooveeessss nursing because it's a "steady, stable career, and you'll never have trouble finding a job."

...she ignores the fact we live in an area with AT LEAST seven nursing schools, the fact that the economy SUCKS (even for nurses), and there are THOUSANDS of new graduates out there with jobs. Course, she's always right...hmm...

 

[PrimalMU]

😱 My apologies, Shanomong. I mentioned to my mom that I was considering switching majors and she kind of flipped out on me. Doesn't want me to talk about it and is still "pressuring" me into nursing. She's made it clear that it's my decision, but she isn't going to be happy with it unless it's what she wants.

...kind of adds to the pressure, because I know if I don't do well, she'll rub it in my face like she did last time.

Meh, I changed my major 7 times before settling on biology and vet med. 😛