Will teaching english abroad hurt my chances of getting in vet school?

[sirbuckie]

Hi guys. I am in need of more advice and I know this is the place to get it 🙂

I am considering teaching english abroad for a year starting mid-august. I know this isn't exactly vet related, but I plan on using this experience to build my international leadership skills and expand my cultural horizon - which could be beneficial for vet school? I am applying for vet school this fall and am afraid this could hurt my chances of getting in because it's not animal related. I don't have a job right now and could either volunteer full time and get more vet experience (and not make money), or travel the world and teach (and make money to pay off loans).

So what do you think? Will teaching abroad hurt my vet school application? Ideally I would also like to get animal/vet experience while abroad, but I'm not sure about the opportunities available in Korea.

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[HopefulAg]

If you otherwise have a sufficient amount of animal and veterinary experience, I see no way this can do anything but help.

 

[VeganSoprano]

I agree *unless* it makes you unavailable for interviews. For some schools not being able to interview is a deal-breaker. Other schools don't interview at all. So be sure to reconcile interview schedules if you need to.

 

[Minnerbelle]

I agree with vegansoprano and hopefulag. a lot of vet schools value diversity in their class, and especially in their PS I was told by a couple of adcoms that they are looking for a "global view" of vet med. They meant global as in all fields of vet med, not so much as in international, but I'm sure if would be a huge plus if you could observe and comment about cultural differences in pet care/vet med in different continents. heck, csu had a "multicultural statement" even.

However, if you don't have sufficient experience otherwise, i wouldn't count on being able to get vet experience in korea. i can't speak exactly for korea, but asia in general isn't as into professionals toting around non-professionals for them to get "experience."

 

[mr1985]

I plan on using this experience to build my international leadership skills and expand my cultural horizon

Sounds like going overseas is pretty important to you. Would you really back out because an admissions committee members would furrow their brows at your decision?

Anyway, I can only imagine they'd be impressed by international travel, even if there are no animals involved. I mentioned my travels to Vietnam in my interview and the interviewers seemed impressed.

 

[Nechochwen]

I agree, if you already have sufficient vet/animal experience, go for it. My interviewers asked about if I knew how I was going to pay for school and how much it cost.

This teaching experience will give you a better understanding of people of different cultures, as well as provide a means for paying for your education.

That's what you could say if the interviewers ask. 😀

 

[TexasTiger]

I agree with all of the above, and just wanted to mention something else. I recently got the chance to talk to the vet that my parents take their animals to. He's a relatively recent graduate and he didn't get in on his first try, and ended up in kind of the same position in that he needed a job to pay the bills. He decided to go through an emergency teaching certification course and taught HS for a year (I forget which subjects). He said that when he re-applied, they spent nearly the entire interview talking about his teaching experience, which wasn't vet- or animal-related at all. I think they liked the idea that he was willing to teach, and that he might consider teaching in the future. Besides, it sounds like it would be an amazing and unique experience.

 

[thedogisgreen]

Different schools definitely have different perspectives on traveling. I thought everyone would like it, and in my post mortems, two of the schools thought it was great and showed I was well rounded, etc., but my IS seemed to really dislike that I had spent some of my time volunteering abroad (some with animals, some with people) - she seemed to think it was a complete waste of time and actually asked me why I even traveled. So depends quite a bit on the school. Even after that feedback, I still want to travel as much as I can, because it is an incredible experience. Do it, and try to find somewhere to volunteer there, maybe just at a shelter a few hours a week, while you are there, to get a sense of animal care there.

 

[sirbuckie]

thanks for all the advice/opinions! As long as it doesn't hurt my chances, I will definitely go for it (though it will hurt my bank account flying back for interviews.. if I get any). I have a decent amount of vet/animal hours (~1600) so hopefully that would be enough to show them I know what I am getting myself into.

Ya, I am mainly taking this for the position for the adventure... I hope to travel extensively as a vet too. There is just so much to see in so little time

 

[HopefulAg]

There is just so much to see in so little time

Man ain't that the truth.

 

[rhinocerotidae]

I think it would help, It would definitely make you stand out a little, since not many people have taught abroad. BUT like others have said veterinary/animal experience it still very important.

 

[bunnity]

I'm going to disagree and say this would look great if you wanted to be a teacher, but I don't see it helping you become a vet. As an interviewer it would probably confuse me. Now I am all for doing different experiences over the course of your lifetime, and not being singularly focused, but this is the exact year that you do need to focus on getting into school.

Since it was mentioned in the replies, I am not personally impressed by someone's amount of travel experience - to me it just implies they can afford it.

 

[sirbuckie]

I'm going to disagree and say this would look great if you wanted to be a teacher, but I don't see it helping you become a vet. As an interviewer it would probably confuse me. Now I am all for doing different experiences over the course of your lifetime, and not being singularly focused, but this is the exact year that you do need to focus on getting into school.

Since it was mentioned in the replies, I am not personally impressed by someone's amount of travel experience - to me it just implies they can afford it.

Yeah, that was actually what I was afraid the adcom was going to think. I don't want them to think I am not committed to the veterinary field by teaching for a year. However, I will try to describe my experiences abroad in a way that would be beneficial for me as a veterinarian- ie. building leadership skills and cultural awareness. I would also like do some educational things as a veterinarian, so maybe I can also tie this experience in with that. And I would actually get paid for teaching, otherwise I wouldn't be able to afford being abroad for a year (this job would actually allow me to pay off my undergrad loans).

I guess some adcoms will view this teaching abroad experience as something beneficial and some will view it as being fickle and scatterminded. *sigh* if only I could read their minds and figure out what they want!

I'm also applying to global health/international MPH programs, so if I don't get into vet school, perhaps the public health schools will view this as a positive experience and be more inclined to accept me...

 

[luplodw]

I think it will only help. Most adcoms don't just want people who only do vet things. They want well rounded people that have had life experiences. You could learn so much from this!! If you just get more vet experience (if you have enough already) then you will just look like everyone else. Heck you never know...you might like it so much that you will want to work in vet academia. I think it will be a wonderful experience!

 

[cerealrhapsody]

I really think things like this are a double-edged sword, and very subjective. (i.e. some people will be impressed while others will question your focus and committment).

I have a lot of stuff on my record that sets me apart (hell, Im a music major), and at the beginning of my college career I never would have imagined that having diverse activities and interests spreading over a broad range of fields could ever hurt me. And indeed it has not, at least personally. I have gained so much from being a musician, for example. But professionally, I have gotten a lot of grief from vets, professors, advisers, and others. They question my committment, they get confused as to what I really want, and they see me as scattered or unfocused even though I happen to be very focused.

So just be aware of that risk. It seems ridiculous that such a great experience would ever be a red flag to people, but it really could be to some.

However, since you mentioned you were considering global health MPH, I think an international teaching experience would DEFINITELY be a plus for them, even if it wasnt for vet school.

At the end of the day, you have to balance your personal and professional life. If this is something you really want to do for yourself, do it and dont apologize to any myopic vet who doesnt even know who you are as a person. But if you were doing this just to make yourself more competitive for vet school, I would think twice.