NEed help to become a veterinarian!!!

[MindyMiz]

I am 30 and am just starting to go to school I went and got my ged, I have taken my are you college ready and I was. My question is the college I signed up to attend is really not helping me! They have not told me what classes would be best to take!? They are also pushing me to go to be a vet tech an I am trying to become a veterinarian! What classes would I need to take to start to be a veterinarian?
Do I take regular classes like math science etc.. or do I go to be a vet tech

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[deleted676737]

I would not do a vet tech degree unless you actually want to become a vet tech.

The classes that you will need to take vary slightly depending on the vet schools that you're interested in applying to. Here's a list of all vet schools and their pre-req classes to help get you started: http://www.aavmc.org/data/files/vmcas/prereqchart.pdf

Though, I feel obligated to ask... do you have any veterinary experience via shadowing/volunteering/working? If not, then I would honestly recommend that you focus on getting out there and seeing what the work is actually like before you commit to this path and spend the time and money on taking classes. A lot of would-be pre-vets have an idealized view of the profession and don't consider the various struggles (very difficult and expensive schooling, extreme debt for a comparatively low salary, client non-compliance and aggression, mental health issues and compassion fatigue abound, etc.) that many veterinarians face. You need to make sure that it is truly what you want, sooner rather than later.

 

[MindyMiz]

I would not do a vet tech degree unless you actually want to become a vet tech.

The classes that you will need to take vary slightly depending on the vet schools that you're interested in applying to. Here's a list of all vet schools and their pre-req classes to help get you started: http://www.aavmc.org/data/files/vmcas/prereqchart.pdf

Though, I feel obligated to ask... do you have any veterinary experience via shadowing/volunteering/working? If not, then I would honestly recommend that you focus on getting out there and seeing what the work is actually like before you commit to this path and spend the time and money on taking classes. A lot of would-be pre-vets have an idealized view of the profession and don't consider the various struggles (very difficult and expensive schooling, extreme debt for a comparatively low salary, client non-compliance and aggression, mental health issues and compassion fatigue abound, etc.) that many veterinarians face. You need to make sure that it is truly what you want, sooner rather than later.

I volunteer at a rescue and have been around vets
I am worried about all the time and money I'm going to be using
I have 3 kids and a husband so that is def in the mind
I love animals I love helping them and i understand that some need to be relieved of the pain and suffering
I'm just really aggravated with the college I signed up for they are not helping what so ever all they keep trying to do is push me to be a vet tech
just like you said its a lot of work and time and I was hoping to get the information like what not to waste time on like the vet tech and what classes should I start with

 

[MixedAnimals77]

I volunteer at a rescue and have been around vets
I am worried about all the time and money I'm going to be using
I have 3 kids and a husband so that is def in the mind
I love animals I love helping them and i understand that some need to be relieved of the pain and suffering
I'm just really aggravated with the college I signed up for they are not helping what so ever all they keep trying to do is push me to be a vet tech
just like you said its a lot of work and time and I was hoping to get the information like what not to waste time on like the vet tech and what classes should I start with

Are you at a 4 year university or community college? This will also help us give you some guidance but what Elkhart gave you is one of the best starting places. Did you have more specific questions other than what classes to start with?
I would go and shadow a vet at an actual practice though too. Rescues are great, but people as I am sure you know can be very rude and inconsiderate which is something vets deal with in practice frequently and therefore you cannot help the animal even if you want to. This also doesn't mention the owners that are into Dr. Google and by the time the vet gets them they're worse off than to begin with and not mention people attempting to screw you out of money etc. (EX: had a client in with emergency case they paid emergency deposit but then "paid" the remaining with a fraudulent check. There is now a criminal investigation pending...) Just some additional aspects to remember while also carrying possibly upwards of $300k in student loans.

 

[Doctor-S]

This also doesn't mention the owners that are into Dr. Google and by the time the vet gets them they're worse off than to begin with and not mention people attempting to screw you out of money etc. (EX: had a client in with emergency case they paid emergency deposit but then "paid" the remaining with a fraudulent check. There is now a criminal investigation pending...) Just some additional aspects to remember while also carrying possibly upwards of $300k in student loans.

This.

I get steamed whenever I hear about an individual messing around with the health and wellness of an animal or if someone is not paying their veterinary bills.

 

[MixedAnimals77]

This.

I get steamed whenever I hear about an individual messing around with the health and wellness of an animal or if someone is not paying their veterinary bills.

Or when a procedure goes perfectly and then the pet dies for some unforeseen reason (ex:bad reaction to meds) and of course the owner is upset but then they threaten to sue and go to the veterinary board and all that great stuff.

 

[PppermintTwist]

I'm sorry you don't feel like your advisor is hearing you or helping you.

I encourage you to shadow at a day practice and ER practice if you can to see some other aspects of the field. A large animal or equine practice would be good to see.

What do you hope to do with the animals?
Do you want to draw blood, do cystocentesis to get urine directly from the bladder and run this samples through machines and by looking under a microscope?

Do you want to intubate, monitor anesthesia and perform dental cleanings?

Do you want to place IV catheters and administer IV and oral medications to patients?

Do you want to position and obtain radiographs for interpretation?

Do you mind helping keep the work place clean, talking with and educating clients, and restraining for exams or procedures?

Technicians do all that. Now how much they are able to do will vary on the state, area in the state, and individual practice.

Techs do a lot of the hands on stuff and it can be very rewarding.

Now if you want to do the exams and perform surgery you'd need to be a vet.

Techs can't diagnose, give a prognosis, initiate treatment or perform surgery. I've been a licensed tech for 11 years now and I won't work in a practice where I don't feel fulfilled and utilized or where I don't agree with the practice ethics. I do personally still want to be a veterinarian but I would also be ok being a tech. ( I have two kids, dog, cat, house, and some goats to complicate matters)

It is certainly doable at our age with the added complications a family brings with it but please make sure it not only is what you truly want but also financially feasible.

Here's a calculator to calculate life time earnings. Play around with different jobs average starting salary.
How much will I earn in my lifetime? | Calculators by CalcXML

Here's a calculator to figure out how long you'd be in debt and what you'd end up paying in the end. $300,000 in loans can easily turn into $500,000 when you include interest. Subtract this from life time earnings. When i did it with my current income versus starting at $55000 as a veterinarian the difference over a life time wasn't much thanks to the half a million I'd have paid in interest and loans.

Student Debt Center - VIN

If after crunching the numbers and discussing how you'd bring your family with you and the move is feasible then look up what classes you need for the schools you'd want to go to and get those. A lot of vet schools don't require a bachelors degree so check and save money by only doing classes you need.

You can look at the link with pre-reqs given in a previous post and also check the websites for the school(s) you're interested in.

I hope that helps.

 

[MindyMiz]

I'm sorry you don't feel like your advisor is hearing you or helping you.

I encourage you to shadow at a day practice and ER practice if you can to see some other aspects of the field. A large animal or equine practice would be good to see.

What do you hope to do with the animals?
Do you want to draw blood, do cystocentesis to get urine directly from the bladder and run this samples through machines and by looking under a microscope?

Do you want to intubate, monitor anesthesia and perform dental cleanings?

Do you want to place IV catheters and administer IV and oral medications to patients?

Do you want to position and obtain radiographs for interpretation?

Do you mind helping keep the work place clean, talking with and educating clients, and restraining for exams or procedures?

Technicians do all that. Now how much they are able to do will vary on the state, area in the state, and individual practice.

Techs do a lot of the hands on stuff and it can be very rewarding.

Now if you want to do the exams and perform surgery you'd need to be a vet.

Techs can't diagnose, give a prognosis, initiate treatment or perform surgery. I've been a licensed tech for 11 years now and I won't work in a practice where I don't feel fulfilled and utilized or where I don't agree with the practice ethics. I do personally still want to be a veterinarian but I would also be ok being a tech. ( I have two kids, dog, cat, house, and some goats to complicate matters)

It is certainly doable at our age with the added complications a family brings with it but please make sure it not only is what you truly want but also financially feasible.

Here's a calculator to calculate life time earnings. Play around with different jobs average starting salary.
How much will I earn in my lifetime? | Calculators by CalcXML

Here's a calculator to figure out how long you'd be in debt and what you'd end up paying in the end. $300,000 in loans can easily turn into $500,000 when you include interest. Subtract this from life time earnings. When i did it with my current income versus starting at $55000 as a veterinarian the difference over a life time wasn't much thanks to the half a million I'd have paid in interest and loans.

Student Debt Center - VIN

If after crunching the numbers and discussing how you'd bring your family with you and the move is feasible then look up what classes you need for the schools you'd want to go to and get those. A lot of vet schools don't require a bachelors degree so check and save money by only doing classes you need.

You can look at the link with pre-reqs given in a previous post and also check the websites for the school(s) you're interested in.

I hope that helps.

This was a big help thank you so much! I will absolutely have to think about all of this! My husband and myself will need to look at this further with me trying to go back to school that will leave 1 income and me being at school and then trying to get vet hours it will be very difficult financially Thank you so much for shedding that light on me!

 

[LetItSnow]

This was a big help thank you so much! I will absolutely have to think about all of this! My husband and myself will need to look at this further with me trying to go back to school that will leave 1 income and me being at school and then trying to get vet hours it will be very difficult financially Thank you so much for shedding that light on me!

Regarding which classes to take and your school not helping ...

... you need to be a bit more of a self-starter. Virtually all of the vet schools publish the academic pre-requisite requirements on their websites. Do your research. Put together a list of the requirements. You can do the work and, as a bonus, you'll know you did it thoroughly as opposed to just 'hoping' someone at your undergrad institution gave the right info.

There were several women in my class with kids. It was tough, but they managed to make it work. They all had supportive spouses (supportive meaning both emotionally and financially).