Zoo & Aquarium Vets

[rl1234]

Other than Colorado, what other schools are strong in zoo/aquarium medicine?

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[wildfocus]

davis, no? they have a dedicated zoo track and i heard internships with san diego zoo....

 

[thereservoirdog]

Davis is excellent for wildlife/zoo track, dear god I hope I get in

 

[birdvet2006]

University of Florida, Tennessee, and Kansas have strong zoo programmes. But honestly, it doesn't matter where you go.

 

[thesonofdarwin]

I cannot speak for their tracks, but when I expressed my interest in aquatics to the interviewers at my VA-MD interview they made it very clear that they've placed many individuals interested in fishie medicine at the Baltimore Aquarium

 

[TurboVet]

does anyone know whether you can be a competitive residency/internship applicant for wildlife/zoo med if you go to a school that has a total of 2 electives in the field? i'm planning on spending my summers trying to compensate by working at zoos, abroad, etc, and doing research in the field- is there a tendency to pick applicants coming from school with strong exotics programs?

 

[ri23]

I was told during my Ohio interview that schools without strong exotic programs usually have contracts/opportunities at other schools/places where you can get that experience. Dean Sanders said that the field of vet med is becoming so big it is hard to have excellent programs in every field and therefore the schools are collaborating more. She made it seem to me like there wouldn't be a problem going into exotics even though OSU isn't the strongest in that area.

 

[birdvet2006]

For an internship, they really want to see a small animal rotating internship (or large animal). Not a specialty internship, at least not until you've completed one of the more broad-based internships. Usually it doesn't matter where you came from - you're going into a broad-based programme. Reference letters, GPA, letters of intent, and class rank are important.

For a residency, it would be nice to have a rotation through an exotics or zoo/wildlife service during your internship - as far as I know, your vet school classes are less important. How good you are as a vet (not a student) is more important.

But take my advice with a grain of salt...I did not get a residency this year. (Though I am doing an internship currently).

 

[kate_g]

Usually it doesn't matter where you came from ... Reference letters, GPA, letters of intent, and class rank are important.

There's a little bit of a contradiction in these two sentences, though... The smaller the specialty, the smaller the world is. I have to believe there's some benefit in having good connections. Getting into an internship with a rotation in zoo/exotic/whatever might be aided by a letter of reference from the zoo/exotic/whatever prof at your school, with whom you took some classes and did a clinical rotation. And certainly if you're looking to get a zoo residency after a standard rotating internship that might *not* have had much zoo exposure, another letter from that same prof could probably be helpful.

If you go to a school without much zoo stuff, you're probably going to try to do some externships anyway, and those could be the letters that get you the spot you want. So having the zoo experience at the same place you get your degree from might not be crucial. But having *some* experience while in school does seem like it could be a benefit...

 

[twosoakers]

heh heh...if you go to target, you can get a computer game called 'zoo vet.' you are given cases, and SOAP the case. if you play the hard level, the head veterinarian yells at you and fires you when you #*(& up, and the techs call you stupid. i bought it in montana.

it's fun.

 

[nessaf7]

z

 

[kate_g]

if you go to target, you can get a computer game called 'zoo vet.' you are given cases, and SOAP the case.

If you beat the hardest level do they give you a letter of recommendation?

 

[wildfocus]

heh heh...if you go to target, you can get a computer game called 'zoo vet.' you are given cases, and SOAP the case. if you play the hard level, the head veterinarian yells at you and fires you when you #*(& up, and the techs call you stupid. i bought it in montana.

it's fun.

i totally want this... does it come for mac's?

 

[nessaf7]

,

 

[conservationgal]

heh heh...if you go to target, you can get a computer game called 'zoo vet.' you are given cases, and SOAP the case. if you play the hard level, the head veterinarian yells at you and fires you when you #*(& up, and the techs call you stupid. i bought it in montana.

it's fun.

Haha, I played this at a kids museum. I love how when you first solve a case, you get a printable degree entitled "One Star Pooper Scooper." I guess it goes to show how you have to start at the bottom to get to the top!

 

[StealthDog]

There are ways to get connections other than your courses- i.e. going to symposiums, wetlabs, speakers, etc. Minnesota doesn't have a lot for exotics courses, but there are so many places around here to meet good people (Raptor Center, Wildlife Rehab Clinic, Como and Minnesota Zoos, Underwater Adventures, etc) that you can make good connections. There are several exotics symposiums throughout the year too, like WIZAM in Wisconsin, one at Cornell, and one at Missouri.

I think it works a lot like getting into vet school in the first place. Taking a course in zoo bio means some, but doing an internship or volunteering at a zoo means a lot more. Taking a course in avian medicine looks pretty good, but learning how to take avian x-rays at a wetlab at a symposium is more impressive (*and* shows that you are willing to be proactive about getting your exotics education). They have told us more than once that it's not school, but your externships and conference experiences that will set you apart from other candidates when applying for internships/residencies. And because exotics/zoo/aquarium is such a small world, you basically have to do something beyond just getting your DVM if you want a job in the field.

Speaking of aquariums, there is a brand new association starting for aquatics vets... I am trying to convince them that there is enough interest among vet students that they should offer a student membership. Send them a note if you'd be interested so they know we're out here!

http://www.aquaticvet.org/

 

[StealthDog]

Also, they really like to remind us that they frown upon people applying for residencies/internships at the school they graduated from, as it doesn't provide a "well-rounded experience". Sometimes it does happen due to family obligations, etc, but it seems like the exception to the rule. So, if you start out at a place with great opportunities in exotics residencies, beware that it may be harder to match there when the time comes!

 

[ri23]

That's a great point about it being harder to match into those residencies, I have heard that from a lot of people.

As for strong programs, when I mentioned my interest in Zoo Vet Med at my interview Dean Sanders mentioned Georgia as having a good program.

 

[tiddlywinks]

This thread made it even harder to make my decision I was leaning towards Davis because they have the dedicated zoo track, and so many more electives and opportunities than Penn. But if I plan to eventually do a zoo med residency, would it then be better to get my VMD at Penn, saving a chunk of money, and plan to apply to Davis' residency program eventually?

 

[tuftshopeful]

this link made my day and I hope it does the same for you!
http://www.boston.com/travel/gallery/zoo_babies/

 

[Cheska]

this link made my day and I hope it does the same for you!
http://www.boston.com/travel/gallery/zoo_babies/

Super cute!- Thanks for posting that!!!

 

[isitAprilyet]

i just died and went to cute heaven. its my ultimate dream to one day befriend a polar bear cub/panda cub. if they are suddenly noticed missing by zoo authorities, its only coincidence. SO CUTE gah!

 

[thereservoirdog]

Wow I don't think I've ever seen white lions before. Anyways, I just got back from the SF zoo, I love going there it always makes me even more excited to become a zoo vet.

 

[MissBehavior]

this link made my day and I hope it does the same for you!
http://www.boston.com/travel/gallery/zoo_babies/

I can't be the only one who thinks animal babies are *much* cuter than human babies. Even the other primate babies, which look so similar to humans, are infinitely more appealing. I guess it's the fur, but I love baby herps, too. Human infants look sort of like little aliens! Maybe this should be posted in the "You know you're prevet when..." thread, too...

 

[hoodle]

This thread made it even harder to make my decision I was leaning towards Davis because they have the dedicated zoo track, and so many more electives and opportunities than Penn. But if I plan to eventually do a zoo med residency, would it then be better to get my VMD at Penn, saving a chunk of money, and plan to apply to Davis' residency program eventually?

That sounds like a brilliant plan to me - but one thing to consider might be where you eventually want to end up... I feel like residencies start to become more "permanent" in that you'll end up best connected there in the special field of your choice. of course, it's not a binding commitment, and you'll be similarly well connected because your DVM degree... but it's something to consider.