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Entrepreneurship:  Any veterinarian's here?  |
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Country Girl 06
Farmgirl in Training
11 Posts
Danyelle
Haughton
Louisiana
USA
11 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 13 2010 : 9:18:31 PM
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Anyone here in the vet business? I have a couple more years left to get my bachelors degree in music but I still would like to go to vet school after I graduate. Anyone know anything about what you do in vet school or what I have to look forward to?
I know they don't really care what your bachelor's degree is in as long as you are caught up on the basic biology and chemistry hours. Is this true?
Just a girl with big dreams. |
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maggie14
True Blue Farmgirl
6784 Posts
Hannah
Washington
USA
6784 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2010 : 3:55:26 PM
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Hi Danyelle! It sounds like we both have the same dream. Here's what we can look forward too. :)
What is this job like?
If you like animals and science, you might want to be a veterinarian.
Most vets treat small pets, including dogs, cats, and gerbils. But a few focus on large animals, such as sheep, cows, and horses. Large-animal vets usually drive to ranches and stables where their patients live. They check for infections in the animals and give advice to the animals' owners. Often, they help when the animals give birth.
A few vets work in zoos and aquariums. They care for zebras, sharks, and other wild creatures.
In addition to helping sick animals, vets can work as animal inspectors, checking to make sure that farm animals are healthy and that their living spaces are clean. Another option for vets is doing scientific research. They try to make new medicines.
Vets work in many different places. Vets who do research work in clean, dry laboratories. Most vets who take care of small pets work in animal clinics and hospitals. A few work in large hospitals with the most advanced equipment.
Many vets supervise technicians and assistants. And many own their own business and are their own boss.
Because animals can get sick at anytime, vets often work long hours. Those in group practices may take turns working weekends or evenings and dealing with emergencies.
Many vets like their work because they can be with animals every day. But because some animals are scared or hurt, they sometimes try to bite, kick, or scratch their vets.
Vets who work with large animals often work outside in all kinds of weather. This work can sometimes be dirty.
How do you get ready? Back to Top
All veterinarians need to go to college, which usually takes 4 years. They study biology, chemistry, physics, nutrition, and animal science. They also need to take math and English classes. Many people also get experience by working at animal hospitals or shelters.
The next step is to go to veterinary college for 4 more years. Getting into vet college is competitive. Students who get in usually have very good grades. After college, vets take a test and get a license.
In veterinary college, students learn more science. They also learn how to work with animals, do surgery, and do laboratory tests with microscopes and other equipment.
Many people also decide to learn more about a specific kind of illness or animal. They work with experienced vets during a 2-year internship. For example, they might focus on surgery, dentistry, or wild animals.
After finishing school, nearly all vets keep taking classes about new diseases and treatments.
Students who want to be vets can get ready now by taking science classes and learning about animals. They also need to take English classes and practice speaking and writing so that they will be able to explain things to animal owners.
Hope this helps!
Hugs,
Channah
Farmgirl sister #1219
Just a small town country girl trying to live her dreams. :) |
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1badmamawolf
True Blue Farmgirl
2199 Posts
Teresa
"Bent Fence Farms"
Ca
USA
2199 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2010 : 5:35:22 PM
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Danyelle, its a tuff 4-8 years of college, there are several great Vet Colleges in the USA, one being Davis in California, and the other at Columbus in Missouri. I took a 2 yr sugical vet tech course at Columbus and loved it. Math, chemistry are the tuffest classes in my opinion. Depending on wether you want to specialize or just practice General Medicine will deceide on the years of Vet college. The best internships are offered to the top students in the classes, on on down the hill. If you are going to work with farm livestock, try and do some volenteer work with one, same with any other specialty. Its hard, sometimes very emotioal work, and not only do you have to help the animals, you have to help the owners also.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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Fiddlehead Farm
True Blue Farmgirl
4562 Posts
Diane
Waupaca
WI
USA
4562 Posts |
Posted - Jul 15 2010 : 05:23:08 AM
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My daughter is a vet-tech in SC. She has 4 rescue dogs and the vet (Banfield) that she uses for her animals had an opening. She is training on the job and loves it. She wants to go to Vet-tech school in CO to be certified. Her husband is in the Army and may be transferred to CO in a couple of years.
Age only matters if you are wine or cheese.
http://studiodiphotosite.shutterfly.com/
farmgirl sister #922 |
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msdoolittle
True Blue Farmgirl
1145 Posts
Amanda
East Texas
USA
1145 Posts |
Posted - Jul 21 2010 : 08:04:15 AM
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I went to vet tech school, too. I loved it. It is an intensive program and very applicable to what you are doing. I frankly didn't want to become a veterinarian due to all the school! Lol. Instead, this was an applied science associate's degree, I believe it what it was. I did not finish, but I really loved it. I was working for a vet at the time.
IF you do want to become a vet, if you choose to work in a practice, don't forget that you need good people skills, too. 1/2 of what you do is for the animal, but the other 1/2 is dealing with people directly, so you need to be a good communicator. MANY people say that they want to become a vet, but the reality of being one is much different than what people think.
It's hard work and easy to get 'burn out'. The love of animals alone will not carry you through. The reality is that you are also dealing with a lot of death, angry people, crazy people, and potentially dangerous animals (I admit that cats scare me after my vet experience). The best way to see if this is a fit for you is to go work for a veterinarian and see what it's all about. We had many people come and 'shadow' with us and I remember one girl, specifically, saying that she'd love to be a vet, but couldn't euthanize animals. This is something you have to ask yourself, too. Can you deal with the harsh reality of death? Because it happens...a lot, and particularly sensitive people may not be able to cope with that.
And of course, there is the gross-out factor, which I won't go into here, but if you have a weak stomach...well, medicine isn't a field you want to go into.
Anyway, I think it is a very rewarding field, and I learned so much. I only left because I had a potentially high-risk pregnancy.
:0)
FarmGirl #1390
www.mylittlecountry.wordpress.com |
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sherone_13
True Blue Farmgirl
2460 Posts
Sherone
Evanston
WY
USA
2460 Posts |
Posted - Jul 21 2010 : 10:50:24 AM
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My daughter has been attending the University of Wyoming in the Pre-Vet Program. The emphasis is on Math and Science generals with Animal Science electives. She has completed her 3rd year. She has decided to transfer to Central Wyoming Community College to complete her Vet Tech certification/associates degree. She wants to be able to work in a vet's office as a certified vet tech while she is completing her bachelors at UW and entering vet school. She will try to attend the vet school in Fort Collins, CO in the future.
Plan on at least 4 more years of school, including your internship. She told me that vets need to know more than medical doctors because they deal with more than one species of animals.
Sherone
Farmgirl Sister #1682
My Blog - www.annapearlsattic.blogspot.com
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Women are angels. When someone breaks our wings, we just jump on our broomsticks and fly! We are flexible that way! |
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mandymcar
True Blue Farmgirl
73 Posts
Mandy
Montana
USA
73 Posts |
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Entrepreneurship: Any veterinarian's here? |
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Any veterinarian's here?
