Anyone a Vet or Vet Tech on here?

[dn0121]

My gf would like to become a Vet but maybe start as a Vet Tech. Is there a school around here that she could attend? Seems to be a lot of jobs for this around here. We will be arriving in about 2 weeks and although she is trying to find any type of job now, she would like to start the process to become one.

Thanks!

 

[keekee]

College of Southern Maryland has a Vet Tech Program.

http://www.csmd.edu/

http://www.csmd.edu/academics/program/CEC.VET.ASST/2006-2008.html

 

[Ponytail]

My gf would like to become a Vet but maybe start as a Vet Tech. Is there a school around here that she could attend? Seems to be a lot of jobs for this around here. We will be arriving in about 2 weeks and although she is trying to find any type of job now, she would like to start the process to become one.

Thanks!

Have her go to Solomons Vetinary clinic and apply. They will pay for her to go to the school if she wants to. It's not a requirement though. They are in need of vet techs too.

HTH

 

[Booboo3604]

My gf would like to become a Vet but maybe start as a Vet Tech. Is there a school around here that she could attend? Seems to be a lot of jobs for this around here. We will be arriving in about 2 weeks and although she is trying to find any type of job now, she would like to start the process to become one.

Thanks!

Going to school is a good start like the CSM program given. I was a vet tech while in college. I hadn't worked in a vets office before so it is possible to get a job as a vet tech from the beginning, however if that doesn't seem to work, a good place to start the job hunt would be to find a kennel job in a vets office. It gets you familiar and comfortable being around different types of animals, different personalities. You learn the "bedside manner" aspect of the job. You will learn to deal with aggressive dogs, older and crankier dogs/cats. Also a lot of time when vet tech positions open up, they are first offered to their kennel keepers as they know the office already and the vet knows them. Kennel jobs offer a pretty good amount of flexibility for school as well because they are usually early morning or later afternoon shifts. Let me know if you have any more questions.

 

[Coventry17]

She definitely needs to work as a Vet Tech prior to making her decision about becoming a vet. If she does choose to become vet, I hope she likes school. Vet school is harder to get into than medical school and it's entirely GPA driven. If you're not a 3.5 or better in your undergrad work, admission is nearly impossible. One option would be to attend vet school abroad, but then you have to add an additional year onto the normal 4 year vet school because typically foreign students do their undergrad/vet school simultaneously. Nearly a decade of school and a quarter of a million dollars in school loans.....

 

[pixiegirl]

In MD there is no required education to become a vet tech.

 

[cattitude]

In MD there is no required education to become a vet tech.

Although many veterinary hospitals are now requiring formal training. My niece has worked at a local veterinary hospital as a tech for about 4 years and now they are paying for her to go to school to get her associates degree in veterinary technology.

 

[Booboo3604]

She definitely needs to work as a Vet Tech prior to making her decision about becoming a vet. If she does choose to become vet, I hope she likes school. Vet school is harder to get into than medical school and it's entirely GPA driven. If you're not a 3.5 or better in your undergrad work, admission is nearly impossible. One option would be to attend vet school abroad, but then you have to add an additional year onto the normal 4 year vet school because typically foreign students do their undergrad/vet school simultaneously. Nearly a decade of school and a quarter of a million dollars in school loans.....

I agree, vet school is much harder to get into than any medical school. They are much more limited and they take very few students. However, there are many aspects beyond GPA as well. If you haven't worked in a vets office, you probably aren't getting in. If you don't have community service, you probably aren't getting in. When I was a vet tech I worked with a girl who went to Auburn for her undergrad, she was in the "pre-vet" program. Graduated with a high-GPA, she was wait listed for their vet school. She was working in the vets office with me because she felt that is where her weakness was, she hadn't had enough years experience. My best friend in Tampa worked at a vet her whole time in undergrad and part of high school. Graduated with honors with a degree in biology. She's been wait listed twice at UF. It's definitely an extremely competitve field with many different contributing factors.

 

[dn0121]

Thank you all. I know its harder then Med school and I let her know that too but she really wants to explore it. The Vet Tech is going to be the first step. Once we get there next week we will make a visit to the Solomons Vet Clinic and any others that I read.

Once again the forum comes through with the answers!

 

[Busterduck]

I agree, vet school is much harder to get into than any medical school. They are much more limited and they take very few students. However, there are many aspects beyond GPA as well. If you haven't worked in a vets office, you probably aren't getting in. If you don't have community service, you probably aren't getting in. When I was a vet tech I worked with a girl who went to Auburn for her undergrad, she was in the "pre-vet" program. Graduated with a high-GPA, she was wait listed for their vet school. She was working in the vets office with me because she felt that is where her weakness was, she hadn't had enough years experience. My best friend in Tampa worked at a vet her whole time in undergrad and part of high school. Graduated with honors with a degree in biology. She's been wait listed twice at UF. It's definitely an extremely competitve field with many different contributing factors.

Booboo is exactly right. You need over 500 hours of internship, high GPA, and recommendations from the vets you have interned with. Membership with other "animal related" groups is also extremely helpful (such as 4-h). Working at a rescue would be noteworthy. The more you have on your application to show that you know what the job is about, the more likely you will get a spot. There are only 28 different vet schools in the US. Some of these (like UC Davis) only accept one or two people from outside their State. Maryland/VA Tech only has 20 to 30 slots for Maryland Students. Each vet school uses a point system for selecting students. Your girlfriend needs to look at these point systems and ensure that she gets the required experiance before submitting her application. Also, depending on which school she wishes to get into, it would benefit her to move to the State in which the school resides to establish residency. As I stated earlier, most schools place high limits on out of State entrants.

Good luck to your girlfriend. If that is what she wants to do for a living, she should go for it. At most of the schools, persistence will usually work in your favor, too. Applying more than once or twice does show a really strong desire to get in, especially if combined with some sort of classwork to improve grade point or to get a degree in a related field.

 

[river rat]

I agree with most of what has been said.

Some folks brought up a VERY important point though.

I recommend she volunteer at a shelter or another rescue, before diving into the veterinary field. Could help save unneccessary costs.