Career change... Vet field?

[kirbyultra]

I literally can't take anymore of my job. I feel like I will waste away if I stay at my job now. I'm 26, I've been doing this since before I graduated undergrad, been working here full time for 4.5 years. I've been unhappy with my job for over a year with no signs of improving.

I need a change. I need to know I can do something with my life worth living for. I have no real skills. I just know I love my rabbits. I want to know if a career in veterinary medicine is right for me. I would have to move and m husband would have to probably uproot his career at our current firm too. I am giving the option serious thought.

Does anyone have any insightful information about the field? Should I try to get a vet asst job at a practice to find out more about the field?

 

[degrassi]

If you are still unsure I would recommend getting a job at a vet clinic to test it out. Just because you love animals doesn't mean you will like working in a clinic. I volunteered at a clinic and even though I have a cert. in vet assistance I know I dont' want to work at a clinic again. I"d rather do pet sitting, as you don't have to deal with sad animals and stupid owners.

I say test it out, either get a job or volunteer at a clinic.

 

[irishbunny]

Oh good luck! I think if your unhappy, go for it! I'm doing vet. nursing when I leave school, can't wait!

 

[killertheturtle]

I am a vet tech and in undergrad to hopefully go to vet school.
I know a lot on the subject.

Basically, get experience. The more variety the better (assuming the variety is of good quality and large quantity).
You need to have good grades, especially in required classes (math and science). The average GPA UC David lets in is 3.6. Some schools are higher, some are lower. Find a couple of vet schools you're interested in and see what their undergrad requirements are. Most vet schools have very similar requirements. Basically a lot of biology and math up to calculus.

Do well on your GRE's.

Vets schools have different requirements and standards, but having a solid combination (good grades, good GREs, and vet experience) is a pretty sure way to get in somewhere. Remember, vet school is hard to get into. There are only 28 (I believe) in America and it is very competitive. A lot of people do not get in the first year they apply, so if you really want it, don't give up.

If you didn't know this already, vet school is four years and you are not required to intern after like medical doctors are.

Good luck!

 

[kirbyultra]

I spent a couple of hours researching online and basically realized how little I knew about the whole process.
First of all there are only a couple dozen vet colleges in the country! I'd have to leave NYC entirely which is not really possible since my husband and I have two mortgages on two properties and we can't just sell since the market is so lousy. Plus if we go, he'd have to quit his job too and we'd be both out of work. It's too much risk...

We talked about it and we arrived at the conclusion that... I just need work that is more manageable and less viscious and frustrating. And that could be a lot of things. I don't have to make 100K a year to be happy or anything like that. I really just have to make the payment on my own mortgage. I want to work with animals and I want to be happy with what I do. I think degrassi makes a really good point - I don't even know if I have what it takes to work with animals for a living. There may be aspects of it that I can't handle... death? Sadness? Sickness? I'm going to do my homework on this for sure. I do want to get experience and learn more about this. Maybe I should think about vet tech.

killertheturtle, UC Davis is an awesome school from what I've read! I have absolutely zero background in sciences though. I have a BS degree at NYU with honors, in the business undergrad school. I graduated a few years ago so I guess it's still somewhat applicable. But if I were to think about vet school, I'd have to spend a lot of time just doing science pre-reqs. Can I ask, what classes are required for vet tech certification?

Thanks!

I think now that I am thinking about a real possibility of leaving my work for something I might be happy doing, I feel more at peace with myself. I feel like I'm not so trapped with the office of doom. I really should have done this a long time ago and saved myself some misery. I think I'm going to try to stick it out at this job until year end to see what I can get in bonus $ though. 4 months. I can do 4 months I think.... I can spend the time to intelligently think my alternatives. :rainbow:

 

[TinysMom]

Here are some things to consider when you think about becoming a vet tech.

WARNING - I am going to be VERY graphic - so please don't read if you have just eaten, etc.

I'm serious! (Then again - I have a squeamish stomach)...







Now I'm not sure all vet techs would do this - I guess it would depend upon the actual vet you work with....but here is some stuff that I have done as a breeder or I know that other vet techs have done.

Could you draw blood from an animal? Could you hold an animal down while someone else was drawing its blood?

Could you strap an animal down on a table if needed? (I don't know that is done...but trying to come up with things you might find hard to do).

Last night I drained an abcess - it was the second abcess I've had to deal with (that was this size) in a month - the third I've ever dealt with total that was this size.

But it was the size of a golf ball (or slightly bigger) - and I had to drain all the pus out of it....and let me tell you - there was a lot.

Could you handle that pus getting on your hands (gloves) as you work with it? Could you stomach seeing it come out? What about if there is a bit of blood tinged with it?

Can you aspirate a lump to see what is inside?

How about give an IV?

Give a shot that is sub-q? In the muscles?

Could you give an animal the shots to euthanize it?

Could you clean an animal that had flystrike and was infested with maggots (or whatever they're called)?

These are all some of the "unpleasant" sides of working with animals...

I'm sure some of these might not go to a vet tech - I know Art's best friend Dale was a vet tech and he said he had to euthanize the stray cats (military base) and it was heartbreaking for him.

 

[kirbyultra]

Thanks for the honest picture, Peg. I appreciate that.I can deal with blood, guts and gore and the like. I wouldn't even consider any medical or veterinary study if I wasn't positive I could stomach that much. There are things I am squeamish about: bugs. Things with either no legs or more than 4 legs. Maggots. Flies... I don't know if I can deal with that. I probably could if I wrapped myself up real good, and if I didn't have to deal with it every single day. I just can't stand the thought of it ON me. Gives me the willies.

I've never had to draw blood or drain stuff out of alive body, but I see that type of thing as much more methodical, scientific... if that makes sense.

I know I will have some trouble with the emotional stuff like having toput animals down. It probably will be managable for me with most animals. But I know the minute a bunny comes in with a sad story, I will losemy poker face. I guess I'm only human. Someone told me they couldn't be a pediatrician because of all the sad children cases.Ironically I can deal with children and human illness, and don't really like children on the whole. Maybe I should be a pediatrician. Just kidding! No, I have a passion foranimals.In the 4th grade when we did a career day project at school, I said I wanted to a be a vet when I grow up. My parents thought I was insane and made fun of me in front of every family member for about a month. I think part of it always stayed with me, that I wanted to work with animals. On top of that I have always had a knack for medical "stuff". I get curious about new drugs that come out and look them up, find out what they are about. I read about diseases and conditions. I read a lot about (human) patient care. I just have an interest in this type of thing.

My husband eggs me on, saying it's not normal to know how to say and spell acetaminophen.

 

[TinysMom]

Well - with my rabbits I deal it abcesses - not a lot - but some.

In this case - the last two abcesses that were so big - made me almost go puke afterwards. I was alone at the time and knew it needed to be done (and I may need to redrain it again tonight) and when it got on ME - I freaked and went running for the sink (and to get more paper towels, etc).

With the rabbits I've had and some of their medical conditions - I've learned to do things I never would've thought I could do - but these are my rabbits and I love them. Anyone else's and I'd probably be saying, "Go to the vet - here's the gas money for the 70 mile drive..".

 

[kirbyultra]

TinysMom wrote:

With the rabbits I've had and some of their medical conditions - I've learned to do things I never would've thought I could do - but these are my rabbits and I love them. Anyone else's and I'd probably be saying, "Go to the vet - here's the gas money for the 70 mile drive..".

LOL

 

[undergunfire]

I thought about becoming a vet tech and was told to look into Purdue's online vet tech degree program if I couldn't go move at/near the actual uni.

There was no way I was comfortable paying (err...somehow paying) $20k + books, etc. I also didn't think I was smart enough, to be honest. I am NOT book smart. The whole "university" word scared me.

***VERY GRAPHIC DETAIL BELOW***
[sub]Once my vet tech friend on the rat forum told me she had to help assist in cutting off a cat's entire head to be sent into for rabies testing.....I knew the job wasn't for me!![/sub]
***end of graphic details***


I have now gone back to my original career dream...dog grooming! I can go to The Connecticut School of Dog Grooming for about $2k. While dog grooming doesn't actually require a degree or anything (it is certificate programs run by experienced groomers)...I know I will come out "on the top" and can start making some decent money doing something that I will love. I also love how I will have the opportunity to OWN my own mobile grooming van and be my own boss! I can't wait to move to NY soon, then attend the groom school....I am sick of living in AZ working at a crappy souvenir production job.