1 answer
Cora
Student
Lake Village, Arkansas
1
Question
Asked
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What was your experience going through Pre-Vet schooling and then Vet school Do you think it was worth it or not? ?
Do you think it was worth it, or should I major in something else?
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1 answer
Karin P.
Lecturer, Academic Advisor, Career Coach
656
Answers
Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Cora,
The experience is different for everybody because people are different, have different interests and talents. Important is YOUR experience and your interest. I would recommend that you start by volunteering with a veterinarian to get a feel for the profession. You can also get a certificate for vet assistant.
To become a veterinarian, you first need to earn an undergraduate degree. You can major in anything you enjoy but you need to make sure you take the pre-requisites for admission to veterinary school. Many students opt for a pre-vet program (4 years). University of Arkansas e.g. has one. You could also major in animal science or biology or chemistry or even a non-science major.
After that, you enter veterinary school for another 4 years to become a doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM). Admission is competitive. You want to keep up an excellent GPA. Some schools also consider Last45.
Also required for admission is plenty of veterinary/animal experience and letters of recommendation including from a vet. Make sure to check requirements with each school you would consider.
There is a centralized system for application:
https://www.aavmc.org/becoming-a-veterinarian/how-to-apply/
To practice as a vet, you need to take an exam to be licensed. Most vets start out with an internship. Some seek additional training in a specialty.
Generally, Arkansas lacks veterinarians. Therefore, job prospects are good and you might be able to get financial support.
There are two new vet schools in Arkansas at Arkansas State University and Lyon College:
https://www.astate.edu/college/veterinary-medicine/
https://lyoninstitute.com/veterinary-program/
Check out their programs as well as the programs at other schools to find which schools fit you best.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/yourvet/veterinary-training
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/schooling-required-to-be-a-vet
https://4h.uada.edu/programs/plant-animal/vet-science/arkansas-veterinarian.aspx
https://animal-science.uark.edu/programs/vet-school.php
https://explorearcareers.com
The experience is different for everybody because people are different, have different interests and talents. Important is YOUR experience and your interest. I would recommend that you start by volunteering with a veterinarian to get a feel for the profession. You can also get a certificate for vet assistant.
To become a veterinarian, you first need to earn an undergraduate degree. You can major in anything you enjoy but you need to make sure you take the pre-requisites for admission to veterinary school. Many students opt for a pre-vet program (4 years). University of Arkansas e.g. has one. You could also major in animal science or biology or chemistry or even a non-science major.
After that, you enter veterinary school for another 4 years to become a doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM). Admission is competitive. You want to keep up an excellent GPA. Some schools also consider Last45.
Also required for admission is plenty of veterinary/animal experience and letters of recommendation including from a vet. Make sure to check requirements with each school you would consider.
There is a centralized system for application:
https://www.aavmc.org/becoming-a-veterinarian/how-to-apply/
To practice as a vet, you need to take an exam to be licensed. Most vets start out with an internship. Some seek additional training in a specialty.
Generally, Arkansas lacks veterinarians. Therefore, job prospects are good and you might be able to get financial support.
There are two new vet schools in Arkansas at Arkansas State University and Lyon College:
https://www.astate.edu/college/veterinary-medicine/
https://lyoninstitute.com/veterinary-program/
Check out their programs as well as the programs at other schools to find which schools fit you best.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
Karin recommends the following next steps: