I know what I’m going to do when I grow up!!

[angoralvr]

I started off school as a nursing student and then when I was offered a really good job at the company my mom works for I was dumb and quit school to take the job. Since then, I’ve needed to get back into school and I was considering going for accounting since that is what I am working in now. I’ve been horribly procrastinating on getting back into school though and I think the main reason for this is because I know that accounting isn’t at all my passion and I won’t be happy if I decide to stick with it as my major.

That being said, my true passion is animals and I have officially made the decision to go back to school to be a vet. I know that this is going to mean tons of school and hard work but I am ready for it and for the first time in a long time, I am really excited about what I am going to do with my life. I am trying to figure out now whether I want to get my vet tech degree first so that I can go to work in the field sooner. I’m not sure if we have any vets/vet techs here but I was wondering if anyone had any advice for me on this one.

Oh yeah, and what I really want to do is end up specializing in exotics. I’m thinking maybe avian or rabbit but I haven’t really gotten that far yet.

[bunnytowne]

sounds great go for it. follow your passion a job you luv is a dream for a lot of people you have to potential to make yours come true. go for it

[Sage Cat]

I’m 42 and I still don’t know what I’ll do when I grow up!

[angoralvr]

Posted By Sage Cat on 05/06/2008 11:47 AM
I’m 42 and I still don’t know what I’ll do when I grow up!

Lol! I actually saw something on TV the other day and for the life of me I can’t remember who it was but she was talking about how no matter what age you are, you should always be asking yourself what you want to do when you grow up.

[MimzMum]

Don’t feel bad Sage, I’m 45 this year and I REALLY need to grow up! (oh, and getting a career would be nice too!) lolz….
You have all my support Angoragrl! I would love to go back to school and learn to be an exotic vet. (We really need more rabbit specialists up here.) I just don’t know how I’ll get past my fainting at the sight of blood. >.< (Plus my son has told me he won't share campus with me…boohoo!)

I just got 7 of the 8 books I ordered from Amazon after reading the book post here, and it was simply fascinating to read about the anatomy of rabbits (it is quite different from cats and dogs, much less humans) and all the different things you need to guard against medically; emotionally and physically. I wanted to be a nurse when I was little, but stopped getting good grades in high school (my first C really tanked my mom’s plans for me to become a doctor or lawyer) and also my fear of blood. I think for me, the idea that I’ve helped someone is a big part of what I love about it, but I’m not sure I could handle the intensity of an ER situation. Sooo….. *shrugs*

I think you should go for it, if you are eager to get into the field immediately, go for the degree that will put you there. If you’d like the time to study and obtain experience in the field and reflect on your choice to be sure it’s what you want, go for more schooling. Either way, I am sure you’ll be terrific at it!

[JodiM]

Go for it and follow your heart!! Your young I’m assuming and you don’t want to be like me age 32 and saying, I should have done this…. Now all I want to do is go back to school, but time, money all that is not on my side.
I took Early Childhood Education when I was 19 and dropped out because I missed my boyfriend at the time when I was in school. STUPID!!!
Then I went to school and took hairdressing. Actually finished that but it wasn’t my passion at all. I became depressed and eventually went back to childcare. I worked in a daycare and then ran my own homedaycare for about 2 years and then moved to a new town, didn’t know a soul, and couldn’t find any kids to bring into my daycare! Now I feel like i’m in a dead end job working at Walmart in the photo Lab as a tech. But not making near the amount of money I could be! I know I could have done better for myself!!
But, the good news is that I know it’s not over yet!! Okay now that I’ve blabbed my whole life story to everyone here I’m going to shut up!!LOL

So the point of the story is that you should go for it.. do what you dream of doing and you’ll be successfull! Aim HIGH!! YOU GO GIRL!!

[Sarita]

Vet school is very tough to get into because there aren’t that many. I had a friend try 3 times and never got in. I think it’s very competitive just like medical school.

[Sarita]

Here’s some excellent info from the US Dept of Labor:

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos076.htm

 

[Beka27]

good luck! that would be exciting. i’m guessing since you were going for nursing that you are science-minded which is definitely a must!

[angoralvr]

Posted By Sarita on 05/06/2008 5:11 PM
Vet school is very tough to get into because there aren’t that many. I had a friend try 3 times and never got in. I think it’s very competitive just like medical school.

Oh I know it is tough. Luckily Saint Louis is not too far from a VERY good school. Mizzou (University of Missouri Columbia) is actually a really good vet school. I need to talk to Dr. Kersting (avian vet) because I think that is where he went he is now a board certified avian vet.

I have absolutely no reason to think that this is at all going to be easy but ever since I was a kid, I’ve know that I was going to either go into the medical field or law (I know kind of polar opposites) and while I know that I could do both and would be good at either, I think that the vet field is right for me and I am willing to put in ALL the work it takes to get there. The fact that it is hard to get into vet school is actually why I was considering getting my tech degree first.

 

[angoralvr]

Posted By Beka27 on 05/06/2008 6:59 PM
good luck! that would be exciting. i’m guessing since you were going for nursing that you are science-minded which is definitely a must!

Oh yeah, science and math are my favorite areas. It has been about two years since I was in classes so I know that I am going to need a refresher on some of the more advanced science stuff I’ve already taken but I am convinced that I can do it.

[babybunsmum]

oh thats so exciting!  good for you    it’s great to discover a passion & get that satisfied feeling of knowing you’re on the right course. 

[COOKIE'N FLUFF MOMMA]

I TOO WAS THINKING ABOUT GETTING A VET TECH DEGREE. I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY COOL BECAUSE THE TECH DOSE’NT ALWAYS HAVE TO GIVE OUT THOSE NASTY SHOTS TO ALL THE FUZZBALLS. THATS THE PART I HATE. THEY GET TO DO ALOT MORE OF THE FUN STUFF (NOT ALL FUN ANDSTILL HARD WORK). I THINK IF YOU SPECIALIZE IN RABBITS THAT MORE PEOPLE WOULD HIRE YOU BECAUSE MOST VETS ONLY SEE CATS AND DOGS SO YOU WOULD BE A GREAT ADD TO THE COMMUNITY WITH YOUR RABBIT EXPERTIZE. GOOD LUCK AND GO FOR IT!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Great news Angoragirl!!! That’s awesome!! I felt the same way when I sort of decided on vet school (still trying to get over the squeemishness though ) It just FEELS right doesn’t it? Good luck girl!!

[Sarita]

Here’s a list of vet schools:

http://www.vetinfo.com/vetschol.html

I also know a lady who is going to vet school in Grenada – she’s in her 50’s I think and she rescued rabbits for a long time.

I’ve heard Kansas State University has an excellent exotics program.  Texas A&M has a good vet school but it is an agriculture school so they do better with things like livestock, etc…I also understand that if you are in a “horse” racing area of the country , I guess like around Kentucky that they do great with horses (equine).

The vet in the above link also gave some interesting advice on getting into vet school that I would never have thought of.

[Sarita]

This is good too – it has links to the actual colleges DVM departments:

netvet.wustl.edu/vschool.htm#colleges

[angoralvr]

Posted By Sarita on 05/07/2008 12:13 PM

This is good too – it has links to the actual colleges DVM departments:

netvet.wustl.edu/vschool.htm#colleges

Thanks for those links!! For some reason I had completely forgotten that Wash U which is right by me has a good vet program too. I was thinking that I was definately going to have to move in order to get my degree.

[Scarlet_Rose]

K & K Good luck and it sounds like a worthy venue for your ambitions!

[ScooterandAnnette]

Glad to hear that you’ve found a calling! When the time comes for applications, please do apply to more than just Washington University’s vet school, for the simple reason that there just aren’t all that many vet schools around and competition to get a spot is quite fierce. You may not have to move, but you should be prepared to do so if you’re accepted at a vet school located elsewhere.

[Cadbury]

Angoragrl – congrats on making such a big decision! I, too, wanted to go to vet school, but then realized there were a lot of things I didn’t much care to do – surgeries, euthanasia, etc. Now I work as a rehab therapist for dogs, cats and horses – doing massage, therapeutic exercises, etc. (I know people in the area do this with rabbits, too!) A lot of my clients are high-end athletes, so there is a lot of conditioning work after surgery, injury, etc. I definitely love it! You could always work as a vet tech in an exotics practice to make sure you like it – a lot of places don’t require you be certified.

Good luck – I’m sure you’ll be great in whatever you decide!

[Beka27]

my best friend is a surgical vet tech. she went to school for it and she loves it. she’s very science-oriented and she loves the nitty-gritty of surgery. you might want to get your certification in that and do that for awhile for the experience, then apply for school.

[kimberleyanddarren]

congrats u should do whatver makes you happy (ps u will come sort all our buns out for free when u are qualified right? hehe)

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