Is Veterinary School Hard? Here's The Truth!
Having a career in the health field is highly fulfilling. Besides, your parents will be very proud of you, and your patients will be extremely grateful. However, who do you prefer to treat? People or animals? While these two fields sound the same, they are vastly different. Moreover, everyone has their preferences when it comes to the field of medicine.
So, is veterinary school hard? Yes!
Compared to a wide array of undergraduate fields, veterinary school is no joke. Most of the students studying veterinary medicine bag 25 to 30 credits per semester, including demanding courses based on science.
This means that students in this field have to be in the lab class for 30 to 40 hours every week and will require studying a bit more during their free time.
Typically, most undergraduate fields need the student to bag 15 to 20 credits per semester, compared to veterinary medicine, making it a rather difficult course to pursue. Besides, veterinary courses involve rigorous advanced science-based studies. This is quite different from most courses which involve various courses such as physical education, among others.
Additionally, most of the students you`ll be taking classes with will have to be smarter than the average human being since the acceptable GPA to study veterinary medicine is somewhere between 3.5 to 3.8. Typically, this means that some of your classmates were among the best performers in their previous schools.
Meanwhile, the level of difficulty when in veterinary school will vary from one individual to another. However, do not expect it to be that easy; you have to study hard and be passionate about helping animals.
Today, we delve a bit more into veterinary medicine. As with any other career, there are numerous variables to consider, such as your dream school`s acceptance rate, the seats open, and the degree of difficulty that comes with the course.
Regardless of the school you attend, you need to work hard to become a professional. Even if a school is cheap or easy to get into, it does not necessarily mean that you will have an easy time graduating. It would help if you made a lot of effort to get here.
But is veterinary school hard? This will depend on the individual taking up the course. Nonetheless, before giving an accurate answer to this question, we`ll talk more about veterinary medicine.
For instance, how do you know that veterinary school is the ideal career choice?
First, to become a veterinarian, you have to attend veterinary school. The ideal way to know that this is the right career path for you is to learn more about it. Talk to various veterinary researchers and veterinarians. Again, you can do more research online.
Furthermore, it would help if you were passionate about helping animals, have decent people skills, and have a good understanding of science.
To achieve this, you can explore the field by working for a veterinarian or shadowing him to understand further what the career is all about. Once you`ve done your research, you can competently determine whether this is the right career path for you.
Veterinarian school curriculum
Among the first things you do in veterinary school is to select the animal species they want to study. You should at least know how to treat pets such as cats, dogs, and birds, though you can also learn how to treat other animals like sheep, goats, horses, and cows.
Furthermore, if you choose to deal with zoo animals, you will have to deal with animals like lions, elephants, tigers, and so many more. These animals need precise treatment and should be handled delicately. If you give the wrong dosage of medicine, they might get angry and hurt you and anyone nearby.
Another thing you will learn in veterinary school is dealing with pets and their owners. This comprises the people skills mentioned above. It would be best if you showed empathy towards the pets and the owners when treating them. For instance, you will have to inform the pet owner of their pet`s death at some point in your career, and you need to go about it the right way. These circumstances might go the wrong way if you don't know how to communicate such information appropriately.
Also, if you choose to deal with wild animals at the zoo, communication skills are as well critical. It is common knowledge that wild animals are dangerous, meaning you have to make them feel safe; otherwise, they will hurt you. For example, if you`re treating a lion or wounded rhino. If you don't handle the situation with the professionalism, seriousness, and caution it needs, it might end up becoming unsafe.
Important veterinary college criteria
Now that you`re sure you want to pursue veterinary medicine, here is what you should check for before applying to veterinary schools;
GPA
To qualify to study veterinary medicine, you need to have a GPA of at least 3.5 or more. A variety of veterinary schools examine courses pursued in the last four semesters closely.
Animal & clinical knowledge
Make time to shadow or work for a veterinarian to have some knowledge of various animal treatment solutions. Also, it gives you an opportunity to appreciate what this field of medicine has to offer. Besides, this might be the best way to find out for sure if you want to pursue veterinary medicine.
Graduate record test
After doing your ACTs and SATs, it`s now time to sit for the graduate record exams. Numerous veterinary schools vastly accept this test. Besides, the MCAT is the other examination taken by some veterinary schools and medical schools as well. To be sure, check with the school you plan to apply for and confirm their acceptable test scores.
Recommendation letters
In addition to passing the acceptance tests, you need to select three people to provide a recommendation letter. The first one has to be from an academic consultant-the other one from a trained veterinarian, and the last one from your course instructor.
It is vital to have a relationship with your professors when studying. What`s more, some veterinary schools might ask for recommendation letters from two certified veterinarians. Once you apply, you get the chance to relinquish your right to view the evaluation letter. Also, you are given a choice not to relinquish this right and get to view the letters after the letter of application has been reviewed.
Even though it is within your rights to view, it would help if you waived the right to evaluate the letters. The evaluators will be told whether you have waived your rights to view the letters before writing them. At times, schools think that the evaluators might not right negative things if you do not relinquish the right to examine the letters. This can negatively impact the letter`s evaluation by the school`s admission committee.
Communication skills
These skills will be gained by doing co-curricular activities like joining different clubs in the school. For instance, the pre-Vet club offers you the chance to serve the community in various ways, and you will also deal with different people and consequently makes friends. You can also become a leader in different clubs and committees that will allow you to gain communication and leadership skills.
Is veterinary school easier than med school?
Graduating from veterinary school is more challenging than med school. While they might not be the same, they need the same amount of hard work and commitment. Both these careers need an above-average understanding of biological sciences, a specific number of hours of paid or volunteer work, and an excellent GPA.
Moreover, med and vet schools will require a recommendation letter from certified practitioners and respected professors. So, is veterinary school harder than med school?
Yes. It is a bit more complicated. For this reason, you need to make an informed and passionate choice. While veterinary school is somewhat more challenging, med school is not that easy. Both are hard, and they will put your resolve to the test.
But veterinary school isn't about hardship alone ...
While veterinary school might be difficult, it should not stop you from applying. Many people have applied, studied, and graduated. Typically, for individuals who are passionate about helping animals, there is a lot you can learn in veterinary schools, like communication and leadership skills and a lot more about animals.
On the other hand, if you`re used to being the best student and getting the highest scores in tests, your tests scores do not necessarily signify a successful future. While you need to pass every class and have a specific knowledge base and skills to be certified as a veterinarian, there is more to succeeding than meets the eye.
You need to be love animals, have people skills, and make the animals feel safe, primarily if you deal with wild animals. Also, your communication skills need to be on point.
Lastly, when you`re in school studying, do not forget to take care of yourself; work out frequently, eat well, and make time to socialize or do anything else other than study. As with any other career or situation, properly taking care of yourself will make the process easier. Besides, a healthy routine will come in handy when you`re not stressed.
Sources
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/things-you-should-know-about-vet-school-4020896
https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/careers/veterinary-school-admission-101