What is it like to be a veterinarian?

[DeeSpark]

For anyone who has even a slight idea of what idea of what it's like, tell me? I mean, I have my own ideas but maybe deep down I'm leaving out the less exciting parts. I mean I know it would be a lot of hard work, but I think it's what I want to do. If I stay in the area I live in now, I'd probably be doing most work with cattle and horses. Not quite on top of my "animals I love" list, but still on there. So I just want people to give me an idea of what it'd be like.

I'm in year 10 at the moment, and have thrown around the idea a lot in my life time, but decided I couldn't do it because you have to be a straight A student. I recently discovered that I don't mind to study much, and if I study I can get better marks (no kidding huh?). Anyway, I know I'll have to study a lot, particularly maths.
Also in year 10 (in australia anyway) near the end of the year we get to spend one week working somewhere, to see how we like it. So my plan is of course to work with the local vet. But the end of the year is a long way away, and I'm impatient, so I'd like to know what people in this guild think about the career itself... And whether somebody who rarely gets As could turn the grades around by becoming a studying machine  

[Moth Feathers]

The thing with being a veterinarian is that, at least in the US, to become one is more competitive than being a human doctor. There are so few accredited veterinary schools, and so many people that want to become a vet...it can be really difficult to get into. You know how competitive it is in the human medical field? Imagine twice that or more in the veterinary.

I'm not saying give up on your dreams, but just consider that aspect of it. Working with animals does not automatically equal become-a-veterinarian- a lot of people have that misconception. So even if you decide to turn down becoming a vet, it doesn't mean your career choice will be devoid of working with critters.

Also- about being a 'studying machine'. Don't study for the grades, don't study to pass the test, study to /learn/. Grades are a poor representative of what you have learned. If you wish to study for a subject, don't do it just so you can pass whatever test and get whatever grade, but because you're genuinely interested (and trust me, I know, sometimes you have to persuade yourself that what you're learning is interesting. But, if you can do that, you have become a true scholar) in it. Look beyond rote memorization and spoonfeeding yourself whatever regurgitated information lies in the text book, but actually go to the library, check out some books slightly pertaining to the subject, go online and do some research yourself, watch a documentary, etc. That's what I call /really/ learning. I learned 100x more from reading a 200-page book titled "The Ingredients" (a book about the elements, took me about a week to finish) than the cheesy powerpoint slides my teacher gave and the vapid, uninteresting text from the textbook.  

[Gabrielle_AnimalLuver]

It's not so much the math, but the chemistry. There's a lot of chemistry and biology. Specifically cell biology. Which I hated. I struggled a lot in chemistry and biology and for that I think I will stick with tech rather than go for another 3yrs of more difficult classes. I also don't have the grades because I never thought about university going into this program. I thought, all I need to do is pass and I will have a job. So I never studied.

As for the job itself. Well there' s a lot more human interaction than many animal lovers like. It's a lot of discussing with clients, who can be incredibly ignorant and/or hard headed. The surgery aspect I like. And I hope to work in a clinic where I'm allowed to perform some basic surgeries like neutering. Half the techs here at school do. Taking blood, vaccinating, restraining, all that hands on stuff is enjoyable. There's a lil bit of math involved in your every day life. Like, the cat needs 1L of fluids over the next 48hrs and the micro drip is 60 drops per ml so quickly calculate the fluid rate in drops per second. Or mostly, the dosage for morphene is 1ml per 50kg so how many mls for a 6.5kg cat. That kind of stuff.

I had my practical exam with clients and it went well I think. All my clients seemed happy. It was stressful working reception because people come in and let their dogs sniff other dogs without knowing if the other dogs even like dogs and I kept watching them like a hawk, expecting a fight to break out, and then a fight amongst the owners. I had one client who had bedbugs and didn't seem to care or even understand. Another client who;s dog's collar was ridiculously loose, he got away from me and I had to tackle him. I told the client the collar was too lose and she just agreed and did nothing. burning_eyes  

[DeeSpark]

Well maths isn't a subject I like unless I understand it well, so I'd have to study to make it something I like.... I like all the sciences though. And I looked it up and to get into uni to study, I have to have done pretty well in english. I don't know how much I truely enjoy english, I've always been able to just breeze through it and not mind it.
Although Moth Feathers you've given me some good ideas for learning.

I know it would be very hard for me to become a vet and don't even know if I have a chance. Though I do have some other jobs with animals I have in mind if it doesn't work out...  

[Azusanga]

What kind of critter work would you want to do? There are a lot of jobs that ARENT vets that still deal with critters. Like, being a rancher or something like that if you like cattle, owning or working on a farm, having dogs, being a groomer, etc. etc. etc. Like for the field I chose, there's very few things that work with them, so it would be basically vet or pet shopper razz  

[- Vet Tech - 2011]

In Canada as well it seems getting into university to become a veterinarian is quite competitive. Do not be discouraged if you don't get accepted the first time you apply, that was something I was told when I had considered continuing to become a veterinarian.

I would start doing a lot of volunteering in a lot of different areas, in small and large animal clinics, humane societies/rescues etc. in Canada a non-academic side is required as well. Even if it's not a requirement in your area it can only benefit you down the road to have that experience.

Math, chemistry, biology and possibly physics. These are the main subjects to understand. There isn't a lot of complicated math in the field, but it is a subject of importance. Fluid calculations, CRI's, basic 4 x tables and drug calculations. Honestly, some clinics even have computer programs to figure out rates for fluids and CRI's but knowing how to do the math manually is important. It's not complicated stuff.

There are a lot of positions in the veterinary field other then veterinarian - veterinary technician (which can do clinical, research, wildlife etc. or work toward a specialty), vet assistant, kennel attendant, receptionist/hospital or office manager, groomer. There are plenty of other positions in the pet industry outside the veterinary field: including pet sitter or day care, being apart of a pharmaceutical company ie. pfizer or bayer ... endless possibility of positions there related and non-related to the veterinary field. That's just me thinking off the top of my head too.

Gabrielle_AnimalLuver - What a tech is allowed to do in a clinic will fall under your association for your area, and the veterinarian in the clinic. I have had the opprotunity to do a cat neuter or two with veterinary supervision (a great experience) but it's not a common technician duty, at least not here, and I believe organizations are trying to regulate us in such a way as to what we can/can't do etc and so that people can not come in off the street and learn our job. The clinic I am working FT is a complete opposite from the clinic I did placement and where I do locum (fill in for vacation, weekends or on-call nights). What you get to do is all on veterinarian preference.  

[MC scarlet96]

That is the most great advice i've ever heared of from real vets.I'm going to be one very very soon like in years soon. I just hope when i get into a vet school, they can approve me in even though im bad at math, i get Cs and Bs in math crying .I'm good at everything else except math.What i'm trying 2 say is is that ok 2 have Cs and Bs sweatdrop