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Would you genuinely suggest being a veterinarian?
I am 14 my name is Malia. I want to own a variety of pets, and I think it would be helpful if I knew how to actually take care of my pets, of course with someone to be there for them when I can't.
#veterinarian #veterinary #career
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Michael’s Answer
Based upon the information you provided, I would say it's something to aim for. When I went to vet school, I remember there was one colleague who owned a pony farm. She had conducted paid clinics on her farm where children and adults were learning to ride the ponies on a trail. She went into vet school with the specific goal to be able to assure the veterinary care that her farm required, including doing so over time at a more reasonable cost (her husband ran the pony farm during her time at vet school). That approach, where you go from something very specific into a field that is relatively broad and diverse, definitely works; at the same time, you should be aware that the advice you have already received is about you preparing well for a number of subjects, and this sets you up for a common trajectory that actually goes in the opposite direction, from broad in college to something more specialized through the end of vet school and perhaps beyond.
When my Dad, a veterinarian, brought home abandoned pets or pets that needed TLC, I would take care of them as if they were my own, sometimes for several weeks or months, until a new owner was found or they were better able to return to their owners. I hadn't really definitively chosen veterinarian as a career yet. The meaningful interaction with these animals has stayed with me until this very day as something very unique and special. Medicine, at its very core, is about patient care; you don't treat diseases; you treat patients. Sometimes you can't provide a cure, but you can provide the best patient care for as long as that animal is in your care.
Whatever you learn from your own pets, as a scientist you would have to learn what's shared with other animals, what set of skills you could transfer to other animals, any animal. Veterinary medicine is a way to formalize your training so that it is as universally applicable as possible.
There was a vet school professor I remember who had several different types of animals on his farm; for some procedures he did not want to do the procedure on his own animals so he asked for another veterinarian to do them. I am sure that my professor would have done a good job on his own animals, but his professional conscience dictated otherwise. My Dad once got angry with one of our cats, Butch, who had urinated inappropriately in the living room. He thought it had something to do with the other cats in the household and didn't think twice. Some time later Butch died of kidney failure. He was angry with himself for having ignored the problem and not having done better diagnostics. In other words, his emotions (he was angry about the mess in the living room) got in the way of doing the best medicine he was capable of. So always keep that in mind: Your own animals will be an invaluable resource when it comes to learning veterinary medicine, but there may come a point where you are not the best suited to do the care-taking.
When my Dad, a veterinarian, brought home abandoned pets or pets that needed TLC, I would take care of them as if they were my own, sometimes for several weeks or months, until a new owner was found or they were better able to return to their owners. I hadn't really definitively chosen veterinarian as a career yet. The meaningful interaction with these animals has stayed with me until this very day as something very unique and special. Medicine, at its very core, is about patient care; you don't treat diseases; you treat patients. Sometimes you can't provide a cure, but you can provide the best patient care for as long as that animal is in your care.
Whatever you learn from your own pets, as a scientist you would have to learn what's shared with other animals, what set of skills you could transfer to other animals, any animal. Veterinary medicine is a way to formalize your training so that it is as universally applicable as possible.
There was a vet school professor I remember who had several different types of animals on his farm; for some procedures he did not want to do the procedure on his own animals so he asked for another veterinarian to do them. I am sure that my professor would have done a good job on his own animals, but his professional conscience dictated otherwise. My Dad once got angry with one of our cats, Butch, who had urinated inappropriately in the living room. He thought it had something to do with the other cats in the household and didn't think twice. Some time later Butch died of kidney failure. He was angry with himself for having ignored the problem and not having done better diagnostics. In other words, his emotions (he was angry about the mess in the living room) got in the way of doing the best medicine he was capable of. So always keep that in mind: Your own animals will be an invaluable resource when it comes to learning veterinary medicine, but there may come a point where you are not the best suited to do the care-taking.
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andrea’s Answer
hello, This is a great aspiration. The main thing is to spend as much time getting experience in a vet's office or animal hospital. While there absorb in the experience , learn the language of being a vet what word they use, the context and the descriptions. Also, be prepared to commit a lot of time , it is more than just a few hours of day.
volunteer at vet or animal hospital or animal rehabilitation center or a shelter
will need a animal science or biology 4 year degree as prerequisite to apply for vet school
andrea recommends the following next steps:
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Rachel Joy’s Answer
Being a vet can be a rewarding career. it's a service job that helps others and this is one of the best career paths to follow. Loving a pet and wanting to care for it however is not the only reason to consider being a Veterinarian.
This involves a lot of schools and studying. You must like science, chemistry and anatomy and can't be grossed out by blood. You have to be able to handle seeing sick and dying animals and be able to maintain composure if one dies under your care. These are the harsh realities of the medical field.
There is also something known as a vet technician-the person who assists the vet (like a nurse would for humans)
There is also the option of becoming a groomer.
If you have a vet for your pets, why not ask them how they got there. How many years of school and so forth, what is a typical day like, how do they handle emotions when an animal dies?
Loving our pets is a wonderful thing but managing their care is something else. It's a worthy career worth looking into.
This involves a lot of schools and studying. You must like science, chemistry and anatomy and can't be grossed out by blood. You have to be able to handle seeing sick and dying animals and be able to maintain composure if one dies under your care. These are the harsh realities of the medical field.
There is also something known as a vet technician-the person who assists the vet (like a nurse would for humans)
There is also the option of becoming a groomer.
If you have a vet for your pets, why not ask them how they got there. How many years of school and so forth, what is a typical day like, how do they handle emotions when an animal dies?
Loving our pets is a wonderful thing but managing their care is something else. It's a worthy career worth looking into.