4 answers
Rhyian
Student
Las Vegas, Nevada
9
Questions
Updated
887 views
Can I take both a pre-med and pre-vet track?
I was leaning towards pre-med in the beginning, but now I'm interested in being a veterinarian. I saw someone on social media doing both, but I didn't know that was possible.
Edit: I know I want to be a neuroscience major.
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4 answers
Margaret Delano
veterinarian
4
Answers
Acton, Massachusetts
Updated
Margaret’s Answer
The shorter answer is: Yes. The longer answer is: Read carefully all the requirements, such as the academic (necessary undergrad courses) course requirements (AND national test requirements, such as GREs) for having your application to med school and vet school looked at seriously (and successfully by the admissions committees. Select several different med schools and several different vet schools, that you are currently considering applying to once you are ready, and determine NOW what these schools require. Develop checklists for what med schools and vet schools require in their admissions process so you are well prepared for whatever direction to decide to take. Then develop your undergrad course plan based on that info. You will do yourself a favor by also taking some courses that are definitely oriented toward human med situations or animal med situations depending on how your preference develops.
In the process, also please strive to get some meaningful experience, even through volunteer efforts, in vet/animal care settings and human care settings, so you have as good a sense as possible of what those settings are like on a day-to-day basis, and what you will be doing/involved with as you progress toward a medical degree, and then into your career and specialization. This experience now is really important because, besides giving you some insight into the human med professions and the med med professions, this may give you perspectives that you can reflect on personally as you make decisions, and also possibly mention in your application essays. In the process, you may also develop some solid professional contacts in the professional setting toward which you decide to head.
As the result of your thoughtful process and hard work, you may mentor some in a helpful way in the future.
I hope that some of this helps you.
Best wishes,
MLD, DVM
In the process, also please strive to get some meaningful experience, even through volunteer efforts, in vet/animal care settings and human care settings, so you have as good a sense as possible of what those settings are like on a day-to-day basis, and what you will be doing/involved with as you progress toward a medical degree, and then into your career and specialization. This experience now is really important because, besides giving you some insight into the human med professions and the med med professions, this may give you perspectives that you can reflect on personally as you make decisions, and also possibly mention in your application essays. In the process, you may also develop some solid professional contacts in the professional setting toward which you decide to head.
As the result of your thoughtful process and hard work, you may mentor some in a helpful way in the future.
I hope that some of this helps you.
Best wishes,
MLD, DVM
Emma Verde
Physical Therapist
171
Answers
Tucson, Arizona
Updated
Emma’s Answer
Hi Rhyian,
Pre-med and pre-vet might tracks might be extremely similar - i.e. 85% of the same classes. You will need biology for both, and chemistry, physics, a higher level math or statistics class, etc. I would talk to a guidance counselor or a career advisor at your school to understand how the "tracks" are set up. Usually, when people say "pre-med track," they just mean the classes and the coursework that you need to do to be eligible to apply for medical school. "Pre-med" isn't always a major. It wasn't at my college and neither was "pre-vet." All the pre-med kids I knew were Biology majors or Neuroscience majors or something like that. So a lot of the majors that you could choose to do that would put you on a pre-med track would also probably put you on a pre-vet track. I'm a PT and our process is similar - there isn't typically a "pre-PT" track but people will major in kinesiology or one of the sciences because it will knock out the science pre-req courses that are needed to apply to PT school. That said, I also have PT friends who majored in Spanish or Women's Studies and they just took the science pre-reqs they needed on the side. My advice is to choose something that you enjoy for your major so that you can come out of college with a high GPA. If the med and vet school pre-reqs aren't already included in your major, then take them on the side. You can also take them at community colleges if you're close to being done with your undergrad degree and don't want to stay an extra year. Hope this helps!
Pre-med and pre-vet might tracks might be extremely similar - i.e. 85% of the same classes. You will need biology for both, and chemistry, physics, a higher level math or statistics class, etc. I would talk to a guidance counselor or a career advisor at your school to understand how the "tracks" are set up. Usually, when people say "pre-med track," they just mean the classes and the coursework that you need to do to be eligible to apply for medical school. "Pre-med" isn't always a major. It wasn't at my college and neither was "pre-vet." All the pre-med kids I knew were Biology majors or Neuroscience majors or something like that. So a lot of the majors that you could choose to do that would put you on a pre-med track would also probably put you on a pre-vet track. I'm a PT and our process is similar - there isn't typically a "pre-PT" track but people will major in kinesiology or one of the sciences because it will knock out the science pre-req courses that are needed to apply to PT school. That said, I also have PT friends who majored in Spanish or Women's Studies and they just took the science pre-reqs they needed on the side. My advice is to choose something that you enjoy for your major so that you can come out of college with a high GPA. If the med and vet school pre-reqs aren't already included in your major, then take them on the side. You can also take them at community colleges if you're close to being done with your undergrad degree and don't want to stay an extra year. Hope this helps!
Jacob Taylor
Production Manager
521
Answers
Stafford, Virginia
Updated
Jacob’s Answer
It's great that you're considering both pre-med and pre-vet tracks and are enthusiastic about pursuing a neuroscience major. While it's possible to explore both paths to some extent, there are some important factors to consider:
1. **Time Commitment**: Both pre-med and pre-vet tracks are demanding in terms of coursework, extracurricular activities, and gaining relevant experience. Combining them can be challenging and may require careful planning to ensure you can meet the requirements for both.
2. **Prerequisite Courses**: Both paths have specific prerequisite courses for admission to medical and veterinary schools. Review the course requirements for both and ensure they can be accommodated within your schedule.
3. **Extracurriculars**: Both pre-med and pre-vet students are encouraged to engage in extracurricular activities related to their field, such as volunteering in healthcare or animal care settings. Balancing these commitments can be intense.
4. **Standardized Tests**: You'll likely need to prepare for and take standardized tests like the MCAT (for medical school) and the GRE (for veterinary school). Be prepared for the additional time and effort required for test preparation.
5. **Advising and Mentorship**: Seek academic advisors or mentors who can guide you through the process of pursuing both tracks. They can help you create a customized plan and provide valuable insights.
6. **Career Goals**: Consider your long-term career goals. While it's possible to become a medical doctor or veterinarian with a neuroscience background, you may need to decide which path aligns more closely with your ultimate career aspirations.
7. **Flexibility**: Understand that your interests may evolve as you progress through your education. Be open to adjusting your plans based on your changing passions and priorities.
8. **Time Management**: Strong time management and organizational skills will be essential to juggle the coursework, extracurriculars, and other commitments associated with both tracks.
Ultimately, pursuing both pre-med and pre-vet tracks simultaneously can be challenging, but it's not impossible. It's important to weigh the pros and cons carefully and ensure that you can maintain a competitive academic record in both areas.
If you find that balancing both paths becomes too demanding or that your interests become more focused on one field over the other, it's perfectly acceptable to prioritize one track while continuing to explore your interests through electives or extracurricular activities. The key is to stay flexible and make informed decisions that align with your evolving goals and passions.
1. **Time Commitment**: Both pre-med and pre-vet tracks are demanding in terms of coursework, extracurricular activities, and gaining relevant experience. Combining them can be challenging and may require careful planning to ensure you can meet the requirements for both.
2. **Prerequisite Courses**: Both paths have specific prerequisite courses for admission to medical and veterinary schools. Review the course requirements for both and ensure they can be accommodated within your schedule.
3. **Extracurriculars**: Both pre-med and pre-vet students are encouraged to engage in extracurricular activities related to their field, such as volunteering in healthcare or animal care settings. Balancing these commitments can be intense.
4. **Standardized Tests**: You'll likely need to prepare for and take standardized tests like the MCAT (for medical school) and the GRE (for veterinary school). Be prepared for the additional time and effort required for test preparation.
5. **Advising and Mentorship**: Seek academic advisors or mentors who can guide you through the process of pursuing both tracks. They can help you create a customized plan and provide valuable insights.
6. **Career Goals**: Consider your long-term career goals. While it's possible to become a medical doctor or veterinarian with a neuroscience background, you may need to decide which path aligns more closely with your ultimate career aspirations.
7. **Flexibility**: Understand that your interests may evolve as you progress through your education. Be open to adjusting your plans based on your changing passions and priorities.
8. **Time Management**: Strong time management and organizational skills will be essential to juggle the coursework, extracurriculars, and other commitments associated with both tracks.
Ultimately, pursuing both pre-med and pre-vet tracks simultaneously can be challenging, but it's not impossible. It's important to weigh the pros and cons carefully and ensure that you can maintain a competitive academic record in both areas.
If you find that balancing both paths becomes too demanding or that your interests become more focused on one field over the other, it's perfectly acceptable to prioritize one track while continuing to explore your interests through electives or extracurricular activities. The key is to stay flexible and make informed decisions that align with your evolving goals and passions.
I appreciate you taking the time to answer this. Thank you so much!!! This was extremely helpful.
Rhyian
Mary Jane Shroyer
Director of Health Professions Career Community
114
Answers
Grinnell, Iowa
Updated
Mary Jane’s Answer
I'm not exactly sure what you are asking here so I'm going to offer two answers. If it's whether you can begin college with both a pre-med and a pre-vet focus, the answer is yes. They are very similar in terms of the prerequisite courses needed to apply so you do not need to know exactly which track you want to pursue when you start college. It's unlikely you have to begin taking pre-vet or pre-med specific coursework until your 3rd year of college since both require a lot of introductory biology, chemistry and math that needs to be completed in the first two years. For example, some vet schools want anatomy or microbiology while most med schools don't care whether you have them. Those classes would be great prep for both tracks so if you take them and end up in med school, it's not a problem.
However--this is very important!--both vet school and med school will want to see evidence of passion and dedication to the field once you do apply. You do this through your activities and it takes time to gain enough experience to make the case that you 1) know what you are getting into and 2) are dedicated to the profession. If you stay undecided too long, you may need to go work for a year or two after college in order to be fully prepared to apply to either vet or med school. It's not a problem, just something that is important to understand in terms of your exploration and planning. The schools are perfectly happy to have you apply several years after completing your Bachelor's degree.
If you are undecided, my advice would be to first find the list of prerequisite courses for your in-state medical and vet schools so that you can create the most inclusive list of needed classes and not limit yourself when you finally decide. Second, begin getting as much exposure as possible to both fields. You can do this through informational interviews, shadowing, and volunteering. Eventually, you should begin to have a sense of which area you are more excited about and that will allow you to begin focusing your efforts.
On the other hand, if what you are asking is whether you can do both a DVM degree and an MD degree, I would say that while it's possible, it would be extremely unusual and horrifically expensive. You'd likely end up with around $400,000 in student loan debt. It is difficult for me to imagine how an applicant would make the case that they absolutely need both degrees in order to have a professional impact. In other words, rather than seeming impressive, I think it would make most applicants seem unfocused -- Why are you so indecisive? Are you going to leave both behind once you have the degrees? Do you not understand the role each plays? It will raise questions that you will have to be able to answer thoughtfully. If you are interested in how animal and human health interact, vets do that through their One Health program (https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/one-health). You could also look into getting an MPH degree in addition to a DVM, which would allow you to focus on how animal health impacts the health of your local community.
To recap in a nutshell: If you are wanting to be a vet, go study to be a vet! If you aren't certain, work on pre-health introductory science courses while you gain more exposure to human and animal medicine. While there is no rush, over the long term, you'll be most successful if you eventually commit to one path and focus on gaining the necessary experiences for it. Your college prehealth advisor can help you make a plan for courses, career exploration, and gaining experience, so be sure to touch base with their office ASAP!
Good luck!
However--this is very important!--both vet school and med school will want to see evidence of passion and dedication to the field once you do apply. You do this through your activities and it takes time to gain enough experience to make the case that you 1) know what you are getting into and 2) are dedicated to the profession. If you stay undecided too long, you may need to go work for a year or two after college in order to be fully prepared to apply to either vet or med school. It's not a problem, just something that is important to understand in terms of your exploration and planning. The schools are perfectly happy to have you apply several years after completing your Bachelor's degree.
If you are undecided, my advice would be to first find the list of prerequisite courses for your in-state medical and vet schools so that you can create the most inclusive list of needed classes and not limit yourself when you finally decide. Second, begin getting as much exposure as possible to both fields. You can do this through informational interviews, shadowing, and volunteering. Eventually, you should begin to have a sense of which area you are more excited about and that will allow you to begin focusing your efforts.
On the other hand, if what you are asking is whether you can do both a DVM degree and an MD degree, I would say that while it's possible, it would be extremely unusual and horrifically expensive. You'd likely end up with around $400,000 in student loan debt. It is difficult for me to imagine how an applicant would make the case that they absolutely need both degrees in order to have a professional impact. In other words, rather than seeming impressive, I think it would make most applicants seem unfocused -- Why are you so indecisive? Are you going to leave both behind once you have the degrees? Do you not understand the role each plays? It will raise questions that you will have to be able to answer thoughtfully. If you are interested in how animal and human health interact, vets do that through their One Health program (https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/one-health). You could also look into getting an MPH degree in addition to a DVM, which would allow you to focus on how animal health impacts the health of your local community.
To recap in a nutshell: If you are wanting to be a vet, go study to be a vet! If you aren't certain, work on pre-health introductory science courses while you gain more exposure to human and animal medicine. While there is no rush, over the long term, you'll be most successful if you eventually commit to one path and focus on gaining the necessary experiences for it. Your college prehealth advisor can help you make a plan for courses, career exploration, and gaining experience, so be sure to touch base with their office ASAP!
Good luck!