Getting Started

If you are reading my blog, then this is a great place to get started on the long path towards becoming a veterinary student. If you are someone who has already started researching into this career, then I commend you and I hope that my website will be of great use to you.

Why do I want to be a veterinarian? This is one of the most important questions to ask yourself whether you are simply starting out or years into the process. Continuously looking inside to make sure you are making the right life choice is imperative because in order to be a veterinarian you should be one hundred percent committed and passionate. A great way to learn about yourself is to talk to your family, friends, veterinarians, professors, or your college advisor. The more you talk about your life goals, likes, dislikes, passions, and fears the clearer your path will become. 

The next step is getting experience. A lot of people love animals, especially cute little kittens and puppies, but there is a big difference between an animal lover and a veterinarian. Learning which group you fall into early can save you a lot of wasted time and the best way to do that is shadowing in veterinary clinics. Starting as early as high school is extremely encouraged, but if you were like me and did not decide until senior year of high school to pursue veterinary medicine then you still have time. I've spoken to many veterinarians who have seen young students become queasy at the sight of blood or faint during a surgical procedure. Now this does not immediately mean that you are not right for this profession, but it is a good indicator that it might not be the best career out there for you. Making sure that you can handle the pleasant and unpleasant aspects of the professions is a must. Another really important aspect is that you can see yourself performing the examinations, building relationships with the clients, diagnosing illness, and performing surgical procedures. If you cannot see yourself enjoying the daily duties, both the pleasant and unpleasant, of a veterinarian; then maybe you should pursue another career path and find an animal shelter to volunteer at to fulfill your passion for animals. 

I also highly suggest doing at least basic researching into the eight plus year process of becoming a veterinarian. Some good places to start are looking into the requirements for undergraduate curriculum, animal and veterinary experience, community service work, scientific research, grade point average, and standardized tests. The biggest mistake that many students make going into their undergraduate career is not being properly prepared for the rigorous requirements of a pre-veterinary student. 

Ask questions, get experience, and do research! After all of that, you will hopefully have a better understanding of the profession and yourself.