UC Davis Vet Aid Club Blog! A place for prevets to get information!

Before applying to veterinary school, I was part of the vet aides club at UC Davis. It was a club designed to get pre-vets experience and information about veterinary school. I heard they recently started a blog and wanted to share the link with any pre-vets that might read my blog and be interested. 

Blog:

http://vetaideclub.weebly.com/blog.html

Their website: 

http://iccweb.ucdavis.edu/aes/vetaides/index.htm

You Look Like an Equine Vet

 

Since I started riding and first met the ranch equine veterinarian, I've wanted to be one. I can remember begging my parents to let me stay out at the barn if a horse had any medical issue such as colic, injury, giving birth, etc. 

During our doctoring course, we did a practice client-veterinarian interaction. I of course picked the horse scenario. I had a client actor pretend that she was presenting her horse to me for a persistent lameness. I handled the interaction very well and my course/session leader was flabbergasted by my performance. She said, "You look like you're an equine vet." It just felt so natural to me, the terminology just flowed and you could really see my compassion. 

I know these are just client simulations, but her statement really impacted me. I honestly believe her, I feel destined to become an equine vet because of my experience and passion for horses. 

 With the economy the way it is right now, I worry about my future entering into veterinary medicine as a starting equine veterinarian.  It is difficult to find work. My possibilities are much more limited. Most people can't afford to keep horses as they have turned into more of a luxury item rather than a necessity. 

The charts below show a dismal future for equine veterinary medicine. As a starting veterinarian, my salary is likely to be about $40,000. This isn't much when you factor in a $200,000+ education that cost me four years. 

I'm not regretting going to veterinary school at all, I know it's my destiny, but I am considering majoring in Small Animal/Equine to prepare myself adequately for my future in Vet Med. We will see where my path takes me. I love small animal medicine as well and quite honestly would be willing to help any animal on this planet I have the ability to help. I think the following data is just something to think about. 


2009 Earnings for Veterinarians (before income tax): 

http://www.avma.org/reference/marketstats/usvets.asp

Mean First-Year Salary for Starting Veterinarians: 

AVMA

LINKS:

http://veterinarybusiness.dvm360.com/vetec/Veterinary+business/Can-discounts-work-for-your-equine-practice/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/600457

http://news.vin.com/VINNews.aspx?articleId=18992

Article in DVM 360

LINK TO ARTICLE


I was contacted by a DVM 360 writer in response to a blog post I wrote earlier this year about graduating veterinary students entering a tight job market. Here is part of the article below:

"Krissy, who will be starting her second year of veterinary school this year at UC-Davis, is already taking a hard look at the job market and trying to prepare herself the best she can. While her passion is equine medicine, Krissy says she is so worried about finding a job after graduation, she is also taking courses in small-animal medicine. 

"I have to make a living somehow. The debt we're supposed to have is roughly $200,000 and how are you possibly going to pay that back?"

"I think there's a big disconnect between the students and the schools. I wish the universities would do more to help us out," she says. "They're investing more in the future generation, but they're not here now. Why not help the people who are struggling now?"
Krissy says she suggested UC-Davis institute mentorship programs between recent graduates and current veterinary students at the school, but nothing has taken shape yet. There are few resources in terms of job placement and career guidance—or at least that students know about and regularly use, she says. 

Students who want to round out their education may have to look beyond university borders to professional groups and student organizations" 

I'm just now thinking I should try to implement a mentorship program with our graduating seniors this year. Maybe I could have them fill out a google doc anonymously reguarding if they are employed, perusing an internship/externship or don't know what they are doing. More to come later on this hot topic!