Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey guys. I'm thinking about looking into the veterinary field as an occupation as I'm soon about to enter college. Any ideas on what to look into/Who to talk to? I'm going to call my vet and talk to them about possibly working or interning with them this summer. Any thoughts?
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0.0.3 Leopard Geckos
0.1.0 Miniature long-haired dachsund

I'm a prevet student! It's HARD WORK!!!!! Where are you going to be going to school? Basically you have to find out if there are multiple paths you can take where you are going to college...I know here at the University of Illinois we have a couple different paths. A lot of people go through as pre-med, and a lot go through as animal sciences majors (with a "subdivision" of pre-vet med). I'm taking the ansci path because I want to take more animal focused courses. If you have two path choices like that, some people will tell you one way is better than the other...but I think you should choose whatever you would prefer to do. If you take a pre-med path you might have to take it upon yourself more to find the classes that are required by vet shools, and your courses won't be as focused on animals. If you take an ansci like path you will have more animal oriented courses and will know pretty much what you're going to be required to take. However, some will tell you that pre-med students are looked at more readily by the vet schools since the courses are supposedly more challenging...I don't know that for sure though. As far as I'm concerned I wanted hands on animal courses...so I'm an ansci major...lol Another thing is that different vet schools have different requirements for entry...for example the vet school here doesn't require a second organic chemistry course...which I believe just about every other vet school in the country does! Be prepared to take a TON of useless pain in the butt chemistry btw....lol Oh, you'll also have to make sure you have GOOD grades!!!!!....as long as you get into college high school grades don't matter much in the future...but once you get into college you probably need at least around a 3.7 average to get into vet school! Outside of school, you pretty much HAVE to have experience with veterinarians, and if your college has a pre-vet club or anything like that it helps a great deal to become a member. Basically just try to get as much outside experience with animals as possible...volunteering helps a heck of a lot too...anyway...I hope I answered at least some of your questions...lol I kind of rambled there. If you want to ask me any more questions go ahead!
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Christina

Leopard Gecko Morph Descriptions

2.3 leos
-0.1 tangerine het rainwater albino w/jungle background (Blinkers)
-0.2 jungles (Vahz & Skissor)
-1.0 tremper albino (Spitfire)
-1.0 tangerine rainwater albino (Bronx)

im a vet tech and was thinking for a while to go all the way to being a vet, and the vets i work with have pretty much talked me out of it, mostly its the clients that they have a hard time with, id put in some time at a vet before going through all that school, im going to go on the zoology instead, less people stress, more animal contact!