VMDiva

You did it! You’re on your way to veterinary school. With this accomplishment comes a whole new list of concerns. I remember feeling completely overwhelmed with what I imagined veterinary school would be like.  What do people wear? Can I really do this? Will I have a life? Here’s the insider scoop on your next four years.

Reality Check

Veterinary school is academically grueling. Classes and laboratories typically fill a 9am to 5pm day. Then you have to study. Gross anatomy will most likely be the most overwhelming course you’ll ever take. It consists of hours of laboratory time coinciding with lectures. You will learn the anatomy of a dog, cat, horse, ruminant, bird, and fish. You’ll be expected to know everything. You also need to keep in mind the first 2 to 3 years of veterinary school you will rarely touch a live animal. You’ll wonder if this is really what you wanted to do with your life. It happens to everyone.

The Adjustment Period and Your Peers

Nearly every veterinary student approaches the beginning of  his/her first year of veterinary school worrying about how much studying and work the other students are doing. Veterinary school melds a vast array of people from all walks of life. The variety of personalities and age disparities can take you off guard.  It is not uncommon to share a classroom with people pursuing second careers or with people who have grown children.  The characters include:

• The maniacal studier who makes every other student feel inadequate
• The know-it-all who obviously knows it all
• The nonchalant student who thinks he/she has it all together but will fail the anatomy practical
• The party animal who hasn’t mentally left undergrad
• The hoarder…err…”dog rescuer” you smell before you see
• The drop-out…what was his name again?
• The silent majority who nervously study, safely pass, and make great veterinarians

You’ll make friends, develop study groups, and cope together. Your classmates are your closest allies; Nobody else can understand what you’re going through like they can. Don’t be afraid to join clubs and extramural sports leagues. It takes about a semester to find a reasonable balance between life and vet school. You can have a life in vet school but you’ll need to really work for it. I’ve seen relationships thrive and relationships fail. Make time now so you still have a life after graduation.

Sleep and Clinical Rotations

You will sleep fairly well during your first several years of school except during exams. Several years of having your nose in the books leads to the beginning of clinical rotations. This is the transition year from student to doctor and you must approach it as such to ensure you are prepared at graduation. Everything you thought you learned you’ve forgotten. You’ll be embarrassed when a clinician asks a question and you have no answer. This is normal. EVERY VET STUDENT STRUGGLES AT SOME POINT. If you knew it all you’d be a vet already. Time commitments vary based on the individual rotation.  Rotations like anesthesia, surgery, and medicine will require long hours sometimes up to 80-90 hours a week. Other rotations, like dermatology and cardiology, have much friendlier hours. You need to make the best of your free-time and not forget about your life! Once you graduate, the world you left behind for four years welcomes you back!

Life

Vet school life is casual. There are clubs and organizations you can join. Some schools provide social outings and I encourage you to attend. You’ll also need to be prepared for constant inundation of advertisements for pet adoptions. Daily emails, flyers, and the occasional “dump” in the emergency room will all need homes. It is important to remember you are making the biggest difference in pet overpopulation by becoming a veterinarian. In addition, you’ll need to be prepared for fatigue, stress, and a degree of academic uncertainty you may not have experienced before. These stresses necessitate a healthy routine of diet, sleep, and exercise. You need to work even harder to maintain your relationships outside of vet school.  Relationships can survive if you put forth the effort; I planned a wedding and was married during vet school.  You should make every attempt to embrace vet school instead of fearing it – your next four years will fly by if you do!

Veterinary school is a means to an end. And in the end you’ll be a veterinarian!

In a recent Facebook post from financial guru Dave Ramsey, who teaches a debt-free lifestyle, a seemingly simple question was asked:

“Is a pet just a pet…or do you go in debt for it when it comes to unexpected emergencies/vet bills? Where do YOU draw the line?”

Over 350 comments later, this question has proved controversial as it stirred up emotions on both sides of the answer. The division between answers was uniform: either you considered your pet merely a pet and would not pursue an extensive medical plan or you considered you pet a beloved member of the family and would do *almost* anything to give them quality of life.

I think every person should have a mental financial cut-off point for veterinary emergencies and unexpected illnesses. Varying financial conditions and ideas toward pet ownership lead to an array of financial commitment levels.  I have seen the owners who declare “Do whatever you have to do!” and owners who bawk at any medical work-up and try to dodge an examination. The happy medium rests somewhere between those two extremes.  I tend not to judge an owner’s financial commitment to his/her pet so long as the degree of care the owner is providing falls above the definition of animal neglect.

The ASPCA defines animal neglect as “the failure to provide an animal with the most basic of requirements of food, water, shelter and veterinary care.” What constitutes basic veterinary care is determined by the court. However, I believe basic veterinary care consists of well-pet examinations, vaccinations, spay/neuter, and euthanasia. If you cannot afford testing and/or treatment of your pet’s illness, euthanasia is a viable option if your pet’s quality of life is poor.  Of course, this is not to say pets are disposable. Quite the contrary.  Pets are a major responsibility and ownership should be considered carefully before you adopt or purchase a new pet. You must be prepared to provide the minimum basic veterinary care and should be prepared for an emergency or unexpected illness. The bottom line: If you cannot afford basic care you should not have a pet in the first place.

How Much Is Too Much?

That question is one only the pet owner can answer. I have seen owners spend over $20,000 for one sick pet. It’s difficult to put on price tag on how much you will spend because many other factors must be evaluated prior to making that decision. What is the disease process? Is it curable or treatable? What is the long-term prognosis? What is the likelihood your pet will have an extended quality of life and not merely quantity of life? Are you able to pay the bills if you use credit? How will spending this much money affect your family? All of these questions must be answered prior to making your decision.

The most common veterinary emergencies (hit-by-car, urethral obstruction, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, simple fractures, allergic reactions, bite wounds, etc)  can be usually be covered by $1000-$1500 of care.  Some emergencies require significantly less money to treat than others, however catastrophic injuries and diseases can cost thousands of dollars to treat.

Veterinary Insurance

Veterinary insurance can be a blessing but you must be careful when choosing a veterinary insurance plan. Read the fine print. Many exclusions allow the insurance company to deny payment for potential congenital diseases and repeat illnesses. These include but are not limited to: hip dysplasia, dermatologic conditions, dogs who repeatedly ingest foreign objects, and seizure disorders. I believe veterinary insurance can provide you with peace of mind but you must know the limitations of your policy. I still recommend veterinary insurance to pet owners but, as with anything, suggest they thoroughly research multiple plans before signing up.

Veterinary insurers include: Veterinary Pet Insurance, Pet Care Pet Insurance Programs, ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, and many others.