How can someone get into veterinary work?

Question

I've got a friend who wants to change career and has expressed a desire to work as a vet or some related job involving animals.

Trouble is, she doesn't think she can get the qualifications. She had personal problems in school and ended up with bad grades, but I know this is purely down to the problems she had at the time because she is a very intelligent girl. She went straight into work in the office of a taxi firm at 16 and has been in the same job since then (she is now 21) and has been promoted to manager.

What can she do to become a vet? I know her qualifications will hinder her getting into university, but she is definately smart enough to do well if she can get a place. What are her chances of making it as a vet? Or is there a similar job that might suit her that she will have more chance of getting?

Answer 1

you can be a vet assiant it like a nurse just for animals and u can go to collaga 1 day a week while you are working my friend is a vet and thats what she did

Answer 2

The vast majority of colleges accept more applicants than they reject, so she has options. The flagship public university in your state would be a good place to start, especially if it has a vet school.
http://www.aavmc.org/students_admissions/vet_schools.htm

Since she is 21, colleges will likely consider her a mature student. Admissions standards can differ widely for mature students, so requirements should be carefully examined for each college.

Another route would be community college for two years, getting a strong foundation in the pre-vet requirements, and transferring to a 4-year college.

Veterinary technicians, which usually require only an associate's degree, are much in demand. This is a viable alternative to the 7-8 years required to practice veterinary medicine.

Competition for admission to veterinary school is extremely competitive, especially since there are so few schools. A strong background in pre-vet courses (general chemistry, organic chemistry and/or biochemistry, physics, English, and possibly calculus or statistics) is essential. GPA, GRE/MCAT/VCAT scores, and animal handling experience are extremely important. Most veterinary schools require several hundred hours of veterinary-related experience for admissions, so attending a university with a veterinary college would be a big advantage.

Answer 3

she can enroll as a mature student at a university. some universities do foundation courses which are either 1 or 2 years in length. the foundation courses give the student all the necessary information and skills that they will have missed by not going to college etc.
i think there are limited universities that do veterinary degrees in the uk. and it depends if the particular university will accept the foundation course or not as a substitute to A levels and GCSE'S.

Either that or she can re-do her gcse's and take her A levels. although this will take longer (probably 3 years in total, and vet degrees require high A level grades e.g. AAB in subjects like chemistry, biology, physics and maths. it all depends on whether she is into science and how much effort she is willing to put in.
i personally think she should go for it. you can do anything and everything in life... all you need is effort.

Answer 4

Find a community college with a vet tech program. Students can attend most community colleges regardless of past grades. Once she establishes herself as a vet tech, she can determine if she's ready to go on to get a bachelor degree in animal science and apply to veterinary school. Good luck to your friend.

Answer 5

She could volunteer at a shelter or kennel for now. Just to get references for later. Also to make sure she likes it . There may be other opportunities ( paid ones)she could network towards.
She will need references to get into school.

As a start she should search animal husbandry classes. Good grades in these classes might lead to univ. admissions overlooking earlier poor grades.

She is also a different person at 21 than as a kid. She may be able to apply herself better as a mature adult in coursework that interests her. She has to shake off her Childhood memories of what school is.