Vet school with babies

nicole mackenzie · November 2014

I recall someone saying they were in vet school? I'd like to pick your brain ( or others with similar situations)

I have always regretted not trying to get into vet school. Depression and anxiety and fear stopped me in my tracks.

I've been a licensed technician since 2006 and absolutely loved tech school.

Fast forward to now I have a 7 month old but still want to pursue my dream.

I would need to take 2-3 semesters of classes before I applied. School would be an hour drive. ( so is everything else though including my current job)

Then vet school is four years and $200,000-$300,000. I don't have an in state school so I'd have to move. Closest school is 3 hours away without any traffic. ( actually much closer than I thought...). I'd need to take some extra classes though because they have additional pre-reqs.

I know I'm not guaranteed to get in but I think I'll always regret not trying. Kwim?

The concerns;
My DH says he supports me but he doesn't want to move. I'd like to keep our house too.

Would I miss out on my kid(s)?

I want a second baby ASAP then we'd be done.

How would you keep the kids? Stay at home with dad? Or go to school with me? Or take turns?

TLDR;

I want to go to vet school which means I'd be really busy and have to have a long distance relationship with my DH + /- my kids...

It's a lot of money and time.

WwA14D?

MissWhis · November 2014

No advice about the logistics of making it happen, but I would say go for it if you think you can swing it! You have a lot of experience in the field. -- this isn't a pipe dream of someone who doesn't know what they are getting themselves into.

It would be a tough couple years but then you'd be doing what you want to do. Plus, what a great example for your kids!

Good luck!

Teresa1896 · November 2014

Could your DH easily get a new job in a new location while you're at school? Honestly, I think families should stay together whenever possible. If that means renting your house out for a couple years and him taking a new job for a couple years so that you can follow your dream, so be it. I think his dismissing your dream and being unwilling to compromise is a little bratty... Unless there's a good reason like the poor job market in his field, staying near a dying relative....

sozay23 · November 2014

I work in the vet industry. Every single vet publication right now talks about the saturation of the I industry with new graduates. There's so many the ones that can get jobs don't make much and are saddled with insane student loans.

I'm not telling you not too but research the realities of the career path to make sure it's worth it!!

lcr23 · November 2014

Could you do a similar job in the industry without so many sacrifices and a huge amount of student loan debt?

vettymama · November 2014

I was accepted into vet school and working on admittance papers when I found out I was pregnant with DS1. I gave my seat up for a number of reasons.

First some back ground. We lived 20 minutes from the school in a beautiful house. My husband was working in his field with a 20 minute commute. I was the reason we were living in the Twin Cities, solely for me to go to school. My husband also crop farms with his family so he would be away weekends in the spring and summer. His hometown is 3 hours away from, mine is 1 hour. I had been job shadowing vets since I was 12 years old, grew up on a dairy farm, volunteered for events at the vet school, knew profs, current students, admin personnel, etc. I was ready to start what I had been literally working my entire life for. I was going to track large animal vet med with an emphasis in either cattle reproduction or the public health sector.

My husband has always been completely on board and was willing to do whatever he could to get me through vet school. He knew what the cost was, the toll it would take on a marriage, how long it would take the loans to be payed off, and more. He was right there with me figuring out the logistics.

I wanted to give 100% and then some while I was in vet school. My husband was willing to move states if I hadn't gotten in in-state. He had looked up engineering jobs in Kansas, Illinois, and Iowa. When I found out I was pregnant I knew I wouldn't be able to give vet school the time it needed and there was no way I would be able to give my family 100% either. I wasn't about to give up starting a family so instead I gave up vet school. I cried for days when I found out (I was on BC and we were using condoms). I cried when I told my parents because I was afraid I had let them down. My dad was so proud that I had gotten in and everyone in town knew. I think about it every day but I also think I would think about starting a family every day I was in vet school too. My life is completely different than I had planned but this is where I need and want to be at this moment. Maybe down the road I can look at vet school again or get into research again and participate in IACUCs.

Sorry for the long response but this was my story and probably not exactly what you wanted to hear. But honestly, I don't think it would be the right thing to do at this moment.

nicole mackenzie · November 2014

lcr23 said:
Could you do a similar job in the industry without so many sacrifices and a huge amount of student loan debt?

I'm a licensed vet tech so I work in the field. I'd probably already paid off my student loans by now if I'd stopped with my associates ... But I got my bachelors in animal science (worthless degree to get vet school pre reqs) so have another 38,000 in debt from that.

I do enjoy what I do but there is no upward mobility and I feel like a failure for not finishing what I started....

nicole mackenzie · November 2014

sozay23 said:
I work in the vet industry. Every single vet publication right now talks about the saturation of the I industry with new graduates. There's so many the ones that can get jobs don't make much and are saddled with insane student loans.

I'm not telling you not too but research the realities of the career path to make sure it's worth it!!

What do you do?

I do know the harsh reality of high student debt compared to salary in vet medicine and the job saturation issue.

From my experience in my state there are a lot of older vets and so hopefully by the time I was out there they'd be retiring.

But very good point. I've decided that I wouldn't want to take on that debt load unless I graduate vet school in the next 10 years.

nicole mackenzie · November 2014

@vettymama‌

I don't know what I was hoping to hear. I've met another very talented licensed tech who got in to vet school and declined because she decided it wasn't worth it and she liked the tech stuff.

I wish I didn't have the depression and anxiety issues I have because if I didn't I think I'd be through vet school by now. I'm plagued by self doubt. DH is afraid I want to do this because I think it will make me happy but ill still be depressed.

I don't know. I know that it won't fix my depression. But I think I'll regret not trying for my entire life.

As far as when I'd go I'd like to pay off some debt first. So maybe apply in 5-6 years? I'd need to take some classes in a couple years before applying.

sozay23 · November 2014

I work in the veterinary allergy world. Testing and immunotherapy. I've been in the vet field my whole life and LOVE the industry. I've said many times though that I'm glad I didn't go to vet school. There's jobs outside clinics of you happen to live in a city with vet companies. Idexx, hills, etc etc etc. I also know tons of vets that are happy as can be and wouldn't trade their job for anything! It might be the right path for you

ETA: sorry, that was supposed to be a reply to you asking what I do

nicole mackenzie · November 2014

I Think I'd enjoy being a vet more so than another career like at a lab. I'd like to own my own practice.

I enjoy client communication believe it or not. But I don't want to treat people.

That being said I like being a technician, but I feel like a failure for never having the guts to go all the way.

Would it be horrible for a kid to live part time with each parent? Kinda like kids of divorced parents but we'd still be together. Would I scar my child for life?

nicole mackenzie · November 2014

MaiTaiBeth said:
Take some classes for a year from home if possible. See how that goes with a LO and reassess.

I feel like DH will get mad at me if I start taking classes and spend money and then change my mind... Or don't apply myself.

I will have to take classes though and then there's no guarantee I'd get in.

I am starting an online short continueing Ed through work next week so I guess I'll see how it goes.

nicole mackenzie · November 2014

LalaMama81 said:
I think that you have several things going on here - you feel guilty for not doing what you thought you'd do originally, but I don't think you have anything to feel about. You need to first get over that before you can really decide if you still want to go or not. You aren't a failure b/c you didn't do it earlier and you can't base a huge decision like this on feeling like a failure.

There is no way I would pursue pretty much anything if it meant 3+ years living several hours away from my husband. Student loans aside, you'd be spending so much extra money on housing, gas, tolls, probably eating out more, double utilities, child care in both places possibly, etc. Would your child be "scarred?" Doubtfully. But I don't think this would be a tolerable or sustainable for more than a few months.

If in a few years you knew for sure this is what you wanted and your husband supported you, then I'd suggest assessing if moving to the city the school is in is feasible. If it is, then I'd do that for a few years w/ the intention of moving back "home."

I've struggled with guilt and feelings of worthlessness all my life.

I wanted to go to vet school since I was about 8.

Then I abandoned that dream because I was depressed and felt I was perusing the field because I wanted my parents approval/ felt it was their dream not mine.

Then I met DH and my depression got a little better and I tried again to go back to school but DH's job wasn't enough to live on and I didn't try as hard as I should have so just found another job.

I've struggled with this decision for years.

I don't know how I'd handle being away from DH and my LO. She'd be 5-6 which is a little better.

You've all made good points.

If I won the lottery id go back to school for sure.

vettymama · November 2014

LalaMama81 said:
I say this kindly, but I sincerely think the issue has nothing to do w/ vet school. That is how it's manifesting itself maybe what set it off, but I don't think going to vet school is going to "fix" your feelings.

If you have always felt worthless, a failure, depressed, anxious, etc. - first I am sorry, that sounds horrible for you. Second, if you are not already, I would see a professional counselor or therapist. Besides helping you process these feelings and perhaps get to a place where you feel confident and worthy - they may also be able to help you discern if vet school is a smart decision.

Also, I don't know that moving away for 4 years when your child is older is easier. I actually think it will be harder in someways. And she won't be able to hop back and forth between you at that point b/c she'll be in kindergarten.

I agree with all of this. I can't imagine going through vet school and possibly having depressed periods. What happens when your patient dies or you fail a test? And your husband and child are in another state? I don't think there is anything wrong with taking the online classes and looking into pre-reqs, GRE, etc. I just don't think now is the time for you to jump in with both feet.

nicole mackenzie · November 2014

Yeah. I have issues to start with... I am seeing a councelor and on Prozac.

Death makes me sad but not depressed. For whatever reason things that stress other people out I can handle but I get depressed and anxious about telling my sister she can't bring her dog to Christmas.

I agree I should work these things out and that it would be really hard to be away from my family.

KLP1982 · November 2014

I'm not on this board that frequently but I happened to stumble on this thread.

I am a 2012 graduate. Vet school was the worst decision I've ever made and I regret it every day. Like many vets it was what I always wanted to do as long as I can remember. My parents paid for my undergrad education and I had to take out loans for vet school. I went to my in state school. With accruing interest I graduated in excess of $200,000 in debt. I maxed out my subsidized and unsubsidized federal loans (no private).

Jobs are extremely difficult to find right now. And with ever increasing class sizes and more and more schools being built and accredited, the situation is only getting worse. I and many of my colleagues had extremely hard times finding work after graduation. Many are not working in the clinical setting at all.

I naively thought that I needed to pursue my dream of veterinary school in order to be happy. I was wrong. If only I could have expanded my view and realized there are a lot of other careers that I could be equally happy in, and could still have the enjoyment of my own personal pets at home. I wish I didn't carry the debt load that I did so that I didn't have to work as much, and I could still afford to enjoy my other hobbies. Work is not enjoyable when you are so overwhelmed with debt that you cannot get a loan for a home or even a car. This isn't only my story, but the story of many of my colleagues. The debt is crippling. Unless you are independently wealthy, veterinary school is a huge mistake.

nicole mackenzie · November 2014

KLP1982 said:
I'm not on this board that frequently but I happened to stumble on this thread.

I am a 2012 graduate. Vet school was the worst decision I've ever made and I regret it every day. Like many vets it was what I always wanted to do as long as I can remember. My parents paid for my undergrad education and I had to take out loans for vet school. I went to my in state school. With accruing interest I graduated in excess of $200,000 in debt. I maxed out my subsidized and unsubsidized federal loans (no private).

Jobs are extremely difficult to find right now. And with ever increasing class sizes and more and more schools being built and accredited, the situation is only getting worse. I and many of my colleagues had extremely hard times finding work after graduation. Many are not working in the clinical setting at all.

I naively thought that I needed to pursue my dream of veterinary school in order to be happy. I was wrong. If only I could have expanded my view and realized there are a lot of other careers that I could be equally happy in, and could still have the enjoyment of my own personal pets at home. I wish I didn't carry the debt load that I did so that I didn't have to work as much, and I could still afford to enjoy my other hobbies. Work is not enjoyable when you are so overwhelmed with debt that you cannot get a loan for a home or even a car. This isn't only my story, but the story of many of my colleagues. The debt is crippling. Unless you are independently wealthy, veterinary school is a huge mistake.

I'm sorry you feel like your career choice was a mistake. I hope you are able to find a job you love that supports you and your family abd a comfortable lifestyle.

I think your point that there are other less debilitating careers that would make you equally happy. I cannot expect my career choice to cure my depression or make me happy. I need to find happiness on my own.

I do understand the high debt to income ratio and the slow job market.

I do believe the job market in my state/area is a little better than most. It's just not a desirable area to most. The pay will also be less than many areas. But I think the jobs are there.

It's not something ill rush into.

I'd like to finish my pre-reqs and improve my application over the next 4-6 years and work on my emotional health and then if I still want to go ill apply then, no more than 2 tries.

KLP1982 · December 2014

Good luck to you

PM me if you ever want to talk, I'm happy to go into more detail about the current employment and financial situation recent grads are facing.

nicole mackenzie · December 2014

@KLP1982‌
YgPm

Want a personalized experience?

Vet school with babies

Re: Vet school with babies

Choose Another Board

Search Boards