Q&A: Taking Time Off After Graduation – Are There Time Constraints On Vet School Applications?

I would like to join the Peace Corps at some point, and I believe that after receiving my bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, and before enrolling in veterinary school would be the best time. I was wondering if there were any time constraints on application of veterinary school, such as if I had to apply within Read More …

Should I Waive My Rights to See My Letters of Recommendation?

I absolutely recommend waiving the right to access your letters of recommendation. The way I think about it is that if a student is going to see the letter, the recommender may not be as honest as they would be if you waived your right. The admissions committee may consider such a recommendation to be Read More …

Pre-Health Conference 2014 at UC Davis

The 12th Annual Pre-Health Conference at UC Davis is coming up! This conference is a venue where undergraduate students interested in careers in health-related fields can learn about different health fields and specialties as well as what the admissions process is like for these schools. It’s a lot of very useful information crammed into two Read More …

How Many Vet Schools Should I Apply To?

In the fall of 2013 I received a concerned message from a vet school applicant: I have applied to 13 (10 in the US, 2 in Scottland, and 1 in London), and from what I am hearing, I am starting to regret that decision as it seems that vet schools may look unfavorably upon me Read More …

How To Keep Track of Experience Hours

Keeping track of your veterinary and animal experience is easier than you think! You just need to be diligent about maintaining a log. I recommend that you: Use an excel spreadsheet to record your hours — dates, times, etc. Don’t worry about getting signatures as proof. Record which species you worked Record what your duties/responsibilities Read More …

You Can’t Get Experience Without Someone Giving You A Chance

It’s a problem in the veterinary field as well as many other fields – we need experience to get experience. Whether it is a job or simply time spent shadowing a veterinarian, people are reluctant to take a chance on people who haven’t proven themselves in that specific niche before. It’s understandable, after all, given Read More …

UC Davis Vet School Admissions Update

Today the School of Veterinary Medicine received an email communication from our Dean explaining the change in the admissions process a bit. It is quoted here in italics: “Last year the Executive Committee appointed an Admissions Task Force to review the strengths and weaknesses of the School’s professional DVM admissions process and make recommendations for Read More …

UC Davis Vet School Changes Admissions Process

As if applying to veterinary school wasn’t stressful enough with how difficult the process is to navigate, UC Davis threw a wrench into things by changing their admissions process from the ground up! Let me say, first of all, most of my fellow students who have discussed their thoughts on the changes with me are Read More …

Veterinary Internships – Are They Right For Everyone?

One of the biggest career decisions you will make in this field is whether or not to pursue an internship after graduation. I wrote an article that explored my own thoughts on veterinary internships that I figured I would share it with you before it is published by The Vet Gazette. I’m a few weeks Read More …

Personal Statement & Resume Editing Services Now Available!

I cannot tell you how often I have been asked to proofread personal statements and had to turn people down. Now that’s no longer the case! I am offering editing services for personal statements and resumes (or other application materials — explanation section included!). You can get more information here: http://www.lifeinvetschool.com/coaching/ Have you gotten as Read More …