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    How to Become an Equine Veterinarian
    How to Become an Equine Veterinarian
    How to Become an Equine Veterinarian
    Ebook104 pages1 hour

    How to Become an Equine Veterinarian

    By Justin B. Long and Erica Lacher, DVM

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Do you want to become an equine vet, but you're not sure how to get there? Learn the key success factors for getting into vet school.

    Do you eat, sleep, breathe, and dream horses, and can't imagine doing anything besides becoming an equine veterinarian? Do you worry that you're not covering all the bases in high school and college to get into vet school? With twenty years' experience in her own equine practice, Dr. Erica Lacher has reviewed hundreds of student applications on the admissions committee for the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine. Now she's here to share her insider secrets to surviving and succeeding in this highly competitive process.

    How to Become an Equine Veterinarian is a practical, informative guide filled with valuable advice to construct a focused plan for high school and college students. In this easy-to-follow handbook, you'll learn how to build up years of appropriate experience, create a compelling job history, and start compiling your vet-school binder. Dr. Lacher's industry insights will also help you explore a variety of horse-related occupations to help you find the career that's right for you.

    In How to Become an Equine Veterinarian, you'll discover:

    - An understanding of the vet school application process so you can be fully prepared

    - How and why shadowing vets will help you stand out from the competition

    - Ways to use veterinary and non-veterinary work experience to broaden your skillset and become a stronger vet school candidate

    - How to track and leverage your work, horse and veterinary experience on your application

    - Strategies for making the best use of your time in high school and college, and much, much more!

    How to Become an Equine Veterinarian: A Guide for Teens is a no-nonsense resource to help you successfully navigate the tricky admissions process. If you like learning from people in the know, getting the inside scoop, and being well-prepared for your future, then you'll love Dr. Erica Lacher and co-author Justin B. Long's information-packed book.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSpringhill Media
    Release dateMar 30, 2020
    ISBN9781948169370
    How to Become an Equine Veterinarian
    Author

    Justin B. Long

    Justin B. Long is a self-embracing nerd who loves crunching numbers, researching interesting things, and listening to podcasts, in addition to reading loads of books. His exposure to Stephen King’s books at the age of 10 probably stunted him in some way, but he is still determined to leave the world a better place than he found it. He lives near Gainesville, Florida on a small farm with his incredible wife, 7 horses, 5 cats, 2 donkeys, 2 dogs, and a sheep named Gerald.

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      Book preview

      How to Become an Equine Veterinarian - Justin B. Long

      By Justin B. Long and Erica Lacher, DVM

      Copyright © 2020 by Justin B. Long and Erica Lacher, DVM

      All rights reserved.

      No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

      Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that neither the author nor the publisher is engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services. While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No guarantee is made that you will be accepted into a professional school or school of veterinary medicine, nor is any such guarantee implied. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a variety of advisors when appropriate. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, personal, or other damages.

      Published in the United States by Springhill Media

      Gainesville, FL

      eBook ISBN: 978-1-948169-37-0

      Paperback ISBN: 978-1-948169-38-7

      Library of Congress Control Number: 2020903715

      Table of Contents

      Introduction

      Being a People Person

      Building Your Binder

      Horse Experience

      High School

      Shadowing a Veterinarian

      College

      Social Experience

      Alternate Career Paths

      Working for Experience

      Applying to Vet School

      Student Loans

      Externships and Internships

      Conclusion

      Introduction

      So, you want to be a horse vet. Or, it seems like a pretty good idea, but you’re not 100% positive about it. That’s okay! This is the time to figure these things out, and this book will give you some of the tools you’ll need along the way.

      The path to becoming a veterinarian is long and difficult. We’re not telling you this to scare you away, but we want you to know that it requires a lot of hard work. Once you become a veterinarian, the hard work continues. Horse vets work long hours, and it’s usually outside. That means if it’s raining, you’re getting wet. If it’s hot, you’re hot. If it’s cold, you’d better be dressed for it. Being an equine veterinarian isn’t a job. It’s a lifestyle. If you’re already a horse person, then you’re familiar with it, at least to a degree.

      This book is broken down into sections to make it easier to digest. If you think you want to be an equine veterinarian, then there is a process you need to go through. We’ve arranged this book starting at the beginning of this process, when you’re just starting high school. If you’re already in or past high school and trying to catch up, that’s okay!

      You’ll just have to work smarter with the time you’ve got. We can’t guarantee that you’ll get into vet school by following these guidelines. No one can guarantee that. However, you will definitely be a much stronger candidate if you do.

      Speaking of time: this is a topic we will keep coming back to. Time is your most valuable resource. Between now and the day you get into vet school, what you do with your time is a big deal. Don’t worry, we’ll cover all of that. Just know that time management can’t be over-emphasized. Poor time management skills in college keep some people from getting into vet school, so we’re going to help you avoid that pitfall.

      The information in this book comes from a variety of sources. Aside from Dr. Lacher, who is a practicing equine veterinarian and business owner, and is on the admissions committee for the University of Florida vet school, we’ve talked to a lot of people who are at various stages in their journey. Some are practicing veterinarians. Some are interns, fresh out of vet school. Some are vet students. Some are veterinary technicians who are in college, or recently graduated, and are still trying to get into vet school. Some are undergrad students who haven’t even applied to vet school yet. This gives you relevant feedback from people who are on the same journey you want to take, and from every aspect of it. 

      We decided to write this guide for a lot of reasons. For one thing, we need more equine veterinarians. There are more horses than ever, and fewer and fewer veterinarians taking care of them. It’s also very challenging to get into vet school, and you need every resource you can get. Many eager students arrive at college, having done none of the things they needed to do prior to getting there to set them up for a successful vet school application process. With this book, you’ll be able to map out your path and arrive prepared and experienced. 

      The journey is different for everyone. We aren’t going to give you a specific to-do list, but we will teach you how to make your own. When you finish this book, you should know what you need to do, and how to get started on it. Knowing what your next three steps are will take a lot of the stress and uncertainty out of things. 

      We recommend that you start building a vet school binder where you can keep notes, create your master schedule for the next several years, and record your horse, work, volunteer, and veterinary experiences. Everything you do with jobs and horses matters, and you’re going to need dates, names, phone numbers, and details on what you did. By the time you are ready to apply to vet school, you will have an extensive resume. That documented experience will be one of your most important assets. We’ve seen a lot of vet school application packets, and the ones with a long, clear history of horse, work, and veterinary experience really stand out. We’ll talk more about this, too.

      Keeping your perspective straight is important. There are a thousand things that happen between your freshman year in high school and your senior year in college. You don’t have to be ready to handle every one of those things right now. You should have a broad understanding of the process, but don’t try to do everything at once. Focus on the next three things on your list. When you accomplish those things, move on to the next three. You can handle three things! Eventually, you’ll accomplish all one thousand things, three things at a time. Or two. Or one. It doesn’t matter, as long as you find what works for you.

      Keeping your perspective straight can also mean not listening to certain people. We call them naysayers, the people who tell you you’re wasting your time, that you won’t make it. Don’t listen to them. They are usually secretly envious of you, and their own self-doubts get projected outward in an attack on people they think are better than them.

      Sometimes these people are your friends, or even family members. That makes it harder to dismiss them, but you can’t let them derail you. If it’s someone

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