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Dawn
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My 11 yo has been seriously talking up becoming a vet someday for well over 2 years now. Obviously there are miles to go before he needs to decide on a vocation, but I'd like to help him explore this deep connection he feels to animals and help him research the veterinary field. What does one need to do to become a vet (higher learning etc.)? What kinds of studies and activities as a pre-teen would lend themselves to this line of work?
Of course my first reaction was "we'll start a notebook!" - which we will do, but I'd like to show him I'm taking this seriously. He'd love to volunteer at a local shelter. Our vet (with whom our family is friendly) has offered to have us come in for a tour (possibly observe an animal dentistry) ...
If you can suggest any resources - science materials, websites, living books, or activities, anything! - I'd be much obliged. 
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Dawn, mum to 3 boys 
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JennGM
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Karen T is a vet. PM her to come and join this thread!
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
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lapazfarm
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Ok, not trying to be discouraging, but from what I understand, veterinary school is one of the most difficult graduate programs to get into-harder even than med school. So many applicants they can pick and choose between the 4.0 GPAs for admittance. Excellent references and outstanding achievement are a must. When I was in graduate school in biology, I saw many of my fellow students try and fail to get accepted into the schools they applied for. Some did get in, but those were usually students with a little extra something (undergraduate research experience, publications, etc).
That being said, the typical route is to major in college in pre-med or biology, or often chemistry, though others are taken, too. Look into veterinary school statistics to see what majors are being admitted most frequently, and what kind of test scores are required.
As far as what your child can do right now, I would advise something like 4H or (Pony club)to get experience working with a variety of animals and see if this is really something he likes. There is nothing like raising animals 4H style for a hands-on experience! If you have limited space think of a project involving rabbits, chickens (check your housing covenants),pigeons, doves, etc. I think you have cats, right? So make sure ds goes along on vet visits to see what happens there. Have him research when your cats need vaccinations, worming, flea control, nutritional choices, etc. You might want to try out this kit: Fun With Your Cat
For read-alouds he may enjoy the James Harriot novels "All Creatures Great and Small" and the rest. Some of the stories from them have been re-done as a childrens book, too.
I think a notebook sounds great! (But, I always like notebooks!)
Here is a story about Baxter Black, who is a large animal veterinarian, cowboy poet and NPR commentator. We love listening to him on the radio.Baxter Black And here are some of his articles.articles
Anyway-have fun with it! You never know!
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Theresa
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wamegomom
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Oh, I have an idea!!! Find your local 4-H group. They have a newish (just out last year) multi-level project called "Veterinary Science." The curriculum is excellent. My dd can't wait to get started and has asked 2 local vets to mentor her.
As far as school--don't get discouraged. I live 15 minutes from Kansas State University Veterinary Med School, which is tops. A few years ago I rented my old house to a woman in her thirties who had given up a business career in the city to fulfill her dream of being a vet. She took two years of intensive pre-vet classes (pretty tough stuff), worked hard and got in to the school. She knocked herself out, graduated, and now has her own practice in a gorgeous location in Montana. Another vet-med couple rented the house after her. They had done their first two years in a Caribbean Vet College and transferred to K-State. Yes, schools have their pick of the cream of the crop, but what my vet says helps is to do things like the 4-H Vet Science curriculum, work/volunteer at a local animal shelter, volunteer at a local vet's office and get a good reference from him/her to the vet's alma mater.........you get the idea.
Shall I save my "lucky" house for your ds? I promise I'll look out for him. K-State has a vibrant Catholic student community, and our local parish church with one of the best priests I've ever known is two blocks away from that rental house. I promise I'll pray. Some of the nicest folks I've ever known are vets. And if he wants to take a pre-vet tour of Kansas State, you have a fun family to stay with!
Mary Alice
p.s. I second Theresa on Baxter Black. He's hysterically funny, especially to folks like my dh who grew up on a farm/cattle ranch. Check out his poetry books at the library. You'll laugh til you have tears in your eyes.
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momwise
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Dd did a Vet Science project year before last and was in a fantastic group with 4H last year but didn't do a project. The vet that led them was so good and what they learned about the anatomy and behavior of a horse last year was better than anything we could have done on our own. Plus, the vet was open to the kids coming to "shadow" her at work; just what Mary Alice recommends.
Dd is now volunteering at a "Doggy Day Care" one afternoon a week but around here that is not possible until after age 16. There is plenty of volunteer work to be found at stables though! I second the 4H suggestion; the vet science project is very good. I don't think our manual is available online but here is an outline of each Vet Science Unit
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"If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." JPII
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Dawn
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Wow, thanks everyone! I'll have to look up our local 4H group! (I think there was a homeschool one around here at one point.) Thanks for all the resource suggestions, the words of encouragement - *and* the invite, Mary Alice! 
Our vet has been really good to our family for years (we've always had dogs and cats). I'll be seeing her next week (one of our cats is very ill  ) and ds always comes with me to the vets. I'll have to talk to her more about ds's aspirations. I know she went to Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine here in MA.
At one point a local animal shelter was looking for volunteers to come in and play with the animals to help "socialize" them. I hadn't thought about the stables, though - we have a few around here!
It sounds like we should also pump up the science if he is to become serious about this some day. Of course he's only 11 - he may decide on something different, but he absolutely loves animals, especially dogs (begging for one these days). It does seem to be a natural affinity and true passion for him.
So, while I get the pre-vet ball rolling,  what other careers are available for someone who is so interested in animals?
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Dawn, mum to 3 boys
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Dawn
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Speaking of 4H ... I'd like to learn more about it. How often do you meet as a group, for instance? Can anyone start up a group? (It looks like the "local" 4H group is nowhere near me.)
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Dawn, mum to 3 boys
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Elizabeth
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Dawn,
Contact your county extension agency about starting a 4H chapter in your neighborhood. I started the one here (though we are no longer involved). The county agent was wonderful--warm, helpful, completely committed to the principles of 4H. The leader manuals made facilitating a group a snap. I loved the experience!
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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lapazfarm
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You might also look into Pony Club. They are a wonderfully supportive organization and their rallies are a blast, as well as educational. They put on clinics and all kinds of events. You do not have to own a horse to take part, in fact many kids do not. They use horses that are on loan through Pony Club.
US Pony Club
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Theresa
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Karen T
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Just a quick note this am. Yes, it is very difficult to get into vet school, b/c not every state has one, and students are usually limited to applying to the one in their own state, or to the states where their state has a contract (ie SC and WV don't have one of their own, so they contract with UGA and other schools)to accept some of their students.
One thing to realize is that Tufts is a private school, unlike most vet schools. Vet school tuition is expensive to begin with, I can't imagine how much Tufts costs these days! It is not unusual now for students from state vet schools to graduate with $80 to 100 thousands dollars of debt. And salaries are just not anywhere near what human medical doctors make. I was one of the lucky ones; I had scholarships and worked my way through undergrad so had no debt there, and then worked summers and vacations during vet school as much as possible so I had less than $20,000 debt at graduation.
I don't want to be discouraging, just realistic about the costs! But, here's the big thing - vet. med is going to become even more necessary to public health than it is now,due to bioterrorism and they are predicting a big shortage of vets. We don't need more small animal private practice vets (except to replace those retiring) but we need lots more willing to do large animal practice and public health, research, specialists, etc. So, to have an edge when looking at vet school, I would encourage a teen not only to take lots of science courses (biol, chem, physics, adv. bio) and work/volunteer at a vet's, but to learn more about some of the less common vet. careers.
As far as undergrad majors, they don't care what you major in as long as you take all the required prereqs (you can get a list from the college you're looking at) Most do major in the sciences, simply b/c you're already taking so much of them (several biologies, several chemistries, including organic, physics, biochem, microbiology, etc) but you can major in English,etc and still do those as electives if you want. It's even possible to get into vet school without finishing the undergrad degree IF all the prereqs are done and the student has a strong application (test scores, experience, interview, essay, recommendations). Personally, I recommend finishing an undergrad degree with the idea of doing something else in case vet school doesn't work out. Some don't get in, some burn out in school (it is VERy grueling) and some don't like practicing once they're out.
I loved the Herriot books as a child; I think it probably cemented my decision to become a vet. But it's important to realize how far from reality those books are now.
I hope this doesn't sound negative, I think encouraging an interest in vet med is great and if you have more specific questions just post or email me. 4H is probably a great way to get some experience with animals other than dogs/cats.
Karen T
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: veterinary science
