Request for advice: Too late to become a veterinarian at 30?

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Drue - 13 Jan 2004 23:30 GMT

Hi.

I'm 30 and am thinking seriously about starting a second career as a
veterinarian. For the past ten years, I have enjoyed a fairly
lucrative career as a software engineer, but now I am very serious
about changing my line of work as I don't want to be in the computer
business my entire life. I'm told that pursuing a second career
relatively late in life is an uphill battle, but I'm ready to go for
it anyway.

Why veterinary medicine? I have had a life long interest in scientific
learning as well as a love for and understanding of animals. Even as a
kid I loved animal care taking and exhibited a relatively good ability
to recognize and evaluate animal health conditions.

While software engineering may have paid better than vet med, I'd like
to pursue a career where I can exercise my scientific skills while
performing some measure of stewardship towards nature. And, needless
to say, I really crave the satisfaction that comes from making a sick
patient well.

So, what do you think? In general, is 30 generally too late in life
to begin studying to be a vet? I think I'll need to go back to school
and earn another bachelor's degree that will cover my pre-veterinary
work before I can even consider med school. I have a long way to go.
Is there enough time at my age?

Thanks so much for reading this and for your advice,
Drue

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r norman - 14 Jan 2004 01:28 GMT

>Hi.
>
[quoted text clipped - 25 lines]
>Thanks so much for reading this and for your advice,
>Drue

You should visit a school of veterinary medicine and talk with people
there. Also talk with some local vets. Vet school is harder to get
into than med school and I do believe they want (require?) that you
have some animal experience.

If you are good and well motivated, I would guess your chances are
good. But get that from the schools to be sure.

You might also look into the possibility of staying in the computer
area but look for a job in a research lab associated with animal
health or even a company in the medical products area. That way you
can apply your existing skills and knowledge and stll make
contributions to animal (or human) health.

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Drue - 14 Jan 2004 20:25 GMT

R Norman,

Thank you very much for your response. I really appreciate it. I'll
take your advice and will visit a vet school. I'll also touch base
with our old family vet.

I've heard that vet school is tougher to get into than med school and
that's a little discouraging. It's tough to move forward with taking
the risk of finishing all my pre-vet work at such a late age without
an assurance of being able to move forward.

And thank you for the advice about applying my existing skills in a
health oriented application. Although, I must admit that I desire
direct contact with animals and the ability to observe their behavior
and recovery.

Best Regards,

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Bob - 15 Jan 2004 03:54 GMT

>R Norman,
>
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
>Best Regards,

First, I fully agree with rsn, so take this as a brief addition, not
intended to go against it in any way.

You might also think about other ways you can achieve your underlying
desire to work with animals. Research? Might require a PhD, if you
want to be at that level, but you might find that path still open even
if the vet path proves difficult. And at less than PhD level you can
be very involved with research (tho probably with considerably less
pay, of course). Both univ and corporate animal labs need animal
keepers -- and the best of them are people wonderfully dedicated to
the animals, and often involved with the research. To explore any of
this, see if you can contact a univ or corporate lab that does
extensive animal work.

bob

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Natural Science Forum / Biology / Biology / January 2004

Request for advice: Too late to become a veterinarian at 30?