Ages for vet school?!?

[Jennijenni84]

Hi there,
I was just wondering about the average age for starting the vetmed programme at sgu. I have decided to go back to collage and study vetmed, however it means I will be 26 when starting firstyear! I was just wondering weather or not I will be the only geriatric in the class compared to everyone else? or are there more "mature" students then i think! (will be entering prevet aged 24 for 2 years and on to vet!!)
thanks for any help you can give! jenni

[sisyphus]

Hi there,
I was just wondering about the average age for starting the vetmed programme at sgu. I have decided to go back to collage and study vetmed, however it means I will be 26 when starting firstyear! I was just wondering weather or not I will be the only geriatric in the class compared to everyone else? or are there more "mature" students then i think! (will be entering prevet aged 24 for 2 years and on to vet!!)
thanks for any help you can give! jenni

The average age will vary by class. From what I have seen the students entering in the Fall are generally younger than those entering in the spring. I would say the average age is probably 23-26 for all classes when first starting.

I was older than you when I first started. I know of some people who start in their 40's-50's (I am not that "mature" though) on one extreme and those from the non North American system (mainly the UK) can start here as early as 18-20.

I assure you that you'll probably be right about average age or maybe slightly older.

I thought THIS (http://www.sgu.edu/website/sguwebsite.nsf/svm/VeterinarySciences-student-stats.html#firsttermentrants) link from SGU had average ages but it doesn't, just other demographic info.

[SGUvetgirl]

I am 27 and am starting January 2008 =) I am older because I got a music composition degree first and am now entering the vet program.

[Jennijenni84]

thank you so much both of you for letting me know, i have been doing psychology first and now have the opertunity to go back and study vet. do you mind me asking sgu vetgrl, did you have to do any prevet or additional sciences after your music degree before being accepted? thanks again! :)

[SGUvetgirl]

I did all the required vet school prereqs for US schools after my music degree (except that I did gen chem before). So, I took 1 year of Ochem + lab, 1 year biochem, 1 year physics, 1 quarter genetics, 1 quarter physiology, 1 quarter virology, 1 semester zoology + lab, 1 semester cell bio + lab. I think that is everything... I don't think SGU requires all of this though. This was more for UC Davis, Colorado, and some others. After all my research on schools though, I think SGU sounds much better with all the hands-on experience and the fact that they actually look at your whole personality and not just grades when they interview you. Did you apply yet?

[Doc4Pets]

After all my research on schools though, I think SGU sounds much better with all the hands-on experience and the fact that they actually look at your whole personality and not just grades when they interview you. Did you apply yet?

Hmmm... I would rather go to ANY US vet school than SGU. I do truly thank SGU for giving me an opportunity but I'm not delusional enough to think that I came here by choice. In the end, a DVM degree from SGU or UCDavis both allow you to do the same thing: practice veterinary medicine. So, be honest with yourself and get ready to succeed!

[Jennijenni84]

I havent applied yet,although i have been in talks with one of the staff members who recommended the 2 years prevet before vetmed as i dont have the science back ground. i hope to apply for next year though if i have not left it too late. if they do a jan intake for prevet, then jan 09 would be perfect! i wish you the best of luck with vetmed though sguvetgirl, and thanks again for the help.

[SGUvetgirl]

Well, most people I have talked to who graduated already from SGU highly recommend it over Davis, so I am being honest. Davis graduates often don't have the social skills to be able to communicate with their clients as well. Plus, you just don't get as much hands-on work at Davis because of the ethics laws in the US. I'm just passing on what graduates have told me. And in the end, you get a more well-rounded experience at SGU because it is out of the country and forces you to experience new things.

[Doc4Pets]

Well, most people I have talked to who graduated already from SGU highly recommend it over Davis.

Wow, just when I thought I had heard it all...:rolleyes:

Comparing UCDavis vet school to SGU is like comparing UCSF School of Medicine with SGU. I also think you are way off base when you say that students that graduate from UCDavis don't have the "social skills" and can't relate to their clients. That is a very odd statement to make as MOST of the vets where I'm from (Southern California) are in fact Davis grads and if you go to the SCVMA or other CE meetings like I do, you would know that most vets are chill people that enjoy what they do and love life.

It's TOO EASY to say, "hey, the UCDavis students have to have a 3.6 GPA and be among the most intelligent students of ANY profession, that they MUST be socially inept." That is patently false and rather stereotypical. At our (my family has owned a vet hospital for 30 years) hospital, we have seen Davis grads firsthand and I honestly can say they have been THE sharpest people and some of the most compassionate vets I've been around.

Also, if you grow up and live in california (like most UCDavis students do as it is a state school), you are a resident of a state that has a population of 34 MILLION people with a 3 Trillion Dollar economy. There is no other place in the USA or the world (except maybe London) that is more diverse than California. That diversity is what makes a person well rounded, not six 4 month stints at an island with less than 100,000 people. I live in Southern California and lived in Los Angeles where we had a Little Ethiopia town located in Korea Town, next to the Byzantine-Latino quarter (byzantine = greek, like the alexander the great, who by the way, was a homosexual). So, please keep things in perspective.

The only difference between UCDavis grads and perhaps SGU or Ross students are that they worked their behind off all throughout their undergrad studies, while SGU students for one reason or another managed to mess up their chances of even being accepted to just ONE vet school in the US.

Ask around, NO ONE (sane, that is) would choose SGU over any US vet school, let alone perhaps the top UCDavis. No one. Remember, we all are at SGU (med and vet) because we didn't get accepted to ONE single vet/med school in the USA. The sooner we face the facts, the sooner we can get on with it.

[SGUvetgirl]

Ok, but have you even asked graduates? You are right most people would pick a US school. And I didn't mean to sterotype all Davis graduates. I just meant in general. The man that interviewed me actually told me that perspective on Davis - he went to Davis and still recommended SGU for a future student. I personally think it is sad that you are not very supportive of your school and that you are putting down all SGU accepted vet students and making the assumption that all 100% of them got turned down by US schools. That is not the case. It is the norm yes, but you are yourself sterotyping. And also, it isn't that all of the people at SGU messed their previous academic lives up, but more that Davis is highly competitive and has way more applicants than positions available. I am happy to say I have met graduates of both schools who are great. I have nothing against Davis - I just think SGU has a couple other points that are better - hands on experience is a definite! And by the way, I am a California native - from Santa Barbara. I don't want you to think I am trying to argue you. It is ok to have differing opinions, but try to be open to others and not just your own.

[sisyphus]

Firstly, I applied to US schools and didn't get in, which is why I am down here. This is often not the case for students from Canada, UK, South Africa, the Caribbean, and several other countries where, at least sometimes, SGU is their first choice. Also, I have met a few US students who applied nowhere else. It does happen and is myopic to think otherwise.

With that out of the way, I have had the opportunity to transfer to a US school because I have done fairly well at SGU, but didn't. I will be the first to admit that there are frustrations here with facilities and/or people and while we will be weaker in some areas, often we are stronger in some practical and academic areas. This is the same no matter where you go in the world. But I like it here (usually!).

I have met a few students from the "top" US schools such as Davis, Cornell, Penn, Texas, and Colo State. Some are going to be great vets, some are idiots...ultimately GPA, which vet school, or age don't matter, character and attitude matter.

If you like SGU and think you can adjust to Grenada (which can be difficult for some), why not come here?

[Doc4Pets]

If you like SGU and think you can adjust to Grenada (which can be difficult for some), why not come here?

Because you can't practice in many states with a degree from SGU. Don't get me wrong, I am happy with SGU but I'm also not deluding myself into thinking that SGU is attended by choice for US students and instead is a sort of last resort to getting a DVM.

I agree with you that gpa or what school you went to doesn't equate to your abilities to be a vet practitioner BUT someone on this thread said that just because you have a great gpa and work ethic and get into UCDavis or other top US school, then you don't have social skills to relate to clients. That is so far from the truth that it hurts my brain thinking about it.:D

[sisyphus]

Because you can't practice in many states with a degree from SGU.

If you go the PAVE route you can only practice in ~24 states and no federal employment. PAVE is trying to change this but who knows how long it will take.

If you go ECFVG you can practice in any state at any position (state or federal) or in any country in the world assuming you can get a license. Granted, the ECFVG is quite expensive at ~$8000, but this is a drop in the bucket compared to overall debt. I am taking the ECFVG...and don't fall into many of the rumors about wait-list times because I think they are partial truths and may only reflect certain locations.

I agree with you that gpa or what school you went to doesn't equate to your abilities to be a vet practitioner BUT someone on this thread said that just because you have a great gpa and work ethic and get into UCDavis or other top US school, then you don't have social skills to relate to clients. That is so far from the truth that it hurts my brain thinking about it.:D

As a generality, I agree and this is surely not true.

[Doc4Pets]

If you go the PAVE route you can only practice in ~24 states and no federal employment. PAVE is trying to change this but who knows how long it will take.

If you go ECFVG you can practice in any state at any position (state or federal) or in any country in the world assuming you can get a license.

Just wondering, do you know any SGU student that actually took the ECFVG? I'm asking because I never hear of people preparing for it and instead everyone seems intent on the PAVE. And FYI, I'm also from a PAVE state and will be taking that route.

[sisyphus]

Just wondering, do you know any SGU student that actually took the ECFVG? I'm asking because I never hear of people preparing for it and instead everyone seems intent on the PAVE. And FYI, I'm also from a PAVE state and will be taking that route.

If your from a PAVE state and don't intend on moving then this is the much better and cheaper route.

I think so little is heard about the ECFVG because it is not taken here on the island as is the PAVE. There are 2 parts: the VCSE (vet clin sci exam) is taken as early as possible after the start of your clinical year (April?); pass it and register for the NAVLE ASAP (taken in November?); as soon as you're registered for the NAVLE you can register for the CPE (clin proficiency exam); the wait-list for the CPE is where all the rumors fly...but if you do everything on time you should be able to register for it about 6 months before graduation. Also, some locations for the CPE are favored by some students causing a longer wait.

Also, the admin pushes the PAVE because they know it is the better option for alot of reasons.

Almost half my class is going the ECFVG route but I haven't heard much from graduates who took it. I believe the pass rate is in the upper 90% range.

[SGUvetgirl]

I didn't say because you have a great GPA and work ethic, that you don't have great social skills. I also told you I don't mean that all Davis graduates have no social skills. I just meant that some don't because to even get an interview you must be brilliant (and SOME people who are brilliant don't necessarily have social skills and some who aren't also don't) and that gives people who have other great attributes also no chance. Try to get over the whole thing about me saying Davis grads don't have social skills. I am not saying ALL of them. If you read my last post, you'd see that I said I know grads of both schools that are great. So please get off my case about that topic.

[Doc4Pets]

I just meant that some don't because to even get an interview you must be brilliant (and SOME people who are brilliant don't necessarily have social skills and some who aren't also don't) and that gives people who have other great attributes also no chance.

Thats not necessarily true because you don't have to be BRILLIANT to get half A's and half B's and do some volunteering at your local vet. It just takes dedication. Being brilliant is like bill gates (he actually dropped out of harvard) or steven hawking (see physics) or even bobby ****** (see chess) or Beethoven or Da Vinci (try painting, sculpting, medicine, flight etc.). Those individuals are BRILLIANT or even Genius'.

I actually think people who get the 3.5+ GPA's (from competitive universities not local lib art school or junior college) are just more FOCUSED and HARD WORKING and they were more mature to realize that they had to dedicate themselves from the first year of undergrad and not putz around and end up in some caribbean school (even though SGU is pretty good). These people just had more DRIVE and DETERMINATION and also of course intellectual aptitude. However, I don't think these so called "BRILLIANT" students are much different then the next SGU DVM grad who passes the same standardized exam like the NAVLE. If an SGU grad passes the NAVLE and a UCDavis grad also passes the standardized exam, it basically means that BOTH students/vets are comparable in their aptitude in veterinary medicine.

So, I don't think US Med or US Vet students are BRILLIANT or genius' but perhaps were more focused and more hard working from the get go, while we at SGU didn't work hard and weren't focused early on. However, we have thankfully righted the ship and now are on par with our stateside counterparts. Of course there are SOME US vet students who ARE in fact brilliant, just like I'm sure there are SOME SGU students are brilliant. We can't fool ourselves into thinking that we, SGU students are not BRILLIANT like US students and we were just born "UNBrilliant" :). The simple reason MOST of us ended up here was because we didn't work hard and weren't too focused in undergrad. Not because we are inherently "UNBrilliant" and US students are Brilliant. Lets take responsibility for our academic blunders and admit we slacked off and now we are focused and have stronger work habits much like vet/med students around the world.

Per your retort on brilliant people not having personality... conversely, you could say that SGU students are dumb and talking to them would be like talking to a bag of bricks. Thus, SGU students would never be able to relate to clients. Hmm... on second thought average Americans aren't exactly the most educated or cultured people in world, so maybe SGU students would do GREAT!;) Ok, my Lakers are about to start playing, I'm off like a dress on prom night.

[SGUvetgirl]

Ok, I'm going to stop blogging on this thread site after this because I never meant to upset you or anyone. I am so excited to go to SGU. I'm sorry I upset you so much. I was a dedicated student in undergrad. I do also consider myself very smart, but not perfect. I don't think anyone is perfect though. I got a music degree and did get A's and B's. Then I did get all A's in my prereqs for vet school. The time I slipped in undergrad was because my mom had cancer and passed away. So I went through a very hard time. I just never am quite sure how to respond to you anymore and so I figure I'll just explain myself. I am just so glad SGU is giving me a chance because I didn't have perfect grades. I also worked as the only tech in a small animal clinic for over 7 years so I was dedicated and am dedicated. Once again, I'm sorry I bugged you and you won't hear from me again. Good luck on your veterinary career.

[Jennijenni84]

I actually think people who get the 3.5+ GPA's (from competitive universities not local lib art school or junior college) are just more FOCUSED and HARD WORKING and they were more mature to realize that they had to dedicate themselves from the first year of undergrad and not putz around and end up in some caribbean school (even though SGU is pretty good). ....So, I don't think US Med or US Vet students are BRILLIANT or genius' but perhaps were more focused and more hard working from the get go, while we at SGU didn't work hard and weren't focused early on. ...The simple reason MOST of us ended up here was because we didn't work hard and weren't too focused in undergrad. .... Lets take responsibility for our academic blunders and admit we slacked off and now we are focused and have stronger work habits much like vet/med students around the world.


I think perhaps you should stop speaking for "Most of the SGU" students, If perhaps YOU did not work hard enough to get into a US vet School fair enough.
But there are other vet schools in the world other the US ones.
I know that i worked hard in school, hard enough to become Cognitive neuropsychologist. so i was not putzing around and i was very focused as an undergrad.
However i changed my mind about my career as everyone is entitled too and this sent me towards SGU as they give the people with out enough science background to get into vet school a chance to catch up.
They give people who have the drive and the determination to be vets, the chance, whereas some schools will simply not entertain the notion that people who did not study sciences in highschool could possibly be good vets.
I think there are a few poeple in SGU, who simply had a career change, rather than these academic blunders you talk about. the system is different in europe to the US i understand, but your comments seem a bit too harsh and over analytical (especially towards the sgu vetgirl)for a school that has given you too a chance.Your in vet school already.. just relax and get on with it instead of worrying/ questioning why your there and not in some other school!!:D

[SGUvetgirl]

Hi Jenni,
Where are you from? =)

[Doc4Pets]

However i changed my mind about my career as everyone is entitled too and this sent me towards SGU as they give the people with out enough science background to get into vet school a chance to catch up.
They give people who have the drive and the determination to be vets, the chance, whereas some schools will simply not entertain the notion that people who did not study sciences in highschool could possibly be good vets.


Just wondering, how are you at the same vet school as me when I have completed ALL the bio/physics/chem courses? I didn't know SGU DVM let people in who don't have "enough science background". How did you manage to get yourself accepted?

Also, MOST of the vet schools (medical, dental, pharmacy schools also) have NO PROBLEM with accepting non traditional students such as yourself that had a career change. They just want to see that you have completed the prerequisites and have done well. They don't care about your high school stuff, stop being glib.

Anyways, please explain why US Vet schools wouldn't have "given you a chance" if you had completed AND had a high GPA. If you have a high gpa, veterinary experience, GRE scores, extracurriculars, etc. you would have NO problem getting into US vet schools (If you're from the USA that is). You wouldn't need to be "given a chance" by SGU and instead would have no problem landing a spot stateside if you did indeed do well in your prerequisites. And MOST vet schools have the same amount of prerequisites with a few caveats of course. I don't think i have EVER met a student medical or veterinary that had stateside acceptances but still CHOSE SGU. I would love to see if any on this forum had such choices. And remember, if you didn't even bother to apply stateside, you pretty much knew the writing was on the wall...

[Jennijenni84]

Hi there doc 4 pets, in response,
i am not in vet school, i will be going into prevet at sgu.( i stated that in the fist message on this thread)
i hope you dont think me "Glib" but not having science from highschool is a huge disadvantage no matter how good your gpa in europe. no vet school would think of accepting you, and rightly so. therefore People from europe who made do not have the science back ground, look into prevet. Or doing science degree's (3 years min) at home ontop of their other qualifications. Prevet is not offered at european vet schools.
By giving students a chance, SGU is allowing them to make up for the sciences they have not taken, and if they make the grade then they are in vet school you see? this is the chance i refer too.
a US vet school, from what i have learned, would make me sit up to 3 yeard of prevet, and not take into acount the many years of college i have already under my belt. SGU do take that into account and allow me a shorter prevet course so i can get vet studies under way. Also, they are linked with the vet school in my home country, allowing me to finish studies at home so i can go home after 4 years instead of 5 in grenada. i cant speak from a us citizen point of view, but from my own, this makes SGU a More attractive option. having looked into the academics of the course too.. i believe being in grenada has no academic disadvantage over a us/ european state school. if you are there to work, you will do well.
i just dont understand why you are so negative about your school/ people in it? is there something terrible about SGU i am missing?

[SGUvetgirl]

Hi Jenni!

Where are you from in Europe? That is neat. I hope to meet you if you are at SGU when I am there. =)

[Jennijenni84]

hi vet girl, from Ireland!! will be there hopefully sept 08 or jan 09!

[SGUvetgirl]

That is sooo cool! I have only been to England, but my husband has been to Ireland and loved it. I hope to see it someday. =) I will definitely be there when you come to SGU since I am starting Jan 08.

[Doc4Pets]

i just dont understand why you are so negative about your school/ people in it? is there something terrible about SGU i am missing?

This whole time I was trying to make a point about the US undergrad/vet programs and it turns out you are from Ireland. Therefore, the points I was trying to make probably had nothing to do with you and would have saved me a few minutes of my life if I had known you weren't a US student.

Also, I am not at all negative about SGU because honestly, it is a pretty good school and has given me the opportunity to pursue a DVM. There are a few students from Europe, mostly from the UK, and they love it here in grenada. I guess, any place that isn't cloudy and cold year round seems like an upgrade.:D However, for me, I'm from one of the BEST places for weather in California and absolutely abhor the humidity here in grenada. Going to a tropical island for a 2 week vacation is one thing but having to live there 8 out of 12 months of the year can be a pain.

[stephew]

lets put it this way; nobody SHOULD choose an offshore school over US. Whatever the pluses of sgu may (or may not) be. Its not a matter of whether or not sgu grads are great or not. Its a judgement call. You go to the school that will give you the best opportunities. That's not sgu if you can go to the US.

the humidity in grenada is a beast. It makes you homely you know.