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DVM(doctor of veterinary medicine)- licensed health professionals who are qualified to diagnose and treat horses
I would like to specialize in being an equine reproduction specialist-

Pregnancy Exams

Uterine Cultures & Biopsies

Artificial Insemination

Embryo Transfer

Hysteroscopy

Oocyte Aspiration

Foaling Out Packages/Neonatal Exams/Post Partum Exams

Emergency Mare/Foal Care

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#1 University of California- Davis
#2 Cornell University
#3 Colorado State University
#4 Texas A&M University
#4 University of Pennsylvania
https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/veterinarian-rankings

My top 3- UC Davis, Texas A&M, Colorado
Feather River College is a gateway to Colorado State

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Ranked in 2019, part of Best Health Schools

In addition to getting a broad education in animal science, veterinary medicine students can specialize in areas such as small animal surgery, environmental toxicology and aquatic medicine. These are the top veterinary medicine schools. Each school's score reflects its average rating on a scale from 1 (marginal) to 5 (outstanding), based on a survey of academics at peer institutions. Read the methodology "

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The Best Veterinary Medicine Programs in America, Ranked

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Ranked in 2019, part of Best Health Schools In addition to getting a broad education in animal science, veterinary medicine students can specialize in areas such as small animal surgery, environmental toxicology and aquatic medicine. These are the top veterinary medicine schools.

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- on call 24/7
- emotional stress
-8 years of college (+ its expensive)
https://www.smore.com/kg0uy-equine-vet

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Specializing in Equine Sports Medicine. Helena Bloohm

Basic Information

Work with horse's health to keep them up to performance standards

Inspire others

Work 24 hours 365 days if you are self employed

Mentally and physically draining of energy

Know how to be patient

It can be dangerous

Average annual salary is $93, 250

College takes a minimum of 8 years, not including on the job training and license training

Working at equine facilities and horse stables and pastures

Work irregular hours (night shifts and sometimes the holidays)

Must have plenty of experience working with horses in the past

License is required

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The median annual wage for veterinarians was $100,370 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $60,760, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $165,600.
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/veterinarians.htm#tab-5

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Summary

Video transcript available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVADsUt6474.

Quick Facts: Veterinarians
2021 Median Pay

$100,370 per year
$48.26 per hour

Veterinarians care for the health of animals and work to protect public health.

Most veterinarians work in private clinics and hospitals. Others travel to farms or work in settings such as laboratories, classrooms, or zoos.

Veterinarians must have a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from an accredited veterinary college, as well as a state license.

The median annual wage for veterinarians was $100,370 in May 2021.

Employment of veterinarians is projected to grow 17 percent from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 4,400 openings for veterinarians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for veterinarians.

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of veterinarians with similar occupations.

Learn more about veterinarians by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.

Veterinarians care for the health of animals and work to protect public health. They diagnose, treat, and research medical conditions and diseases of pets, livestock, and other animals.

Duties

Veterinarians typically do the following:

Examine animals to assess their health and diagnose problems

Treat and dress wounds

Perform surgery on animals

Test for and vaccinate against diseases

Operate medical equipment, such as x-ray machines

Advise animal owners about general care, medical conditions, and treatments

Prescribe medication

Euthanize animals

Veterinarians treat the injuries and illnesses of pets and other animals with a variety of medical equipment, including surgical tools and x-ray and ultrasound machines. They provide treatment for animals that is similar to the services a physician provides to humans.

The following are examples of types of veterinarians:

Companion animal veterinarians treat pets and generally work in private clinics and hospitals. They most often care for cats and dogs, but they also treat other pets, such as birds, ferrets, and rabbits. These veterinarians diagnose and provide treatment for animal health problems; consult with animal owners about preventive healthcare; and carry out medical and surgical procedures, such as vaccinations, dental work, and setting fractures.

Food animal veterinarians work with farm animals such as pigs, cattle, and sheep, which are raised to be food sources. They spend their time visiting farms and ranches to treat ill and injured animals and to test for and vaccinate against disease. They may advise farm owners or managers about feeding, housing, and general health practices.

Food safety and inspection veterinarians inspect and test livestock and animal products for major animal diseases. They also provide vaccines to treat animals, enhance animal welfare, conduct research to improve animal health, and enforce government food safety regulations. They design and administer animal and public health programs to prevent and control diseases transmissible among animals and between animals and people.

Veterinarians held about 86,800 jobs in 2020. The largest employers of veterinarians were as follows:

Veterinary services

80%

Self-employed workers

11

Government

3

Social advocacy organizations

1

Educational services; state, local, and private

1

Most veterinarians work in private clinics and hospitals. Others travel to farms or work in settings such as laboratories, classrooms, or zoos.

Veterinarians who treat horses or food animals travel between their offices and farms and ranches. They work outdoors in all kinds of weather and may have to perform surgery, often in remote locations.

Veterinarians who work in food safety and inspection travel to farms, slaughterhouses, and food-processing plants to inspect the health of animals and to ensure that the facility follows safety protocols.

The work can be emotionally stressful, as veterinarians care for abused animals, euthanize sick ones, and offer support to the animals' anxious owners. Working on farms and ranches, in slaughterhouses, or with wildlife can also be physically demanding.

Injuries and Illnesses

When working with animals that are frightened or in pain, veterinarians risk being bitten, kicked, and scratched. In addition, veterinarians working with diseased animals risk being infected by the disease.

Work Schedules

Most veterinarians work full time, often working more than 40 hours per week. Some work nights or weekends, and they may have to respond to emergencies outside of scheduled work hours.

Veterinarians must have a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from an accredited veterinary college, as well as a state license.

Education

Veterinarians must complete a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD) degree at an accredited college of veterinary medicine. A veterinary medicine program generally takes 4 years to complete and includes classroom, laboratory, and clinical components.

Admission to veterinary programs is competitive. Applicants to veterinary school typically have a bachelor's degree in a field such as biology. Veterinary medical colleges typically require applicants to have taken many science classes, including biology, chemistry, and animal science. Most programs also require math, humanities, and social science courses.

Some veterinary medical colleges prefer candidates who have studied agriculture or have experience working with animals on a farm, at a stable, or in an animal shelter.

In veterinary medicine programs, students take courses on animal anatomy and physiology, as well as disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Most programs include 3 years of classroom, laboratory, and clinical work. Students typically spend the final year of the 4-year program doing clinical rotations in a veterinary medical center or hospital.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Veterinarians must be licensed in order to practice in the United States. Licensing requirements vary by state, but prospective veterinarians in all states must complete an accredited veterinary program and pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination.

In addition to passing the national exam, most states require that veterinarians pass a state licensing exam. However, veterinarians employed by state or federal government may not need a state license, because government agencies differ in what they require.

Each state's exam covers its laws and regulations. Few states accept licenses from other states, so veterinarians usually must take exams for the states in which they want to be licensed.

The American Veterinary Medical Association has an Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) certification program, which allows foreign graduates to fulfill the educational prerequisites for licensure.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. Strong communication skills are essential for veterinarians, who must be able to discuss their recommendations and explain treatment options to animal owners and give instructions to their staff.

Compassion. Veterinarians must be compassionate when working with animals and their owners. They must treat animals with kindness and respect, and they must be sensitive when dealing with the animal owners.

Decision-making skills. Veterinarians must decide the correct method for treating the injuries and illnesses of animals.

Manual dexterity. Veterinarians must control their hand movements and be precise when treating injuries and performing surgery.

Problem-solving skills. Veterinarians need strong problem-solving skills because they must figure out what is ailing animals. Those who test animals to determine the effects of drug therapies also need excellent diagnostic skills.

Median annual wages, May 2021

The median annual wage for veterinarians was $100,370 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $60,760, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $165,600.

In May 2021, the median annual wages for veterinarians in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Veterinary services

$100,460

Social advocacy organizations

99,340

Government

96,120

Educational services; state, local, and private

93,770

Most veterinarians work full time, often working more than 40 hours per week. Some work nights or weekends, and they may have to respond to emergencies outside of scheduled work hours.

Employment of veterinarians is projected to grow 17 percent from 2020 to 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 4,400 openings for veterinarians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Increases in consumers' pet-related spending are expected to drive employment in the veterinary services industry, which employs most veterinarians.

Veterinary medicine has advanced considerably. Today's veterinarians are able to offer many services that are comparable to healthcare for humans, including more complicated procedures such as cancer treatments and kidney transplants.

Occupational Title

SOC Code

Employment, 2020

Projected Employment, 2030

Change, 2020-30

Employment by Industry

Percent

Numeric

Veterinarians

29-1131

86,800

101,300

17

14,500
Get data

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OEWS data maps for employment and wages by state and area.

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state's websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

For more information about careers in veterinary medicine, a list of U.S. schools and colleges of veterinary medicine, and information on accreditation policies, visit
American Veterinary Medical Association
For more information about veterinary education, visit
Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges
For information about the licensing exam, visit
International Council for Veterinary Assessment
O*NET
Veterinarians

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Video transcript available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVADsUt6474. Quick Facts: Veterinarians 2021 Median Pay $100,370 per year $48.26 per hour Veterinarians care for the health of animals and work to protect public health. Most veterinarians work in private clinics and hospitals. Others travel to farms or work in settings such as laboratories, classrooms, or zoos.

# data[].attributes.body
Veterinarians must complete a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD) degree at an accredited college of veterinary medicine. A veterinary medicine program generally takes 4 years to complete and includes classroom, laboratory, and clinical components.
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/veterinarians.htm#tab-4

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Summary

Video transcript available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVADsUt6474.

Quick Facts: Veterinarians
2019 Median Pay

$95,460 per year
$45.90 per hour

Veterinarians care for the health of animals and work to protect public health.

Most veterinarians work in private clinics and hospitals. Others travel to farms or work in settings such as laboratories, classrooms, or zoos.

Veterinarians must have a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from an accredited veterinary college, as well as a state license.

The median annual wage for veterinarians was $95,460 in May 2019.

Employment of veterinarians is projected to grow 16 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Overall job prospects are expected to be very good.

Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for veterinarians.

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of veterinarians with similar occupations.

Learn more about veterinarians by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.

Veterinarians care for the health of animals and work to protect public health. They diagnose, treat, and research medical conditions and diseases of pets, livestock, and other animals.

Duties

Veterinarians typically do the following:

Examine animals to assess their health and diagnose problems

Treat and dress wounds

Perform surgery on animals

Test for and vaccinate against diseases

Operate medical equipment, such as x-ray machines

Advise animal owners about general care, medical conditions, and treatments

Prescribe medication

Euthanize animals

Veterinarians treat the injuries and illnesses of pets and other animals with a variety of medical equipment, including surgical tools and x-ray and ultrasound machines. They provide treatment for animals that is similar to the services a physician provides to humans.

The following are examples of types of veterinarians:

Companion animal veterinarians treat pets and generally work in private clinics and hospitals. They most often care for cats and dogs, but they also treat other pets, such as birds, ferrets, and rabbits. These veterinarians diagnose and provide treatment for animal health problems; consult with animal owners about preventive healthcare; and carry out medical and surgical procedures, such as vaccinations, dental work, and setting fractures.

Food animal veterinarians work with farm animals such as pigs, cattle, and sheep, which are raised to be food sources. They spend their time visiting farms and ranches to treat ill and injured animals and to test for and vaccinate against disease. They may advise farm owners or managers about feeding, housing, and general health practices.

Food safety and inspection veterinarians inspect and test livestock and animal products for major animal diseases. They also provide vaccines to treat animals, enhance animal welfare, conduct research to improve animal health, and enforce government food safety regulations. They design and administer animal and public health programs to prevent and control diseases transmissible among animals and between animals and people.

Veterinarians held about 89,200 jobs in 2019. The largest employers of veterinarians were as follows:

Veterinary services

76%

Self-employed workers

14

Government

3

Educational services; state, local, and private

1

Social advocacy organizations

1

Most veterinarians work in private clinics and hospitals. Others travel to farms or work in settings such as laboratories, classrooms, or zoos.

Veterinarians who treat horses or food animals travel between their offices and farms and ranches. They work outdoors in all kinds of weather and may have to perform surgery, often in remote locations.

Veterinarians who work in food safety and inspection travel to farms, slaughterhouses, and food-processing plants to inspect the health of animals and to ensure that the facility follows safety protocols.

The work can be emotionally stressful, as veterinarians care for abused animals, euthanize sick ones, and offer support to the animals' anxious owners. Working on farms and ranches, in slaughterhouses, or with wildlife can also be physically demanding.

Injuries and Illnesses

When working with animals that are frightened or in pain, veterinarians risk being bitten, kicked, and scratched. In addition, veterinarians working with diseased animals risk being infected by the disease.

Work Schedules

Most veterinarians work full time, often working more than 40 hours per week. Some work nights or weekends, and they may have to respond to emergencies outside of scheduled work hours.

Veterinarians must have a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from an accredited veterinary college, as well as a state license.

Education

Veterinarians must complete a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD) degree at an accredited college of veterinary medicine. A veterinary medicine program generally takes 4 years to complete and includes classroom, laboratory, and clinical components.

Admission to veterinary programs is competitive. Most applicants to veterinary school have a bachelor's degree. Veterinary medical colleges typically require applicants to have taken many science classes, including biology, chemistry, and animal science. Most programs also require math, humanities, and social science courses.

Some veterinary medical colleges prefer candidates to have experience such as previous work with veterinarians in clinics, or working with animals on a farm, at a stable, or in an animal shelter.

In veterinary medicine programs, students take courses on animal anatomy and physiology, as well as disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Most programs include 3 years of classroom, laboratory, and clinical work. Students typically spend the final year of the 4-year program doing clinical rotations in a veterinary medical center or hospital.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Veterinarians must be licensed in order to practice in the United States. Licensing requirements vary by state, but prospective veterinarians in all states must complete an accredited veterinary program and pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination.

In addition to passing the national exam, most states require that veterinarians pass a state licensing exam. However, veterinarians employed by state or federal government may not need a state license, because government agencies differ in what they require.

Each state's exam covers its laws and regulations. Few states accept licenses from other states, so veterinarians usually must take exams for the states in which they want to be licensed.

The American Veterinary Medical Association has an Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) certification program, which allows foreign graduates to fulfill the educational prerequisites for licensure.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. Strong communication skills are essential for veterinarians, who must be able to discuss their recommendations and explain treatment options to animal owners and give instructions to their staff.

Compassion. Veterinarians must be compassionate when working with animals and their owners. They must treat animals with kindness and respect, and they must be sensitive when dealing with the animal owners.

Decision-making skills. Veterinarians must decide the correct method for treating the injuries and illnesses of animals.

Manual dexterity. Veterinarians must control their hand movements and be precise when treating injuries and performing surgery.

Problem-solving skills. Veterinarians need strong problem-solving skills because they must figure out what is ailing animals. Those who test animals to determine the effects of drug therapies also need excellent diagnostic skills.

Median annual wages, May 2019

The median annual wage for veterinarians was $95,460 in May 2019. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $58,080, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $160,780.

In May 2019, the median annual wages for veterinarians in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Social advocacy organizations

$97,010

Veterinary services

95,500

Government

90,500

Educational services; state, local, and private

80,800

Most veterinarians work full time, often working more than 40 hours per week. Some work nights or weekends, and they may have to respond to emergencies outside of scheduled work hours.

Employment of veterinarians is projected to grow 16 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Increases in consumers' pet-related spending are expected to drive employment in the veterinary services industry, which employs most veterinarians.

Veterinary medicine has advanced considerably. Today's veterinarians are able to offer many services that are comparable to healthcare for humans, including more complicated procedures such as cancer treatments and kidney transplants.

Job Prospects

Overall job prospects are expected to be very good.

Occupational Title

SOC Code

Employment, 2019

Projected Employment, 2029

Change, 2019-29

Employment by Industry

Percent

Numeric

Veterinarians

29-1131

89,200

103,400

16

14,200
Get data

Occupational Employment Statistics (OES)

The Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area.

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state's websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

For more information about careers in veterinary medicine, a list of U.S. schools and colleges of veterinary medicine, and information on accreditation policies, visit
American Veterinary Medical Association
For more information about veterinary education, visit
Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges
For information about the licensing exam, visit
International Council for Veterinary Assessment
O*NET
Veterinarians

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Video transcript available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVADsUt6474. Quick Facts: Veterinarians 2019 Median Pay $95,460 per year $45.90 per hour Veterinarians care for the health of animals and work to protect public health. Most veterinarians work in private clinics and hospitals. Others travel to farms or work in settings such as laboratories, classrooms, or zoos.

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The Colorado State Vet School Tuition for the 2021- 2022 school year ranges between $59,066 and $83,464, including books, health insurance, and housing
https://howigotintoveterinaryschool.com/csu-vet-school/

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Before getting into CSU vet school, Yoshua’s unique experiences helped shape him into a vet student that gained acceptance to 7 veterinary medical colleges. Find out why he ultimately chose to attend the vet school at Colorado State University.

The Colorado State Vet School Tuition for the 2021- 2022 school year ranges between $59,066 and $83,464, including books, health insurance, and housing.

The table below breaks down what the individual Colorado State vet school tuition costs are:

Sponsored Veterinary Student (must be a resident of Colorado for 12 continuous months) | $38,962
Non Sponsored CSU Veterinary Student (Non-Colorado resident) | $62,660

As you can see there is quite a difference in the individual Colorado State vet school tuition costs. The numbers above do not include costs like transportation, books, and housing.

Name, veterinary school attended, and year that you started.

Yoshua Goodman

Colorado State University (CSU vet school)

Fall 2019

While attending CSU vet school, who are the animals that you currently share your life with?

I currently have two dogs named Nick and Nacho. Nick is a German Shepherd Border Collie mix, and Nacho is a Jack Russel Terrier mix.

What has been the one textbook you have used the most in your CSU vet school classes so far?

Dyce, Veterinary Anatomy.

Do you think there were any specific experiences or items on your application that helped strengthen it for your acceptance into CSU veterinary school?

Nativ College Leadership Program in Israel – Nativ is a 9-month gap-year program in Israel between high school and college. I believe that this experience helped me stand out the most from other applicants. I split my time between living in Jerusalem and a youth village for underprivileged children in northern Israel. My job was to take care of the animals in the petting zoo and help in the town’s dairy farm. I worked with at-risk children to teach them English, how to care for animals, and my work ethic. This experience was life-changing, and I was able to add 500 hours of small animal exotic experience and 500 hours of dairy experience to my resume.

The Negev Zoo – During one of my winter breaks, I returned to Israel to volunteer at the Negev Zoo in Beer Sheba. I worked closely with the zookeepers to care for the animals and maintain the Zoo. I was also able to get hands-on exotic veterinary medicine experience when the Zoo Dr. visited. This experience added 100 hours of exotic experience to my resume. Volunteering in a zoo will help with learning how to become an exotic vet.

Boca Park Animal Hospital, Las Vegas, NV – Another essential part of my application was working at Boca Park Animal Hospital, a summer job with animals. I devoted all of my summer and winter vacations to working at BPAH. I gained about 1500 hours of hands-on small animal private practice experience as a Veterinary Assistant. This experience has contributed the most to the start of my veterinary career, and it allowed me to develop strong clinical skills. Dr. Caitlin Hill, Dr. John Ensign, and Dr. Regina Anderson have been invaluable mentors to me.

Language – I am fluent in Spanish, and through my experiences in Israel, I can speak, read, and write Hebrew intermediately. I was very fortunate to be raised in a Spanish-speaking household.

Where did you attend undergrad, and what was your major?

University of Connecticut – Double major – B.S. in Pathobiology & Animal Science

Did you apply for vet school after or during your Bachelor’s education?

During

Did you attend grad school?

No

What was your GRE score? It’s essential to learn the GRE test layout before embarking on your study plan.

Combined 76th percentile

At what age did you first apply to Colorado State University veterinary school?

22

How many schools/application cycles did you apply to before being accepted at CSU vet school? Were you waitlisted at any schools?

I applied to 9 schools, and I was extremely fortunate to be accepted to 7. I was waitlisted to 3 schools and ultimately accepted to 2 of the schools where I got on the waitlist. I chose to withdraw my application from the University of Pennsylvania. The only school that I was not accepted to was Ohio State University.

Nevada only funds 2 WICHE applicants per year. At first, I did not receive WICHE funding. Two months later, they notified me that someone had declined their funding, and I was fortunate to be the next recipient on the list. In Colorado, the CSU vet school converted their non-sponsored offer to a WICHE offer, and Washington State University called me to offer me a WICHE spot with a scholarship.

Colorado State University → Non-sponsored Acceptance → Acceptance to WICHE offer

Purdue University → Acceptance

University of Glasgow → Acceptance

Oregon State University → Acceptance

Midwestern University → Acceptance

Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine→ Waitlist → Acceptance due to WICHE offer

Iowa State University → Waitlist → Acceptance

University of Pennsylvania → Waitlist → Withdrawal of application

Ohio State University → Denied

How many schools invited you for an interview? How many of those gave you an acceptance letter?

Interview:

Colorado State University → Acceptance

Purdue University → Acceptance

University of Glasgow → Acceptance

Midwestern University → Acceptance

Washington State University → Waitlist → Acceptance

University of Pennsylvania → Waitlist → Withdrawal of application

Reasons For  Choosing A Vet School In Colorado

If you were accepted to more than one school, what were some reasons for your choice in the veterinary program at CSU?

Ever since I knew I wanted to become a veterinarian, I knew I wanted to go to CSU. Two of my mentors, Dr. John Ensign and Dr. Caitlin hill, are excellent veterinarians and CSU Rams. The CSU vet school is known for its hands-on clinical skills and communication curriculum, and it is not hard to understand why after working with them.

CSU is one of the pioneering leaders of innovation in veterinary medicine. Many of my professors are world-renown and leaders in their field. Furthermore, CSU has state-of-the-art facilities and equipment that have been extremely useful as a veterinary student. When I toured CSU, I knew that I would be given all of the resources I needed to become an outstanding veterinarian. Many schools that I toured had worn-down and outdated facilities.

Out of all of the schools, I was fortunate enough to visit, the vet school in Colorado was in the best location. Fort Collins is a wonderful city in one of the most beautiful parts of the country.

Do you remember any specifically challenging interview questions? What was your GPA (in undergraduate)?

I signed an NDA during many of my interviews, but I will share that my favorite interviews were CSU, Purdue, and Glasgow.

3.46

How many extracurricular activities did you list on your application?

I held leadership positions at the University of Connecticut Hillel, Huskies for Israel, and Sigma Alpha Mu.

Did you have any pre-veterinary internships in exotic, large, and small animal experiences before getting into the CSU veterinary school?

Exotic – 500 hours

Large Animal – 500 hours

Small Animal – 1500 hours

What types of paying jobs did you have before going to veterinary school in Colorado? Did you volunteer? If so, where?

Paid – Boca Park Animal Hospital

Volunteer – Nativ, The Negev Zoo, First 500 hours of BPAH

How many people read your personal statement before submitting it?

I hired a professional proofreader, and I think it is absolutely worth the investment.

When did you decide to become a vet?

I knew I wanted to become a veterinarian since I was a little kid! I was bullied heavily in middle school, and my best friend was my dog, Pancho. He had such a significant impact on my life that I decided to dedicate my life to saving animals.

Were you a member of any clubs at your undergraduate school? If so, which ones?

University of Connecticut Pre-Vet club, Hillel, Huskies for Israel, and Sigma Alpha Mu.

Did you join any student clubs at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine? If so, which ones? Were they helpful?

Student Government – Class of 2023 President

I co-founded the Jewish Association of Veterinary Students! We are the first, and only Jewish club at a SAVMA accredited veterinary school.

Surgical Association of Veterinary Students – I am interested in surgery, and there are not many surgical opportunities in the first-year curriculum. SAVS has some incredible wet labs that allow us to get hands-on experience as a first-year!

Veterinary Business Management Association – I am interested in business and want to open my own practice one day! VBMA offers excellent lectures and opportunities to network with others involved in the business side of veterinary medicine.

Who gave you your letters of recommendation? Did you know them well? Did you find the application process stressful? Why or why not?

My mentors from Boca Park Animal Hospital, Dr. John Ensign, Dr. Caitlin Hill, Dr. Regina Anderson, and Dr. Sandra Bushmich, wrote me a recommendation letter. Dr. Bushmich was my academic advisor at the University of Connecticut. She is now the Associate Dean of Academic Programs in the College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources.

I had a good relationship with everyone who wrote me a letter recommendation, and I still keep in contact with them. Dr. Caitlin Hill even came to my coating ceremony!

I found the application process extremely stressful because VMCAS gave me misleading information that caused my application to be late and un-verified to every school I had applied to. They admitted fault and added a note to the top of my application, but it was an extremely stressful time. I wrote a letter and mailed a copy to every school I applied to, explaining the situation, and fortunately, they still considered me an applicant.

Do you have any advice for students, once accepted?

Never forget the feeling you had when you were accepted. Think of that moment every time you go through a stressful time in school, and it will get you through.

Any study tips?

Work hard and learn from your mistakes! If you are struggling, there are so many resources; meet with your professor, go to tutoring sessions, and don’t be afraid to ask classmates for help! Veterinary school is a team effort. You must work with your classmates to get through it; you can’t do it on your own.

What have been some of your favorite classes within your DVM program at CSU vet school?

I’m fortunate to learn from some of the best veterinarians in the field. Here are some of my favorites professors at my vet school in Colorado.

Dr. Anna Fails has been the anatomy professor at CSU for 20 years. I look forward to her classes every day; she is absolutely fantastic!

Dr. Ray Whalen teaches neuroanatomy, and he is brilliant.

Dr. Laura Ballweber teaches parasitology, a notoriously difficult course. She has never deferred a question in class because she did not know the answer.

Dr. Gary Mason teaches Biology of Disease and gives excellent lectures. I was a Pathobiology major at Uconn, and I love classes about the disease.

Challenging Classes At The CSU Veterinary School

What has been the most challenging class in your DVM program at CSU vet school so far?

Parasitology, Virology, and Bacteriology.

As a student, did you have to take out loans for your education? If so, are you concerned about the amount of debt you will have after graduation?

I am incredibly fortunate to be an NV WICHE recipient because I am much better off financially than many of my classmates. That being said, I am still concerned about the amount of debt I will have after graduation.

Is there anything in particular about your DVM program or the school itself that you like?

My favorite part about CSU is that the faculty are incredibly supportive and are actually there for you. When I did not pass my first anatomy exam, Dr. Fails emailed me, and we scheduled a time to meet. We spoke for about an hour, and that’s when I realized that the faculty really care about our well-being. I was given the extra push I needed, and I noticed that the anatomy instructors were spending more time at my lab table. Dr. Fails motivated me to do better, and I was ecstatic to receive above-average grades on the final three exams!

Does your CSU veterinary school offer study/review sessions held by upper-class students?

Every course has tutors with weekly review sessions held by upper-class students. You can create some anatomy flashcards during these review sessions. If you are struggling with a class, the dean will contact you to provide you with a one-on-one tutor for your struggling course.

At this point, do you think you will have a specialty?

I am currently thinking about specializing in small animal soft tissue surgery or neurology. Our professors are so incredible that every semester I am forced to think about a different specialty!

Do you work a paid job while attending the  CSU vet med school? If not, did you know of anyone who did?

I’m very fortunate not to have to work a paid job during school. One of my classmates is an MBA DVM student who takes night classes to fulfill his MBA requirements and has two small children at home. He works full time on the weekends, and I have no idea how he does it!

Do you have any last words of wisdom?

Nothing can prepare you for veterinary school. The important thing is to take care of yourself. Do this by going on a hike, and take in a breath of fresh air.  It is OK to get a B or a C; you’re still going to be a Doctor!

How can people find you? (Social media or email)

I’m a CSU DVM ambassador, and I’m always more than happy to answer questions about the program! Yoshua.Goodman@colostate.edu

My LinkedIn and Facebook are under Yoshua Goodman

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One Students Journey to Becoming a CSU Vet School Student

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Dive right into this in-depth interview with Joshua, on how he got into 7 veterinary medical schools. Actionable tips you can rally around and use!

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- arrive at clinic
- tend to hospitalized patients
- the day may include administering medications, radiographs, change bandages, assist in exams, perform laboratory procedures, place catheters, monitor colic cases, perform anesthesia surgeries, prep injection sites, client communication

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/equine-veterinarian-1257

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 “many science classes, including biology, chemistry, and animal science, also math, humanities, and social science courses”(How to Become a Veterinarian)

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 “many science classes, including biology, chemistry, and animal science, also math, humanities, and social science courses”(How to Become a Veterinarian)

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Bloohm, H. (2014, September 19). Equine vet. Smore. Retrieved June 2, 2022, from https://www.smore.com/kg0uy-equine-vet

Kramer, M. H. (2018, December 30). What is an equine veterinarian? The Balance Careers. Retrieved June 2, 2022, from https://www.thebalancecareers.com/equine-veterinarian-125796

Navarra, K. (2018, October 11). Who are today's equine vets? EquiManagement. Retrieved June 2, 2022, from https://equimanagement.com/articles/who-are-todays-equine-vets/#:~:text=According%20to%20AAEP%20membership%20records,highest%20number%20of%20equine%20veterinarians

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022, April 18). Veterinarians : Occupational Outlook Handbook. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved June 2, 2022, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/veterinarians.htm#tab-4

Vetschool. (2022, January 21). One students journey to becoming a CSU vet school student. How I Got Into Vet School. Retrieved June 2, 2022, from https://howigotintoveterinaryschool.com/csu-vet-school/

https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/to-health-schools/veterinarian-rankings

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https://time.com/5670965/veterinarian-suicide-help/#:~:text=A%20survey%20of%20more%20than,ideation%20since%20leaving%20veterinary%20school.

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Dr. Will McCauley had just finished his shift at a small Dallas animal clinic when he went home, fed his pet pot-bellied pig and then held a loaded handgun to his head.

The 33-year-old veterinarian was wracked with student debt and worn down by the daily demands at work, which included euthanizing dogs and cats and being vilified by pet owners for not meeting their expectations. “I was tired in this miserable state of mind,” he says. “It just drained me so much.” For reasons he attributes to either fear or hope, McCauley didn’t kill himself that summer day in 2016, and he quit his job later that week and stopped practicing.

“I knew I had to make a change,” McCauley says. “I was dead on the inside.”

Suicide Rates Are Rising In Nearly Every State, CDC Says

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The job challenges that more than 70,000 veterinarians in the U.S. face have led to disproportionately high suicide rates, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nearly 400 veterinarians died by suicide between 1979 and 2015, according to a CDC study published in January that analyzed more than 11,000 veterinarian death records in that timeframe. The study also found that female veterinarians are up to 3.5 times more likely to kill themselves than members of the general population. “It really can be classified as an epidemic in my profession,” says McCauley, who is now 36 and working for a trade association in Washington, D.C.

Suicide rates are increasing in nearly every demographic, age group and geographic area, and they are the highest they’ve been since World War II, according to federal data. While researchers have long known that doctors are more likely to die by suicide than the general population—partially due to issues like depression, anxiety and burnout—veterinarians face a set of unique stressors. Their patients can’t speak or tell them what’s wrong, much like babies can’t communicate with their doctors. But unlike pediatricians, veterinarians frequently find themselves having to euthanize a patient with a treatable injury or illness because its caretaker can’t afford the remedy, which might include costly surgeries. “You can say you’re going to be stoic and put it out of your mind and say it’s part of being a veterinarian,” says McCauley, an animal lover who has a dog and a cat in addition to his pig, “but the reality is over time, that weighs on you.”

Some vets are also tasked with putting down large groups of otherwise healthy animals due to overcrowding at shelters, although a recent New York Times analysis found pet euthanasia rates have drastically fallen in big cities in recent years, partially due to the decrease in the number of stray animals entering shelters as a result of successful spay and neutering campaigns.

"It's not all puppies and kittens and wonderful experiences. There's a lot of pain involved."

Dr. Nicole McArthur, a 46-year-old veterinarian in Rocklin, Calif., left the profession twice because of the agony she felt after killing an animal. “There was a period of time when I was essentially Dr. Death,” she says, adding that she’d sometimes have to put down three pets a day. “At the time, I was like, somebody is punishing me for something I’ve done in another life.” The dreams she had to help animals as an aspiring veterinarian quickly clashed with the harsh reality of having to take their lives even when they could have been surgically treated. She quit the field most recently in 2013 and returned in 2015. “We go through veterinary school with the idea that we’re going to save lives,” McArthur says. “To have to turn around and push a plunger is difficult.”

Another soul-crushing aspect of the job that most other health professionals don’t have to deal with, veterinarians say, is constantly being asked to perform services or give out medications for free and then being cyberbullied or harassed if they don’t. In 2018, Americans spent more than $72 billion on their pets, and more than $18 billion was for vet care, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), a trade group. While some pet insurance plans may ease sudden expenses, only a small portion of pet owners opt to buy it. Pets live in nearly 85 million homes in the U.S., but only 2 million pets were insured in 2018, industry figures show. McCauley says he’d be asked to waive vet fees at least once a day. “When you’re not able to offer those free services and medications, you turn into the bad guy. They go online and they make you into the devil because you didn’t treat their cat for free,” he says. “It’s a horrible position that veterinarians are put in.” A 2014 survey by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) found one in five veterinarians were either cyberbullied by pet owners, who would write nasty reviews online or threaten their business, or knew a colleague who had been. “We have this tremendous fear that the mob is going to come after us online,” McArthur says.

There are also financial struggles, particularly for young people entering the field. Veterinary students in the U.S. graduated in 2018 with an average of $150,000 in debt, according to the AVMA. Yet data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the median annual wage for veterinarians in 2018 was $93,830, and starting salaries are significantly much lower. When Dr. Molly McAllister, 43, of Portland, Oregon, first entered the field in 2004, she took a veterinarian job for $22,000 a year with $90,000 in debt from just veterinary school. “I was really well-educated on how to take care of animals. I was not well-educated on how to take care of myself,” she says.

While there is never a single cause of suicide, the myriad of risk factors can add up. A survey of more than 11,000 U.S. veterinarians in 2014 found 9% had current serious psychological distress, 31% had experienced depressive episodes, and 17% had experienced suicidal ideation since leaving veterinary school. The data suggests nearly one in 10 U.S. veterinarians might suffer from serious psychological distress, yet only half are seeking help, says Dr. Jen Brandt, the AVMA’s director of wellbeing and diversity initiatives. Now, industry leaders are trying to change that.

On Thursday, during National Suicide Prevention Week, Banfield Pet Hospital, one of the nation’s largest employers of veterinary professionals, announced a new training and awareness program for its more than 17,000 workers as well as a plan to close more than 1,000 of its clinics nationwide for a two-hour workshop to discuss mental health by early next year. As part of the training, Banfield is launching a 30-minute online course that teaches employees how to recognize warning signs of suicide among colleagues and the best ways to help them. The training course, which begins with a self assessment, will be available free online for anyone in the veterinary industry by Jan. 6, 2020.

Lisa Stewart-Brown, a clinical social worker who developed the training, says she hopes the widespread discussions will help break the stigma associated with talking about mental health and offer at least one solution to a complex and multifaceted problem. “If we can teach people what it looks like when someone is in emotional distress, and we can teach them how to break through and connect with that person emotionally and compassionately and lead them to professional help, I know we will help,” she says. “It’s not all puppies and kittens and wonderful experiences. There’s a lot of pain involved.”

Banfield’s program is one of many being designed for struggling veterinarians and being implemented across veterinary hospitals, schools and communities nationwide. The AVMA also offers a similar free one-hour online training course that helps veterinarians identify and refer at-risk colleagues. Tens of thousands of veterinarians have also found solace in Facebook support groups. In 2014, McArthur, the California vet who struggled with euthanasia, founded Not One More Vet, an online veterinary support group, days after the suicide of Sophia Yin, a popular and pioneering veterinarian who specialized in animal behaviors. Friends and colleagues have said that Yin, 48, who lived in California, may have been overwhelmed with personal and financial struggles and may have had trouble maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Her death had a ripple effect in the veterinary world and sparked widespread discussions about mental health and self-care. “She was the epitome of what we all strive to be—professional, put together, well-respected, intelligent and seemingly happy,” McArthur says. “To find out that she felt there was no other escape was very sad and shocking to me.”

Not One More Vet now has more than 16,000 veterinarian members worldwide, mostly from the U.S., which McArthur says signals the growing need for help. “There is so much comfort in knowing that you are not alone,” she says.

If you or someone you know may be contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. In emergencies, call 911, or seek care from a local hospital or mental health provider.

Contact us at letters@time.com.

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Veterinarians Face Unique Issues That Make Suicide One Of The Profession's Big Worries

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"It's not all puppies and kittens." The people who care for our pets deal with pressures that makes the job unusually stressful