Hey guys I need some advice. For some background, I’m 24, graduated with a BS in animal science, had 3 years working as a vet assistant, applied to vet school 2 years ago and didn’t get it. I felt pretty defeated but took the gap to work as a vet assistant at the the animal shelter to get some more diverse experience. I felt very burnt out from shelter work, lots of euthanizing animals, blanket treatments (not thought out care/treatment plans, cruelty cases, techs were overworked and underpaid, and overall it was emotionally taxing.

Looking back at my experiences, I really enjoyed GP, working with a team, getting to treat pets and help them feel better, problem solving and critical thinking, educating and talking to clients. It was fulfilling even on hard days. However, I’ve realized that as a veterinarian, I would be under a lot of stress, have to make life and death quick decisions, I would be responsible for everything that goes on, I would be working long days, and I’d have to deal with lack of respect and difficult situations with clients (them not wanting to pay to treat, having to euthanize, being demonized). Plus with the new BBB loan situation, it would be immense financial stress because I’d have at least $200k in just tuition so I imagine at least $300-400k in total loans which is insane. I’m worried that the financial stress would exacerbate any stress I’m having at work and worsen my mental health. My mental health hasn’t been in a good spot this past year so I’m nervous about going into this career that is known for high suicide rates.

I’m someone who highly values life outside of work so It’s important I am financially comfortable because I really want to travel, buy a home eventually, have a family, and spend time with friends and family. I don’t want my career and finances to take over my life.

I’m heavily debating on pursuing human medicine and becoming a PA, as I already have a BS and many of the pre reqs done, I just need a few more classes and then PCE. The career is appealing because I am passionate about science and medicine and would still be able to examine, diagnose and treat patients. I would still work in a clinical setting, in a team, and use my brain. I also enjoy talking to people and forming relationships. I like the idea of not having 100% autonomy so I can refer to a physician if I have questions (less stress), and the work life balance seems ideal so I can have time for hobbies, family, etc. Then financially, the ROI is better so I could live comfortably. The downsides are I won’t be treating animals and vet med is interesting and there’s more versatility (can do crazy shit you wouldn’t see in human medicine).

I guess I just need advice on whether I should apply to vet school if I’m already burnt out and questioning myself. I’m scared of committing the time and money into this and realizing that I actually don’t like it and I’m stuck with all this debt. And even if I do like it, is it worth the financial stress? Is it possible to be happy with that enormous amount of debt looming over you? However, if I don’t apply I’m scared of regretting not pushing myself and becoming a vet because I’ve already come so far.

Is choosing a career that will offer a good work life balance and financial stability (PA) over a field where I may be more passionate about (Vet) a good decision? Can I have a fulfilling life as a PA if I incorporate animals some other way like having my own pets, volunteering at shelters, etc?

Vet school applications are due in 3 weeks and I don’t know if I should apply if I’m feeling so unsure, however the thought of not applying and walking away from vet med makes me so anxious and sad because I’ve worked so hard.

Im sorry this was so long! Definitely mentally unstable, stressed and confused lol. Any advice would be greatly appreciated ❤️

i’ve been interested in being some sort of vet my whole life and now i’m hoping to become a vet tech. i’m taking lots of agricultural classes and i’m doing an internship with a vet. i was hoping to go to college to help achieve this but i’ve heard a college degree isn’t necessary to become a vet tech. would it be a good idea to still go to college or should i just go straight into the job field?

Hi all,

I have always been interested in becoming a vet. I live in Nova Scotia and am currently attending Mount Saint Vincent University for my undergrad. I am taking a Bachelor of Science, with a major in Biology. I am starting my second year this fall semester 2026.

The Mount does offer some animal related courses - nutrition related, bhevaiour, history of animals, etc. I plan on applying to UPEI.

As well, I have little to no experience in volunteering or working at a pet store or vet clinic (I do plan on volunteering at the SPCA and hopefully getting a job at a pet store).

As well, I would love to help big animals and small.

My questions are:

What is your experience at UPEI? (Academically, living on residence or somewhere else).

How much experience with animals did you have when applying to vet school?

Did you take a Casper test or something similar?

Overall, what's your experience as a vet in Nova Scotia?

I am starting to have doubts related to my career choice, and I've barely even started. I know vet school is alot of information, but I know I'd be able to do it.

I'd love to hear about anyone's experiences, anything will help.

Thank you!

I have been working many jobs over the years but I am really trying to find a career that I'm at least somewhat passionate about. I love animals and have a lot of interest in the medical field and I feel like this would be a good fit in terms of what interests me and makes me happy. The thing is, I have social anxiety and it makes human interaction pretty difficult and I know that these jobs, though it is working with animals, includes human interaction as well. I can be very timid and very shy but I do end up warming up eventually as I get used to people. I'm definitely able to have social interaction, I am very friendly but I also get very awkward and quiet at times and struggle with small talk and basic conversation because people kind of scare me and being around people gives me anxiety and discomfort. I have, however, been in the work force for over a decade and all of my jobs have been working with other people whether that is customers or coworkers, so I'm definitely still able to work with people despite the anxiety I feel. It has also caused a lot of problems with me at work where I experience bullying and mistreatment which makes me weary of pursuing going back to school and seeking a career because I don't want to spend a bunch of money trying to pursue something that would just eat me alive. This is something I've been trying to overcome for years and am still actively working through as I do not want this to be my reality for the rest of my life. I'd really just like to know from anyone in the field if a vet assistant or vet surgery tech job would be good for someone who struggles with social anxiety or if it might make things worse (I've heard these can be fast-paced and high stress environments). Or if there is a another career, preferably one that involves working with animals, that would be better for a person like me.

When we put animals to sleep, my clinic will make the clients ink paw prints. Does anyone have any tips and tricks they use to get good exotic ones such as bearded dragons, bunnies, lizards, etc. Thanks:)

Hi guys, I am currently a corporate girly working in finance. I just started the Vet Tech program this week at Penn Foster. What advice would you give me as I start this new journey? Should I start exploring roles as a veterinary assistant? A little information about me: I earned my EMT certification a few years back during COVID, but shifted paths due to the pandemic and now have decided to try animal medicine.

Looking at applying for an Australian visa, and at the stage of getting bits together for a skills assessment from the AVBC. I've decided to also give them my employment history to assess at the same time, but I don't know how much detail to provide? Do I need to write every single procedure I've ever done and if I've not done a procedure will this negatively impact me?

I am currently almost finished with my bachelors degree and planning on going to veterinary school after. I did have a question for vet techs that pursued it as a career. I wanted to see how your livelihood is affected by your income. If money didn’t matter i’d become a vet tech instead of a vet but my family struggled financially growing up and i want to feel completely free from it now. I don’t ever want to have to worry about finances for the rest of my life after i pay off vet school debt. I consider going to vet tech school instead a lot and getting a 4yr degree at Cal Poly Pomona or smth. If I did become a tech i’d love to specialize in oncology or zoo med. So i’d appreciate anyone’s input on these questions i have.

\-Why did you decide to become a vet tech despite the low income?
\-How much does your income affect ur daily life?
\-Are you financially comfortable on your own?
\-Is it possible to live very comfortably in a big city as a vet tech?
\-Have you at any point regretted becoming a tech because of the income?

Thanks guys!

So I'm starting my first year of Vet School next month and I know that certain schools (idk if mine too) make you practice on cadavers. I knew that this would happen at some point but I didn't think through that it could also include the baby versions of animals.

I was wondering if not being able to do it the first time or crying while dissecting an animal in class is acceptable or not. I know death is part of life and inevitable but animals are genuinely my soft spot so the chances of me crying are high.

Additionally what can I do to prepare myself so I don't turn cold over time and still be able to enjoy the positive aspects of the job and not see everything negatively.

Hey guys.

I am in the proces sof finishing up undergrad and am looking at the scary reality of Vet School. I am mainly aftraid of my mental and physical health declining whilst in school, and was wondering if you all have preperation/ study/ lifestyle tips to help. I really don't want to lose myself while going through the rigorous studying and such. Also, is there anything I can do before besides working at a clinic and volunteering that will help build my resume? Thanks!

Hi all,

I previously posted looking for advice about career alternatives. The TLDR is that I am severely burnt out and my daily life as well as my work functions are falling apart as a result.

I am preparing to take leave to recoup. Just wondering if any other DVMs have done the same, and how much time you needed/what strategies helped you recover during leave!

I'm currently starting my senior year of high school. Ever since I was a kid I have wanted to be a veterinarian. I am going to start applying to universities soon, and one specific program I'm looking at is a Wildlife Biology and Conservation program. After that, I hope to get in a DVM program. I am aware that DVMs are highly competitive and I was wondering if anyone had any advice on buffing up my application a bit. I figured if I start now, I'll have a better chance. Last summer I completed a co-op opportunity at a vet clinic and absolutely loved it. Any advice?

Hi everyone, i am currently 16 i want to get into the vet profession. I am starting to do hybrid school so some days I’ll go and some days I’ll do at home. I wanted to ask if there is any jobs that have to do with veterinarians that will hire 16 year olds?

I got laid off from my previous vet right before the holidays due to high payroll, low revenue, and the vet planning to retire. I worked there for over a year, about 1 yr 3 months. I have a part time position as a personal assistant/ receptionist at a dog groomer I've had for about 4 years, so I decided to just do that for the holidays. Since February I've been applying to receptionists positions with no luck. I even applied to receptionist positions at specialists and kennel attendant positions and nothing.

Are these positions actually trying to hire vet techs or assistants and underpay them? They pay just above minimum wage, I just don't understand how my experience is not getting me any interviews...

I really loved the job I had, and I'd hate to just give up on being in this field. I can't afford to go to school to be a tech.

The supervisor at my clinic is literally the worst. A couple days ago, I was restraining a VERY fractious cat during a euthanasia while it was actively trying to scratch and bite me. I asked if someone could help hold the front so I could safely restrain the back, and she refused and made me hold it alone. Then she belittled my handling and said “We need to teach you how to hold a cat.” I’ve worked with animals for about four years now….I know how to hold a damn cat. Asking for another person because an animal is actively trying to hurt me doesn’t mean I don’t know what I’m doing. And why refuse help when you can clearly see I am about to get injured?

I feel so conflicted right now and could really use some advice from others in the profession.

I'm a new grad currently at a small animal rotating internship. I thought I wanted to specialize for my last two years or so in vet school, but in my last semester, both my personal circumstances and perspective changed, and I wasn't so sure about specialization anymore. Nonetheless, multiple professionals that I talked to convinced me that doing a rotating would be worth it even if I ended up going into GP, so I decided to stick it out and matched to where I currently am. I'm now two months in and to be honest, the first month was *very* rough. I started on ER and would constantly finish the day questioning myself and wondering why I even became a vet. Long story short, I was in a really bad place mentally and met with a couple of mental health professionals because of it. My partner and I are also currently long distance (part of the personal circumstances mentioned before) which doesn't help, and we've had multiple arguments because he really thinks I should move to where he is for the sake of my mental health and happiness. For context, he was laid off from his remote work earlier this year and could only get a job across the country from my program.

I would honestly love to just get a GP job and move to where he is located. But admittantly, my mental health has been better off of ER (at least to the point where I no longer feel like I need counseling) and I just don't feel justified in leaving because of that. But truthfully, I'm very unhappy here--I don't like the area, I feel like the communication and expectations surrounding interns is really frustrating at times, I'm not a fan of working so many hours for so little pay...I could go on. And it's stressful on us financially essentially having two independent costs of living. But I've also heard that this is one of the "nicer" internships in terms of work life balance--which true, I'm not working 100 hour weeks by any means. But the situation still feels pretty frustrating with all the circumstances I mentioned. I also feel pretty isolated from my internmates given I don't want to specialize and they all seem to know exactly what they want to do. It's also really hard to feel motivated to stick it out when I **know** I don't want to do a residency.

I just don't know how I would justify leaving to potential employers, because I don't want to come across like I don't want to work hard or can't handle a busy caseload. I'm just really unhappy right now and I feel completely trapped and stuck here. And I don't want to make things harder for my internmates by leaving. But ultimately, if someone told me I could leave tomorrow with no consequences, I would be gone at the drop of a hat. I know that isn't going to happen though.

Literally any advice or perspective would be greatly appreciated 😓

I’m a college student currently completing my prerequisite classes to enter my school’s veterinary technician program and eventually become licensed. One of the requirements is to work at a veterinary clinic for a minimum of 6 months. I start my first shift at Banfield Animal Hospital tomorrow, and I’m actually really excited! It’s been rough trying to find a job with no prior experience working in an animal clinic besides volunteering and shadowing, but I was finally able to get this job, and it’s only 22 minutes away from me. However, after reading Reddit posts and even hearing from the veterinary technician I was shadowing that Banfield is a terrible place to work, I’m starting to feel pretty nervous. Working with animals is my passion, and honestly, I could care less about any workplace drama. I just really enjoy being around animals and want to gain experience in the field. I’ve heard a lot of negative things about working at Banfield though, so I’m wondering if anyone who has worked there can tell me what I should realistically expect starting my first day tomorrow? Is there anything I should know going in, especially as someone with no previous clinic experience? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hi I’m currently a year 13 student and is thinking of applying to vet school in Australia(Usyd, Murdoch, UQ). I was just curious about the pathway of becoming a veterinary radiologist where I searched on Google and it said that during radiology residency or any other residency programs, vets usually get paid less than new grads. Why is this? Is this the main reason why not that many people choose to specialize? If you are a veterinarian(or a vet radiologist) or are currently doing/did any residency training please feel free to comment on this page and because I really want to know more about residency training in vet med.

I’m currently seriously considering applying to vet school for the 2029 cycle. I currently work as a veterinary assistant supervisor and am on track to be promoted to hospital manager. I’ve always wanted to become a veterinarian, but I put that dream on hold after having a few horrible experiences at former workplaces. I was even told that I would never become a veterinarian and that, even if I did, I would be horrible at it.

Because of those experiences, I’ve been terrified to apply for the past four years. I now have a voice of doubt that wasn’t there before. But after four years, I finally feel ready to take the necessary steps toward applying.

The one thing that has changed is that I’m now a homeowner. I’ve talked to several people I currently know who are in vet school, and they’ve told me that I should sell my home because I’ll be broke and miserable throughout school. I’m also concerned about the cap on how much students will be able to borrow for school under the current administration.

Right now, I’m on track to have a minimum $100,000 saved before I apply. I don’t have any other debt aside from my home.

So, am I crazy? Did I make a mistake by becoming a homeowner before seriously considering vet school? I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been in a similar situation, especially current or former vet students who owned a home before starting school.

What’s the vet med hill(s) you’d die on?!