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ILoveKettleChips said:Very true words Lida ... although here in the UK it is expected that prospective students have worked with a wide range of animals and have references to show for it before applying - these references are considered during the application process and IMO are vital for gaining entry. Most of the applicants will have the necessary academic qualifications anyway, and this practical experience (plus being able to talk a good line at interview!) is what interviewers use to differentiate between the applicants. But yes, this line of work is vocational and some people are not cut out for it despite 'ticking all the boxes'.Seraphina said:I do not know what is the situation over in the UK but in here to get to Vet school you need higher marks than to get into medicine, unfortunately having a practical experience with animals is not necessary. I have met many city vets who did not keep animals. I once asked lovely but infuriatingly impractical vet why did he go into veterinary science. He said that it was the most prestigious field to get into, i asked if he ever had a pet to which he replied: "No, but I always thought animals were sort of nice". (w00t) :unsure: We have to realise that the theory taught in schools is the up to date knowledge (more or less), but this is not static, it is evolving. It is not so long ago that "bleeding" was considered the cure for just about everything. It was stopped sometime ago together with other practices such as leaches and maggots. However in recent years the maggots are coming back in the "fashion" and are ery successfully used for treating an open wound infection not responding to antibiotics.
I think it is important for old vets to be openminded and to accept new research and young vets to also accept that some things they were taught in the vet school may also be proven not %100 right. And there are things which just cannot be taught, they come with hands on experience.
Lida
I should have said; "to get to vet school, having a practical experience with animals WAS not necessary" . I do hope that things are changing here as well. I know it is so in medicine, in the past good marks were all what was needed but for some years now, at least some universities look for students who have good people skills and who genuianly care about helping people rather than hoping to make lots of money.
Lida
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