MASTERING THE VETERINARY SCHOOL APPLICATION THROUGH THE INTERNET

MASTERING THE VETERINARY SCHOOL APPLICATION THROUGH THE INTERNET FEBRUARY 9, 2016 LIA RANALLI

Table of Contents 1 - Introduction p. 2 1.1 What is in the Guide? 1.2 Who is this Guide for? 1.3 What this Guide Assumes p. 3 1.4 Organization of this Guide 1.5 for Using this Guide 2 - Undergraduate Help p. 4 2.1 istudy for Success! p. 5 2.2 PetMED: Pet Health and Nutrition information p. 6 2.3 Student Doctor Network (sdn) p. 7 3 - Interview Resources P. 8 3.1 Science Daily P. 9 3.2 AHPC: The Animal Health & Production Compendium P. 10 3.3 Journal of Veterinary Medicine P. 11 3.4 Catalog of U.S. Government Publications P. 12 Page 1

Section 1: Introduction 1.1 What is in the Guide? Within this guide are internet resources that will help the user become the best candidate for veterinary school. These internet sources will aid the user in his or her application process by helping to achieve higher test scores, know the current events, and know any terms that may pop up during an interview. This guide takes special care to find the best resources for the applicant s use. The process of being accepted into veterinary school is hard and stressful. Creating a well-rounded application with a good GPA, excellent knowledge of the current news, and the specific field of choice (small animal v. large animal v. equine) early makes this process easier overall. 1.2 Who is this Guide for? This guide is for anyone in pursuing an undergraduate degree in Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Animal Science, Biology or any other major at Penn State interested in applying to veterinary school. You do not have to be a pre-vet major to apply to veterinary school. As long as you meet the academic criteria, you can still apply. This guide can also help those at Penn State who are looking to apply to medical school as well. Though the application process differs, most of the process and requirements are the same. While this guide can help pre-meds, it is not aimed at them and they should use the guide as a tool, not a primary source. This guide is aimed at Penn State students because some of the resources require a Penn State student ID to have full, unlimited access. Page 2

1.3 What the Guide Assumes Users Know This guide assumes the user has access to the internet. Without access to the internet, this guide is not as effective. This guide also assumes the reader knows this guide is a guide. This is not the only tool out there to use and should be used in conjunction with other tools. Another assumption is that the user has a real interest in veterinary school and the field of veterinary medicine. As mentioned before, this process is stressful and no one who has a half-hearted interested should pursue this field. The last two assumptions are that the user has an undergraduate intellect and attends Penn State. As stated above, some of the resources require the user to have a Penn State ID to have unlimited access. 1.4 How the Guide is organized for use The organization of this guide is outlined in the Table of Contents on the first page. The resources are broken up into three sections. The first section (starting after the introduction) has resources pertaining to earning good grades, the second section contains resources directed towards the interview process, and the last section pertains to learning about different fields and job opportunities within the field. Many people think that after veterinary schools, the applicant opens his or her own practice. This is not true. There are many careers a person with a DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) degree can pursue. 1.5 for using the Guide At the end of each resource, there are tips on how to use each one. Read these tips for extra help. Also, use the Table of Contents for quick access to the resources you need right away. As stated before, this guide should be used alongside other resources, such as an academic advisor. The guide only references a few resources available to those apply to veterinary school. This guide aims to help the user find a good place to start the entire process. Page 3

Section 2: Undergraduate Help This section provides three resources to help with improving grades and obtaining a high GPA. The first is a study tool website created by Penn State to help Penn State students. The second is a website that contains an online dictionary. The classes required for the Veterinary Medicine major contain many vocabulary words that the student is required to know. This website can help by providing the term s definition. The third and last resource under this section is a student forum. This forum allows students to post questions and receive answers to help the student figure out the best course of action. Grades, GPA, and shadowing experience are the most important part of the application. The average GPA for schools varies from 3.5 to 3.8. Use these resources for help with increasing a low GPA. Page 4

2.1 istudy for Success! Type: Study Help URL: http://istudy.psu.edu/ Access: Free istudy for Success is a website containing tutorials to help users learn how to take better notes and grades. There are also tutorials available for life skills and career skills. This tool is useful to students because if they notice they are failing in a certain area of school, they can turn to these tutorials. High school is far different than college so taking notes is going to be different as well. To address this area, watch the tutorial on how to take better notes. Not only will taking notes need to change, but also the way the user studies. To improve study habits, address the study tips tutorial. If test taking anxiety is a problem, there a tutorial addressing this issue too. There are also other links given on other ways to tackle anxiety and where on campus you can go to get additional help. Veterinary schools look at the applicant s GPA first. The applicant s GPA can either make or break them so it is important to develop good skills in this area as early as possible. These tutorials are videos. Make sure you have headphones if you are in a quiet area. If you cannot find the help you need here, form study groups or talk to any of the following personnel: o TAs o Professors o Advisor Page 5

2.2 PetMED: Pet Health and Nutrition information Type: Online Medical Terminology Dictionary URL: http://www.petmd.com/veterinaryterms Access: Free PetMD is a website approved by veterinarians that provides health terms and more. There is an extended search area to the left of the site where you can select the type of animal you are focusing on such as dog or cat. After the species is picked, the information can then be sorted into breeds, e.g. dog golden retriever. Another nice feature is the information can be sorted into one of the following categories: diseases, pet care center, topic center, or vet dictionary. This website can also be used as an online dictionary for medical terms and procedures. Every class in the veterinary major requires knowing certain vocabulary terms. Sometimes, the term the professor provides is not detailed enough or is too confusing. Use this site to clear away any haziness from lecture. Some medical procedures are not discussed in detail. This site is also useful for providing the definition of the procedure as well as what the procedure entails. This website is free and anyone can access it whether you are a pet owner or a veterinarian. There is an option to register with the site but registering is not necessary. There is even the option to chat with someone online through the site. If the answer is not provided, then use the chat to ask a real person in real time. Use this dictionary for any terms are presented class that are unknown or confusing. Use this dictionary as a word of the day tool to learn terms every day. Still having problems with the definition? Use the chat tool under ASK PETMED to talk to a veterinarian who can narrow down the information. Page 6

2.3 Student Doctor Network (sdn) Type: Student Forum URL: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forums/pre-veterinary.73/ Access: Free, though need account to create a post This website is a non-profit forum designed to help students become doctors. Students of any age or any range of degree (undergrad, grad, or postgrad) can create posts on this page to either give advice or seek advice. An account is needed to post a thread or to reply to someone else s post. This forum allows aspiring veterinarians to connect with each other. Many people have the same questions or concerns. Use this forum to address any concerns that may pop up, such as if the lower level of organic chemistry is sufficient enough or any qualms about the interview process. Most students have problems in the same areas. This website resource can help the applicant to connect with others who either succeeded or failed and why they either succeeded or failed. You may struggle in organic chemistry and that is okay. Use this forum to see what resources there are to improve your understanding and therefore improve your grades. Your options are not limited to just the Pre-Veterinary forum. Use the search bar located at the top right corner to search for other key words. There is also a Pre- Medical forum that is available. Register with the site so you have the ability to make a comment or a post. Do not be afraid to post your own thoughts. These members are going through the same process. If you find these answers are not sufficient, talk to your advisor Page 7

Section 3: Interview Resources This section provides different resources to aid you in the interview process. During the interview process, the panel of veterinarians and the admissions board will ask you different questions. These questions can range from current events to different techniques that will be used as a vet. The interview is the hardest part of the entire application. Until this point, you are only a piece of paper and a GPA. Use this section to help build your fountain of current knowledge so you can ace the interview. The interview will either make or break you. Page 8

3.1 Science Daily Type: News Source URL: main site - http://www.sciencedaily.com/ URL: veterinary news - http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/veterinary_medicine/ Access: Free Science Daily is an online news source. Current scientific events are reported and published on this site. The site covers discoveries in the fields of physical, biological, earth and applied studies. There are also videos and images available. There are tabs at the top of the website that allow you to narrow your search down further. Some of these tabs are health, enviro (environment), and tech (technology). The second provided link gives access to current articles in the field of veterinary medicine/ animal health. This is important because veterinarians, like doctors, need to remain up-to-date with the advancing world. The people interviewing you during the application process will ask for your opinion on current issues. They will be asking you current event questions such as How do you feel about animal cloning? It is important to do research on current events so at the time of the interview process, you will be prepared when they start asking questions. Stick to more current news. These are the questions the interviewers will ask. Think outside the box. The questions will be more medical based. The will probably ask about a new procedure rather than the recognition of a new breed of dog. Use the search bar to find specific news articles. Page 9

3.2 AHPC: The Animal Health & Production Compendium Type: Online Database URL: http://www.cabi.org.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/ahpc/about/ Access: Free. Full Access through Penn State University AHPC is a multimedia tool that brings together different types of science-based information. This information aids with decision-making in animal husbandry and food production. This information is sourced from experts and is edited by independent scientific organizations. The AHPC is part of a series of collections covering animal and plant production and pests and disease. This site is mostly free, but to gain all the information Penn State has available the user must go through Penn State Libraries Database. This online database allows the user to search for what he or she wants specifically. There are also datasheets available, abstracts, full text of journals, and a glossary. There is also a library so the user can see everything the site has to offer. Use this tool to gain additional information on different procedures and events. During the interview process, the panel (interviewers) may you to compare a new procedure to an old procedure. This database can help you gather information about specific procedures and see how the procedures were used in context. Use specific search terms Do not just focus on small animals. There is a high demand for large animal veterinarians. Gather information about different animals. If you are running short on time, you can just search for an abstract. Abstracts give a brief summary of the paper and will give you the general ideas. Page 10

3.3 Journal of Veterinary Medical Education Type: Professional Journal URL: http://jvme.utpjournals.press/loi/jvme Access: Limited. Some sections from the journal are open to the public. Full journal is available online, print, or both for purchase. The Journal of Veterinary Medical Education (JVME) is a scholarly journal. This journal is peer-reviewed by the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges. JVME is available internationally and provides research, different discoveries about veterinary medicine, and the exchanges of the ideas between these colleges. The journal prepares veterinarians to perform their professional duties to the best of their abilities. The journal also discusses the needs of society allowing readers to know what is in high demand in the profession. The areas of focus include but are not limited to best practices and educational methods in veterinary education, recruitment, and training. Veterinary faculties from across the globe are encouraged to participate. The tabs at the top of the page help the user navigate through the website. The user can locate specific parts of the journal or different resources available for either the authors or the readers. This journal will help you understand what is currently important to the veterinary colleges. This information can help you narrow down specific topics they may focus on during the interview process. Once you figure out this information, you can then look up different articles and news stories that are related. This journal is compiled by the veterinary colleges to which you are applying. This gives you an idea on what the college of choice is specifically focusing on. This journal allows you to see what these colleges see as important in today s veterinary medicine Allows you to stay up to date with what are the best practices. You will have a better understanding of what practical work you may learn in veterinary school. Page 11

3.4 Catalog of U.S. Government Publications Type: Government Database: Report published by government agency URL: http://catalog.gpo.gov/f?rn=307607823 URL: specific article https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/content/printable_versi on/careers_in_vs.pdf Access: Free The Catalog of U.S. Government Publications is a tool for electronic and print publications from the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the U.S. government. There are three options for searching through the publications. These options are basic, advanced, and expert. There are also options to save publications to a personal library for easy access. As stated multiple times (because this is HIGHLY important) you will be questioned in front of veterinarians of the school about current events. These events could be government based. This catalog will allow you to gather current information before the interview so you are better prepared. The specific document chosen focuses on Veterinary Services Careers Program. Veterinary Services is a government organization that hires veterinarians to work for them. This work could focus on either large animals or small animals. The document discusses the values of the company and how the company works. This document provides information on the training program so new employees have an easier transition into the federal working world. Know specific search words to use such as veterinary or animal medicine Use the browse tool located at the top of the page to create a more narrow search Page 12