Professional Careers in Animal Advocacy:

Veterinary Medicine

    

ANDREW KNIGHT ANDREW KNIGHT

DipECAWBM (WSEL), PhD, MRCVS, FOCAEDipECAWBM (WSEL), PhD, MRCVS, FOCAE

Professional animal advocacy: Professional animal advocacy: key qualifications/skillskey qualifications/skills

MedicineMedicine Nutrition/dieteticsNutrition/dietetics LawLaw EducationEducation Veterinary medicineVeterinary medicine

Photography/videographyPhotography/videography Graphic/web designGraphic/web design IT supportIT support Fundraising/marketingFundraising/marketing Business managementBusiness management AccountingAccounting

• Movie/rock star!Movie/rock star!

Professional advocacy: Professional advocacy: benefitsbenefits

Expert knowledge Expert knowledge Credibility with legislators, media, scientists, consumers, Credibility with legislators, media, scientists, consumers,

etc.etc. Money for campaigningMoney for campaigning Increased ability to decide strategyIncreased ability to decide strategy Satisfying employment, professional working Satisfying employment, professional working

environmentsenvironments Ability to travelAbility to travel

- Palgrave Macmillan, 2011.

Why should you become a professional animal advocate?

You’ll never have to do any work !!!

World travelWorld travel

ConferencesConferences

Gourmet vegetarian food !!Gourmet vegetarian food !!

Fun actions and eventsFun actions and events

Even Even fun-fun-er events !!er events !!

CastlesCastles

MountainsMountains

BeachesBeaches

What are you waiting for ???

Veterinary medicine Veterinary medicine as a career pathas a career path

Types of veterinary practiceTypes of veterinary practice

Types of practice: community spay/neuter clinics, shelter Types of practice: community spay/neuter clinics, shelter medicine, wildlife practice, small animal practice, equine, medicine, wildlife practice, small animal practice, equine, farm animal, laboratory animal medicine, public health farm animal, laboratory animal medicine, public health (e.g. USDA), slaughterhouse inspection(e.g. USDA), slaughterhouse inspection

Realities of veterinary practiceRealities of veterinary practice

Attitudes towards animals can be poorAttitudes towards animals can be poor

Working conditions can be poorWorking conditions can be poor

Costs of a veterinary educationCosts of a veterinary education

Tuition: $20-40k. Varies with ‘in state vs out of state’Tuition: $20-40k. Varies with ‘in state vs out of state’ Student living costs: $15-20k + x 4 yearsStudent living costs: $15-20k + x 4 years Total (mid-range estimate): $190,000Total (mid-range estimate): $190,000 Loss of earning potential for 4 years (undergrad degree Loss of earning potential for 4 years (undergrad degree

takes 4 more years)takes 4 more years) Cheaper overseasCheaper overseas

Veterinary salariesVeterinary salaries

$65k new graduate$65k new graduate $97k median small animal practitioner$97k median small animal practitioner $more for specialists (ophthalmologists, surgeons $more for specialists (ophthalmologists, surgeons

highest)highest)

UK average: £40k = $65kUK average: £40k = $65k

Gaining admission to vet schoolGaining admission to vet school

Undergraduate subjects: chemistry (inorganic & Undergraduate subjects: chemistry (inorganic & organic), biology, microbiology, physics, English. organic), biology, microbiology, physics, English. Possibly also: physiology, nutrition, calculus. Possibly also: physiology, nutrition, calculus. Undergrad degrees normal, but not necessarily Undergrad degrees normal, but not necessarily essentialessential

Grades: ~3.5+ GPA to be competitive, GRE most Grades: ~3.5+ GPA to be competitive, GRE most schools, MCAT someschools, MCAT some

Veterinary work experience: as much diverse vet Veterinary work experience: as much diverse vet experience as possibleexperience as possible. . US: minimum 180 hrs; 2,500 US: minimum 180 hrs; 2,500 hrs to be competitivehrs to be competitive

3 letters of recommendation: 1-2 from veterinarians; 3 letters of recommendation: 1-2 from veterinarians; one from a faculty memberone from a faculty member

Personal statement/letter: reasons why youPersonal statement/letter: reasons why you’’re likely to re likely to succeed, qualities/interests you can offer the professionsucceed, qualities/interests you can offer the profession

Admission interviews decreasing?Admission interviews decreasing? Do Do NOTNOT express any animal rights sympathies until express any animal rights sympathies until

safely enrolled!safely enrolled! Admissions formulae vary with schoolsAdmissions formulae vary with schools Easier admission abroad?Easier admission abroad?

Animal use in vet schoolAnimal use in vet school

Non Harmful: animal handling, clinical experience Non Harmful: animal handling, clinical experience including beneficial surgeriesincluding beneficial surgeries

Harmful: preclinical (physiology, biochemistry, Harmful: preclinical (physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, parasitology, anatomy), surgical, large pharmacology, parasitology, anatomy), surgical, large animal rotations, farms, slaughterhousesanimal rotations, farms, slaughterhouses

Poor attitudes towards animal use/alternatives very Poor attitudes towards animal use/alternatives very commoncommon

Humane alternativesHumane alternatives

Preclinical:Preclinical: computer simulations, videos, plasticized computer simulations, videos, plasticized specimens, models, ethically sourced cadavers, non-specimens, models, ethically sourced cadavers, non-invasive self-experimentationinvasive self-experimentation

Clinical/Surgical:Clinical/Surgical: surgical simulators, ethically-sourced surgical simulators, ethically-sourced cadaver surgery (usu. via body donation programs), cadaver surgery (usu. via body donation programs), supervised surgical experience, animal shelter supervised surgical experience, animal shelter sterilisation programssterilisation programs

Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association www.hsvma.orgwww.hsvma.org

www.HumaneLearning.info www.InterNICHE.org

Surviving vet schoolSurviving vet school

Gaining admission: organised, focused, patient and Gaining admission: organised, focused, patient and persistent. Will probably take yearspersistent. Will probably take years

Will have to work with animal researchers, staff and Will have to work with animal researchers, staff and students with poor ethical attitudes towards animals. students with poor ethical attitudes towards animals. You will be vastly outnumberedYou will be vastly outnumbered

SupportSupport Friends/familyFriends/family InterNICHE email listInterNICHE email list HSVMA email listHSVMA email list

Hours: Hours: >40-50 hrs/wk class/lab time for first 3 yrs; 80 >40-50 hrs/wk class/lab time for first 3 yrs; 80 hrs/wk clinic work 4th yr. Also 14-24 hours of home hrs/wk clinic work 4th yr. Also 14-24 hours of home study. Social/personal life severely compromisedstudy. Social/personal life severely compromised

““4 years of very hard work (put social life on hold), ~ $160,000 in 4 years of very hard work (put social life on hold), ~ $160,000 in costs, experience frustration, taking exams every week, sleep costs, experience frustration, taking exams every week, sleep deprivation, caffeine”deprivation, caffeine”

- Armaiti May DVM- Armaiti May DVM

The rewardsThe rewards

Expert knowledge Expert knowledge Credibility with legislators, media, scientists, consumers, Credibility with legislators, media, scientists, consumers,

etc.etc. Money for campaigningMoney for campaigning Increased ability to decide strategyIncreased ability to decide strategy Satisfying employment, professional working Satisfying employment, professional working

environmentsenvironments Ability to travelAbility to travel