To Be, Or Not To Be [A Vet]

Life decisions are hard. Blargh!

I've oscillated like a fan back and forth, back and forth, back and forth between vet school and vet tech school. Because writing is therapeutic to me, I am subjecting you all to my state of mind. Mwuhahaha!

VET TECH SCHOOL PROS
1. Shorter and easier schooling
2. More time for my own animals
3. Less responsibility meaning I can do more hobby stuff
4. I don't have to move

VET TECH SCHOOL CONS
1. 3 years of additional school to make less money than I do now
2. Will I chafe under somebody else's authority?
3. If I do this then decide I really do want to be a vet, I'm 3 years behind and lots of money in debt
4. Will I always regret not trying and finding out if being a vet is what I want to do?

VET SCHOOL PROS
1. Reach my full potential?
2. Be called Dr.
3. More responsibility/authority
4. Make more money

VET SCHOOL CONS
1. Really really really hard classes
2. What if I do all the hard classes and then find out I don't actually want to be a vet?
3. Most vets I know don't have much time for their own animals...lots of on-call time
4. Vets don't actually make all that much money (starting salary is ~$45,000)
5. I have to move

I had finally reached the decision to do vet tech school because I thought it was a reasonable step towards figuring out what I want to do. I was accepted to the program and was all warm and fuzzy inside when a wrench was thrown in. I had assumed that because I already have a bachelor's degree that I would be able to complete the vet tech program in 1.5 to 2 years.

Not so.

Because there is a two-semester bio course of mammalian anatomy and physiology (and I've just taken mere human physio and anatomy) that is the pre-requisite for ALL vet tech classes, it would be a full year before I could take any of the actual vet tech courses. This would have me doing the full 3 year program.

Three years is a long time for an associate's degree and a job that will pay less than I currently make.

And what if I do it and realize that dammit I DO want to be a vet after all?! I would be 3 years behind and have that much debt to add on to at least 1 year of pre-requisites and the 4 years of vet school.

But then what if I take awfully hard classes for an excruciating 4 years of vet school to come out on the other side and realize that dammit I DON'T want to be a vet after all?!

Am I chickening out again because moving, the classes, etc seem too daunting?

Do I want to be a vet purely for the Dr. in front of my name and the superiority complex it would give me?

There is a real struggle in me between feeling like I need to achieve the VERY BEST and anything below that is basically failure, and knowing that I want to be able to spend time trail riding, MMSAR, etc.


My dad is a doctor, which was a double-edged sword growing up. On the one hand we had everything we ever wanted and could afford to travel and have horses. And on the other my dad wasn't home very much and when he was, he was often on call.

As much as I would like to have it all (i.e. lots of moolah and lots of time off), I know I can't.

My siblings are all very smart, very high-achieving folks. Their accomplishments include having a doctorate in psychology, being a mechanical engineer, and working towards a doctorate in neuroscience.  While I am incredibly proud of them, it's a lot to live up to. 

So I'm fighting feelings of inadequacy, inferiority, and settling if I go for vet tech school.

But going to vet school just because I feel like I should isn't a good reason to go.

But will I regret not trying?

ARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH

Any and all thoughts would be appreciated.

And to end on a positive note...."Ma'am, there's a lemur on your baby."