In this week’s Farm Vet’s Corner on www.thatsfarming.com, Catherina Cunnane speaks to a qualified and practicing farm vet, who urges aspiring vets to “never give up hope if you do not secure your place on a veterinary medicine course the first time around”.
- A blend of emotions is normal – You may feel like a failure, that you have let yourself and even your family down, disappointed, angry, unmotivated, sad, anxious, and undetermined – that is normal!
- Acceptance is key – It will take time to accept that things have not played out as you had initially expected, but remember that everything happens for a reason, and Rome was not built in a day. Maybe you were not meant to study the course that year, maybe you were not meant to study the course at that particular university – whatever is for you, will not pass you and generally, everything falls into place in time, although it may not always feel like that. Setbacks push you forward and everyone suffers from imposer syndrome at some stage in their life.
- Take some time to re-focus yourself – Just because it did not work out the first time around does not mean that you will not be successful by re-applying or taking an alternative route. Take a year out, if needs be, for personal self-development, and this can take the form of travel, work (in the veterinary industry or other areas) and/or studying a part-time hobby course in a related or unrelated field. Consider joining a group or society, let it be for farming, music, sports, ect;
- Do not give up hope – Do not let a poor exam result or missing out because of the points race put you off a career that you have dreamed of chasing since your childhood or teenage years;
- Make informed decisions –Do not accept on offer for a course that you listed on your CAO for the sake of picking something. If your heart is not entirely set on it or if you do not see yourself working in that area, revert to the drawing board.
- Consider all options and do not underestimate or overlook – Examine all options and associated pros and cons – can you face into repeating your Leaving Cert? Could you secure the required points by improving in some subjects? Or, should you take your second CAO option? Should you complete a hobby course instead? Could you venture overseas to study the same course for 5/6 years? (Read an article on 295 courses that you can study to become a vet) Could you return to education as a mature student over 23 years? Could you complete an undergraduate course and then study vet med through the graduate route? Could you transfer from an agri course, here in Ireland, for example, to vet med in a university overseas and qualify an exemption for some modules?
- Speak to others – Talks to vets in various practices, in industry, ect about their pathway, to gain a realistic insight into the course itself and career;
- There is no specific age that you have to be graduated by: “I have met new grads that are 23 and others that are 53 – there is no certain age as to when you need to qualify by. Life is one of many journeys, which everyone takes at their own pace – there is no race to a finish line. Stop comparing yourself to other people and focus on yourself!”
- Do you be your own worst enemy – “If at first you do not succeed, try and try again.”
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