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Qualifications sorely needed by the animal protection movement include medicine, nutrition/dietetics, veterinary medicine, law, education, and supporting specialisations, such as graphic/web design and fundraising/marketing. The advantages of acquiring a professional qualification and career include increased expertise and credibility when campaigning on issues, considerably increased funds for campaigning, the ability to take charge of one’s own campaigns, and increased ability to travel internationally as required (including well-earned rest breaks in exotic locations, which may be required often). These topics, including several suitable exotic locations, will be reviewed.
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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
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