Veterinary medicine is a popular post-graduate degree, so its no surprise that many people take it on as a mature age or nontraditional student. But how old is too old to start? And would the degree fit into the established work or family life of people no longer in their 20s?
Well, lets start by looking at some statistics.
A 2013 survey by the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) revealed that around 20% of their applicants were over the age of 25. 4% of applicants were 30 or older. One veterinary class at UC Davis had a graduate who was 53yo, and all colleges surveyed did accept mature students.
I would say that is pretty reflective of my own experience at the University of Melbourne, Australia, where at least a fifth of our class were 30 years old or older when they graduated, and one graduate was in her 40s.
So, whatever your age, you are unlikely to be the only mature person applying for a place on the course.
The Challenges of being a Mature Age Vet Student
Mature age students may find they have more things to consider before committing to vet school.
For one, veterinary medicine is pretty competitive, and the requirements for entry are pretty strict. You might find you have to resit examinations or complete extra undergraduate subjects just to be considered for a place. You will also likely need to get some work experience before you apply.
The second point is that in most parts of the world, the course is long and expensive. In the US, you could buy a nice house for the cost of your studies. And in Australia, veterinary medicine has one of the worst student debt to salary ratios, with a starting salary that is greatly overshadowed by the average debt on graduation. Also consider that veterinary medicine is more than a full-time course load. This means it will include placements in the holidays and summer breaks, making it difficult to work during the course.
Thirdly, I’m sure its no surprise to hear that the course is intense! For a lot of my degree, we had 7 hours of class time daily, and then hours of study every single night and weekend. It was even worse at exam time, with my house-mates and I creating 12 hour a day study schedules for the weeks before the exam. I once stayed up for 52 hours straight to study for a difficult exam (pro-tip, this is not a good tactic). Starting a full-time job after graduation actually felt like a holiday, as I didn’t have to study every weekend!
And finally, most importantly, while you can become a vet at any age, consider if the realities of the job are really what you want at your current life stage. Vet medicine generally involves long hours, weekend and night work which may not appeal to mature vets with families. Its very physical, whether that means wrestling sheep or performing long surgeries, and most vets do develop long-term aches. It is fun, but also intellectual and emotionally taxing every day. Many vets wind down their hours in the later years of their careers for these reasons.
So while it is possible to graduate from vet school when you do have other commitments, like another career, a mortgage or a young family, you will need to be prepared for the commitment.
The Advantages of being a Mature Age Vet Student
There are also some advantages that mature students in my course had over those in their twenties!
For one, they brought a lot of maturity to the course, which really made them stand out. They weren’t afraid to ask the questions that we were all thinking. They were also generally better at communicating and dealing with clients than the rest of us.
Mature students also brought a lot of experience. You can imagine who got better marks in the equine course- a 20yo high-school graduate, or a 40yo show-jumper who bred warm-bloods? Mature-age students brought lots of lived experience that helped the rest of us out. They were also much better at applying their knowledge in their interest areas.
Mature-age students also have some advantages after graduation too. For traditional graduates, its tough getting a job as a veterinary doctor when you are 23. Clients don’t trust you to make life or death decisions when you look like you’re barely above drinking age, and I had lots of people question my judgement when I graduated at 25. Mature students may have the same degree, but they bring confidence and life experience to their roles that gives them a jump start into their careers.
The Survey
I asked the veterinary community on Instagram about their experience of mature age or nontraditional vet students at their university.
I asked- “What age is too late to start vet school?”.
Out of 100 respondents, 77% said “No age- its never too late to start.”
I also asked veterinary professionals and students “What age was the oldest student to graduate in your class?”
Out of 80 respondents, 48% said 30-40yo, 21% said 40-50yo, 16% said over 50 yo. Only 15% said there was no one over 30yo who graduated with them.
Comments from respondents included:
” I’m [a mature student]! I’ll be 32 when I graduate, and I think some life experience is beneficial”
“Older students don’t feel the fomo [‘fear of missing out’] of having to party and can really focus on learning”
“I started at 26! I’m grateful for 3 years of working as a vet nurse, its been so helpful with school [having more industry experience]”
Further Information
In conclusion, mature students of any age can absolutely become great vets! If you want to know more, contact your local university’s admission office, where they can advise you more specifically about their veterinary medicine course, and what to expect as a mature age applicant!
I hope I’ve answered your questions, but if you’ve got any more leave a comment or get in touch any-time on the Contact Me page.
Or, head over to the Can I be a vet if… page to find the answers to other common questions people ask on this topic, including:
Can I be a vet if…
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