35 Questions with a Student At St. George’s University Vet School

St. George’s University vet school is on the island of Grenada and is NOT one of the most expensive vet schools. To see a price comparison of veterinary schools, take a look at the VIN, cost of education map. 

If you are interested in applying to St. George’s University vet school, check out their admission requirements. 

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If you are thinking about applying to St. George’s University or one of the other veterinary schools, they all have different requirements. Some schools require microbiology but a few don’t. This book will lay it all out for you in a comprehensive guide.  Check it out here: Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements (VMSAR)

 

Interview with a St.George’s University Vet School Student

Name, veterinary school attended, and year that you started.

Lauren Kiebler

St. George’s University School of Veterinary Medicine

August 2017

Where did you attend undergrad and what was your major?

Ohio Wesleyan University

Pre-Professional Zoology and Psychology double major

At what age did you first apply to St. George’s University vet school? 

I graduated from undergrad in 2016. I applied during the September 2016 cycle. I had a one year gap in between undergrad and vet school.

How many schools/application cycles did you apply to before being accepted?

I was accepted during my first round of applications. I applied to Lincoln Memorial vet school, 

Mississippi vet school,

Ohio State University vet school,

Purdue University, Ross University, St. George’s University,

The University of Illinois, and the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. Out of 

the eight schools, I was only accepted at St. George’s University and Ross University.

How many schools invited you for an interview? 

St. George’s University and Ross veterinary school

How many of those gave you an acceptance letter?

Both

What made you choose St. George’s University over Ross University?

It was a very difficult decision but ultimately SGU recruited me much better than Ross did. Ross also accepted me very late, with only about three weeks before the decision deadline. Since St. George’s University accepted me earlier and flew me out to visit, my mind was already set on SGU before I heard back from the St. Kitts veterinary school.

Do you remember any specifically challenging interview questions?

The most surprising question was “how do you plan on paying for vet school?” I was able to answer this, but it was not a question I expected. Other notable questions touched on compassion fatigue and stress management.

What was your GPA (in undergraduate)?

Cumulative 3.13

What was your GRE score?

There are many vet schools that don’t require the GRE anymore.

Verbal 156 (72%)

Quantitative 152 (47%)

Analytical Writing 4.0 (59%)

How many extracurricular activities did you list on your application?

I was very involved in undergrad. I listed seven different extracurricular activities/positions.

Did you Have Exotic, Large, and Small animal Experience Prior to Getting into St. George’s University Vet School?

I had numerous small animal experiences, some pocket pet experience, some wildlife experience, and a good bit of research experience. I had no large animal experiences.

What types of paying jobs did you have before going to St. George’s University? 

I was working as a receptionist at a small animal veterinary clinic when I applied to veterinary school. Prior to that, I had been working in a mental health clinic, dog-walking, and working in my undergraduate admissions office. I also included my animal summer job working in a mobile veterinary clinic.

Did you volunteer? If so, where? 

I volunteered at the Humane Society near my university for two years. This is actually where I obtained the majority of my clinic experiences. 

(Note from the editor: During clinical experiences, you will want to use a good veterinary stethoscope)

 I also volunteered at the Sea Turtle Conservancy in Costa Rica for two weeks during the summer. I have been involved with organizing Relay for Life since high school and continued to do so in college.

How many people read your personal statement before submitting it?

I had six people read my personal statement before submitting it: My parents, a professor, a veterinarian, and three friends. I had a really hard time staying within the word limit and spent the majority of my time trying to decide what to edit out.

When did you decide to become a vet?

As a child, I had always wanted to be an Animal Cop like I saw on television. It wasn’t until my teenage years that I realized that I wanted to be taking care of the animals, not just arresting the bad guys.

Did you interview any vets before starting the application process? If so how did you approach them? 

I casually spoke with the two Humane Society veterinarians I worked with as well as two of the veterinarians I worked with at the small animal clinic.

Were you a member of any clubs at your undergraduate school? If so, which ones?

I was president of the Pre-Vet Club, public relations manager and player on the women’s rugby team, a member of People Regarding Individual Diversity Everywhere (P.R.I.D.E.), and a co-chair of the Zoology Department Student Board.

Did you join student clubs at St. George’s University vet school?

I am in three “fun” clubs and three academic clubs right now. I am on the women’s soccer team, play coed rugby, and am a part of Pride and Equality. I am also a part of the Veterinary Student Herpetological Society, the Student Chapter of the Association for Shelter Veterinarians (SCASV), and the Student Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Society (SVECCS). 

Who gave you your letters of recommendation? Did you know them well?

I had 3 letters of recommendation from professors, 1 from an employer, and 1 from a veterinarian. The professors were my advisor and two professors I had done research with. I had traveled and worked with these professors since my freshman year of undergrad and we know each other very well. My employer was from the mental health clinic I worked for during the last two years of undergrad. She was my direct supervisor and was familiar with my work ethic and professional conduct. The veterinarian who wrote my final LOR was the owner of the practice I was working for at the time of applications.

Did you find the application process stressful? Why or why not?

I found VMCAS to be very user-friendly. The data entry part of the application was long and tedious but easy. The most stressful part of the entire process was the supplementary applications and essays which vary between schools.

Are you happy that you chose this career? What makes you most happy about this career choice?

So far I really enjoy my classes. They are quite difficult (which was expected) but I feel that I am prepared and am keeping up in class.

Do you have any advice for students, once accepted?

Talk to upperclassmen, alumni, and professors to help you make your decisions. All schools look good on paper. Be sure to visit if you can!

Any Study Tips For St. George’s University Vet School? 

Right now I go home and review each subject that I had that day for at least 45 minutes. I also have a document for predicted test questions which I add to each day. I go back into the anatomy lab (sometimes with anatomical flashcards) on the weekends to ensure I can name each structure that we dissected during the week.

What has been the most challenging class, in your DVM program so far?

I am currently taking Anatomy I, Physiology I, Animal Nutrition, Histology & Embryology, Veterinary Research, Professionalism, Clinical Orientation, Animal Welfare & Behavior, and Radiology.

The class that I am having the most difficulty with at this time is Physiology.

As a student, did you have to take out loans for your education? If so, are you concerned about the amount of debt you will have after graduation?

My entire education is being funded by loans. Of course, I worry about the debt. However, I feel that I have a network of SGU grads that will help me get a job right out of vet school so I can start paying back my loans.

Is there anything in particular about your DVM program or this vet school on the island of Grenada that you like?

As mentioned in the previous question, we have an amazing network of SGU grads that are willing and excited to help current students and new grads. In addition, I truly feel that St.George’s University is committed to my success as a student because of all of the study skills and course help they provide through the Department of Educational Services (DES).

DES hosts review and tutoring sessions led by upperclassmen. These sessions have been paramount to my success in my classes. I also feel that we do get much more hands-on experience for surgeries and real-animal experiences in general partially due to the large stray population on the island.

Also, SGU urges students to leave the “competition” part of academics in undergrad and encourages us to work together as one cohesive group. This has really made my classroom experience enjoyable.

Do you have a specialty or are you working towards one?

I do not plan on specializing right now but that may change.

Have you read or listened to anything worth sharing? 

Before I attended veterinary school I read All Dogs Go To Kevin by Dr. Jessica Vogelsang. It was a cute, light-hearted read that made me look forward to veterinary school and life after vet school.

Do you have any last words of wisdom?

Don’t get discouraged. I know that it is easier said than done. My grades weren’t spectacular but the experiences that I had made me a good candidate for vet school. I was rejected from 6 of the 8 schools I applied to. I watched friends get accepted to multiple vet schools. I doubted and questioned myself every day. It was difficult and disheartening at times but it is really worth it. If I can get here, you can too.

How can people find you? 

Email: lkiebler@sgu.edu

Twitter/Instagram/Tumblr: shewantsthedvm

MORE INTERVIEWS WITH STUDENTS WHO WENT TO CARIBBEAN VETERINARY SCHOOLS

• Rachel only applied to one vet school and that was SGU.
• Elizabeth applied to 4 schools, one cycle, and decided on Ross.
• Dr. Shearer had barely a 3.0 GPA, with a lot of prior veterinary experience and she got into Ross.