College Ideas and Options

[SomePeopleHaveBirds]

So I wanted to be a vet and a trainer, I'm planning ahead of time to know how it will work.
I'll try to best to maybe even get a doctorine in college.
I love science and medicine, so this might be right for me.
I'm going to start volunteering. I'm thinking of going into practice companion of parrots and other pet birds. I do wonder if it's possible to do both.
I also wanted to know the steps to be a trainer. I also wanted to talk more about the college stuff for it. The volunteering still needs to get arranged, J would need to find another location send I can be driven all the way out in Ann arbor.

Step 1: You must complete a Bachelor's Degree Program. Most schools of veterinary medicine require applicants to have a bachelor's degree.
Step 2: Earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine D.V.M. (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. There are many colleges of veterinary medicine in the United States that offer a DVM degree. Depends on area
Step 3: Become Licensed and pass exam. Veterinary Licensing Exam (NAVLE) to be eligible to practice medicine in the United States.
Step 4: Gain more Experience.
Step 5: Become Certified in a Specialty. ...
Step 6: Join a Professional Association. Most avian veterinarians focus on either companion bird practice (i.e., parrots and songbirds) or poultry production practice (i.e., chickens, turkeys). It is also possible to focus on the care and treatment of birds of prey or other native species as an avian wildlife veterinarian. Other vets operate a mixed practice that offers services for pet birds while also offering care for small or exotic animals.

Is there anything else I would need to know about becoming a vet or a trainer?
This a available for everyone.

 

[clark_conure]

become cav

save the worlds parrots

???

earn being a billionaire


/thread




what...what.....what else can we ask?

 

[noodles123]

Here are some behavioral consultants' credentials (that could help):
https://avsab.org/behavior-consultant/


https://iaabc.org/parrot



another (less medical) bio:
Barbara Heidenreich | Good Bird Inc.

 

[chris-md]

Oh, me! Me! I went through a recent phase of researching the possibility of becoming a vet.

Keep in mind the earning potential for vets isn’t nearly what you imagine; nowhere near a regular doctor The average vet salary is $90k. In the meantime, you come out of vet school with over $200k in student loans. My partner isn’t far off from $90k, and there’s no way he could afford the monthly payment for that kind of student loan. It’s like carrying 2 mortgages. Most people just can’t do that.

Earning potential to student loan ratio is a major problem.

So keep that in mind. I will say though rare is the vet who is also a trainer, which is absolutely invaluable when doing consults. You’ll have greater insights than your average vet who can tell usually help with the intersection of health an behavioral problems.

I also chatted with my avian vet during this time when I brought Parker for a wellness visit. She told me that there is a glut of exotic vets. EVERYONE wants to be an exotic vet right now. That might inform your chosen focus moving forward.

 

[SomePeopleHaveBirds]

I'm just going to see it as money isn't a problem. Hopefully I'll have enough or more than enough by then
To be honest, I'm not that much worried about the costs.

 

[ChristaNL]

Come over and study overhere.


Weirdly enough it is a LOT cheaper for foreign students to study here than it is for the locals. And you get a lot of help when it comes to finding cheap housing etc.etc. (also something the locals can forget about/ LOL if I sound bitter: been there done that ...)

Utrecht has a great vetschool/university- and the only really great clinic for parrots (here in NL, that is) - so far anyway, one of the CAV's is trying to build more.

 

[SomePeopleHaveBirds]

I was thinking to travel out of the country one day, to visit but I never thought about taking a college over there. I should probably think about it, but for now I'll try to move to New York State or maybe even into the city. Still trying to choose what college I might want to go to, but I think I'm just going to focus on my career choice so I know what I want to do in the future.

 

[SomePeopleHaveBirds]

Oh, me! Me! I went through a recent phase of researching the possibility of becoming a vet.

Keep in mind the earning potential for vets isn’t nearly what you imagine; nowhere near a regular doctor The average vet salary is $90k. In the meantime, you come out of vet school with over $200k in student loans. My partner isn’t far off from $90k, and there’s no way he could afford the monthly payment for that kind of student loan. It’s like carrying 2 mortgages. Most people just can’t do that.

Earning potential to student loan ratio is a major problem.

So keep that in mind. I will say though rare is the vet who is also a trainer, which is absolutely invaluable when doing consults. You’ll have greater insights than your average vet who can tell usually help with the intersection of health an behavioral problems.

I also chatted with my avian vet during this time when I brought Parker for a wellness visit. She told me that there is a glut of exotic vets. EVERYONE wants to be an exotic vet right now. That might inform your chosen focus moving forward.

Can vets have their own birds too? Does it mean they have to keep theirs at home or can they have their bird with them on the job?
Say if I was a vet/trainer already and I had a bird whether large or small or medium (I do hope that this scenario will become me in real life ) could I have the bird at my job? Or I would need to have it at home? I mean it's a vet facility, and they take care of birds so it wouldn't hurt to have your own there or is it against policy there? (Why would it be though?)

 

[ChristaNL]

The problem is: vets have almost NO personal life (like most doctors) so only a little time for their own pets. And emergencies crop up any time of day or night...

LOL out CAVs get that question a lot: do YOU have a bird?
Well they end up with abandoned birds sometimes- once you've spend some time fighting for the birds life and then the owner walks away...it's hard to say "no".

But the more demanding parrots are only possible if you have a life-partner with another job that is there for the bird more frequently and regularly...

Since as a CAV you deal with birds that can have the terrible, lethal, easily transmitted diseases... it is not wise to bring you own bird to work with you, They would be exposed a lot, get sick and eventually die from something the patients brought in...


DG-Utrecht has a bunch of 'exercize parrots'- how the students learn to watch for behaviour, learn to towel birds and administer medication etc.etc..
There is also a group (CAG's I think) they got in for some studies in featherpicking behaviour (and stayed on) and are now taking part in enrichtment-studies etc.etc. / and in between studies just hang out in their aviary.
(No- they are not in the clinic for the same reasons, they live a bit further away)

 

[ParrotGenie]

The problem is: vets have almost NO personal life (like most doctors) so only a little time for their own pets. And emergencies crop up any time of day or night...

This is why you have "Clinical rotations" for the last two years of medical education. Pretty much students shadow physicians and residents at teaching hospitals, so you gain the experience necessary. Yes your life will be pretty much on call. I know people that literally decide it wan't for them and switch fields completely, once they realize the work involve and the crazy people and situations you have to deal with on a daily basis. Now for a veterinarian it likely not that bad, as not a demanding as I know a couple that take the weekend off, or work mid day and have time to do volunteer work, or events. Depends what Clinic they work at and staff on hand?

Since as a CAV you deal with birds that can have the terrible, lethal, easily transmitted diseases... it is not wise to bring you own bird to work with you, They would be exposed a lot, get sick and eventually die from something the patients brought in...

As she stated above

 

[SomePeopleHaveBirds]

Wow, I just love how busy a vet is, but too bad they can't own birds. Meeting so many people, so cool, despite the down sides ya know.
So, in order to be a vet what do you have to own again?
And do I decide to be a trainer first or vet?
Would what does a trainer have to earn to be a trainer?

 

[ParrotGenie]

Wow, I just love how busy a vet is, but too bad they can't own birds. Meeting so many people, so cool, despite the down sides ya know.
So, in order to be a vet what do you have to own again?
And do I decide to be a trainer first or vet?
Would what does a trainer have to earn to be a trainer?

Vets can own birds. Mines wanted to buy my Cooper as he reminded her of the last Cockatoo that she had that past away 2 years ago due to illness, but he was already sick when she took him in. She said he had the same personality. Of course I couldn't give up my Cooper as bonded to him already and he mated to my female U2, but she did get another U2 male months later. Regular doctors are usually on call, but vets it not as bad, I guess really has to do with location and clinic, they do take time off.

Tons of experience and pass Certified Professional Bird Trainer ? Knowledge Assessed (CPBT-KA) through the The International Avian Trainers Certification Board. Working volunteer work, also with breeders is a great way to get started and then working at a zoo in time. I started at a friend security company as a dog trainer when younger and was taught by a friend and then became a bird trainer as always had parrots since in high school and started training other friends birds they had at a young age. I do it mostly on the side, as make my money primarily as a aircraft engineer and electronics engineer and tech as repair audio gear and resell, which is also my other side job when I have time off.

 

[SomePeopleHaveBirds]

So I found a website
https://study.com/articles/Become_an_Animal_Trainer_Education_and_Career_Roadmap.html
Is this a good website?
It said something about zoo internship, I'm guessing that's going to be very helpful in this career choice.
I'm guessing since should learn to be a breeder also.
I hope I can know what to do by the time I get to college.
Did I have to have a bird when younger to be able to be a bird trainer?
I would need a main job? Like being a vet, trainer, and breeder and would I need a main job or is the vet something of a main job. It would be nice being a a trainer of many animals.

 

[ParrotGenie]

So I found a website
https://study.com/articles/Become_an_Animal_Trainer_Education_and_Career_Roadmap.html
Is this a good website?
It said something about zoo internship, I'm guessing that's going to be very helpful in this career choice.
I'm guessing since should learn to be a breeder also.
I hope I can know what to do by the time I get to college.

You don't have to learn how to breed birds, but it helps. Breeders just tend to have knowledge that a lot of people don't as raising and hand taming a baby is a whole another level and reason why I say volunteer and work with one, if you get the chance to. Plus then learn hatching and ETC. Just avoid bird flippers, a whole another topic!!

I learned by accident and had blue streaked lory was my second parrot named Ruby that I had to hand feed as wasn't wean, so I learned, but I had the time and a experience vet taught me how to as he was also a breeder on the side. Then worked for another breeder for about 4 years after that for extra money and experience and did a lot of volunteer work at various rescues when I was younger. Between working for the breeder and working at a horse race track made decent money as a kid, not easy work but paid way more then retail at the time and learned quite a bit.

 

[SomePeopleHaveBirds]

Very nice. Are they all main jobs (vet, trainer, and breeder) or which of them are side jobs? I also had another job in mind I want to put on my career list.

 

[ParrotGenie]

The best advise I can give you and may save you money down the road is? Start at a rescue, or find a local breeder in your area and call them and tell them you willing to work, or volunteer and explain your goals. You may find someone that will take you on, as rescues and breeders are usually looking for help? You find them listing all the time on various sites. You will know they are breeders as usually have babies birds listed for sale. See if this is what you really want to do first? Then take it from there? If you want to work with parrots in some form, or another, best way is to see work required, care needed, behavior issues and ETC.

 

[ParrotGenie]

Very nice. Are they all main jobs (vet, trainer, and breeder) or which of them are side jobs? I also had another job in mind I want to put on my career list.

I can't, or anyone can't tell you your career path? You have to figure that out in time. My sister it took her till she was late into her clinical rotations to decide her what specific specialty of medicine she wanted to do? She also was indecisive, till she gained experience. It took me years to be honest. I won't stress to much about it. Just keep grades up, hopefully your in a good high school, research, stay focus and stay on path and volunteer somewhere? You can always change paths as you have a few years still to think about it.

Do you have any hobbies, or something you have interest in currently?

 

[SomePeopleHaveBirds]

Well I'm interested in science and math, I used to be a rock collector, I am trying to take up violin, and well that's about it for now. I also want to make volenteering a hobby of mine too.

 

[ParrotGenie]

Well I'm interested in science and math, I used to be a rock collector, I am trying to take up violin, and well that's about it for now. I also want to make volenteering a hobby of mine too.

Science and math is critical, have you enroll in any AP classes, or looked in college excel programs offered by your school yet?

 

[noodles123]

Oh, me! Me! I went through a recent phase of researching the possibility of becoming a vet.

Keep in mind the earning potential for vets isn’t nearly what you imagine; nowhere near a regular doctor The average vet salary is $90k. In the meantime, you come out of vet school with over $200k in student loans. My partner isn’t far off from $90k, and there’s no way he could afford the monthly payment for that kind of student loan. It’s like carrying 2 mortgages. Most people just can’t do that.

Earning potential to student loan ratio is a major problem.

So keep that in mind. I will say though rare is the vet who is also a trainer, which is absolutely invaluable when doing consults. You’ll have greater insights than your average vet who can tell usually help with the intersection of health an behavioral problems.

I also chatted with my avian vet during this time when I brought Parker for a wellness visit. She told me that there is a glut of exotic vets. EVERYONE wants to be an exotic vet right now. That might inform your chosen focus moving forward.

Can vets have their own birds too? Does it mean they have to keep theirs at home or can they have their bird with them on the job?
Say if I was a vet/trainer already and I had a bird whether large or small or medium (I do hope that this scenario will become me in real life ) could I have the bird at my job? Or I would need to have it at home? I mean it's a vet facility, and they take care of birds so it wouldn't hurt to have your own there or is it against policy there? (Why would it be though?)

Vets can have their own birds at work (I know some who do) but these birds were surrendered to the vet by patients in most cases- I wouldn't keep a bird in a vet's office because if you ever had a bird/patient with PBFD or PDD then your bird would be exposed if it breathed in feather dust etc. All of the bacterial/viral risks would be quite high for birds in a vet's office (especially one that specialized in birds)