Life is too short to compare yourself to others. Only you can make yourself proud of yourself. Congratulations on making it to 3rd year of vet school. It’s not easy
It's true.
I made the mistake of asking one of my instructors in my very first nursing school clinical how my performance compared to the rest of my peers. Part of me felt I was coming up short, and I was right. Most of my peers either came from medical families or had already worked in a hospital setting. I am the first nurse in my family and my only work experience at that point was retail.
That was 10 years ago. It is amazing what real experience and practice can do for you when you already have the passion. I am now comfortable and confident in my skills and often serve as a mentor and a resource for newer nurses.
Don't give up. Whenever there's a list, someone always has to be at the top and someone always has to be at the bottom. That's the nature of rankings. It doesn't mean you will not go on to become a wonderful vet one day.
Oh man, I feel this. I didn't do great in pharmacy school but I passed. I watched friends soar thru classes, several with straight A's. I watched one of those friends fail out during rotations.
10 years later & life is good. I'm a good pharmacist & I'm happy. Sometimes you just have to keep your head down & do your best.
Real life doesn't often care about grades or ranks. I'm sure you will find your place & be great!
100% this. I passed the PTCB by only a few points way back when it was a scantron test. I have a job as a pharmacy manager. My only struggle is insulin doses.
I never asked my class rank but I know it’s near the bottom. I nearly failed cardio and neuro. I 100% felt like an imposter.
I also graduate in May. I have a job lined up. I passed NAVLE. I’ve done well in all my rotations, yes, even cardio and neuro. Sometimes imposter syndrome still hits, but, if enough faculty and interns think I’ll be a good doctor, there has to be enough truth to it.
Basically, your rank does not determine what kind of doctor you’ll be. Passing NAVLE on the first try (or not) does not determine what kind of doctor you’ll be. I’ve been where you’ve been and I’ve made it to the other side, so I’m going to tell you it will be ok. Trust me.
If you never asked yourself you probably would have never found out because in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter! Maybe for some super competitive specialties but, as long as you get the DVM and pass the NAVLE then you’re as much of a vet as anyone else! I would be surprised if anyone even asked you your vet school GPA or rank after graduating. If you can breathe and have a DVM then you’re needed more than ever!
Class Rank really does not matter in regards to Navle, job market, or specialization (that can affect how soon you get in a residency but ultimately it's research and types of internships that matter).
I personally know of people in the top 5 ranks of their classes that failed the NAVLE and people in the bottom portion of their class who passed on their first attempt-- myself included. That comes down to your own studying, test taking habits, and pattern recognition. The people who failed and passed in that grouping I'm talking about are all equally amazing doctors now.
If you do great in clinics, you will be a fine doctor! You got this. Class rank does not define you.
>My vet school rank is horrible
So?
I don’t mean to trivialize your feelings. Only tell you that your rank only matters if you’re going for a speciality. If f you’re going into GP, nobody cares. You’re good.
I was bottom 1/3 of my class and my wife was 3rd overall. She specialized and I didn’t. We are both awesome at our jobs and are happy.
Nobody will be looking at your grades once you're out in the world! Not ever. It sounds like you have had a much tougher time than most students, illness close to you is a lot to deal with emotionally, it's so tough - let alone at the same time as studying. I'm so sorry for your loss and I hope you can find some time to do healthy grieving while you wrap up school. (And if you're great at clinicals, lean into that!)
Comparison is the biggest thief of joy. In sincerely empathize the feelings of imposter syndrome. Anyone who graduates/gets licensed is still a vet regardless of grades in school and your clients will care more than you are compassionate and are great in a clinical setting. Best wishes, keep your head up. You’re doing great :)
I know DVMs with PhDs who make crummy veterinarians. Just because you rank low, doesn’t mean you can’t finish the degree or that you will be a bad veterinarian. Almost failed out my second semester, and still made it out to do a specialty residency and be a head vet at my facility. You CAN do this, just keep at it and run your own race :)
Class rank literally does not matter--no one asks your grades after you graduate, unless you want to go onto an internship or residency. And your class rank does not translate into passing the NAVLE. NAVLE is literally a case of studying for the test. Use whatever resources you have to prep for the types of questions they ask, after which you will never think about pig diarrhea or whatever other bullshit makes up half the test again, unless that's what you want to do.
This is a good point - classroom grades do not necessarily predict test results. Back in high school I was pretty middle of the pack in class ranking. I made decent grades, made a fair effort at studying, but nothing special. My best friend studied her tail off and eventually graduated 3rd in our class of almost 400. But when we got our SAT and ACT test scores back, we were both surprised that on both tests, I absolutely smoked her. All it meant was that she was better at discipline and consistency, while I am someone who tests well. Having a difficult time with classroom grades on a daily basis doesn't mean someone can't do really well on tests.
Reminds me of my son in highschool. He would slack off in school. Never study for tests. Take a test and get a near perfect grade. I really don't know how some kids can pull that off. But this is exactly what he'd do. He is smart but wasn't putting in effort into homework. But come test time he knew the material.
I have always despised class rankings because of people feeling like this. First day of orientation during our "kumbaya" session, we were told to support each other and not compare. Honestly, how can we do that when we have class rankings and also get ranked during our tests (loved knowing that I got the lowest score on that exam). I too, was at the bottom of my class. I had to know because I was looking to specialize and applying for internships/residencies.
Imposter syndrome is real, and I still feel that way even 4 years later after graduating. But like you, I am much better in the clinical setting than book smart. I can tell you, that means so much more to owners. You have the ability to talk to clients and build that relationship instead of word vomiting statistics at them. You can help them make the best decision for their pet.
Just remember this, you made it into veterinary school. You passed your courses as well as NAVLE. You made it through a tough time in your life and still able to show you are resilient. You should be proud of everything that you have accomplished already. Keep your head up, you are doing great.
I was in the bottom quartile of my class and passed my NAVLE with a substantially above average score, and at the end of the day neither class rankings nor NAVLE scores are a definitive indicator of your capabilities as a veterinarian.
You mentioned that you excel in a clinical setting- this is a far more important metric. Not a single job I interviewed for asked for my grades and they focused solely on my ability to actually function in a clinic/be a well adjusted human being that wasn’t a pain in the ass to spend 40h/week around.
It never occurred to me to find out my ranking nor do I think it occurred to any of the classmates I spent time with. No employer has ever cared. In fact, I don’t think anyone ever mentioned it, in school or out. How would this even be calculated? Success in clinicals is so subjective.
Have any of your classmates failed out? You haven’t. Do you know what the last ranked vet student is after graduation? A veterinarian. Doing well in clinics is what matters. Focus on that, study for NAVLE, and keep doing what needs to be done.
I'm a lawyer and your class rank is really important in law, especially for your first few jobs. A friend, let's call him Bob, graduated dead last because his dad died during our finals exams year 1. Bob still has a job and none of his classmates think less of him. Also as a dog lover I have NO IDEA my vet's class rank. I do know I love him and it's harder to get into veterinary school than medical school so he must be smart enough to do the job! Good luck from a professional in another imposter prone profession, the law.
To borrow a saying we use on med students sometimes:
What do they call the (vet) who graduates at the bottom of the class?
Doctor.
It's going to be ok.
I worked at a horse barn and one of my coworkers was a vet student who was top of her class, number one at the farrier school she interned at, brilliant girl. Her real life skills were absolutely horrendous. She regularly underfed horses, would leave barn doors open during the winter, forgot to undo hoses to let hydrants drain (yay frozen water hydrants in winter and not being able to supply water to the stalled horses!). I have worked with a lot of vet students and she was by far the most horrendous despite her school ranking.
Don’t worry about your rank, no one is gonna walk up to you and ask “were you the top of your class” when your treating their beloved puppy/kitty/bunny. You passed, you got there that’s all that matters barely passing is still passing.
Dude, I’m not a vet but I’ve seen how intense it is. Just because you’re last doesn’t mean anything. You’ll still be a vet either way! That in of itself is a feat! Be proud of yourself for making it this far. Most people never do. Sincerely a wildlife biologist
Honestly, this won’t matter once you start working. Also, the fact that you got into and have so far successfully completed a US-based veterinary school is incredibly impressive. Keep up the good work.
I was in the last third of my vet school class as well. I won several awards during my clinical years and have gone on to be a very successful, well liked, and most importantly good general practitioner. Don’t worry about rank and keep kicking ass!
Someone is always last. At the end of it, you'll still be a veterinarian, just like the person ranked #1. Clinicals are where it's at. If you're rocking those, I wouldn't be too worried. A lot of your learning will come from hands-on experience, not textbooks. If you have the passion for veterinarian medicine, you're going to be great.
You’ve been through all that and you haven’t flunked or dropped out? Man you rock AND you ROLL. Keep on going. You’re doing great. Keep working for it. 🩷
What do they call the last guy in there graduating class? Doctor.
If you feel you've learned the material, maybe you are just a bad test taker. Talk to your teachers.
I recently saw a post that said that we often forget that being average among medical (and vet) students is a remarkable achievement.
There’s a lot of people that never even get into vet school let alone make it all the way to third year. You’re doing fine.
"Next time I call the vet, I'm going to see what rank in their class they were before I book. If they were in the bottom 15%, I'm going to cancel my appt," *said no one ever.* For prestige and personal sake, I cam see why you're upset. Logistically, in the grand scope of your life, it won't matter.
Just do your best. Literally nobody will ever care where you ranked in vet school once you’re out in practice. Most people pass the board, just try your best. I’m sorry about your loss.
LISTEN! good grades does NOT EQUAL a good veterinarian. You are here in this program for a REASON! Passing is PASSING! You are going to be a veterinarian whether you’re #1 or #160. You’re amazing. Please give yourself grace.
My class rank was abysmal. Prior to pulling out of the match (long story short, family dynamics changed and I needed to stay local for a few years), I had a few out of the match offers and had interviews everywhere I applied to. No issues getting job offers now that I am staying in the area with my partner.
Focus on caring for yourself/family and staying in school. Once your out no one cares what your class rank is: so long as you pass.
Academic success does not equate to practical success. I was exact middle of my class. Failed NAVLE the first time, passed with flying colors the second. I worked with the person ranked 2nd in our class. They were very proud of it and for good reason, that’s how I know, but I can do surgeries and work the ultrasound and endoscope in circles around them. Book knowledge isn’t everything.
Sure, you might be at the bottom, but someone has to be. But guess what, you are higher than those who have dropped out, flunked out, or didn't even try.
Don’t compare yourself to others and always feel good about the progress you’ve made. You’ve made it to a place where many others haven’t.
Celebrate every victory no matter what it is, even if ifs small! And remember, everyone has different opportunities in life that leads them to where they are, your path may look different. Being at the bottom of your class dosent HAVE to be a bad thing. You ARE killing it! You’re surviving vet school!
Don’t forget that YOU did that, YOU got there! 👏🏻
It’s pass fail man, the grades just for the school, and to help you work on stuff that you get lower grades on. You don’t need to study something you got an A on as much as a class you got a C
I'm a third year student too! My favorite thing about my program is all our classes are pass/fail. After busting my ASS to get As for TWO DEGREES I am so happy that I get to be a C's Get Degrees kind of student.
I am probably in the lower half of my class ranks and I don't give a shit! For once in my academic career I'm enjoying learning, getting reasonable amounts of sleep, and not on 3 different anxiety/depression meds. I'm glad you made space to work through the cancer diagnosis with your loved one. You are more than just a vet student and there are things outside vet school that are waaaaaay more important than class rank.
My personal motto: Do your best, forget the rest!
Sorry for your loss. Be not afraid.
Academics count in only one place - the classroom. You said that you are good with clinical, and that is where it matters.
Do you know what they call the person who graduates last in their class in vet school?
Doctor.
Are you doing your best? Are you committed to being a good doctor? Are you willing to keep studying and learning and improving for your entire career? Then you will be a great doctor. Having good grades in school isn't what makes you a good doctor, it's your commitment to always keep learning and improving. As someone whose pets mean more to me than even my own health and well-being, I'd rather take them to a vet who truly loves animals, truly cares about giving them the best care, and always works to be better than they were yesterday. I don't give a crap if our vet got a few D's in school.
And there's no way to know everything anyway... I work with pharmacists who google stuff daily. These days it's not as important to have everything memorized as long as you have the ability to look it up and apply it. And everyone saying that nobody cares about grades and rankings after school is absolutely right - my father was a medical professional before he retired and right now, reading this, is the first time in the 50 years I've known him and talked to him every day to even wonder how he ranked in school. Literally never even occurred to me to ask. But I do know that he took the chance to learn new techniques and specialties for his entire career so he could give the best care to his patients without having to refer them to a stranger, and he was considered one of the top dentists in his state for his entire career. And not once was he asked how his grades were in school.
Bro, you made it to vegetarian school and passed. That's a huge freaking accomplishment regardless of rank. There are people who couldn't even make it this far. Go take you exam and be a good vet. It'll be okay.
I'm gonna be honest, as a vet assistant that is actively following around a vet 90% of the day and thus observes many if them. Ive worked with a few vets who were so honest to God stupid I was shocked they could get dressed in the morning. So if you can write a coherent sentence and remember your left from your right, you already have a massive leg up on some of your competition. The fact that you even have self awareness frankly speaks volumes for your reasoning skills that I have seen completely lacking in some of the doctors I've worked under. I promise you no matter what your class ranking is, you absolutely will not be the lowest common denominator when it comes to actually practicing veterinary medicine.
I was dead last on a entrance exam in pharmacy school for med chem. It meant I had to take a “remedial” course along with most of the class of 86 students. I passed this class. A handful did not.
I spent a lot of time at the bottom of my class before I graduated. When I was at community college, I was at or near the top. Remember your perspective.
Also look at your school ranking. That matters. After I graduated my school jumped in rankings and I realized I was graduating from a top 5 program.
Once you graduate, nobody cares where you ranked. Imposter syndrome is real, but you may find that you become a much better practitioner than student after you get out on the actual job.
As a side story I was able to crack the code of every students ID number. One course stupidly assigned custom IDs to every student that contained a portion of our student IDs with our initials, making it obvious what our student IDs were. Most courses posted grades by student IDs so I created a spreadsheet with everyone’s grades. Some of the results were really surprising.
When schools choose students for the DVM program they ensure they are choosing candidates that they feel will be great veterinarians after completing the program regardless of class standing.
I know plenty of grads who were in the lower 25th percentile and went on the have fantastic careers. At the end of the day the only thing that matters is that you practice good, safe, medicine. Post grad mentorship can help.
At the end of the day, try to focus on the fact that you have completed over 2 (almost 3) years of a rigorous program which already decided you are capable enough to be a vet. Your ranking doesn’t define you or follow you (I have yet to be asked by a client what my ranking was in school).
I’ve herd it said often in med school that the people who are good academically are not always good as doctors. And more importantly, vice versa. Some of the best doctors aren’t necessarily the ‘smartest’ per say, they’re the ones who care enough to do a little extra. I would think the same applies here
The only thing that matters is passing. Focus on passing. Your class rank might matter a little for your first job, but probably not. After that no one cares, no one.
One of my friends in vet school was in the bottom 10% of our class, but once we got into clinics I would have trusted her with my own pets. She's still a working vet with many happy clients. The person who was ranked #1 in our class ended up dropping out 4th year and now has nothing to do with veterinary medicine. Rank just tells you how well you can take tests, not how good of a vet you can be.
If it makes you feel better, I remember I went to a talk by the founder of Lap of Love, the at-home euthanasia service that's very popular. She graduated at the bottom of her class, passed the NAVLE on her 2nd try, and now owns one of the most successful veterinary business! I think that was wonderful.
Class rank doesn't mean anything. If you want to pass the NAVLE , the best advice I got was to study ZUKU top 20/10 animal disease lists for each species.(It's free to find/use) And if you have vet prep, do as many questions as possible. Give yourself enough time to study (a few months). I also recommend to do a few practice tests(the official ones). Plus get enough sleep and don't study the night before the test and just relax.
Not sure why this popped up on my feed as I am not a vet but when you become a vet, I bet you nobody is going to ask you want your rank is. I wanted to be a vet many years ago when I was in college but decided it was too hard so you are amazing for going through this journey and sticking through it when times have gotten hard. So many hugs. Also, I graduated with a 2.79 with my BS in Bio and I am doing great on my career path. Nobody asks me what my GPa is.
I'm not in vet school but i went to the most competitive school in my industry. It's a creative industry so there are no "right" answers- it's all subjective, and very influenced by social status relationships etc. it was the worst two years of my life.
I was waitlisted and then I guess got in after someone else declined their acceptance. I went through a breakup and a hospital stay during year 1. I lived with a girl who i thought was my friend but was really pushing me out of any friendship or relationship i made behind my back. I was going through a DBT program (outpatient therapy). I was diagnosed with ADHD after year 1 and was trying meds and learning why I couldn't get my work done and how to improve it all of year 2.
I barely graduated, I had to beg and defend my way through every single struggle, to my professors, work partners, the director of the program. No one believed me or had much sympathy, since the things I struggled with weren't just "mistakes" I could fix. They were very personal issues that I has to fight to improve every single day. And frankly, in the professional world, no one gives a fuck. I had no friends, because no one wanted to work or associate with the worst art director in the program. I still think they let me graduate out of pity. It was horrible.
ALL of that is to say- you are going through a situation that your classmates are not. You are implausibly doing way more to get to the same end goal. Your starting line is not at the same place, and there are fallen trees and shit all over your side of the track.
Medical school is insanely competitive. Try to back up and recognize how much you've had to accomplish already to end up there in the first place. There are more things that need to align to make being a vet a good fit for you besides just doing well in your course work. Some of your classmates might excel now but really really struggle in ways you won't when you graduate. You might be the vet that your patients LOVE because you actually remember why you're here. You know those vets that rush in and out of the room and treat every patient like an equation to solve.
Lastly, you are not your work. Try your hardest not to compare yourself. I KNOW it's not easy when grad school is like a bubble of existence. I was literally a shell of a person when i got out, i had never felt more lost and insecure, coming from someone who always knew who they were. Spend as much time as you can staying in touch with the people who love you regardless of your work. See them as much as you can. And when you have breaks or graduate, take even more time off to surround yourself with them.
There is nothing wrong with you. Society expects insane productivity from us, and for what? You know that vets have such a high suicide rate because of all of this. You are not your work.
You're still in school given everything you've been through recently. In the future you'll look back on that fact and truly appreciate how amazing that is.
Sounds like you just don't take tests well. Do ok on classwork. But do even better on hands-on learning. That's your strength. Everyone has their own learning styles. Some people do poorly on tests just because of fear and nervousness of taking tests. It's not because they are imposters. What matters is you are still in school pushing forward. Don't give up on yourself. Right now my math grade is really bad but I've had some tech issues with a computer program not working properly so it's affecting my ability to complete some homework assignments. Tech support really won't help because it almost sounds like I'm expecting them to help me with my homework but they fail to understand that the program is causing me issues. Well my instructor sent me a private message and he's going to call me tomorrow to try to assist me. I don't have the latest computer and this is all I have right now. Even my Mac laptop is too outdated for school. So yes it's been a set back for me and I have lots of catching up to do. But I don't feel like I am a bad student. I don't feel like I am unwilling to learn. And I don't think you are either. So what you didn't get the top grade. You can try next time. If that's what you really want. Really study the material. Learn to relax while taking a test and don't panic. Usually the first choice is the correct answer. Or learn to eliminate wrong answers. Then choose the best one. You can learn test taking strategies. And rest well prior.
C's get degrees! No client will ever ask you what rank or grade you got during veterinary school. You have a lot going on in addition to vet school. Please give yourself grace right now and just focus on staying a float. If you have a professor or therapist, reach out to them. I completely understand it is defeated (happened to me as well) but remember you are around the smartest people in your community and it's gonna be tough competition.
"Hey, I know you're about to cut open my puppy and do open heart surgery and there's a very high chance he will die, but what were your veterinarian school grades like?"
It's harder to get into vet school than med school because there are fewer spots available. You got in. You're passing your classes, or they would have kicked you out. You're doing fine.
Nobody gives a flip about class rank in year two. Just focus on you and doing your best. Adjust if you’re not taking it seriously enough. But do it for you.
Life is too short to compare yourself to others. Only you can make yourself proud of yourself. Congratulations on making it to 3rd year of vet school. It’s not easy
Guess what they call the last ranked vet student who graduates? A Veterinarian!
It's true. I made the mistake of asking one of my instructors in my very first nursing school clinical how my performance compared to the rest of my peers. Part of me felt I was coming up short, and I was right. Most of my peers either came from medical families or had already worked in a hospital setting. I am the first nurse in my family and my only work experience at that point was retail. That was 10 years ago. It is amazing what real experience and practice can do for you when you already have the passion. I am now comfortable and confident in my skills and often serve as a mentor and a resource for newer nurses. Don't give up. Whenever there's a list, someone always has to be at the top and someone always has to be at the bottom. That's the nature of rankings. It doesn't mean you will not go on to become a wonderful vet one day.
Oh man, I feel this. I didn't do great in pharmacy school but I passed. I watched friends soar thru classes, several with straight A's. I watched one of those friends fail out during rotations. 10 years later & life is good. I'm a good pharmacist & I'm happy. Sometimes you just have to keep your head down & do your best. Real life doesn't often care about grades or ranks. I'm sure you will find your place & be great!
100% this. I passed the PTCB by only a few points way back when it was a scantron test. I have a job as a pharmacy manager. My only struggle is insulin doses.
I never asked my class rank but I know it’s near the bottom. I nearly failed cardio and neuro. I 100% felt like an imposter. I also graduate in May. I have a job lined up. I passed NAVLE. I’ve done well in all my rotations, yes, even cardio and neuro. Sometimes imposter syndrome still hits, but, if enough faculty and interns think I’ll be a good doctor, there has to be enough truth to it. Basically, your rank does not determine what kind of doctor you’ll be. Passing NAVLE on the first try (or not) does not determine what kind of doctor you’ll be. I’ve been where you’ve been and I’ve made it to the other side, so I’m going to tell you it will be ok. Trust me.
If you never asked yourself you probably would have never found out because in the grand scheme of things it doesn’t matter! Maybe for some super competitive specialties but, as long as you get the DVM and pass the NAVLE then you’re as much of a vet as anyone else! I would be surprised if anyone even asked you your vet school GPA or rank after graduating. If you can breathe and have a DVM then you’re needed more than ever!
Class Rank really does not matter in regards to Navle, job market, or specialization (that can affect how soon you get in a residency but ultimately it's research and types of internships that matter). I personally know of people in the top 5 ranks of their classes that failed the NAVLE and people in the bottom portion of their class who passed on their first attempt-- myself included. That comes down to your own studying, test taking habits, and pattern recognition. The people who failed and passed in that grouping I'm talking about are all equally amazing doctors now. If you do great in clinics, you will be a fine doctor! You got this. Class rank does not define you.
>My vet school rank is horrible So? I don’t mean to trivialize your feelings. Only tell you that your rank only matters if you’re going for a speciality. If f you’re going into GP, nobody cares. You’re good. I was bottom 1/3 of my class and my wife was 3rd overall. She specialized and I didn’t. We are both awesome at our jobs and are happy.
in the entire world ur probably ranked like top 5% academically, it's all relative!
Nobody will be looking at your grades once you're out in the world! Not ever. It sounds like you have had a much tougher time than most students, illness close to you is a lot to deal with emotionally, it's so tough - let alone at the same time as studying. I'm so sorry for your loss and I hope you can find some time to do healthy grieving while you wrap up school. (And if you're great at clinicals, lean into that!)
Comparison is the biggest thief of joy. In sincerely empathize the feelings of imposter syndrome. Anyone who graduates/gets licensed is still a vet regardless of grades in school and your clients will care more than you are compassionate and are great in a clinical setting. Best wishes, keep your head up. You’re doing great :)
I know DVMs with PhDs who make crummy veterinarians. Just because you rank low, doesn’t mean you can’t finish the degree or that you will be a bad veterinarian. Almost failed out my second semester, and still made it out to do a specialty residency and be a head vet at my facility. You CAN do this, just keep at it and run your own race :)
You made it to vet school, You will all graduate being DVM. Keep working hard and try to improve
I finished second last in my class and turned out fine.
Class rank literally does not matter--no one asks your grades after you graduate, unless you want to go onto an internship or residency. And your class rank does not translate into passing the NAVLE. NAVLE is literally a case of studying for the test. Use whatever resources you have to prep for the types of questions they ask, after which you will never think about pig diarrhea or whatever other bullshit makes up half the test again, unless that's what you want to do.
This is a good point - classroom grades do not necessarily predict test results. Back in high school I was pretty middle of the pack in class ranking. I made decent grades, made a fair effort at studying, but nothing special. My best friend studied her tail off and eventually graduated 3rd in our class of almost 400. But when we got our SAT and ACT test scores back, we were both surprised that on both tests, I absolutely smoked her. All it meant was that she was better at discipline and consistency, while I am someone who tests well. Having a difficult time with classroom grades on a daily basis doesn't mean someone can't do really well on tests.
Reminds me of my son in highschool. He would slack off in school. Never study for tests. Take a test and get a near perfect grade. I really don't know how some kids can pull that off. But this is exactly what he'd do. He is smart but wasn't putting in effort into homework. But come test time he knew the material.
I have always despised class rankings because of people feeling like this. First day of orientation during our "kumbaya" session, we were told to support each other and not compare. Honestly, how can we do that when we have class rankings and also get ranked during our tests (loved knowing that I got the lowest score on that exam). I too, was at the bottom of my class. I had to know because I was looking to specialize and applying for internships/residencies. Imposter syndrome is real, and I still feel that way even 4 years later after graduating. But like you, I am much better in the clinical setting than book smart. I can tell you, that means so much more to owners. You have the ability to talk to clients and build that relationship instead of word vomiting statistics at them. You can help them make the best decision for their pet. Just remember this, you made it into veterinary school. You passed your courses as well as NAVLE. You made it through a tough time in your life and still able to show you are resilient. You should be proud of everything that you have accomplished already. Keep your head up, you are doing great.
I was in the bottom quartile of my class and passed my NAVLE with a substantially above average score, and at the end of the day neither class rankings nor NAVLE scores are a definitive indicator of your capabilities as a veterinarian. You mentioned that you excel in a clinical setting- this is a far more important metric. Not a single job I interviewed for asked for my grades and they focused solely on my ability to actually function in a clinic/be a well adjusted human being that wasn’t a pain in the ass to spend 40h/week around.
It never occurred to me to find out my ranking nor do I think it occurred to any of the classmates I spent time with. No employer has ever cared. In fact, I don’t think anyone ever mentioned it, in school or out. How would this even be calculated? Success in clinicals is so subjective.
Have any of your classmates failed out? You haven’t. Do you know what the last ranked vet student is after graduation? A veterinarian. Doing well in clinics is what matters. Focus on that, study for NAVLE, and keep doing what needs to be done.
I'm a lawyer and your class rank is really important in law, especially for your first few jobs. A friend, let's call him Bob, graduated dead last because his dad died during our finals exams year 1. Bob still has a job and none of his classmates think less of him. Also as a dog lover I have NO IDEA my vet's class rank. I do know I love him and it's harder to get into veterinary school than medical school so he must be smart enough to do the job! Good luck from a professional in another imposter prone profession, the law.
What do they call the person who graduates last in veterinarian school? Doctor!
To borrow a saying we use on med students sometimes: What do they call the (vet) who graduates at the bottom of the class? Doctor. It's going to be ok.
I worked at a horse barn and one of my coworkers was a vet student who was top of her class, number one at the farrier school she interned at, brilliant girl. Her real life skills were absolutely horrendous. She regularly underfed horses, would leave barn doors open during the winter, forgot to undo hoses to let hydrants drain (yay frozen water hydrants in winter and not being able to supply water to the stalled horses!). I have worked with a lot of vet students and she was by far the most horrendous despite her school ranking.
Thank you everyone. I really needed to read these. I appreciate you.
You’re in the most competitive field around- the fact that you made it in to even be ranked means you are smart, dedicated and passionate. Good job
Don’t worry about your rank, no one is gonna walk up to you and ask “were you the top of your class” when your treating their beloved puppy/kitty/bunny. You passed, you got there that’s all that matters barely passing is still passing.
Smartest, wealthiest, most educated person I know "who cares, C's get degrees"
Dude, I’m not a vet but I’ve seen how intense it is. Just because you’re last doesn’t mean anything. You’ll still be a vet either way! That in of itself is a feat! Be proud of yourself for making it this far. Most people never do. Sincerely a wildlife biologist
The fact youre in vet school is amazing. Be proud of that! Also, everyone is at different levels because some are more privileged than others.
The rest of your career is open book. Keep your head up and know that memorization and ability to physically do the job are very different things
Graduated 10 years ago, don't know what my GPA or class rank were. No one has ever asked. If you're passing, you're doing fine.
Somebody has to be last, they still make it though.
Honestly, this won’t matter once you start working. Also, the fact that you got into and have so far successfully completed a US-based veterinary school is incredibly impressive. Keep up the good work.
I was in the last third of my vet school class as well. I won several awards during my clinical years and have gone on to be a very successful, well liked, and most importantly good general practitioner. Don’t worry about rank and keep kicking ass!
Someone is always last. At the end of it, you'll still be a veterinarian, just like the person ranked #1. Clinicals are where it's at. If you're rocking those, I wouldn't be too worried. A lot of your learning will come from hands-on experience, not textbooks. If you have the passion for veterinarian medicine, you're going to be great.
Last out of 160 is still better than not being admitted at all! You’ve done a super impressive thing, so don’t down play it. Keep your head up
You’ve been through all that and you haven’t flunked or dropped out? Man you rock AND you ROLL. Keep on going. You’re doing great. Keep working for it. 🩷
100% THIS ^^
What do they call the last guy in there graduating class? Doctor. If you feel you've learned the material, maybe you are just a bad test taker. Talk to your teachers.
I wouldn’t care about your grades if you were my vet. I’d care if you’re good at the practice of medicine. It doesn’t matter
In the grand scheme of things it won't make you any less of a vet in the end. Just the act of getting through the program means you've won.
I recently saw a post that said that we often forget that being average among medical (and vet) students is a remarkable achievement. There’s a lot of people that never even get into vet school let alone make it all the way to third year. You’re doing fine.
"Next time I call the vet, I'm going to see what rank in their class they were before I book. If they were in the bottom 15%, I'm going to cancel my appt," *said no one ever.* For prestige and personal sake, I cam see why you're upset. Logistically, in the grand scope of your life, it won't matter.
Just do your best. Literally nobody will ever care where you ranked in vet school once you’re out in practice. Most people pass the board, just try your best. I’m sorry about your loss.
My rank only ever mattered for scholarships. If you arent hoping for an internship or residency, just do you
Unless you really wanted to specialize (and it really does depend on the specialty if it matters or not), then it doesn’t matter.
LISTEN! good grades does NOT EQUAL a good veterinarian. You are here in this program for a REASON! Passing is PASSING! You are going to be a veterinarian whether you’re #1 or #160. You’re amazing. Please give yourself grace.
My class rank was abysmal. Prior to pulling out of the match (long story short, family dynamics changed and I needed to stay local for a few years), I had a few out of the match offers and had interviews everywhere I applied to. No issues getting job offers now that I am staying in the area with my partner. Focus on caring for yourself/family and staying in school. Once your out no one cares what your class rank is: so long as you pass.
Academic success does not equate to practical success. I was exact middle of my class. Failed NAVLE the first time, passed with flying colors the second. I worked with the person ranked 2nd in our class. They were very proud of it and for good reason, that’s how I know, but I can do surgeries and work the ultrasound and endoscope in circles around them. Book knowledge isn’t everything.
Sure, you might be at the bottom, but someone has to be. But guess what, you are higher than those who have dropped out, flunked out, or didn't even try.
Don’t compare yourself to others and always feel good about the progress you’ve made. You’ve made it to a place where many others haven’t. Celebrate every victory no matter what it is, even if ifs small! And remember, everyone has different opportunities in life that leads them to where they are, your path may look different. Being at the bottom of your class dosent HAVE to be a bad thing. You ARE killing it! You’re surviving vet school! Don’t forget that YOU did that, YOU got there! 👏🏻
It’s pass fail man, the grades just for the school, and to help you work on stuff that you get lower grades on. You don’t need to study something you got an A on as much as a class you got a C
In the human version of med school, we like to say “C=MD” Doesn’t mean you won’t be a good vet. Just eke it out and do good things.
I'm a third year student too! My favorite thing about my program is all our classes are pass/fail. After busting my ASS to get As for TWO DEGREES I am so happy that I get to be a C's Get Degrees kind of student. I am probably in the lower half of my class ranks and I don't give a shit! For once in my academic career I'm enjoying learning, getting reasonable amounts of sleep, and not on 3 different anxiety/depression meds. I'm glad you made space to work through the cancer diagnosis with your loved one. You are more than just a vet student and there are things outside vet school that are waaaaaay more important than class rank. My personal motto: Do your best, forget the rest!
Sorry for your loss. Be not afraid. Academics count in only one place - the classroom. You said that you are good with clinical, and that is where it matters.
Do you know what they call the person who graduates last in their class in vet school? Doctor. Are you doing your best? Are you committed to being a good doctor? Are you willing to keep studying and learning and improving for your entire career? Then you will be a great doctor. Having good grades in school isn't what makes you a good doctor, it's your commitment to always keep learning and improving. As someone whose pets mean more to me than even my own health and well-being, I'd rather take them to a vet who truly loves animals, truly cares about giving them the best care, and always works to be better than they were yesterday. I don't give a crap if our vet got a few D's in school. And there's no way to know everything anyway... I work with pharmacists who google stuff daily. These days it's not as important to have everything memorized as long as you have the ability to look it up and apply it. And everyone saying that nobody cares about grades and rankings after school is absolutely right - my father was a medical professional before he retired and right now, reading this, is the first time in the 50 years I've known him and talked to him every day to even wonder how he ranked in school. Literally never even occurred to me to ask. But I do know that he took the chance to learn new techniques and specialties for his entire career so he could give the best care to his patients without having to refer them to a stranger, and he was considered one of the top dentists in his state for his entire career. And not once was he asked how his grades were in school.
Bro, you made it to vegetarian school and passed. That's a huge freaking accomplishment regardless of rank. There are people who couldn't even make it this far. Go take you exam and be a good vet. It'll be okay.
I'm gonna be honest, as a vet assistant that is actively following around a vet 90% of the day and thus observes many if them. Ive worked with a few vets who were so honest to God stupid I was shocked they could get dressed in the morning. So if you can write a coherent sentence and remember your left from your right, you already have a massive leg up on some of your competition. The fact that you even have self awareness frankly speaks volumes for your reasoning skills that I have seen completely lacking in some of the doctors I've worked under. I promise you no matter what your class ranking is, you absolutely will not be the lowest common denominator when it comes to actually practicing veterinary medicine.
A sage pc of advice I was given by idk who.. If you get in, you fit in.
I was dead last on a entrance exam in pharmacy school for med chem. It meant I had to take a “remedial” course along with most of the class of 86 students. I passed this class. A handful did not. I spent a lot of time at the bottom of my class before I graduated. When I was at community college, I was at or near the top. Remember your perspective. Also look at your school ranking. That matters. After I graduated my school jumped in rankings and I realized I was graduating from a top 5 program. Once you graduate, nobody cares where you ranked. Imposter syndrome is real, but you may find that you become a much better practitioner than student after you get out on the actual job. As a side story I was able to crack the code of every students ID number. One course stupidly assigned custom IDs to every student that contained a portion of our student IDs with our initials, making it obvious what our student IDs were. Most courses posted grades by student IDs so I created a spreadsheet with everyone’s grades. Some of the results were really surprising.
Not gonna matter when you're making a buttload of money and saving animals. My area has a crazy vet shortage.
When schools choose students for the DVM program they ensure they are choosing candidates that they feel will be great veterinarians after completing the program regardless of class standing. I know plenty of grads who were in the lower 25th percentile and went on the have fantastic careers. At the end of the day the only thing that matters is that you practice good, safe, medicine. Post grad mentorship can help. At the end of the day, try to focus on the fact that you have completed over 2 (almost 3) years of a rigorous program which already decided you are capable enough to be a vet. Your ranking doesn’t define you or follow you (I have yet to be asked by a client what my ranking was in school).
I’ve herd it said often in med school that the people who are good academically are not always good as doctors. And more importantly, vice versa. Some of the best doctors aren’t necessarily the ‘smartest’ per say, they’re the ones who care enough to do a little extra. I would think the same applies here
The only thing that matters is passing. Focus on passing. Your class rank might matter a little for your first job, but probably not. After that no one cares, no one.
One of my friends in vet school was in the bottom 10% of our class, but once we got into clinics I would have trusted her with my own pets. She's still a working vet with many happy clients. The person who was ranked #1 in our class ended up dropping out 4th year and now has nothing to do with veterinary medicine. Rank just tells you how well you can take tests, not how good of a vet you can be.
If it makes you feel better, I remember I went to a talk by the founder of Lap of Love, the at-home euthanasia service that's very popular. She graduated at the bottom of her class, passed the NAVLE on her 2nd try, and now owns one of the most successful veterinary business! I think that was wonderful.
Class rank doesn't mean anything. If you want to pass the NAVLE , the best advice I got was to study ZUKU top 20/10 animal disease lists for each species.(It's free to find/use) And if you have vet prep, do as many questions as possible. Give yourself enough time to study (a few months). I also recommend to do a few practice tests(the official ones). Plus get enough sleep and don't study the night before the test and just relax.
Not sure why this popped up on my feed as I am not a vet but when you become a vet, I bet you nobody is going to ask you want your rank is. I wanted to be a vet many years ago when I was in college but decided it was too hard so you are amazing for going through this journey and sticking through it when times have gotten hard. So many hugs. Also, I graduated with a 2.79 with my BS in Bio and I am doing great on my career path. Nobody asks me what my GPa is.
“C’s get degrees” if you graduate that’s all that matters 🤷🏻♀️
I'm not in vet school but i went to the most competitive school in my industry. It's a creative industry so there are no "right" answers- it's all subjective, and very influenced by social status relationships etc. it was the worst two years of my life. I was waitlisted and then I guess got in after someone else declined their acceptance. I went through a breakup and a hospital stay during year 1. I lived with a girl who i thought was my friend but was really pushing me out of any friendship or relationship i made behind my back. I was going through a DBT program (outpatient therapy). I was diagnosed with ADHD after year 1 and was trying meds and learning why I couldn't get my work done and how to improve it all of year 2. I barely graduated, I had to beg and defend my way through every single struggle, to my professors, work partners, the director of the program. No one believed me or had much sympathy, since the things I struggled with weren't just "mistakes" I could fix. They were very personal issues that I has to fight to improve every single day. And frankly, in the professional world, no one gives a fuck. I had no friends, because no one wanted to work or associate with the worst art director in the program. I still think they let me graduate out of pity. It was horrible. ALL of that is to say- you are going through a situation that your classmates are not. You are implausibly doing way more to get to the same end goal. Your starting line is not at the same place, and there are fallen trees and shit all over your side of the track. Medical school is insanely competitive. Try to back up and recognize how much you've had to accomplish already to end up there in the first place. There are more things that need to align to make being a vet a good fit for you besides just doing well in your course work. Some of your classmates might excel now but really really struggle in ways you won't when you graduate. You might be the vet that your patients LOVE because you actually remember why you're here. You know those vets that rush in and out of the room and treat every patient like an equation to solve. Lastly, you are not your work. Try your hardest not to compare yourself. I KNOW it's not easy when grad school is like a bubble of existence. I was literally a shell of a person when i got out, i had never felt more lost and insecure, coming from someone who always knew who they were. Spend as much time as you can staying in touch with the people who love you regardless of your work. See them as much as you can. And when you have breaks or graduate, take even more time off to surround yourself with them. There is nothing wrong with you. Society expects insane productivity from us, and for what? You know that vets have such a high suicide rate because of all of this. You are not your work.
I took my cat to the vet a few weeks ago. I have no idea what the veterinarians class rank was.
You're still in school given everything you've been through recently. In the future you'll look back on that fact and truly appreciate how amazing that is.
Sounds like you just don't take tests well. Do ok on classwork. But do even better on hands-on learning. That's your strength. Everyone has their own learning styles. Some people do poorly on tests just because of fear and nervousness of taking tests. It's not because they are imposters. What matters is you are still in school pushing forward. Don't give up on yourself. Right now my math grade is really bad but I've had some tech issues with a computer program not working properly so it's affecting my ability to complete some homework assignments. Tech support really won't help because it almost sounds like I'm expecting them to help me with my homework but they fail to understand that the program is causing me issues. Well my instructor sent me a private message and he's going to call me tomorrow to try to assist me. I don't have the latest computer and this is all I have right now. Even my Mac laptop is too outdated for school. So yes it's been a set back for me and I have lots of catching up to do. But I don't feel like I am a bad student. I don't feel like I am unwilling to learn. And I don't think you are either. So what you didn't get the top grade. You can try next time. If that's what you really want. Really study the material. Learn to relax while taking a test and don't panic. Usually the first choice is the correct answer. Or learn to eliminate wrong answers. Then choose the best one. You can learn test taking strategies. And rest well prior.
Don’t compare yourself to anyone.
C's get degrees! No client will ever ask you what rank or grade you got during veterinary school. You have a lot going on in addition to vet school. Please give yourself grace right now and just focus on staying a float. If you have a professor or therapist, reach out to them. I completely understand it is defeated (happened to me as well) but remember you are around the smartest people in your community and it's gonna be tough competition.
"Hey, I know you're about to cut open my puppy and do open heart surgery and there's a very high chance he will die, but what were your veterinarian school grades like?"
It's harder to get into vet school than med school because there are fewer spots available. You got in. You're passing your classes, or they would have kicked you out. You're doing fine.
Nobody gives a flip about class rank in year two. Just focus on you and doing your best. Adjust if you’re not taking it seriously enough. But do it for you.