My daughter, 12 years old, announced this year she wanted to pursue a career as a veterinarian. She has been raised on our mini-farm all of her life so I wasn't surprised. At the age of 8 years old, she was the sole caretaker. So, when I saw a giveaway to win her a Vet Set Go! hardback book by Chris Carpenter, I jumped on it! We were both thrilled to find out she did win the book and wanted to give you an honest review of it.
The Vet Set Go! book contains guidelines for discovering the exploration of veterinarian medicine. In addition, methods are detailed on how to achieve this by obtaining experience, volunteering, learning through books, meeting vets, and connecting with other aspiring vets.
The thin, hardback guide is an easy read for ages 9 to 14 and it's almost 60 pages long. The pages are visually-appealing and include a table of contents, worksheets, case studies, and checklists. The author begins with his background at an early age with volunteering at dog shows while reading several intriguing vet books.
Chapter Breakdown
Chapter 1 begins with a high-level goal list:
- Get experience being around animals
- Explore the science behind taking care of animals
- Meet veterinarians
- Learn technical terms associated with vet medicine
Chapter 2 dives into ideas for a hands-on experience like vet and zoo camps. This is recommended for those too young to volunteer at clinics. This chapter also entails case studies and fillable checklists.
The 3rd chapter discusses veterinarian shadowing for kids 13 or 14 years old. Enclosed in this chapter includes more case studies, dos and don'ts, and an action plan on steps towards shadowing a vet.
Chapter 4 talks about why fostering pets is a great option for gaining experience with animals and how to go about starting.
The 5th chapter tells potential vets to go local and advertise for pet sitting and the benefits that come with it. Start with asking families you know and when you land a job, ask them questions on their expectations.
Finally, chapter 6 encourages the reader to start today and get out there to determine all of the possibilities. This chapter also includes case studies on kids who have successfully started their own path to taking care of animals.
Our Takeaways
My favorite parts of the book were the case studies (stories of wannabe vets), actions plans, worksheets, and checklists. When you write your goals down, chances are higher that you will initiate them. Also, I am convinced the samples of letters for prospective vet doctors to shadow will be extremely effective!
My daughter loves Vet Set Go! as it gives her next steps to follow and its perfect for her age. Some examples encompass fostering a pet, volunteering at a shelter, and pet sitting. At a young age, she has raised chickens, puppies, and rabbits with little guidance. I'm excited to see how this effects her future decisions. We've already made a phone call to a local shelter and plan on pet sitting!
I would highly recommend this book if your child i between 9 to 14 years old and dreaming of becoming a vet. Surprisingly, its packed full of information with only 60 pages. Your daughter or son will get excited about the possible opportunities out there! I am hopeful it will set them up for a successful path to a veterinarian career.
