Motherhood poses a whole new set of challenges for a veterinary student

Dear Dr. Wheeler,

I'm writing to you after reading your article, “Issues That Drive Associates Bananas,” in the July 2006 issue of Veterinary Economics. I wanted to know what other information or advice you could give about starting a family while attending veterinary school.

I'm 25 years old and after applying to veterinary school three times and being on waiting lists twice, I'll be starting my first semester of veterinary school in the fall. However, I didn't plan to be in my 30s before starting a family. I understand that children are a much bigger commitment than marriage or pet ownership, and I know that if I decide to be a mom now I will give it 100 percent. I guess I just want to know how you've seen other women handle the challenge of having children while in veterinary school and what you think might be the best route.

Thank you for your time and expertise. I appreciate your articles and look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Molly Cable

Kokomo, Ind.

Dr. Karen Wheeler's response:

You're ahead of the game, Molly, because you've started thinking it through—you're weighing the pros and cons. Before deciding to have a baby in veterinary school, it's a good idea to take a hard look at what's realistic in your life.

Do you have a supportive, available spouse, or did your husband just take on a new job that keeps him busy 12 hours a day? Are there any grandparents nearby? Can you make it on five or six hours of sleep? Do you absorb all the information in class, or do you need to do a lot of outside studying?

Some women who become pregnant during veterinary school barely miss a beat. In fact, I've heard of some women who only take two weeks off before returning to classes. Often students temporarily drop out of school, rejoin the graduating class one year behind, and then finish their degree.

I've talked to several women who've had a child during their senior year. They felt they had more flexibility in scheduling, perhaps postponing certain rotations (anesthesia, radiology, and so on) during their pregnancy. Some finished up their rotations the summer following graduation.

It's easy to panic when that biological clock is clanging in your ears, but keep in mind that stress can take a heavy toll on a body, too. What's easy for one woman might be chaos for another, so don't compare yourself to others. Think about what's right for you. And, if you decide the time is right, explore all the options available to help make this busy, but exciting, time in your life a bouncing success!

Dr. Karen Wheeler is a writer, mom to three teenagers ages 14, 15, and 16—who creatively find ways to add new gray hairs to her head every day—and an associate practitioner at Companion Animal Hospital in Eagan, Minn.