Ten year old becomes a veterinarian...almost
Categories: Teens & Tweens, Fun & Activities, In The News, Education
Remember how when you were a kid you loved animals and you wanted to be a veterinarian when you grew up? well, for one little girl, growing up was apparently taking too long.
Ten year old Courtney Oliver of Olympia, near Seattle, Washington completed an online training course which would prepare her to be a vet. Depending on which blog you read, she is a vet, has certification to be a vet, or neither. Last thing I heard she had completed a college training course to become a vet and needed to be supervised by a professional and her mother at all times while caring for animals (other than her own, I would imagine).
According to Yahoo Answers (so helpful!) Courtney is not a vet and does not have a degree to practice. Rather she completed on the online training necessary to receive a certificate to become a vet technician.
It would seem the media is once again getting ahead of itself, and poor Courtney too! But hey--she has more experience than I do. I wouldn't know how to help birth kittens. If Courtney wishes to be a vet when she grows up she's at least on her way. I like a woman who knows what she wants--even if she's not a woman (or a vet) yet.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
MindBites 1-31-2008 @ 11:55PM
I think Courtney probably knows a lot more than we are giving her credit for. You go Courtney- keep up the good work!
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lilacrose4 2-03-2008 @ 10:09AM
This news coverage is doing a great disservice to real veterinarians and to animals. I think it's great that she cares for animals and that she is getting experience early. However, as a veterinary student knowing what this profession is really like, people are being led to believe that a 10 year old can do it. This on-line degree was for a veterinary assistant, not technician or veterinarian. There is a difference, folks. Any veterinarian allowing a 10 year old to assist in surgery is a veterinarian I wouldn't be going to. What a shame....
MindBites.com 1-31-2008 @ 11:58PM
Courtney if you are reading this, check out http://www.MindBites.com. We are an instructional video community of sharing and learning and there might be some great information that you can share re: caring for animals and pets.
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Dara 2-01-2008 @ 3:32PM
Wow...that is...amazing. She must be a smart kid though, you have to admit.
I didn't know it was that easy to learn vet tech training online. Don't you have to actually care for animals to learn how to take care of them correctly? I wouldn't want someone drawing blood on my dog who had never done it on a live dog before...
Dara
http://www.funadvice.com/my/editor
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Monica 2-01-2008 @ 8:11AM
A degree in veterinary medicine takes longer to obtain than an MD. I would bet on a vet tech, but even that is awesome and amazing for a 10yr old girl. Way to go!
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Nancy 2-03-2008 @ 6:54AM
A person cannot become a certified or licensed veterinary technician by taking an online course. Accredited schools (the best ones are affiliated with veterinary colleges) graduate certified technicians in at least two years. Certified techs can then take state board tests to become licensed.
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annb11 2-03-2008 @ 4:16PM
I am so proud that you are making this movement. If we follow in this movement, there will be a lot less cruelty to animals and you will also have the fringe benefit of a healthy heart, body, and mind. I will be one of the followers.
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Susan 2-03-2008 @ 6:57AM
Being a Vet Tech myself-way to go Courtney! Vet med. is so much more difficult than human med. They can't tell you what is wrong and situations can become critical a lot faster then its human counterpart.
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Sarah 2-03-2008 @ 6:58AM
Very sweet, noble and respectable. Don't we all wish we had our acts together by the age of 10, it's hard to do at age 25, lol Way to go Courtney, G-d has truly blessed you, may all your days be filled with the love and care that so many animal's need.
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Carla 2-03-2008 @ 7:00AM
To become a vet takes many years of school past a Bachelor's degree. Much of that work is clinical, hands-on study which cannot be accomplished through an on-line course. To become a vet tech is not an easy task and Courtney is amazing to be able to do this at such a young age, but she is working WITH the vet in the video, Dr Schumacher(sp) who speaks so highly of her, not alongside her as a doctor.
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Theresa 2-03-2008 @ 7:47AM
Congradulations Courtney! I am very happy for you. You go girl!!!
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Brooks 2-03-2008 @ 7:51AM
Congratulations to Courtney for at least having a keen interest in knowing her love for animals and a future career. To become a veterinarian, you must be a high school graduate, completed a pre-vet curriculum or undergraduate degree from a college (generally 4 years), and completed an additional four-year veterinary curriculum at a veterinary college. As far as a veterinary technician degree, it is generally a two-year college program, although there are online programs which are generally three years which also include mentoring in a veterinary hospital with a licensed vet and technicians, and also traveling for hands on training at an affiliated veterinary technician program. None of these programs are easily attainable. Perhaps the program which Courtney completed was for a veterinary assistant, which is NOT the same as a veterinary technician, and the duties which an assistant can perform are much more limited than the duties performed by a licensed technician!!
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nanc 2-03-2008 @ 7:57AM
Congratulations Courtney go girl
If her Mother has to be by her side at work, who did the online work , Courtney or her Mother ?
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Patrice K 2-03-2008 @ 8:33AM
I see this often as a veterinary technician and office manager of a veterinary hospital. People are convinced by tv and internet ads that they can learn something as complicated as medicine with a set of videos. It goes hand in hand with people having no understanding that medical care for animals - diagnosis, diseases, treatment, etc - are just as complicated as medical care for people. It's a shame that these schools can take people's money and have them convinced they go to work a as veterinary assistant. Most have never had any hands-on training with animal patients and have no idea how difficult the job of a veterinary assistant or veterinary technician can be. And don't even get me started about people who seem to think that a veterinary technician is the same as a veterinarian. People would never think a nurses aide is the same as an RN, or that an RN is the same as an MD. And who would think you could go to nursing school or medical school by watching a few videos? I don't know if people are just that stupid/ignorant or if my profession as done that poor a job promoting itself and what it takes in education.
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Janet 2-03-2008 @ 8:40AM
Congratulations Courtney!!
Regardless if you received a vet. tech or vet assistant certificate or degree... you deserve a round of applause. To those individuals who've put you down and made disrespespectful remarks, I say "Shame on you, for your derogatory and skeptical comments; think back, what did you accomplish when you were 10 years old, besides sitting in front of the television!! Can we start supporting the youth of today, which incidently are OUR future!!
So, hats off to you Courtney and disregard the negative remarks, they're only remarks from those who have yet discovered their own potential. You just keep reaching for the stars and remember to always for your dreams!!!
Good Luck to you, hope everything goes well, Janet
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BREA 2-03-2008 @ 8:41AM
THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY SMART KIDS OUT THERE! MY COUSIN JUST TURNED 15, IS GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL THIS YEAR, AND ON HER WAY TO DUKE! AT THE VERY YOUNG AGE OF 15! PROUD OF HER AND COURTNEY!
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Carolyn 2-03-2008 @ 9:31AM
She's to be commended BUT, a vet and a vet tech are two very different things. My husband is a vet and he went to college for 8 years, first getting his Bachelors and then to vet school for 4 long, grueling years. I have no doubt that she, someday, will become a vet however. Good job Court!
Carolyn
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windy 2-03-2008 @ 9:58AM
Awesome...i just hope if she becomes a vet, that she
doesn't rip people off like most vet's do.
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Terry 2-03-2008 @ 10:02AM
Way to go COURTNEY!!!! (clapping for you)
You know what you want and you have plenty of time to go after it! And I know that you are aware on how long you will have to go to school for this. (much longer than a regular MD)but you knew this going in,... I'm SURE! ;)
I bet your Mom is PROUD.....I know I am.....I hope to see more about "COURTNEY OLIVER'S" accomplishments too!
keep up your dream girl....you will do it!! ;)
AND......
It's nice to "finally" see nice comments for a change too!!
Sincerely, Terry
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melody 2-03-2008 @ 10:05AM
People are so ignorant! A veterinarian must go to school for eight years. A veterinarian technician must also attend school and pass a board exam. However, there are worthless certificate programs that offer certificates for veterinarian assistants. There is a huge difference between a technician and an assistant. To think I wasted my time reading this article!
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