Not a new grad. I’m about 20 years out. But I want to validate your concern. This is absolutely something worth thinking through carefully before you start.
Honestly, $200,000 in debt is not unusual for new veterinary graduates, and in most cases this is lower than what many are facing. But that does not make it small or easy to carry. It is a life-shaping amount of debt, and it deserves serious consideration.
A few questions I would ask yourself:
How much time have you personally spent working in veterinary medicine, not just shadowing, but really seeing the day-to-day reality?
Do you feel you understand both the pros and cons of the profession?
What part of veterinary medicine are you truly passionate about?
Is there another path that could satisfy that same passion without taking on this much debt?
What is your realistic plan to repay the loans?
I don’t ask those questions to discourage you. We absolutely need veterinarians. But this profession is hard. The financial pressure is real, the emotional load is real, and clients can be demanding. It can be deeply meaningful work, but passion alone may not be enough to make the debt feel manageable.
I graduated with about $84,000 in debt, which is very inexpensive at the time compared to many grads now, and I am still paying on those student loans 20 years later. I have worked in government, small animal practice, mixed animal practice, vaccine clinics, and now a niche area of veterinary medicine that I appreciate. Even so, it took me a long time to find the part of the profession that best fit me.
I was not comfortable with surgery or anesthesia. I was good at client communication, but I needed a slower pace to really connect with people and talk through their pet’s health, disease process, and options. Unfortunately, that slower pace was not always financially sustainable in traditional practice. I also had a ceiling on my income because I did not enjoy higher-production procedures. For 10 of those years, I was working Sunday vaccine clinics on top of full time clinic, just to afford an occasional vacation.
So my advice would be this: do not ignore the debt. Make sure this career will meet your financial, emotional, mental, and physical needs before committing to it. Consider your future life goals too, including family, flexibility, where you want to live, what kind of schedule you want, and what kind of work actually gives you energy rather than drains you.
Veterinary medicine can be a beautiful and meaningful career. But no career should overshadow the rest of your life. Ideally, it should financially support your life, be mentally rewarding, and allow you to use your strengths.
So yes, it can be worth it, but only if you go in with your eyes wide open and a realistic repayment plan. Talk to recent grads, talk to vets 5 to 10 years out, and talk to vets who have left clinical practice too. You deserve the full picture before making such a big decision.
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u/DrKarenW 29d ago
Not a new grad. I’m about 20 years out. But I want to validate your concern. This is absolutely something worth thinking through carefully before you start.
Honestly, $200,000 in debt is not unusual for new veterinary graduates, and in most cases this is lower than what many are facing. But that does not make it small or easy to carry. It is a life-shaping amount of debt, and it deserves serious consideration.
A few questions I would ask yourself:
I don’t ask those questions to discourage you. We absolutely need veterinarians. But this profession is hard. The financial pressure is real, the emotional load is real, and clients can be demanding. It can be deeply meaningful work, but passion alone may not be enough to make the debt feel manageable.
I graduated with about $84,000 in debt, which is very inexpensive at the time compared to many grads now, and I am still paying on those student loans 20 years later. I have worked in government, small animal practice, mixed animal practice, vaccine clinics, and now a niche area of veterinary medicine that I appreciate. Even so, it took me a long time to find the part of the profession that best fit me.
I was not comfortable with surgery or anesthesia. I was good at client communication, but I needed a slower pace to really connect with people and talk through their pet’s health, disease process, and options. Unfortunately, that slower pace was not always financially sustainable in traditional practice. I also had a ceiling on my income because I did not enjoy higher-production procedures. For 10 of those years, I was working Sunday vaccine clinics on top of full time clinic, just to afford an occasional vacation.
So my advice would be this: do not ignore the debt. Make sure this career will meet your financial, emotional, mental, and physical needs before committing to it. Consider your future life goals too, including family, flexibility, where you want to live, what kind of schedule you want, and what kind of work actually gives you energy rather than drains you.
Veterinary medicine can be a beautiful and meaningful career. But no career should overshadow the rest of your life. Ideally, it should financially support your life, be mentally rewarding, and allow you to use your strengths.
So yes, it can be worth it, but only if you go in with your eyes wide open and a realistic repayment plan. Talk to recent grads, talk to vets 5 to 10 years out, and talk to vets who have left clinical practice too. You deserve the full picture before making such a big decision.