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I work on lions and tigers in barn conditions in Wisconsin, so an actual large animal vet is going to give better advice. Ask your ambulatory service, they're just people.

When you under-dress, they'll poke fun at you. When you over-dress, they'll poke fun at you. You're going to go from warm barns to freezing your ass off chasing in the field, so: layers.

Inside the cow is pretty warm, but the other arm gets pretty cold.

Stay moving. Wool stays warming while wet. Polartech anything is teh awesome.

Hot packs are great. Layers (long underwear, multiple jackets). http://www.amazon.com/Heat-Packs-Hour-Warmer-Warmers/dp/B00478VMAI

Hats are your friend.

Warm feet are critical, you want wiggle room for circulation and thick soles for insulation.

I made it through my large animal ambulatory by... fixing their IT problems and not screwing up in the field.

If they reach into an abomasopexy with just a Chlorhexidine rinse of their arm (no glove, no drape) do NOT raise your pinky and tell them how the vet school does it. Do what they do.

I asked for a new needle for a blood draw and drew amused derision for it.

Do not contradict them in front of the clients.

Make them look like fucking veterinary heroes in front of the clients. "Dr. Cowpoke is amazing. I'm learning so much more from them than I've learned in school so far."

They'll make sure you don't freeze to death. Coffee in the client's kitchen goes a long way, too.

Last tip: overalls go over the boots. Tucked in they stay cleaner... until a rope of diarrhea goes right down the boot. Saw it.

As an aside to others' suggestions, a book that helped to get me thinking about the various ethical issues you may face as a veterinarian was "Veterinary Ethics: Animal Welfare, Client Relations, Competition and Collegiality".

It's a slightly older book, but many of the cases it details are still relevant today and will be for you too. That being said, I do remember that the conclusions drawn from two or three of the 100 or so cases were being outdated or unfairly colored by the author. However, they were easy to spot and to avoid.

Disclaimer aside, the book helped me conceptualize ethical dilemmas I hadn't considered in pre-vet, (even with experience in clinics), and was very helpful for my interviews. If you interview at a school that poses ethical questions to you, this could be an asset. The ethical scenarios the book provides are accessible, short, and also entertaining at times!

From my understanding, the MMIs are kind of a weird format, and unfortunately you don't have the opportunity to talk about yourself / why you want to be a vet / what you bring to the table etc etc. Your resume and letter of intent should speak for themselves in that respect.

From my understanding, the MMIs are basically a series of scenarios (the format is based on med school interviews). Reading up on recent vet journals is a great place to start, and you'll probably want to read up on CVMA position statements as well - both are a great way to find out what the big issues are.

I'd also recommend spending some time learning about veterinary ethics. There's a whole format for making ethical decisions... you need to identify all the stakeholders, all the possible solutions, who would benefit/be harmed by each outcome, and how you would come to your decision. This book would be great to have a look through, if you can get your hands on it.

Good luck on your interview!

>Toolboxes

Yes! When I did relief work, I used a small tool bag that I called my "kit bag" -- and if I was doing housecalls I know that a larger toolbox in the car would have been great......but don't get something so big that it will be heavy to get in and out of the car all the time. I think something like this or this might be very useful - it might look weird because it's not "medical", but it would be pretty flexible, portable, and easy to clean.

Volunteering is a great start. Have him concentrate in the sciences - biology, chemistry, etc. Buy the little kid toys and kits, everyone loves them, even adults. Not the 'My Little Pony Breaks Her Leg' type stuff but the microscopes, anatomy models and kits like this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B9259M6/?coliid=I1ULP6IJGN4OXG&colid=7AXW319FW4IL&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Where are you located? If he's interested in working with wildlife, look into junior/master naturalist programs. Wildlife rehab can be part of that. Zoos take volunteers too!

You need to learn about canine behavior cues to keep yourself safe. Most dogs you come in contact with will be nice and not a problem, but you need to learn the signs of a dog that might bite. Don't listen to anybody who talks about canine behavior on TV.
This seems like a good resource if you are willing to invest a little bit of money:
Canine Body Language: A Photographic Guide Interpreting the Native Language of the Domestic Dog https://www.amazon.com/dp/1929242352/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_aB-NBbHPWQ68H

This! Like have people actually been presented with the choice? Because honestly most times it's the lesser of the two evils. It's very easy to sit and judge when you've never been the one to say yes I'll do it for this cat to live or no I wont go find someone else or lets euthanize. If people are interested in developing a more rounded view of ethics I'd recommend the Rollin book

https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Veterinary-Medical-Ethics-Theory/dp/0813803993

There are also really good review flash cards if she studies that way too - anatomy flashcards. Anatomy is probably one of the subjects she could get a head start on or help her feel like she is preparing in a meaningful way.

My husband got me “An Ilustrated Guide to Veterinary Medical Terminology 4th Edition” by Janet Amundson Romich.

It is an excellent intro to all the body systems. Each chapter has quiz questions and crossword puzzles :) It got me really excited to start school and I still use it between semesters to refresh material.

You can pick up a used copy for $50 here

That was in people. Not cats. As trinklest mentioned, you have to tread lightly. Pets are not little people and react very very differently to medications. While some medications can work similarly in humans and animals, a great many do not even if we are talking about the same target organs. You don't hear of using serum therapy in people for eye ulcers, but that is a wonderful and frequently used treatment in pets. You can use Gentamicin ophthalmic drops in infants for conjunctivitis, but in rodents has to be used sparingly or it causes systemic effects and in some species can't be used at all. Pain management is one of the most commonly messed up things in pets when human doctors attempt to home medicate. The number of dogs and cats brought to the vet in liver or kidney failure because their well meaning MD owner dosed them with either over the counter or prescription pain meds like an infant would astound you.

Many of the studies in medications, unless specifically noted as being veterinary or animal based, cannot be correlated to pets. Please do not insult another Doctor with a snottly link to a human study that may mean bupkiss to their field. Remember Veterinarians are doctors too. They just deal with all the other species other than humans. AND have to keep all those other species physiological and anatomical differences straight.

If you really want to be less than a thorn in your vet's side, get a copy of Plumbs (http://www.amazon.com/Plumbs-Veterinary-Drug-Handbook-Pocket/dp/0470959657/ref=la_B000AP9VOQ_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411351762&sr=1-1) along with the book recommended.

Does she like colouring? You can get really cool colouring books that show really nice anatomy!

as seen here

I would recommend 5 minute veterinary consult, good reference for quickly looking stuff up: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0813807638/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687522&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0683082574&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1HM72AGXEWSHZGTPVPMH

Also, I would recommend Plumbs veterinary drug handbook, its a must have for dosages on most drugs:
http://www.amazon.com/Plumbs-Veterinary-Handbook-Donald-Plumb/dp/111891192X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417648156&sr=1-1&keywords=plumbs+veterinary+drug+handbook

I agree with the coloring book. I have this one and it’s super detailed and covers almost all species.

https://www.amazon.com/Veterinary-Anatomy-Coloring-Book-SAUNDERS/dp/145577684X/ref=asc_df_145577684X/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312149991496&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15229285112072110237&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027746&hvtargid=pla-434691655562&psc=1

I just purchased both of these to supplement my normal A&P textbook. Maybe they could help you too! :)

Large Animal

Small Animal

If they are a little older (past the do not approach unknown dog age) this body language cart is kid friendly.

Coming from the shelter side of medicine I wish more kids knew about spaying and neutering. This book is fun for younger kids and the visit to the vet/surgery is explained to some extent to make it less scary.

The Cat is a good one. Ettinger is also good, but not just feline.

I don't understand why you would spend your money on it though. The majority of information will be excessive or possibly out of date if you ever need it. Just trust your vet! There are also different ways of doing things that may not be "textbook" but work with more limited equipment and budget.

I’ve seen quite a few of these types of kits.

There’s also this I found on Amazon:

Vet Academy: Are You Ready for the Challenge? https://www.amazon.com/dp/1610675452/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_.Ed1DbQ68S26T