[jennapbt]

Ever since I was a child I've wanted to be a veterinarian. I currently work in a vet clinic as a Veterinarian Technician. I love my job I love what I do. For the past few years I've also thought about being a forensic scientist or a Crime scene investigator. I don't really know if I want to be a vet anymore. I just want to know what it would take to be either one of the forensic scientist or the csi. Does anyone have any experience in either one? Or any input about each one?

[fredg]

Hi,
Your best bet is to do some research on the web, looking at colleges that offer Vet degrees and what courses are required. Do the same for forensic scientist, and see what is required.
Regardless of which field you go into, you may change your mind later. There is a an astounding number of people who change their minds later, about a career.
I, personally, went back to college at 36 yrs old, completely changed my profession from teaching to Engineering. Others have done the same.
Then, again in 2002, not by choice, changed my career again.
I do wish you the best, and good luck. Being a Vet is what I wish I had done, but didn't know it at the time!

[Fr_Chuck]

First there is not really one thing as a forensic scientist, There are the people who do the medical exam that works in the cornorers office, many who are forensic doctors that examine the body and body parts.

You will have others who work in the labs where there is blood evidence studied and other labs where trace materials are studied, another lab where fingerpints are studied.

Next forget what you see on TV on shows like CSI. It makes good TV but it is seldom like that. First in most departments it is the police department that takes the evidence at the crime scenes and sends it to the lab. The lab people never leave the labs and go to the crime scenes.

Only in the very largest cities would they have field investagators who went to the crime scene to take evidence and only on the major crimes.

Next the crime lab people would never ( never) actually question the witnesses, they would merely turn reports over to the police who would question the suspects.

And no they don't have two or three days or weeks to work on just one case. For example they may have 10 cases or more a day to process, they just move from one case to another.

And in many cases they will never know what the outcome of the case was.

And yes as fredg said, you can always change if you want. I was originally a Industrial Engineer and worked for a while with the Justice Department, I later became a Police officer who was trained in criminal investigation, and now I am in the medical equipment field.

(yes I am still a priest) but our order requires that we work and support ourself.

[jennapbt]

I would really like to do things in a laboratory. I love that kind of stuff. I don't want to be a csi because I saw it on t.v, I've actually never seen the show. I did want to be a vet but now that I work in a clinic I don't really know if I want to do that anymore. I know what it takes to be a vet, but I don't know what it takes to be the other things. I just wish there was a way I could follow someone around with that career and see if I would want to do that. I have no clue about colleges either, so I don't know which ones here offer it or the steps I would have to take to actually begin schooling. I guess I'll look up the main schools here and see what they have. I think I just want to hurry and do something but don't know what to do.

[Fr_Chuck]

Many times while in college you can do internships in various places.

When I went to college ( way back when) I did a summer intern with the State Crime Lab in Missouri.

Next take time and try and talk to people in different fields.

[medgen]

Just to add my $.02, while what much of what Fr_Chuck has to say is correct, it makes the job sound pretty boring...

Personally, after spending many years training to become a research scientist/professor, I made the career change to forensic scientist a couple of years ago and so far it is a better job than I ever could have imagined.

To get the most out of this job, first and foremost you really have to enjoy the science, espeically applied science. But the great thing about this job is the diversity -- I need to know about law, understand criminology, and do an awful lot of teaching (I train officers, MDs, nurses, attorneys, etc), which I also love. In addition to that, I get to testify on my areas of expertise in courts of law, which is also very exciting.

The only parts of Fr_Chuck's experience that are not accurate for me are that I often do know the outcome of the case, and in fact I am often instrumental in determining the outcome. Also, though I rarely go to crime scenes, those that the forensic scientist is required to attend are usually the most high profile and interesting ones, where our knowledge and expertise are most required. That said, I work in Canada, which has a slightly different system than in the U.S.

Anyhow, there is lots of good advice above, but be aware that both professions can be very difficult to get into. We generally get about 300 applications for every job advertisement, and have the luxury of mostly hiring PhDs or people with many years of experience for our scientist jobs. The best way to get in is usually by spending several years as a technologist, and then attempting to get a scientist job. As for veterinary college, up here it is harder to get into Vet school than Med school, although again, that might not apply everywhere.

My advice right now (note: This is subject to change depending on my mood and the time of day!) -- if you love school, keep going in an area you truly love until you decide it is no longer for you, and then look around and see where your skills will take you. Of course, it is probably a pretty good idea to stick your head up every now and again to make sure that careers actually exist in your chosen field, otherwise you'll be like a few of my friends who are incredibly brilliant, have more credentials that you can imagine, but are completely unemployable anywhere other than the world of academia!

...in most departments it is the police department that takes the evidence at the crime scenes and sends it to the lab. The lab people never leave the labs and go tot he crime scenes.

Only in the very largest cities would they have field investagators who went tot he crime scene to take evidence and only on the major crimes.

Next the crime lab people would never ( never) actually question the witnesses, they would merely turn reports over to the police who would question the suspects.

And no they don't have two or three days or weeks to work on just one case. For example they may have 10 cases or more a day to process, they just move from one case to another.

And in many cases they will never know what the outcome of the case was.

[sovaira]

Do what your heart says do what you wanted to become in the childhud.
For a person like me ,my childhud wishes are still alive and I want to pursue them any how.
So be determined and do what your heart says.

WISH YOU BEST LUCK ;)

[setexenv]

Sounds like you have some good responses already, but I'll through my 2 cents in. Do what you will be passionate about. The more you love your job, the more you will love life. If you hate your job, you won't be happy no matter how glamorous or how much money you make. I'd be careful about letting a television show influence my decision about what my career choices are. Television is NOT reality!