Medical students often learn how to perform exploratory surgery procedures, such as laparotomy and laparoscopy, to determine the nature of a health issue. This type of surgery is typically done when other diagnostic tests have come up negative.

Studies in pre-veterinary medicine may appeal to students who enjoy working outdoors and receiving real-world experience in pre-veterinary medicine. Real-world experience may help a student determine which direction to pursue after taking courses in a pre-vet program.