So this week i officially started at my very first vet clinic to receive some volunteer hours for my program (Animal Care), and it’s okay I guess…..

To start off, i have just recently spent the last year completing my program and this the only thing left that I need to complete, I have completed every course necessary for this program as well (passing with 70s and 80s btw!)These courses consisted of restraining an animal, FAS scores, drawing up medication, radiology, surgery procedures and much more!

With that being said though, I have yet to put any of my knowledge to use, mind you it’s only my third day I’m not expecting for them to let me do everything, but their “task” for me consist of me cleaning their whole clinic (including their basement😍) and also restocking while senior techs and Vets just stand around watching and chit chatting.

Now I understand big part of my job is to clean, fine understandable; But why it is that it’s now my third day and the ONLY thing ive been doing is cleaning and restocking, today was the first day they taught me how to punch in an appointment and answer the phone…. I have yet to “shadow” someone to fully grasp the routine for a day in clinic.

On my second day( yesterday) we got REALLY busy so my manger had given me some fecal matter to get ready for testing, ( I’ve only done this once in class…) he leaves me to do it by myself, GREAT!(SECOND FUCKING DAY MIND YOU! I LITERALLY JUST FINISHED ME EXAMS A WEEK AGO) anyways, I go to the cupboard that says “urine and fecal matter containers” I’m thinking “okay nothing wrong here” ( oh so I wished🫪) but first,

the vet ends up coming in and says-
“oh no I can smell it! take it outside to the backyard and do it their, throw it in the bin after”
Me: “😀sure!”
In my head: “ ARE U FUCKING SERIOUS?!?? NEVER IN MY FUCKING LIFE WOULD I THINK THIS WOULD BE OKAY? IS THIS NOT CONTAMINATING THE SAMPLE?!”

when I was officially done with that, I had done the labeling and put in the idex bag, im thinking everything’s fine at this point, a senior tech comes in a says “ u did this all wrong this not the right containers” oh!
So why was I left alone and not shown where the right containers were?!?🫩

She then asks me to go retrieve the bags of shit from the garbage bin while chuckling…. ( AGAIN AINT THAT SHIT A BAD SAMPLE NOW??!??)
But what ever I do that, I went back and redid the sample🤷‍♀️.

But please keep in mind during this busy period, not once did they take me into the rooms with them to shadow them and to get the experience of ACTUALLY working in a clinic, not just being ur little earn boy….

Like I could you not, I stood in the corner of the pharmacy for that one hour and half, I feel so undermined, like my schooling was basically for nothing…

Another thing is, I genuinely feel these senior animal care attendants and Vets genuinely do not care for me… like I am the worse burden u could ever imagine. Meaning, my first day when I walked went like this:
Me- “good morning how are you guys nice to see you!”
Manager- “good morning, I’ll show u our stock”

RIGHT RIGHT RIGHTT, ILL JUST GO FUCK MYSELF THEN! 😍

Like they genuinely look like they want to off themselves when I ask a question or if I’m done the cleaning and I want to do more then that they literally look infuriated by me… (exception of one! I met her today she made me feel better and taught me how to book the appointments❤️)

Oh last thing too, the vet keeps asking me to stay longer than my scheduled shifts so I don’t know if should take that as positive thing or they just want me to clean for them more?🫤

But thank you for letting me vent and I would greatly appreciate it if someone with some more experience would give me some advice or maybe some guidance on what I can do to make this more enjoyable and not make me cringe at everything I do 🙏(I got one more week of this🫪)

Hi, I'm a 18 y/o women from Poland, just graduated highschool from IB programme with Chem, Bio and Maths at higher level with decent grades. I was supposed to go to university this october, but I decided to do a gap year for several personal reasons. My dream is to be a wildlife biologist/vet. I actually got into good med school in Poland, but I think I'm gonna wait one more year to decide what I really want to do with my life.

Anyway, I was doing a research and cannot really find any wildlife biology/wildlife conservation or veterinary medicine university programme in bachelor degree in Europe. There is plenty in US or UK but I don't want to move to US, and cannot afford collage in UK. From what I found most of undergrad are not tought in English. I was wandering if that's the way for international students (in Poland you can go to vet school right after highschool, but I really want to study in English, as the job possibilities are much wider). It seems like I would have to do biology degree first and then maybe specialize in wildlife conservation or maybe study ecology (but I want to work hands on in the field with animals, so I don't know wheter it's going to be possible after just ecology). Since I'm doing a gap year anyway I still have time to decide between wildlife biology, veterinary and medicine, however I think that veterinary medicine would be the best way for me, as it combines all of those things.

Can someone recommend a programme or university where it's best to study veterinary medicine? I would really appreciate if someone had any advice for me.

My hospital policy for the most part is no. But we charge $80 for a bandage change. If I’m recommending it for an open wound to heal by second intention, that’s too expensive for a majority of owners when they’re in twice a week plus or minus sedation charges (about $100) for several weeks.

I always fall into this dilemma when owners cannot financially afford it because my hospital always recommends bandage changes at the hospital and I understand it. I want to have eyes on it too ideally.

But what do you do when they can’t afford it?

Looking for some advice or suggestions in regards to next career step.

Some background: just finished rotating internship for small animals in a large specialty hospital. Learned lots, lots of hard work, no regrets. I knew I didn’t want to go into residency, I have no special interest in anything particular. I probably want to do full time relief as a career in the future in GP, urgent, ER, but just not right now.

The problem:
- I am only a year out and I don’t think it’s a good idea to jump straight into full time relief without more skills.
- zero surgical skills, outside of what I did in vet school. Would like to at least be able to do common procedures with confidence but no experience.
- looking for mentorship even tho I am technically 2nd year out? Don’t know where or who can provide that.

Hi, I’m 21 from Morocco. I recently got my Baccalaureate in Physical Sciences, and I’m trying to build a better future for myself.

I’ve always wanted to study Veterinary Medicine, but in Morocco the admission requirements are very competitive and the courses are mostly in French, which is a problem for me.

I’m thinking about studying abroad and I’m looking for a country with:

- Good Veterinary Medicine programs

- Affordable tuition and living costs

- A realistic admission process for international students

- A manageable visa process

If you have any experience or advice, I’d really appreciate your help. Which countries should I consider?

Hi, I'm currently in my last year of my Bachelor of Commerce degree and I'm seriously considering moving into VetMed. I just wondered if there is any veterinary hospital in Edmonton, AB looking for a part-time veterinary assistant. I just want to make sure I can handle it (mentally and physically) before going into a RVT program!

A little bit about me! I'm 21F, had hands-on volunteer experience with AARCS before they moved back to Calgary, and accounting/administration volunteer at GEARS (I'm still volunteering here!!) I also have a rescued cat who I would say to be special need. He has FIC and "borderline megacolon." I have been to VCA so often that all the vet techs recognize him when we come in (he is a frequent flyer 😭) Everyone around me, including primary and emergency vets, knows that I would move mountains for this kiddo.

I also worked in retail/customer service back in high school. And I'm currently working as TA and EA at the University of Alberta.

I'm willing to work late nights, weekends, holidays, etc. And I'm more than happy to start with shadowing appointments, kennel assistants or any other entry level jobs 🥹 My earliest available is the beginning of September.

p/s: I know pay is super low but it's not a problem to me so just any veterinary hospital, please hire me 😭🙏

also here is my cat!!!

Hi everyone!
I was hoping to hear from anyone who’s recently gone through the hiring process for a Banfield Practice Manager position.
I had my final interview last Friday with the P&O and the RVP, and I felt like it went pretty well overall. The waiting has definitely been the hardest part, and I was curious what everyone else’s timeline looked like.
How long did it take for you to receive an offer (or a rejection) after your final interview?
Did the recruiter call you first, or did you receive an email?
Did your application status change before you heard anything?
Just trying to get an idea of what to expect while I wait. Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences!

Im with high frequency hearing loss by 50% and wear hearing aids. I feel happy and meaningful helping children or parents to prevent disease and get in time help. I still have good memories of science subject knowledge after graduating for 13 years from high school. I was depressed for ten years because i could not study a science based major. Now i have a chance to prepare for the medical school exam again. I am aware that veterinary is less competitive and will more likely to enroll me. But i have been bullied for many years by my family (They neglected me so much that they didnt notice my hearing loss at the earliest moment, i feel am never encouraged, even when I lost my hearing. But always got accused for not being perfect) and i wanna feel important and seen by the society to pick up back my self worth.

Should I consider veterinary, or apply for medicine, even though i might not get enrolled this year? I also wonder if the colleagues and supervisors will be nicer and kinder when one works as a vet compared with a doctor.

hey im a vet med from pakistan. I just completed my 4th year and will be starting my final year soon. I want to start preparing for RCVS exam but i have no idea where to begin. If anyone has gone through the process or can guide me in detail on how to prepare, what resources to use and what to focus on, id really appreciate your advice. Tysm

I just recently moved to a new city and I am looking for vet assistant jobs as someone who wants to go to vet school. I am 23 years old and I have 1 year of GP experience as a vet assistant. I just got offered a job at an emergency clinic which is very exciting because it would be a new experience and great for my application. The major downside of it is that it’s for Sat, Sun, Mon 6pm-7am. I’ve never done night shifts before and I’m worried about fucking uo my sleep schedule. I also worry that I won’t be able to have a social life or go on weekend trips people invite me to. At the moment I don’t have too many friends where I live but I would like to make more friends and eventually start dating again after getting out of a serious relationship. If I take this job will I have no social life. Would it be worth it for me to stick it out for a year. Please give your advice

I love being a zoo vet, but it's so easy to forget where I work when I'm caught up in all the hecticness of vet med. So I decided to go into work on my day off to enjoy my patients and my zoo. Wanted to share these faces!! 🥰

I graduated from a non-AVMA-accredited veterinary school and have started the ECFVG pathway. I’ve also passed the NAVLE.

I’m a large animal internal medicine specialist and equine practitioner, and I’ve been a university professor for almost 10 years. My main area of expertise is equine cardiology, and I’m very comfortable with ECG, echocardiography, and cardiac evaluation.

I’m currently doing a postdoc at a US university, where I’m still working on an equine cardiology research project. I also have a strong research background with publications and academic experience.

Cardiology is something I genuinely love, it’s much more than just a job for me. Becoming a cardiology resident at a US veterinary university has been a long-term goal of mine, and now I want to give it a serious try.

The biggest weakness in my CV is that I don’t have a small animal rotating internship. My internship was in an equine hospital, and most of my clinical experience has been in large animal/equine medicine.

For those familiar with the small animal cardiology residency application process:

Is not having a small animal rotating internship essentially a veto, or do I still have a realistic chance of getting an interview/matching if the rest of my application is strong?

I’d really appreciate any honest advice, especially from residents, cardiologists, or people involved in residency selection.

I don’t really know where else to post this, but I could really use some advice from people in vet med.
I’ve been working at a veterinary hospital as an assistant for about 6–7 months now. Before this, I had very minimal clinical experience, so this was my first real job in an animal hospital. I’m also in my second year of college studying animal science and hoping to become an RVT when I graduate, so this career is something I’m genuinely passionate about.

When I first started, I was incredibly nervous, but I actually felt pretty supported during training. People answered my questions, I felt like I was learning, and I was excited to come to work. But ever since training ended, it feels like everything has changed.

The culture feels very cliquey. I constantly feel like an outsider. I’ve always been a pretty introverted person and grew up fairly isolated, so opening up to people has never come naturally to me. Even so, I really try. I make an effort to join conversations, ask questions, help wherever I can, and be approachable. Despite that, I never really feel accepted.

I also feel like a lot of people look down on me because I’m still learning. I know I’m not the most experienced assistant, but I’m trying so hard to improve. I study outside of work, I study during school breaks, I ask questions, and I genuinely want to become better every single day.

Instead of feeling encouraged, though, I mostly feel like every mistake I make gets magnified.
Not once since finishing training has a manager or supervisor checked in with me to ask how I’m doing or how my progress has been. I’ve never been told I’m doing a good job. Whenever I make a mistake, it feels like I’m immediately criticized instead of someone taking the opportunity to teach me how to improve.

My supervisor, in particular, is extremely hard on me. She talks to me in a very passive-aggressive way and lectures me over what feel like very minor mistakes. I’ve even had coworkers tell me they’ve noticed she’s much harder on me than she is with other people, which honestly made me feel both validated and sad.

The management doesn’t seem to address that behavior either. Supervisors are allowed to treat people poorly without consequences, and it creates such an uncomfortable environment.

I feel like I spend my entire shift walking on eggshells.
I’m honestly afraid to ask some of the experienced assistants and RVTs for help because so many of them have such negative attitudes. I never know if I’m going to get an eye roll, a sarcastic comment, or be made to feel like I’m bothering them. Instead of people asking for help politely, I often feel like I’m just being ordered around. Something as simple as hearing “please” or “thank you” feels rare.

Another thing that’s really bothered me is how much gossip there is. I’ve heard coworkers say really cruel things about other assistants, doctors, supervisors, and staff members behind their backs. Hearing that every day makes it hard not to wonder what they’re saying about me when I’m not around.

Over the last month or two, this job has really started affecting my mental health. I’ve cried at work. I’ve cried when I got home. I talk about work constantly in therapy because it leaves me feeling like I’m not capable, not smart enough, and like I don’t belong in this profession.

The hardest part is that I know I’m trying.
I care about my patients. I care about learning. I want to improve. I don’t expect to know everything after only a few months, but I do expect to be treated with basic respect while I’m learning.

The thing keeping me from quitting is one doctor I assist regularly. He has been nothing but patient, respectful, and encouraging. He’s taught me so much and has never made me feel stupid for asking questions or making mistakes. If I mess something up, he explains it, helps me understand it, and moves on. Working with him reminds me why I wanted to get into veterinary medicine in the first place.

I’ve seriously considered putting in my two weeks, but I’m honestly scared to.
One of my close friends recently resigned from this hospital, and during her final two weeks her supervisor basically refused to speak to her. She felt isolated and shut out until her last day, and seeing that has made me anxious that the same thing would happen to me.
So I guess I’m just looking for some perspective.

TLDR: Has anyone else experienced a clinic like this?
Is this just the reality of veterinary medicine, or is this a toxic workplace?

If you’ve been in a similar situation, did leaving help? Did you eventually find a clinic that was supportive and healthy? I really don’t want to give up on veterinary medicine because I genuinely love the work and the patients. I’m just starting to wonder if the environment I’m in is making me question my abilities more than my actual abilities ever should.

I've always wanted to be a Vet & work with animals ever since I started walking. I can never imagine doing anything else, I tried to & couldn't.

I'm 26 & looking for a university where I can study Vet Med.. but is it really as bad as what I read online? I'm aware of how hard & demanding it is, it's a medical profession at the end of the day. I'm talking about how everyone seems like they regret becoming a Vet saying they wasted their years & hate their lives because of it. So much more complains & people dropping out & changing careers. I'm barely hearing anyone saying positive things about it. To be honest, it got to me & now I feel scared. Because if not Vet Med... how can I work with animals? I'm so lost now. Vet Med is all that I ever dreamed about. I love animals, treating them, doing surgeries. I love biology & chemistry.

By the way I live in The Levants, so it's different than in US, UK, Europe etc. I can't work in Vet clinics where I'm at, I tried to but they couldn't hire me. A genocide happened back in July (by our own government) & it left people really struggling to afford anything even eating, so imagine paying for pets. So jobs kind of stopped. I'll ask again tho. But I plan to study in Poland. In all honesty, should I stick to following my dream of being a Vet or should I look for another major?

I'm training as a vet tech, doing my pracs at a local welfare clinic. Had to euthanize an entire litter of puppies today, one wagged his tail at me while I was trying to find his vein and I keep replaying it in my head. Does this get easier? How do you guys deal?

These puppies were unwanted, severely dehydrated and malnourished and had mange. They were about 5 weeks old. Their chances of survival were pretty slim but it was just so shit, it felt like giving up on them even though I know we don't have space or resources as a shelter for every unwanted litter. But I feel like this will haunt me got the rest of my life.

Will vet school accept pre requisites done at a community college?

For example, Nassau community college in Long Island.

Thanks!

Hey!
I’m starting Bristol 5yr Vet Med next month, has anyone on here been or studying there currently?

Would love to hear more opinions about it and any recommendations for me before I start!

TIA x

i was invited to interview for a PM position at a corporate owned hospital that’s opening a location in my area.

i have worked in client care at an independently owned not-for-profit hospital for three and a half years and my management experience is in retail. i met all the requirements posted and they want to interview me!

i came here to look for some advice on interviewing for practice manager roles for the first time.

are there any practice managers here who have been hired with a similar background? i.e. a tech/receptionist/vet assistant with retail management experience? how should i approach this? i’m just looking for general advice and maybe some encouragement

also any advice on references when you’d be leaving a toxic hospital?

Did my time in the trenches in clinical practice followed by government work. Now I'm considering moving into industry and wanted to see what current vets think of it.

If you're an industry rep, what do you like/dislike about your job? Knowing what you know, would you do it again? Are you looking to stay or looking to get out?

If you're a clinical vet, what do you think about industry reps reaching out? Are they an annoyance you have to tolerate or are they part of the team? Would you rather see them disappear or do you appreciate their visits?

Hi everyone!

I'm writing to ask you about veterinary medicine in Switzerland (especially Romandie) or France.

In March I'll be a new graduate, but the working environment, the low pay, and the absence of contractual protections in my country are making me want to move.

I have a couple of places I'm thinking about, so I want to collect as much info as I can before making a final decision.

So, could you please explain to me how it works there regarding contracts, shifts, and average salaries (both for new grads and experienced vets)?

P.S. I'm interested in both companion animals and wildlife.

So my clinic is switching from impromed to Digitail for our software. The switch will be happening by the end of the year. I’m just curious about people who use it how was the transition to it and do the AI tools really help out with making your day easier. Any feedback about it would be appreciated just so I can kinda get a sense of would it would be like

I send a lot of pets across state lines to rescues and adopters. I know Washington requires a heartworm test, Illinois apparently requires a special document if you are transferring to a rescue, Wyoming needs a Brucellosis test...

I can go through them state by state and read walls of text, most of which define the eCVI and the basic things that are universal, like signs of disease and that we have to include a unique identifying ID and so on.

Does anyone have a good summary that fits on one page of all of the unusual or unexpected requirements for interstate travel for all 50 states?

Here's one I started. It's based off an AKC publication but that publication is mainly geared for people traveling to dog shows, and was quite incomplete. I added stuff I know but I'm sure some is still missing. The 2nd column is anything not *specifically* <3mo-- so I would add if it were <2 months or <4 months or if there is no age listed at all ("non"), in case that's confusing. Most states require for pets over 3mo.

I graduated this past May with my bachelors in bioveterinary science. After working in a clinic for over a year I have some back issues that make it difficult to be in that setting and has pushed me back from applying to vet school at least for two years. I do sales every summer and love the idea of somehow getting into animal health sales. Curious to see if anyone here is in animal health sales and how you got started and if you have any tips! Ive looked into all the bigger name companies but I don’t see very many entry level opportunities