Katrina emailed me and I wanted to respond publicly because this is a very relevant topic, and one I've touched on a few times before.
I've recently discovered your blog and have been really interested in a lot of your posts, views and opinions. I'm a Canadian studying veterinary medicine in the UK. I came here because it didn't take as long to get qualified (6 years as opposed to 8 years in Canada). I liked the idea of coming straight to vet school after finishing high school and not having to complete an undergrad first.
I'm currently in my fourth year and to be honest, I'm losing the will to carry on.
I have wanted to be a veterinarian my whole life and when I first came to vet school, I was bursting with enthusiasm and love for the career.. but over the years I have struggled with the immense stress and pressure associated with a course like this, felt disheartened by the realities of the profession; a very stressful and highly demanding job .. and not to mention discouraged by the current employment prospects for newly graduated vets.
My final two years ahead of me are going to be the most difficult of them all, and I won't succeed unless my heart is completely in it.
Right now, I feel like giving up.. but I know I might regret this in the future.
I was just wondering if you had ever encountered difficulties like this.. and how you managed to pull through?
Or if perhaps you wish you had gone down a different path and pursued a different career?
And also.. with your career as a vet, do you have time for yourself, your own interests, your family, etc.. or is much of your life "your job" if you know what I mean?
Going through veterinary school is one of the toughest things a person can do. It's physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. I think many of us have points where we wonder if we can go on and make it through. Somehow most of us do so. Personally, I don't have any real secret. I'm just so stubborn that I don't seem to know when to stop. Often when faced with adversity I stop looking at the long view and just concentrate moment to moment, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. That's how I keep going.
When we enter school we do have a certain rosy attitude, filled with hope and idealism. As we go through we realize that good intentions aren't enough and it takes a lot of hard work. The closer you get to graduation the more you realize that you're actually going to have to find a way to pay back the loans and somehow make a living. Reality comes crashing down and that can be discouraging.
All of this was hard enough 16 years ago when I graduated. I can't imagine having to deal with it now, as the situation is different and far more challenging. Heck, I get depressed looking at and talking about the prospects for the profession nowadays, and I have a very good, secure job.
I have dealt with depression many times and for many years, but am finding ways to overcome it. Part of that is the stubbornness I mentioned. A large part of it for me is my faith and reliance on God. I also have a very loving, supporting family that I could not live without. Everyone needs support structures like this to survive the difficult periods of life.
Have I wished for a different career? Yes. Many, many times. If I had to do it all over again I wouldn't go into veterinary medicine. My current thinking is that I would get a PhD in History and become a professor. But I might be disillusioned with that job if I had chosen it, so it's hard to say. I also have an amazing wife and kids and being a vet has brought me to this point in my life. If it means giving all of that up I wouldn't change anything, even though I don't always like my profession.
I've gone back and forth over the years. At first I loved my job and was excited every day. Then for years I struggled and got to the point where I dreaded every moment and wanted to quit every day. Now I've reached an equilibrium where I don't exactly "love" my job, but I'm also comfortable with it and realize I have a great job and am well respected. I'm at a point where I no longer hate what I do, even if I would like to do something different, and don't have to dread going to work.
Time outside of work? It's taken me a long time to find the right work-life balance, and I'm still working on it. One of the revelations for me was that being a vet is what I do, not who I am. I try not to think about work much once I'm home, and actively carve out time for my family. It's not easy to do, but more and more vets want to get away from the 60-80 hour work weeks of a generation or two ago where a vet was on call 24/7.
I'd love to hear insight from my colleagues and even other students on how they overcome these challenges.
If you think there is something out there you'd rather do than veterinary medicine, figure out what it is and take the necessary steps to change career paths.
ReplyDeleteGiven the current job prospects for new graduate veterinarians in the U.S. and Canada, I don't recommend veterinary school to anyone, let alone anyone who is ambivalent about the field. I myself don't enjoy being a practicing veterinarian and am switching careers midstream. Trust me, even though it may be a hassle, it's easier to re-direct when you're still in school.
I'd start by thinking honestly, outside the box: what is it you don't like about veterinary medicine? What do you still enjoy? Write it all down. Do this over a period of days or weeks. Then figure out what career would incorporate most of your likes and eliminate most of the dislikes. My own lists were quite surprising when I thought about what I actually hated and enjoyed, and I am satisfied with the decision I ultimately made.
Hi Jenna,
DeleteThis comment was really helpful, thanks.
I will work on making the list ..
But as an already practicing veterinarian, can I ask what aspects of the job you disliked/hated in particular?
Dislike:
Delete1. Working with clients, especially in emotionally charged situations. I can do it, but it's distressing and not particularly satisfying, especially when a client wants sympathy for herself instead of for the animal, which is sadly common.
2. Discussing money, and the inevitable guilt trips. Even though I knew this going in, in practice it is very difficult not to bend the payment rules or cut the prices, especially if the client tells you they'll euthanize or even not provide minimal care. Not a sustainable business model. It's disheartening to learn sometimes you care more about clients' animals than they do.
3. Not being done at the end of the day, and feeling I could never have time to myself. Before anyone judges me, I was in solo large animal practice for almost 10 years. Try just six months of continual call in any field before criticizing. The problem is not the legitimate emergencies, or even working on emergencies (= interesting cases) but the underlying worry that someone could call at any moment.
4. The telephone. Related to #3 above, but I must force myself to speak on the telephone, a definite problem in clinical practice.
5. Lack of scientific rigor. It's so disheartening to spend a long time on client education then hear they've hired a lay tooth floater, a human chiropractor, or, my personal favorite, an animal communicator. It adds insult to injury when they call for a follow-up appointment months later because the animal is no better, but have now blown a huge chunk of the budget on useless whatever and have less to spend on what you recommended in the first place. Also see #2 above.
6. Mostly an equine issue, but poor horsemanship skills. Also, poor ground manners. I'll work on half-wild horses if the handler is top-notch, but it's a funny thing: in general, the less the owner knows, the more likely the horse will try to hurt me, or the owner (even worse). That gets old, especially when I return year after year and the owner has not invested in training.
7. Routine practice is routine. After a few years, I found it mind-numbing. It's frustrating to have the same conversation with the same client every single year. My insight was when I realized this is probably related more to #1 than to actual boredom with the subject matter.
So, I needed something intellectually challenging, evidence-based, with little repetition and the occasional immediate problem that needed solving, and I wanted to work predominantly with professionals. All this, and done at the end of the day, minimal phone time and a flat salary besides. Believe it or not, after much soul-searching I found a job that fits me like a glove. What I'm doing isn't important (it's not entry level) but you get the idea.
Maybe finishing veterinary school but tailoring your final years towards a non-practicing option might be the best option for you, if one of those fields appeals to you (public health, epidemiology, pharmacology, pathology, bacteriology, teaching, etc.). If that's not the case, it may be best to explore something new. One of my classmates left veterinary school after our second year to pursue an MBA. A friend left veterinary school for medical school (and received advanced standing). It does happen. Another friend took a year's leave of absence. Figure out what is best for you, then figure out how to accomplish it. If you were accepted to veterinary school, you are smart and capable enough to have a lot of options.
If you (Katrina) don't think vet med is for you, that is totally okay. I am halfway finished with pharmacy school and we've had a number of people leave for one reason or another; most commonly, just realizing they don't have an interest in pharmacy as a career. As a career changer myself, it takes a lot of courage to even consider not pursuing your current path, but our dreams change. Don't feel like you're tied to a dream that you've had forever, just because you've had it "forever." Your life left to live is longer than the time you've aspired to be a vet, and it's always okay to re-evaluate. Best of luck to you!
ReplyDeleteI was miserable in vet school. I found the teachers and students alike a very depressing and unhappy lot. But it is a very good education. And the degree opens doors that would not otherwise be possible. You don't have to do any "career" path anyone else dictates. So many times this degree has been my salvation. And I love most people. My life has been enhanced because of the people who love animals. Just be sure you don't listen to the negative. That and being sure I didn't work any more hours than I wanted to has kept me sane. (even sometimes I worked 60 plus hours it was my choice) 26 years out and I feel very lucky.
ReplyDeleteChris, Thank you so much for the reply post - and to the other people who added comments below. They are all very helpful.
ReplyDeleteI can understand what you mean about being stubborn and just getting through. I have always been a very hard working person and if there is work/studying to be done, I will just get down and do it, regardless of whether or not I am happy doing it! And I think this is why have been able to get as far as I have..
I do have other careers in mind.. but I've come this far (4 out of 6 years) and I don't want to make a decision heavily influenced by the stress, pressure and unhappiness that is currently consuming me, only to regret that decision at some point in the future.
But right now I feel that, as much as I love the idea of working with animals, being a veterinarian is not the only way one can go about doing that. And when I think about other things that I want from life at some point in the future(family, travel, etc) I don't really see this career fitting in with that.
Thanks again for all the information and comments ..
Can I ask (and this is for all the other vet readers too) .. what aspects of the job do you really dislike/hate?? And what are the aspects of the job that keep you going every day and stop you from quitting/pursuing a different career?
I'm not a vet, but from the time I was 5 years old until I was 19 I was going to be one. In the middle of my sophomore year I realized being a veterinarian was not for me and I needed to find something to finish school in that would bring a viable job if not a career. I became a Medical Technologist and worked in clinical laboratories for a while. Yes, that path has changed too, but my love for animals and their care has been a main-stay. My husband and I were very involved in pet therapy and had the chance to volunteer with an excellent trainer. When we moved, we felt the call to rescue and have placed numerous animals over the past few years. I also have my horses back and have just started raising chickens and goats. So, no, my job/career does not include animals, but they are a large part of my life and I am able to fulfill my love for them. Whatever path you choose, your love for animals can always be a part of it whether it is a part of your job, volunteer services, or whatever you keep at home.
ReplyDeleteI agree with most of Jenna's dislikes.
ReplyDelete