Anyone here shadowed a vet (or seen what vets do?)

[t3nchi]

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Would you mind telling us what you saw/experienced? What was interesting, what wasn't, in your opinion? What did you see that they did on a day-to-day basis...it'd be awesome if you all shared your experiences with us. Thanks!

 

[mtrl1]

Just about everyone who applies to vet school has shadowed a vet at some point, if not actually worked for one (I suppose there are a few people with only research animal experience...)

Is there specific job duties you're wondering about? As a vet assistant in SA practice, I've done everything from rooming clients, talking to them about their pets, restraint, blood draws, iv cath placements, monitoring anesthesia, bandaging, assisting in surgery, taking radiographs, giving oral and injectable medications, filling prescriptions, lab work...

The vets mainly examine the animals, request what they want the staff to do (i.e. this cat needs a blood panel, a pepcid injection and some sub-q fluids), write up the medical records, prescripe medications, induce anesthesia (if no RVTs are around) and perform surgery. Every case is different, and depending on the practice, what the duties of the vets are vary. What some people find interesting, other people find boring. I personally love microscope work, fecals, blood smears, urinalysis, cytology; others hate it. I enjoy the critical/internal medicine cases whereas others enjoy dermatology cases.

mtrl1

 

[birdvet2006]

The vets mainly examine the animals, request what they want the staff to do (i.e. this cat needs a blood panel, a pepcid injection and some sub-q fluids), write up the medical records, prescripe medications, induce anesthesia (if no RVTs are around) and perform surgery.
mtrl1

As a vet, I also want to let pre-vets (or potential pre-vets) know that a really important part of a vet's job is client communication. You have to discuss your findings with your clients, and also be able to tell them good or bad news. You have to update them constantly on their pet's condition while it is in the hospital. You even have to discuss money, even though you may have no say in the prices of things at your hospital/clinic.

Also, patient care is an important part of a vet's duties. Besides seeing animals in the exam rooms, you have to care for everything that is in the hospital receiving treatment. Usually the technical staff does the treatments, but you as a vet must dictate what needs to be done. You must examine your patients and ensure they are receiving adequate care, and change their treatment and diagnostic plans as needed. This is a major part of your job as a vet.