Banfield

[Hollycozza]

Has anyone done a Banfield externship? I'm hoping to do a final year externship in Connecticut with them, for four weeks next year

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[birdvet2006]

Banfield isn't really well looked upon in the veterinary world. Have a read on VIN...(http://www.vin.com). But I guess they pay well, if you want to give every vaccine on the planet (yearly or more often, and all at once - including those with no proven efficacy).

 

[laurafinn]

Haven't done anything with Banfield, but they are courting us at Massey too.

There is a reason Banfield is pitching its externships/internships/jobs to vet students in Australia and New Zealand now. Few American vet students would consider working for them.

 

[CookieBear]

Has anyone done a Banfield externship? I'm hoping to do a final year externship in Connecticut with them, for four weeks next year

I can only speak from local experience with Banfield clinics that have been packaged inside a PetSmart store. They appear to be more or less outpatient type clinics, a one-doctor show, geared mostly towards wellness services (vaccines, HW, fecals) and spay/neuters.

There may be larger, better equipped Banfields in the country, I don't know. I'd definitely look more into it, to be sure that you're not just going to be tagging along at a 'shot clinic'. You want to make your four weeks count.

Things that may indicate that a vet practice has more developed, i.e., higher quality or better quality medicine and services available would be to investigate their:
-hours (24/7 hospitals may have more sophisticated equipment and may offer better, more comprehensive services)
-specialists on staff? (it'd be nice to learn from them, right?)
-how many techs? licensed/not licensed/experienced?
-what is done for pain management for elective and non-elective procedures?
-equipment? anesthesia gas? vital sign monitoring equipment? blood pressure monitor in facility? tonopen in facility? EKG? ultrasound? electronic IV pumps for fluid monitoring? digital radiology (not a huge deal, but it's nice)

I know it may be hard to determine all of these elements, especially when you are 'courting' them, but the more you can learn about the place before-hand, the better.

My two cents... Good luck

 

[Hollycozza]

Thanks heaps for all your advice everyone. I suspect I probably will go to the Banfield clinic for a few reasons, mostly because:

* My friend said I can stay with her parents

* It seems like a good chance to do a bit of work in America and see if I like staying there in case I want to work there some day. At this stage I am looking to do what we label "rural mixed practice" rather than small animal practice so in some ways I am more interested in the lifestyle aspects of life in America than the clinical experience, though I obviously do not wish to waste a month of my final year!!!

* Also, I have no idea how, as an Australian citizen, I could otherwise organise a placement in the US..........

Anyway, if anyone has more comments and suggestions I would love to hear them (not planning to get to the US until 11th August 08!!!!!!)

Thanks

 

[birdvet2006]

tonopen in facility?

Ha - I hear that at Banfield you must take intraocular pressures on EVERY patient. This "screening" is not recommended by ophthalmologists. At least not the ones I've heard from. Just another way to get more money out of people. Therefore, every Banfield hospital should have a tonopen.

Yep, the Banfield reps came to Glasgow too! They even have a hospital in the UK now.

 

[CookieBear]

Ha - I hear that at Banfield you must take intraocular pressures on EVERY patient.

Wow. Sounds like an extreme. I know there are certain breeds considered 'at risk', and certain eye appearances that warrant the IOP, but on every animal presented?

 

[laurafinn]

Holly,

I don't know how the visa aspect works, that might be your hiccup. But you should be able to organize an externship (in US terminology) somewhere other than Banfield with a little digging.

For equine externships, the AAEP has a database of willing sites: http://www.aaep.org/avenues.htm

Some of the American vet schools have externship databases.

TAMU: http://www.cvm.tamu.edu/externjob/SearchExternships.asp
OSU: http://www.vet.ohio-state.edu/1384.htm

You might also network through the Academy of Rural Veterinarians http://www.ruralvets.com/ if you would be interested in living in a rural area of the States.

A fair number of the teaching hospitals or dairy units at US and Canadian schools take externs from other vet schools.

Just emphasize that your school is AVMA-accredited.

Hope this gives you some ideas. Best of luck!

Laura

 

[birdvet2006]

Here's another link that may interest you regarding externships in US small animal hospitals:

http://www.vcapets.com/externships.htm

 

[Dunavet]

Hi

This is a really good website that many universities use to offer internships & residencies it is sponsored by the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians.

http://www.virmp.org/virmp/

 

[ratbandit]

I knew a vet who used to work at Banfield and from how she told me the practice worked, it doesn't sound like a place I would want to go to learn, or to take my pet checked out. She basically told me that the tech's do everything and all the vets do is write perscriptions for whatever the tech diagnoses. Obviously this is just hear say from one banfield in the country so others may be different.

 

[VeganSoprano]

From what I've heard, the techs (licensed and otherwise) earn commission based on how many procedures they can sell. Doesn't sound like my kind of place.

 

[Hollycozza]

Thanks everyone

 

[twosoakers]

How does this reflect on Western, since they will be building a Banfield Hospital, and their small clinic on campus is currently Banfield?

 

[InfiniVet]

Its like the McDonalds of veterinary medicine.

 

[CSC]

I knew a vet who used to work at Banfield and from how she told me the practice worked, it doesn't sound like a place I would want to go to learn, or to take my pet checked out. She basically told me that the tech's do everything and all the vets do is write perscriptions for whatever the tech diagnoses. Obviously this is just hear say from one banfield in the country so others may be different.

I work currently work at Banfield and that is NOT how it works!
Yes the Techs do an exam but they just note any concerns the owners may have. It is the Vet that does the COMPLETE exam and makes the decisions!

 

[CSC]

From what I've heard, the techs (licensed and otherwise) earn commission based on how many procedures they can sell. Doesn't sound like my kind of place.

No it's not based on how many procedures the sell. You are grossly misinformed.

Techs and office personal, can earn points if a client/owner signs up for the Preventive wellness plans. It is a yearly plan that covers all treatments, NOT individual procedures. The points are then used for your YEARLY review and is figured in for determining your raise.

Commission?? ...that is funny!!!!

 

[CSC]

Ha - I hear that at Banfield you must take intraocular pressures on EVERY patient.

NO you do not!!! OH MY GOSH!!! The Tech only looks for clear/no discharge, THEN the Vet double checks...NOTHING else.


I wish people would really look into Banfield for themselvs and stop listening to rumors!

 

[Hollycozza]

Hi CSC, could you tell me a bit more about your experiences?

 

[chris03333]

How does this reflect on Western, since they will be building a Banfield Hospital, and their small clinic on campus is currently Banfield?

It means you are signing you life away to Banfield

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Joking. It means you get to do exams on LIVE animals in years 1 and 2 (and not only in the Banfield clinic, the Hills one also.) Of course some people will ask you if you are going to work for Banfield after you graduate (it took me a while to retract my claws in reaction to that) but that is about it. When you say no, they offer you a job
I think only 2 people in my class took positions with Banfield...

 

[InfiniVet]

Techs and office personal, can earn points if a client/owner signs up for the Preventive wellness plans. It is a yearly plan that covers all treatments, NOT individual procedures. The points are then used for your YEARLY review and is figured in for determining your raise.

Techs push the wellness plans, and raises are partially determined by their sales, is that correct?

So then, explain again the difference between that system and commission?

Dictionary.com: "Commission. Paid entirely or partially with commissions from sales one has made or for work one has done. A fee or percentage allowed to a sales representative or an agent for services rendered."

 

[Nexx]

And is there anything wrong with wellness plans and promotion of them?

Quite a few local non-corporate companies are using that scheme as well. Makes more sense then pet insurance. At least you are getting more out of it!

I would say that Banfield has some issues to deal with, but certainly no more than some of the Veterinarians I talk to on a daily basis.

Actual quote: "I could take chest rads, but I couldn't tell you with any certainty if anything is abnormal" -- WHAT?!

Another personal favorite: Can you see the murmur on the ECG?
-Uhm, no. What school did you graduate from? Because I don't want to go there!

 

[birdvet2006]

And is there anything wrong with wellness plans and promotion of them?

Yes, in my mind, the Banfield wellness plans include too many vaccines and vaccines that are not even efficacious (like FIP) or make the animal appear diseased when tested (like FIV). Not that I have actually seen these plans, but there are many ex-Banfield vets on VIN who attest to them. Many vets see the vaccine reactions, feline fibrosarcomas etc. as the result of over-vaccination. Banfield is not the only place that does this, but in its numbers it is a majority of this minority.

I cannot / will not work at a place that has protocols which actually harm animals or take people's money (w/no benefit to the animal).

 

[Vet2be2012]

I feel that Banfield has a lot of protocols that aren't in the best interest of the patients. I lost my cat with Banfield. It's a big company, large chain all over the US, and it's not the type of place I would like to work at. My previous experience is, the bigger the company, the more politics and things that occur that many are not happy with!

 

[hislightrq]

Way to go CSC! I have to agree with you. I get so tired of people talking bad about Banfield when they haven't worked at one. Hollycozza - I recommend you go for an externship with them. I'm doing one this summer after having done their summer job program the last two summers. I'm still not sure if I would like to work for them as a vet, but you do get very good experience with plenty of chances to do physical exams, take histories, etc. When you talk with Banfield let them know if there is anything you are really interested in so they can place you at a good hospital. Many do ultrasound, endoscopy, TPLO's, etc. Some are also more/less able to let you do surgeries (vet students can't do surgery in CA, but I could in WA)

If you have any specific questions about Banfield I'd be happy to try and answer them.

Hope you have a great summer in the US.