Class of 2016....how ya doing?

Veterinary Science Graduate Certificate from UofI
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So my employer is offering a $35k sign-on bonus for an overnight ER doc. I really want overnight experience, and I feel comfortable enough with my skill set to be left alone at this point. $35k would pay off my student loans and help put a dent in my car loan. I would only work 3 overnight shifts, have the rest of the week off. The only thing that is holding me back is not being able to see my fiance since he is a resident, and his schedule is a 50-50 mix of overnight and day shifts. Family is super important to me. If he was overnight only, I would sign a new contract in a heartbeat. So, I am going to try a few overnight shifts at the end of next month to see how it goes. Excited, but hope I still get to spend time with him.
Anyone else work overnight shifts? How do you like it?
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psilovethomas said:
So my employer is offering a $35k sign-on bonus for an overnight ER doc. I really want overnight experience, and I feel comfortable enough with my skill set to be left alone at this point. $35k would pay off my student loans and help put a dent in my car loan. I would only work 3 overnight shifts, have the rest of the week off. The only thing that is holding me back is not being able to see my fiance since he is a resident, and his schedule is a 50-50 mix of overnight and day shifts. Family is super important to me. If he was overnight only, I would sign a new contract in a heartbeat. So, I am going to try a few overnight shifts at the end of next month to see how it goes. Excited, but hope I still get to spend time with him.
Anyone else work overnight shifts? How do you like it?
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Hey that's great news! I just want to point out before you make any decisions you won't actually get 35k. You will probably get 1/2 to 2/3's of it. Taxes, they suck. On the upside they will probably give you some of that back at the end of the tax year. I wish you the best of luck!
 
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Coopah said:
Hey that's great news! I just want to point out before you make any decisions you won't actually get 35k. You will probably get 1/2 to 2/3's of it. Taxes, they suck. On the upside they will probably give you some of that back at the end of the tax year. I wish you the best of luck!
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Yeah, I am unfortunately aware of this. I received a sign on bonus for my current position, and it was about 2/3'rds after taxes.
 
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Hey guys, I need your help and opinions. Please don't quote.

I started a new job after moving for my fiance's residency. I work for corporate medicine.
My "boss" is the medical director, who is DVM. I was hired along with 2 new grads who graduated in May. Needless to say, the three of us new hires get along very well and hang out together outside of work. Through us talking to each other outside of work, we learn what our medical director says about us behind our backs. She is childish and defamatory behind our back, and complains about how we do things (ie spay took too long, cystotomy took too long, why did she do it this way because I always do it this way) to each other but never to the person who performed the surgery/test/etc. She has never said anything to my face about how she does not like how I do certain things, rather complains to other Drs about it.
The other associates tell me that while she is chewing them out for something they did that she doesn't like, she will add in how I did something completely unrelated that she didn't agree with. I can say the same thing as she has called other Drs "fcking stupid" etc in front of me. I wish she would just talk to us individually. I am afraid to approach her about these things because I do not want my colleagues to get in trouble for telling me the things she says about me behind my back. She constantly screams at all the staff members for no reason at all. Will straight up shout derogatory comments to staff members in front of other staff.
I cannot stand her and I feel like I need to quit. The only thing stopping me from quitting is that I owe the company my signing bonus and relocation expenses. So, while I am saving up the money to give back to them, I am trying to figure out what to do in my current situation to make the best of it.
I've thought about going to the regional medical director, but I just don't think it will go anywhere.
This is a nightmare. Please help.
 
Go to the RMD. Her behavior is unacceptable and the company should know that it's a problem. She's likely making it a hostile environment. If you choose to go a different route, corporations typically have ombudsmen to talk to and they can typically keep your name out of it
 
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dyachei said:
Go to the RMD. Her behavior is unacceptable and the company should know that it's a problem. She's likely making it a hostile environment. If you choose to go a different route, corporations typically have ombudsmen to talk to and they can typically keep your name out of it
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Thanks, Dyachei. I'll look into it. I'm just afraid of retaliation. But, what's the worst thing they could do, fire me? :)
 
For the 2016ers still around or even the 2015ers... does this second year out just feel odd? The first year seemed to blaze past. This year just feels different and time seems to be going slower if that makes sense. Anyone else feel like that? Maybe just that I have more of a good footing underneath to deal with the BS so what would knock me down last year and eat up time I simply just shrug and move on now?
 
Apparently we all suck at updating!

I'm still at my first clinic, planning on renewing my contract another year or two I think. My long commute is starting to get to me a bit, and I'm feeling a little bit like I want to start working towards something else. Iunno if that'll just be abvp, or if I'm truly thinking I might go back for an exotics internship, or what. Lots of thoughts.
 
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Not at the same place I was at graduation. Not in the second place I was either. I am now doing relief GP and occasional relief ER. The company I work for is INCREDIBLE! Seriously, very supportive people who want to help with veterinary mental health and well-being. I work way less than I used to and make more money. I am still not a fan of GP work or really being in the clinic so to say. I love medicine, I love puzzles, I love challenges but I feel a bit stifled in what I know vs what I can actually do-- either via lack of resources (in a clinic) or lack of finances.

I am also searching for a non-in clinic position would consider leaving vet med altogether if a situation presented itself. I do like medicine, I hate the office politics, demands, unrealistic expectations (by both managers and clients), the judgement from colleagues, honestly never thought vets would be so mean to each other, I have also seen an alarming increase in the number of outright aggressive dogs that is making me start to really not like dogs in general which sucks.

Hoping I can find something non-clinical and then maybe assist with some TNR of cats and orphan kitten care on the side.
 
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Currently on my third job post graduation. Pretty happy with my the set up of current job- start up hospital that I manage with a good friend of mine (also a DVM). It's pretty cool because we are able to make it what we want it to be, and it's done very well, so we're super proud of it. We are looking for a third vet.....and it seems pretty impossible to find one. Our area has a huge need for veterinarians and veterinary care in general, even though we live in a big city. I'll do this for 2 more years while my husband finishes his residency, and then we are moving back to our home town. At that point I hope to be part time. I don't know how much longer I can continue to do this job full time, it really wears on me. Most days I feel like there's nothing inside and I just seem alive.
 
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psilovethomas said:
At that point I hope to be part time. I don't know how much longer I can continue to do this job full time, it really wears on me.
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This resonates so much. I keep saying “I don’t know for how long I can keep going at the pace I’m going.” And I work a 4 day work week scheduled for only 35hr/wk. I’ve had multiple opportunities that would get me out of clinical work that comes with very good QOL. But I actually love what I do, I think I’m really good at it, and I just haven’t gotten to the point where I’m ready to give it up. The days are long and exhausting, and I think that’s the problem. Once the day starts, it’s nonstop and no matter how hard I try, it’s really hard to put a stop to it at the end of the day. The stress of knowing I need to get home at a reasonable time while treading water and and putting out all the little fires throughout the day, then tying up all the loose ends at the end of the day so I can start fresh the next day is a little much day in and day out.
 
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kaydubs said:
Would you be willing to speak more about this?
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Mostly teaching jobs, but I’m not sure my aspiration is to become a teacher for tech school or vocational programs. There were a few spay/neuter programs I would have been interested in, but they’re too far from me. One in particular was $100k salary, good benefits, shelter animals only (no owned pets). If it weren’t like over an hour drive for me, I would have taken it in a heartbeat.
 
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Hi 2016....anyone else still poke around here occasionally? If so, how are you doing? How's life?
 
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psilovethomas said:
Hi 2016....anyone else still poke around here occasionally? If so, how are you doing? How's life?
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:hello:

I'm still around!

I'm doing well. Last year when we updated I posted that I'd probably be doing something new in the next year or two... and I finished out four years at my first job last week, and am now happily unemployed and deciding between two ER offers. Still hanging in there and pretty happy as a vet.
 
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psilovethomas said:
Hi 2016....anyone else still poke around here occasionally? If so, how are you doing? How's life?
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I'm still floating around. No longer working in clinical practice, but enjoying the new job quite a bit. Don't miss clinical practice really much at all, except maybe seeing cute kitties occasionally.
 
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The 2015 thread being bumped made me hunt this one down.

Coming up on a year of ER work and still really enjoying it. Should pay off student loans shortly and actually seriously considering ABVP in the next year or two as my "next step" now that I'm five years out.

Doubt I'll do ER forever but, realistically, I'm not the type who will do anything forever so it's not a dig on the job. Company I work for is generally good, tech shortage is annoying, life continues marching onward. :thumbup:
 
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Trilt said:
The 2015 thread being bumped made me hunt this one down.

Coming up on a year of ER work and still really enjoying it. Should pay off student loans shortly and actually seriously considering ABVP in the next year or two as my "next step" now that I'm five years out.

Doubt I'll do ER forever but, realistically, I'm not the type who will do anything forever so it's not a dig on the job. Company I work for is generally good, tech shortage is annoying, life continues marching onward. :thumbup:
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I definitely considered ABVP as a “next step” before I switched over to where I am now. It was good to feel like I had something to work towards, yanno?
 
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