Daily life of... specialists

[missDVM2B]

Ok, so, I am trying to figure out what vet specialists' lives are like. Unfortunately, Italy doesn't have many specialists, so there's really nothing for me go on, and I've been searching the internet to find specifics on, say, radiologists, surgeons, etc, but haven't found much! I am considering going on to a residency but it's hard to figure out if I'll really love the daily grind...

Any help?

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[Bill59]

It depend on the specialty -- what a surgeon does is completely different than what a radiologist does.

And it depends on the specific type of practice. Private referral hospital? Teaching hospital? Industry? Research?

Narrow it down to something workable and we'll try to give you some ideas.

 

[missDVM2B]

Ok, so the fields that fascinate me the most right now are

orthopedic surgery

general surgery

radiology/diagnostic imaging

I am wondering for each what is the average day/week in private practices, hospitals, academia and what the possibilities are for consulting (in the case of radiology especially) and thus more independent work.

I really enjoy teaching, so I think academia might be my way, but I honestly do not know how I feel about research, mainly because I haven't done much yet and wasn't crazy of the little bit I did. I will however have to do a thesis to graduate, so I will get 1-2 years of research experience before I graduate and will be able to really know!

 

[Bill59]

Ok, so the fields that fascinate me the most right now are

orthopedic surgery

general surgery

There is no separate board certification for general surgery or orthopedic surgery, just small animal surgery and large animal surgery. However, some board-certified surgeons will limit their practice to orthopedic or soft tissue surgery, especially those in academics.

So for a surgeon in a private specialty practice, you will spend time:

- In the OR doing surgery

- Seeing appointments for new patients that may need surgery and rechecks on patients that have had surgery

- Managing patients that may need surgery or are recovering from surgery. This includes ordering and interpreting lab tests and imaging studies, bandage changes, and physical therapy/rehab.

- Talking with referring veterinarians about cases they may want to refer and updating them on cases they have referred.

- Orders, charts, bills, referral letters, etc...

After hours you may get calls about your patients in the hospital or consults on emergencies, including coming in for emergency procedures.

If you have residents and interns you spend time training them.

If you are in academia, in addition to all of the above, you have teaching responsibilities (lectures, labs, hospital, continuing education), research, and service (committees, consults).


As for radiologists, they sit around in the dark and look at images all day.

 

[farnsworth128]

for surgeons you definitely have more client interaction (pet owners) in a private practice

bill59 pretty much knocked it down