Emergency Veterinarian-What's it like?

[nelonvet]

I was wondering if any current vets here or those who had experience working for an ER/CC clinic...what's it like? Not in terms of the cases, but the actual schedules, rotations, off-time, hours, days off etc...and the more detail about a typical schedule every month the better!

Thanks!

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[CalliopeDVM]

Just like any other (day) practice, it's too variable to say. A lot depends on the location and how busy it is, as well as whether it's an after-hours ER or whether it's a 24 hour facility. I've done relief work in several different emergency clinics -- usually there were 12 hour shifts for the primary DVM, but during busy spots they would overlap with a second (or third) doctor working a 6 or 8 hour shift. But other times (and clinics) there would be only 1 doctor on shift at a time, working 12 hour shifts.

I will say that you have to be prepared to work almost exclusively nights and holidays - certainly for the first while you're working there (and maybe always, if the clinics are only open "after hours").

 

[nelonvet]

I figure they don't actually work 12 hour shift every day...is it something like 4 days on, 4 days off?

 

[libster06]

I figure they don't actually work 12 hour shift every day...is it something like 4 days on, 4 days off?

They can if they want to. They can work 3 12 hour shifts in a row and then be off. Or they can work a 6 or 8 hour shift over a longer period of time.

* speaking from dealing with an after hours emergency clinic (closed until 6 pm)

 

[CalliopeDVM]

I figure they don't actually work 12 hour shift every day...is it something like 4 days on, 4 days off?

Depends on the clinic......sometimes it's a 3 x 12h week, with only 36 hours instead of a standard 40 to compensate for overnight hours and a bit of overtime that we all know will be required. Other times it's 2 x 12 and 2 x 8 during a week, if the clinic includes 8 hours shifts. I'm sure there are other configurations as well.

 

[StealthDog]

My practice spilts the overnight between two vets, so one works Sun/Mon/Tues and one works Wed/Thurs/Fri/Sat. Our shifts are 14 hrs long but we can sleep if things are calm (which never seems to be when you actually need the sleep... 😉 ).

 

[nelonvet]

How do the ER vets recover? I mean...on the off-days do they take a day to recover from the weird hours and then are ok the next two-three days they're off...or do they keep the same weird schedule on their off days?

Does that take a toll on them or are they ok with it after going through the process for a while?