Getting tech job at school you want to attend?

[LilBowWow]

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Hi.

I wanted to ask what people think about getting a tech job at the hospital of the school you ultimately wish to attend.

At first it seems like a great idea: prove how sharp and talented and compassionate you are and network with faculty on the side.

However, given my experience at three different places, I've come to realize that there's always going to be at least one (and usually many more) senior tech who for whatever reason resents the non-career pre-vets such as myself who work as a tech to gain experience before moving onto vet school. I am worried that techs like this who have it in for me could not only make my life miserable, but somehow put my chances to get into that school in jeopardy, even if only by making less-than-flattering comments to faculty who work in the hospital who may happen to be on the admissions committee.

Just to be clear, I am a very cooperative and modest person who never been anything but respectful to my co-workers. I know that they have years of experience and I am always eager to learn what they have to teach. But no matter how modest or deferrential I am, I always get attitude from some of the senior techs. I've come to accept that this is part of the territory, but is it too risky for me to try to get a job at the hospital of the school I want to attend?

If anyone out there has experience -- positive or negative --working at the hospital of the school they wanted to attend, please let me know! Thanks. 🙂

 

[Brighton]

I worked with my cats' vet for a summer in a very small practice (one vet, three techs). One of them, Debbie, HATED me for no apparent reason. The other two were always friendly and chatted and taught me stuff, but she acted like I wasn't even there. I went to tell the vet that I got into Tufts and she didn't even acknowledge my presence.

I suppose it's just the kind of thing you have to ignore and be treat them especially nicely so they don't have any reason not to like you. If the vet and other techs like you, I'm sure they see the problems this person has with future students and take that into consideration.

Good luck!

 

[HorseyVet]

I worked with my cats' vet for a summer in a very small practice (one vet, three techs). One of them, Debbie, HATED me for no apparent reason. The other two were always friendly and chatted and taught me stuff, but she acted like I wasn't even there. I went to tell the vet that I got into Tufts and she didn't even acknowledge my presence.

This really must be a universal thing....almost the exact same thing happened to me including the bit about me announce my acceptance...

To the original poster...several years ago I worked at an ER for some time and their must have been 30+ techs there, and yes some some really fit the mold you described...I remember this one...when I'd have to work in-hospital with her, she'd give me like 3 TPRs for the night and give herself 12+ intensive care patients...I was fine giving her the very difficult patients b/c she had a lot more experience...but she'd get to the point where she'd fall completely behind on all her treatments all b/c she hated me and didn't want me to have any patients....It was ridiculous...I changed the fluids on a dog that's been out for 1/2 hour+ b/c she was behind and she freaked out...

......Anyway, the veterinarians there were very well aware of the strange social dynamics involved in the hospital and were very able to see through all the BS. I think if you work somewhere, as long as you are getting along with with the doctors you should be fine....if things seems like they are going downhill though, I'd get out asap...if you're still in school you can always say that you need more time for that.

Good luck

 

[chickenboo]

I know several people who have been techs at the VMTH at Davis and gone on to be vet students there. I don't know how much it helped their application, but having positive letters from faculty certainly can't hurt! As far as getting practical experience there, I got the feeling that most of the hands-on stuff was done by 4th-year students and not the techs, so if you're really looking to improve in that area, I don't know that it would be that beneficial for you. Good for letters, though, as long as the docs like you!

 

[UKYWildcat]

Hi.

I wanted to ask what people think about getting a tech job at the hospital of the school you ultimately wish to attend.

At first it seems like a great idea: prove how sharp and talented and compassionate you are and network with faculty on the side.

However, given my experience at three different places, I've come to realize that there's always going to be at least one (and usually many more) senior tech who for whatever reason resents the non-career pre-vets such as myself who work as a tech to gain experience before moving onto vet school. I am worried that techs like this who have it in for me could not only make my life miserable, but somehow put my chances to get into that school in jeopardy, even if only by making less-than-flattering comments to faculty who work in the hospital who may happen to be on the admissions committee.

Just to be clear, I am a very cooperative and modest person who never been anything but respectful to my co-workers. I know that they have years of experience and I am always eager to learn what they have to teach. But no matter how modest or deferrential I am, I always get attitude from some of the senior techs. I've come to accept that this is part of the territory, but is it too risky for me to try to get a job at the hospital of the school I want to attend?

If anyone out there has experience -- positive or negative --working at the hospital of the school they wanted to attend, please let me know! Thanks. 🙂

I don't see anything wrong with it. I've been working in a teaching hospital for 3 years (but I'm going to be attending a different vet school this fall)

As for techs making your life miserable or making you look bad to the faculty - your job is what you make of it. I had issues with one technician that attempted to make my life a living hell but everyone saw right through her and her attempts - it didn't reflect badly on me at all. She could say whatever she wanted but I did my job well and that's what mattered.

Gaining technical skills - there's a lot that I've gotten to do that I don't think would be happening in private practice. With respect to senior students, often times in emergency situations, the technicians perform tasks because they need to be DONE and done correctly, fast - you take every opportunity to make it a hands on teaching case, but if it comes down to life or death and the tech can do it better and faster, so be it.

Are you a credentialed technician? I ask because I'm not sure if many schools hire non-credentialed technicians. IMHO, they shouldn't be hiring OJT techs to work in teaching positions -the students pay a lot in tuition and the clients pay a lot in fees, there should be an educated person teaching and responsible for patient care. Also, do you want to teach? If you're not interested in teaching, please, please, please don't get a job in a teaching hospital just to better yourself. As a technician, you are there as an asset to the students - they'll come to you for a LOT of assistance. You'll hear a lot of the same questions over and over and over again so you've got to be prepared to be patient. You also have to be a person that works well in a constantly changing environment - while the residents/faculty stay the same, you'll have a new group of students every few days or weeks (I'm lucky, my rotation is 4 weeks long so I actually have time to learn names!)

In all, I'm glad I've had the job that I've been at for now - amazing experience, the chance to work one-on-one with some of the most respected vets in the country, the chance to teach techniques labs to third year students as well as working in the teaching hospital, work on research projects, etc.