CALLING ALL CURRENT VETS:
During vet school, is passing really all that matters if you have absolutely no interest in doing a residency? I know everyone says "C's get degrees", but will that actually hinder your desirability when potential employers are looking at you? What about internships? Do any of these people ask for your GPA in school? How much do grades REALLY matter? Thank you!
As an employer: We have never asked for grades.
We are expecting that your clinical diagnostic skills are decent and can be improved with coaching from more experienced vets. Some new grads we hired ARE good, some are borderline terrible in this area. It is almost impossible to figure out during an interview, short of giving a detailed "test", i.e. posing scenarios, asking what would you do and why.
In the department of unsolicited advice, what does an employer want from a new grad?
You are not in school anymore!
Starting thinking now before you graduate about what you would do if you had no one to ask. You are not presenting the case to your professors who want to know that you have considered all of this possibilities because you have to tell them. If you present to the clients in this manner, it appears to be lack of confidence and indecision. Learn to explain things without using only the medical words because the clients don't know what they mean, keep it simple: E.g.
" The most likely thing is ________ and therefore we will do __________. Other things are possible and it X doesn't improve, then we will do Y. Please let us know if a few days how things are going."
There are few zebras in private practice, MOST cases are one fairly obvious primary problem: nasty ears, skin issues, eye goop (stain always) and then decide if the neopolydex drops are the right choice, do senior bloodwork (always with the Free T4 please! especially in cats), learn how to manage diabetes with the proper insulin, feline hyperthyroidism, the opposite for dogs, UTIs, etc.
Most important: Learn how to integrate the BIG PICTURE, don't get lost in the trees and get stuck on one symptom. Make sure you know how to think your way through a problem.
Also: The point about anesthesia is very good. Learn how to do this well, manage BP will fluids, use gas anesthesia, keep the body temp up. Gentle tissue handling is important. They should wake up quickly and nicely. Shouldn't be gorked for 24 hours after.
Finally, you may not like it but your DVM or VMD title makes you a supervisor of everyone working under you. Things will happen only because of your orders, don't tolerate idleness - it makes your job harder. Learn how to sequence the work or yourself and everyone working on your cases for best throughput, send two people to get x-rays, while you start the case in the next room and so forth. You will get done sooner and the clients will be happier as they are finished more quickly. Seek first to be respected and then to be liked.
