"Should I stay or should I go now"

[Mittens4U]

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So, I've been working in the veterinary field for 5 yrs now; from assistant to tech. I have moved around every year since 2005, but have remained in the field each time. I'm currently working at a clinic that I don't like, but I am sometimes getting the horse experience I need, since I have none previously. I've only been working at this clinic for about 5 months now, but I just can't stand it. I've come to the point where I'm sick of the grunt work and just want to be in vet school already, but since I'm not (I will be applying for '09) I would like to find a better paying job in the meantime. I am afraid that if I quit and find another job outside of vet med that it will look bad on vet school apps. and lessen my chances of being accepted. I know vet med is my passion and love the field, but I just feel really stuck at the moment and I'm really unhappy at my current job. My last job was as a tech at a vet school and now I'm at a private practice...the transition has been horrible! So, should I stay or should I go?

 

[enchantingme2]

If you do not like it than I personally would not stay. I know that experience means a lot, and that hopefully this experience will get you into veterinary school; however, I have been in jobs where I hate them so much that I have felt almost physically ill when i thought about going in the next day. I held out until i could find something better, and thats what i suggest for you. personally, when I was in that situation I was worried that the job would actually make me hate the profession that I have come to love so much. I did not want the job to ruin vet med for me because I had began to associate it with the negative qualities of that specifin job. I would def try to find another veterinary job. If you cant then maybe a compromise where you would go in for only horse related cases? Or potentially find another horse hospital or farm? I would def try not ot leave the vet field in this search, especially if you need something to redeem the field or passion in your eyes.

 

[alliecat44]

Disclaimer: the following advice is valid ONLY IF you are upset because you don't think the standard of care is appropriate. (This is what I thought you were talking about the first time I read your post, but now I'm not entirely clear.) If you are merely "tired of the grunt work," then that's a different issue...

There are pros and cons to both sides of the issue, but I think this decision is ultimately a simple one. GO. Now. Before this clinic spoils your love of veterinary medicine.

Once you leave, you can a) get a different job in another veterinary hospital (there are others out there)--but perhaps finances don't make this feasible; or b) get a job in a different area altogether.

Depending on how strong your "pull" is for vet med--and it sounds like it's pretty strong--you might or might not be willing to tolerate working outside the field for a year. One possible bonus: a lot of adcoms actually like to see some diversity in an applicant's experiences. The thought process goes, well, if she didn't try anything else besides vet med, then how do we know she's not going to fall in love with the restaurant business five years out of school? or somesuch. Diversity can work to your advantage, particularly if it comes with some sort of managerial/business component.

However, I definitely WOULD NOT continue working at this practice. Don't support horrendous care, and don't compromise your own high standard of care. You won't be happy with yourself if you do. However, while you are seeking out your next step, be sure to pay attention to all the things that YOU won't do once YOU are a veterinarian.

hope that helps...just one person's opinion! 🙂

 

[SillyFilly]

You can ALWAYS get more volunteer experience too - so you can do a job you like okay and do some volunteer stuff for fun. And that will look great 🙂

 

[lailanni]

I agree with the above posters -- don't stay in some place that you hate. Though you do have to put up with some crud to get to your goals, you don't have to do something long term that makes you really unhappy.

You can find another place and another way to get the equine experience. Especially since you already have some as a tech, there are probably some horse rescue type groups that would love your help!

 

[VeganSoprano]

I agree with the others. Start looking for another job. Don't leave until you have something else lined up, but don't stay in something you dislike either.

But do make sure you keep accurate records of the experience you gained and make sure you line up someone to write a LOR for you, assuming it is experience you plan to draw from when you apply.

 

[VAgirl]

Another thing to keep in mind is that vet-relevant experience comes in many forms. Sure, you can work in a vet clinic. Or you could get a job in bench research, a pathology lab doing necropsies (awesome experience), working with other health related issues/topics (if w/ MDs, could be a comparative medicine type of thing), at a zoo, at a shelter (which someone already said), and a bunch of others my brain is too tired to think of right now. Be creative and you might even broaden your experience even further and help yourself out even more.

 

[meadow36]

If you live near an Antech or some other type of diagnostic lab try to apply for a position there. The pay is a little better and it's awesome experience on your application.

Also - try getting a position in an emergency clinic. Usually pays a little better than a day practice and it's NEVER boring!! At least that's my opinion. Another fun job is the zoos, but they usually do not pay well.

 

[sheep girl]

I understand exactly what you are going through. Last August, I switched from conducting cancer research with rodents to a cooperative extension job working in crop science (but still research related). I had to leave bc of the money. If you think you have enough paid employment experience with animals, dont stay. I was worried about my choice for a while, but I went ahead and applied to my state school and a few of the UK schools. I have recieved offers already. You can always volunteer.

 

[Mittens4U]

Disclaimer: the following advice is valid ONLY IF you are upset because you don't think the standard of care is appropriate. (This is what I thought you were talking about the first time I read your post, but now I'm not entirely clear.) If you are merely "tired of the grunt work," then that's a different issue...

There are pros and cons to both sides of the issue, but I think this decision is ultimately a simple one. GO. Now. Before this clinic spoils your love of veterinary medicine.

Once you leave, you can a) get a different job in another veterinary hospital (there are others out there)--but perhaps finances don't make this feasible; or b) get a job in a different area altogether.

Depending on how strong your "pull" is for vet med--and it sounds like it's pretty strong--you might or might not be willing to tolerate working outside the field for a year. One possible bonus: a lot of adcoms actually like to see some diversity in an applicant's experiences. The thought process goes, well, if she didn't try anything else besides vet med, then how do we know she's not going to fall in love with the restaurant business five years out of school? or somesuch. Diversity can work to your advantage, particularly if it comes with some sort of managerial/business component.

However, I definitely WOULD NOT continue working at this practice. Don't support horrendous care, and don't compromise your own high standard of care. You won't be happy with yourself if you do. However, while you are seeking out your next step, be sure to pay attention to all the things that YOU won't do once YOU are a veterinarian.

hope that helps...just one person's opinion! 🙂

Well, both of your assumptions are correct...I do feel that the standard of care there is below my standards...and I'm tired of some of the grunt work (by that I mean the mind numbing cleaning that the "manager" finds so much more important than providing quality care to the animals). I feel their priorities are not in order either. It's an equine and small animal hosp., but on any given day they like to have 3 receptionists, 1 s.a. tech (which is me) and sometimes an equine tech (which is also me). So, my other issue is that I know I have to list all my prior employers and their contact info. on apps., but the clinic is really short handed at the moment and I don't want to burn any bridges if I leave during their time of need for help.

I appreciate your point of view about diversity...I like that perspective and it makes perfect sense to me now. All of the above comments have justified my desire to quit and have motivated me more to start looking for another job...hopefully something research related. I hadn't thought of the possibility of this job ruining my love for the field before, but it certainly is a scary thought and I don't want to be in that position...been there, done that when I played varsity volleyball for my university and ended up so burned out by the end of the year, I didn't touch a ball for 2 yrs. afterwards!

 

[WannaFixFounder]

Go for it!