Summer experience

[QTkitty]

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So, I have applied in just about every veterinary hospital in my area and cannot get a job. It seems the job market in Ft. Collins is so saturated with other veterinary students and CVTs (we have a vet tech school very close to the vet school) that there are no jobs left. I am now extremely stressed that I am not getting some much needed experience before entering my junior year. I have worked in hospitals before but now feel better equipped to see cases with a greater knowledge than I had before. Also, it seems many of my peers are learning to do surgery over the summer (generaly just spays and neuters) and I am afraid that I'm going to be behind next year when I have never experienced this myself. Is anybody else having this problem or has anybody else gone through this and can give me advise? Thanks and I hope your summers are going well!!!!

 

[CookieBear]

I'm taking the monetary hit and am tagging along at various hospitals to get the experience and hands-on without getting paid.

 

[TSUJC]

What about an externship in other parts of Colorado or even a surrounding state? Many clinics take vet students over the summer and provide housing and a small stipend.

 

[rugbychick16]

What about an externship in other parts of Colorado or even a surrounding state? Many clinics take vet students over the summer and provide housing and a small stipend.

I haven't found that at all, most clinics admit they can't pay you because they have enough summer or full-time techs.

I have found grants from other sources that at least give me some money over the summer. I got one for a few hundred from Academy of Rural Veterinarians to work at a nearby equine/small animal clinic, and a larger grant from Pfizer Animal Health to work at a bovine practice for 4 weeks. So while I'm not getting paid for my hours by the clinics, I at least have a couple checks over the summer to help pay my rent and gas money while I wait for loans to be dispursed again in August....you can borrow money, but you can't borrow experience/skills

 

[Electrophile]

Ruh roh...I was kind of interested in doing a little week long preceptorship around your neck of the woods later this summer when we actually get out! 😱 Unpaid would be fine for me too. Hmmm...if you want experience, can you maybe ask if you can tag along with some of the fourth years who are on their clinical rotations at the teaching hospital?

 

[InfiniVet]

The economic downturn has affected nearly everyone, everywhere. For me I just went to a lot of places....and BEGGED. I still didn't get a paying job for this summer. Caseloads have suffered and hiring freezes are rampant.

 

[cRose]

Are there any animal shelters in the area where you could at least volunteer? If your main concern is getting some spay-neuter experience, I think you may have a decent shot at getting some of that at a shelter. They would probably consider a vet student volunteer pretty invaluable, especially if they are understaffed.

You could volunteer your time there and find a non vet-related part-time job to help with bills and loans?

Just an idea. Good luck! 🙁

 

[chris03333]

If you do not mind going away for the summer, post on the VIN message boards. I am sure someone will be interested in taking you as an extern.

 

[QTkitty]

Thank you so much for the responses 🙂 I have started looking for some volunteer experience but seem to be running into the same problem... most vets in the area are already being shadowed by several vet students and aren't interested in taking on another. I would love to leave for the summer and take an externship elsewhere but I own my house and have a lot of bills to pay and with dogs and cats it's difficult to relocate I feel like I'm dishing out one excuse after another but feel really stuck! I think I'll just study over the summer and wait until August to get experience in the teaching hospital 🙄 Thanks again though!!!

 

[Angelo84]

I just did a Rural Area Veterinary Service trip and while the vet student slots are full for the rest of the summer they might still need techs--that would give you more experience. Just google RAVS.

Good luck.