Vet Shadow Etiquette

[thewhowho]

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Okay, so I've been a lurker for a couple of weeks now and I've finally mustered up the energy to post my first thread. I'm glad to be here.

My situation: I've found a place to shadow via email for a couple of weeks. The vet has not be impolite in her emails, just a bit curt and blunt ( or maybe I'm just intimidated, this is my first vet experience). She hasn't asked for an interview, but has told me the dates when I can come and what I should wear and that's about it...I, being the neurotic-type of person I am, want to know more--like can I bring a notebook to take notes in, will I be observing or doing any hands-on stuff, am I allowed to ask questions, etc. Should I ask this in my next email or should I just bring a notebook and ask questions once I get there?

Sorry if this is so trivial, I'm really nervous, but really excited!!!

P.S. She is an exotic/reptile vet

 

[jtom]

Vets are very busy, they will either not answer your email or be short with you, do not take it personally.

You can bring a notebook but I found it to be more cumbersome carrying it around as opposed to not having it. If you are just shadowing I would not bring one because you are just observing.

Whether you do hands-on stuff is up to the vet, some will let you help others will not. Feel lucky you are allowed to shadow, in my experience most vets do not allow this. Go into this assuming you cannot do anything except watch off to the side and if they ask then step in but otherwise do not.

You can ask questions but I would keep them to a minimum if it is busy. It really depends based on the situation, use common sense.

I would not email her again except to say you will be there on such and such a day.

 

[Whyevernot55]

I agree with jtom's post. Every clinic and vet has a different policy for the "rules." What I tell our shadows is this: do not handle the animals unless invited to, and do not interrupt while in exam rooms. Most of the time the vet has a limited amt of time int he room with the client and their pet, and you asking questions will cut into it - ask those questions later when there is time. I know in my practice, I encourage the shadows to ask questions of me and the other techs - sometimes the dr is just too busy, and mostly they will tell you if they are.

Your best bet is going to be to ask the vet when you get there what the rules are. IF they are too busy or not amenable to chatting, ask a likely technician.

Feel free to bring a notebook, but don't expect a lot of time to use it - they are cumbersome in the rooms, but I like having a chance to write things down afterwards so I can remember.

 

[LetItSnow]

My situation: I've found a place to shadow via email for a couple of weeks. The vet has not be impolite in her emails, just a bit curt and blunt ( or maybe I'm just intimidated, this is my first vet experience). She hasn't asked for an interview, but has told me the dates when I can come and what I should wear and that's about it...I, being the neurotic-type of person I am, want to know more--like can I bring a notebook to take notes in, will I be observing or doing any hands-on stuff, am I allowed to ask questions, etc. Should I ask this in my next email or should I just bring a notebook and ask questions once I get there?

The biggest thing is to take a positive attitude and a smile. If you do something stupid - like ask a question at a bad time, or stick your hands somewhere you shouldn't - they'll let you know. Just smile, apologize, and keep on keepin' on and don't get defensive.

Remember that they need to get to know you, just like you need to get to know them. The vet I primarily shadow is chatty: we talk like two cows over a dike the entire time she's working on a patient. But one of her partners can't stand chatter; so I just shut up when I'm observing her and wait until it's obviously a good moment to ask a question. Point being, vets are normal people - some are talkative and some aren't. Pay attention to the one you're shadowing and adapt to her personality. Same thing with how involved you should be: take your cues from them. If they want you to do something, they'll tell you. If not.... in the words of a farm vet I shadowed once, "watching is free, but you have to pay extra to help." If you really WANT to help, just ask them if there's anything you can do. And then smile, regardless of their response.

I would not pester her with more email. You don't need to know more before showing up. If you do take a notebook, take a small one that you can slip in your pocket. Personally, I don't carry one... I sit down at the end of the day and write out notes from the day. If something comes up that I'm afraid I won't remember, I just grab a post-it note and stick it in my pocket.

 

[bunnity]

When I shadowed a shelter surgeon we talked about all kinds of stuff... she explained the procedures and some of the mechanics of running a shelter but we talked a LOT about her daughter, her aging mom, her cats... I think it was nice for her to have a regular person to chat with while she did spays. I think she would have been weirded out if I was really intense about asking questions or if I had been taking notes. I asked a lot of questions for sure but it was part of a normal conversation. My advice is to just "act normal" and fly below the radar for a while - you want to get a feel of the clinic's culture before you try to get more involved. And be willing to do boring and dirty work like cleaning cages or stuffing envelopes. At that shelter I always scrubbed packs because the techs hated doing it, and I think that made them a lot more willing to teach me more "interesting" things.

 

[oregonhopeful]

I did a lot of laundry and cage cleaning in the first few weeks I was shadowing. By choice. I didn't want to be bored and I didn't want to be in the way so I would clean every single dirty cage and wash all the dishes in the sink. I knew NOTHING about being a tech. It was a small clinic, if I caught one of the techs washing dishes, I walked up to them and politely said that they were doing the one thing I knew how to do so they ought to do things I didn't know how to do and let me wash dishes. After time they realized I could be useful and they taught me to do everything and the vet started spending a lot of time teaching me too.
They pay me now. 🙂
Mind you, it's not always appropriate to do this, I shadowed in another clinic where I just stood around (there were tons of techs and they told me I couldn't do any work anyway). But sometimes it is.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

It also depends on your state's rules. When I shadowed for the very short time I did, I was barely allowed to do anything, because only licensed technicians can do the majority of things in my state. I couldn't even draw blood. Basically I fed and watered boarders, cleaned cages, watched surgeries, restrained, and read stuff.

 

[Whyevernot55]

It also depends on your state's rules. When I shadowed for the very short time I did, I was barely allowed to do anything, because only licensed technicians can do the majority of things in my state. I couldn't even draw blood. Basically I fed and watered boarders, cleaned cages, watched surgeries, restrained, and read stuff.

At our clinic, shadows aren't allowed to do ANYTHING. At all. No cleaning, laundry, restraint, anything. If something were to happen and they got injured, they aren't covered under worker's comp.

 

[thewhowho]

Thanks for all the information, guys. I'm def. feeling the Catch-22, here, with the vet experience and getting opportunities to work in clinics. I contacted a few vet clinics and one said that only non-profit orgs were allowed to have volunteers and shadowers in my state...I think there might be some ambiguity in the laws. I just got a call back for a job though, so wish me luck 😳! Hopefully I'll get to do more if I get this job.

 

[alwayslistening]

Be polite. Smile.

Dress as professional as you can, if you're not going to be going into the surgical suite. Otherwise, wear scrubs

Take your cues from the veterinarian when tagging along with them. They will tell you when it is appropriate to do/not do certain things. Watching their mood will also help you to gauge when is the right time to ask questions.