Vet Shadowing...Exciting!

[aspirevet]

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So guys, it's finally here! It's official! On Monday, I start my first day shadowing a vet! 👍 😀

But, as expected, I'm pretty nervous. This is the vet where I take my animals, so I sort of know the staff (a little), and I already know and have met (several times) the vet I will be shadowing. There's probably about a 90% chance that I will be seeing a surgery. So, any tips on how to NOT pass out during surgery? I think surgery is super interesting, and blood and guts don't really bother me, but I'm still worried I'll faint.

Also any tips in general for the day could help too 🙂 Thanks

 

[kernel]

There was a somewhat recent thread about passing out / feeling woozy during surgeries, shouldn't be too hard to find. In short, just make sure you eat a good breakfast and stay hydrated. Listen to your body; if you need to go tuck your head between your knees in the bathroom, don't be embarrassed--do it!

As for general tips, don't be afraid to ask questions. Every vet I've ever shadowed has said that they appreciate inquisitive shadowees. Just don't go overboard (i.e. talk incessantly 😛).

Most importantly, have fun!!

 

[Cephal0pod]

Yes, definitely make sure you eat a solid breakfast! The only time I have felt woozy while observing surgery was when I hadn't eaten very much that morning 😳 I would also recommend writing down things that you got to see/interesting anecdotes from the day when you get home so you can remember and refer back to them later. I am a journal-er so I always mention them when I write at night, but I also have a nifty Excel spreadsheet that I use to record my hours and note what I got to see/do. 🙂

Have fun! 🙂

 

[aspirevet]

Yes, definitely make sure you eat a solid breakfast! The only time I have felt woozy while observing surgery was when I hadn't eaten very much that morning 😳 I would also recommend writing down things that you got to see/interesting anecdotes from the day when you get home so you can remember and refer back to them later.

Thank you, the vet also told me to eat a good breakfast before I come in. You reminded me of a question I had! When I ask if I should bring something to write things down, half of the people say yes and half say no...I'm not sure if I should or not. Keep in mind I'm still in high school 😳

There was a somewhat recent thread about passing out / feeling woozy during surgeries, shouldn't be too hard to find. In short, just make sure you eat a good breakfast and stay hydrated. Listen to your body; if you need to go tuck your head between your knees in the bathroom, don't be embarrassed--do it!

I wouldn't mind stepping out, but I always envision it being extremely awkward: "Hey, um, I think I'm gonna go pass out now." They told me that they get a lot of students to come shadow and that a lot of them have passed out, so I'm sure they'll see if I start to get pale and wobbly. 👍

 

[LetItSnow]

So guys, it's finally here! It's official! On Monday, I start my first day shadowing a vet! 👍 😀

But, as expected, I'm pretty nervous. This is the vet where I take my animals, so I sort of know the staff (a little), and I already know and have met (several times) the vet I will be shadowing. There's probably about a 90% chance that I will be seeing a surgery. So, any tips on how to NOT pass out during surgery? I think surgery is super interesting, and blood and guts don't really bother me, but I'm still worried I'll faint.

Also any tips in general for the day could help too 🙂 Thanks

The way you say there's a 90% chance makes me wonder if you know there's a specific procedure planned? If so, just a thought: spend some time (google... hit up a good library at a university...) reading up on the procedure. Not saying you should be an expert, have the anatomy down pat, or anything like that; but try and get an idea for what the general anatomy in the area is like, what steps there are, what considerations might be important, etc.

Might make it more interesting!

 

[aspirevet]

The way you say there's a 90% chance makes me wonder if you know there's a specific procedure planned? If so, just a thought: spend some time (google... hit up a good library at a university...) reading up on the procedure. Not saying you should be an expert, have the anatomy down pat, or anything like that; but try and get an idea for what the general anatomy in the area is like, what steps there are, what considerations might be important, etc.

Might make it more interesting!

I think it's going to be a spay/neuter. I've seen videos of this surgery done, but that's a good idea to do some research! 🙂

 

[aspirevet]

So, I was at the vet today picking my two dogs up from grooming. To my surprise, the manager came out to meet me. He gave me some general info about my vet shadowing on Monday (eat a good breakfast before you come in) and then told me that he was excited to have me come in 🙂

For some reason, this meeting with the manager sort of put me at ease (for now..). It just reminded me of how friendly the staff are at this office, and that they are unlikely to just be like "Oh, no. We have that shadow girl coming in on Monday." The techs, vets, kennel hands, and even the receptionists are just down right friendly. Couldn't have asked for a better place to shadow at.

I'll let you all know about any other questions/concerns I have, and how I'm feeling about shadowing if needed. But you can be sure that I'll fill in all the details of my day on Monday!

 

[485501]

If you're standing still for a while, make sure you're not locking your knees! That's what gets me in terms of feeling faint and dizzy.

 

[hygebeorht]

You'll probably also feel hot from nerves and cap/mask etc., so try to relax and don't be afraid to step out if you're feeling even a bit woozy. Better to go squat in the hall than faint and wipe out a mayo stand or something.

Honestly, you'll probably be fine. Enjoy your shadowing!

 

[aspirevet]

You'll probably also feel hot from nerves and cap/mask etc., so try to relax and don't be afraid to step out if you're feeling even a bit woozy. Better to go squat in the hall than faint and wipe out a mayo stand or something.

Honestly, you'll probably be fine. Enjoy your shadowing!

Thank you!

Also, I plan on wearing nice jeans, a nice shirt, and tennis shoes. They didn't tell me to wear anything specific...so would this be good?

 

[orca2011]

Thank you!

Also, I plan on wearing nice jeans, a nice shirt, and tennis shoes. They didn't tell me to wear anything specific...so would this be good?

I'd call them and find out. I personally pick a pair of khakis over jeans. Most places I shadowed at wanted me in khakis and a nice shirt and I think it's more professional looking. Although, the one clinic I interned at wanted jeans and a scrub top, so it varies by practice.

 

[Bearby]

You reminded me of a question I had! When I ask if I should bring something to write things down, half of the people say yes and half say no...I'm not sure if I should or not. Keep in mind I'm still in high school 😳

Don't bring like a huge notebook or your computer or anything, but a small notepad that you can stick in your pocket and pull out to jot down some basics would be a good idea.

I definitely agree about doing a little bit of research on anything you know is going on that you'll be exposed to just so that things aren't quite as confusing.

Bring a pen, sharpie, +/- highlighter. If you don't need it, someone else will need to borrow one and it's always good to be prepared.

 

[that redhead]

I agree with orca - I think khakis make a better first impression than jeans, and I'd rather be overdressed the first day than under-dressed. I think clean sneakers or comfortable, plain flats aren't a bad idea. Our clinic had a closet full of extra scrubs and I assume most clinics do, so they can always lend you a scrub top if needed.

 

[aspirevet]

I've got a nice outfit planned out. It's business casual and I think it's appropriate. Not sure if they'll have me change into anything while I'm there, but we'll see. I'll be packing a lunch to bring and I'm making sure to pack a water bottle and some nutritious food. I usually don't drink that much water, but I want to make sure I am hydrated tomorrow so I don't pass out. So I've been drinking a lot of water today and like I said, I'll be packing a water bottle as well.

I'm a little nervous, but I know it'll be fine and a fun/great experience. I'll be there from 8:00 AM to probably around 5 or 6...so that's like 8 or 9 hours. I expect to have a decent lunch break since this isn't an emergency clinic and appointments have to be made beforehand, you never know when someone is going to come in with an emergency and they are top priority. Either way, I'm sure they'll pull me aside to let me eat at some point. I was assured by the manager that they would have food for me there if I needed it.

They also said that they've had shadows my age there before, so it's not like this is their first rodeo 😉

Wish me luck...I'll update you tomorrow.

Edit: forgot to mention that the website of the vet I'll be shadowing had a list of some common procedures done, so I read over that list and read about each procedure just to get a feel for what I might be seeing. My guess is I'll be seeing a spay/neuter, but I'm not sure.

 

[aspirevet]

I'll be wearing a nice dark blue shirt (or blouse...I suppose you could call it a blouse...anyway it's a nice shirt 😳 ) and some nice, clean gray jeans with a belt. They're not worn jeans and almost look like khakis because they are like a gray-ish tan. Everyone in my family agrees it is a nice business casual look even with the jeans...so I'm going with it for now as I didn't have time to get some khakis.

I was considering wearing flats but now I think I'm set on wearing plain, clean, and tasteful tennis shoes. I think I will be more comfortable in tennis shoes as I will be on my feet all day and the last thing I want is for my feet to be hurting in the middle of, say, a surgery.

Let me know what you guys think. Also, what about hair styles (I'm female)? I don't think I should wear my hair down because it could get in the way, but I still want to look fairly nice. I guess just a pony tail or a bun would do?

Thanks

 

[Leanne]

Let me know what you guys think. Also, what about hair styles (I'm female)? I don't think I should wear my hair down because it could get in the way, but I still want to look fairly nice. I guess just a pony tail or a bun would do?

Thanks

I think you're over-thinking things at this point 😉 (no worries, I do the same). Definitely keep your hair out of your face, but a ponytail is more than sufficient. I guarantee no one will notice your hair unless it is covering your face or dyed green or something haha.

 

[aspirevet]

I think you're over-thinking things at this point 😉 (no worries, I do the same). Definitely keep your hair out of your face, but a ponytail is more than sufficient. I guarantee no one will notice your hair unless it is covering your face or dyed green or something haha.

Thanks! Haha, usually when someone asks I say, "Oh, I'm not nervous at all!"...but at the last second I freak out and feel totally unprepared 😳

 

[LetItSnow]

Thanks! Haha, usually when someone asks I say, "Oh, I'm not nervous at all!"...but at the last second I freak out and feel totally unprepared 😳

Heh. It's understandable. But relax - it's not like you're about to give a speech after accepting a Nobel Peace Prize. It's just a day of work for everyone else there. So be professional, dress to avoid 'unimpressing', and relax and smile a lot. Honestly the last two things matter more than almost everything else.

As far as the hair ... wear it to keep out of your face/eyes, but otherwise don't worry about it.

Relax! 🙂

 

[aspirevet]

**long post coming!**

I just got back from shadowing and had a pretty good time. As expected, it was pretty awkward and there were times when both the tech I was assigned to and the doctor I was assigned to walked different ways and I wasn't sure who to follow. It was also hard to think of questions to ask, and so I only asked a few.

The morning was super fun and very interesting! First we had a dog who went to a daycare place and got his paw stuck under a gate/fence, and then another dog attacked him. Poor guy! That wasn't my doctors case, but since the treatment area is shared by all doctors, I got to see several different cases at once. Another case I saw was a dog that just kept vomiting and they couldn't figure out why (didn't get to see an end to this case though).

The most exciting thing was the shih tzu that had a lump on his side, and no one knew what it was. When the doctor told me that I would be watching this surgery I had a really nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach. Once I saw the lump itself and the vet assured me that this was a good surgery to watch, I felt a little better. After I got ready (put gown on, mask, etc.) the tech asked me if I was ok with blood, slicing, and the smell of burning flesh...then I got a little nervous again but I assured her I would be fine.

Once we got in the surgery room it was actually not as bad as I thought it was. It wasn't too bloody, and the surgery itself was pretty quick. The vet talked me through what she was doing and answered my questions (the few that I had 😳 ). I was amazed that I was watching the surgery the entire time and was not at all queasy or light-headed. It was a great surgery and I can't wait to watch another one!

I also saw some dental work on the same dog. Afterwards, we met with a patient who had been throwing up for no apparent reason. We took x-rays but found nothing (but the vet did show me another x-ray of a dog who had eaten a tennis ball) and took blood. The vet prescribed prilosec (I hope that's how you spell it) and told the owner that we would see what the test results were. The tests ended up showing pancreatitis (I hope that's right), but the vet said that this dog didn't have it as bad as most dogs do.

The rest of my day was basically going to appointments and watching techs administer fluids and such. The morning was very busy and eventful, but the afternoon was pretty slow with only a few appointments. Anyway, I really did enjoy it! 🙂

 

[that redhead]

Sounds like a great first experience, I'm glad you enjoyed it 👍