Vet tech after vet school

[medo1]

I dont wish to get into particulars but life has thrown me a lot of curveballs and storms that have broken me down to nothing. Ive had a lot of health challenges both physical and mental. I want to get back to work now and its been about three years since I graduated (class of 2022). I still maintained my license and have gone to conferences and done online training whenever there are subjects that I felt rusty on or seemed interesting. I dont feel ready or comfortable going back as a vet, I just want to be in the field again. However, I do wish to utilize as much as my training as Im legally allowed to with the goal to maybe slowly transition to vet work. Im in California if that matters. What positions can I apply for?

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[MixedAnimals77]

If you feel comfortable starting maybe volunteering or even applying at a shelter where someone is willing to mentor could be a great way to get back in the field without having to deal with client expectations. Something that's simple but high pace would be vaccine clinics. I think if you were frank with places you could find a place that would let you move at your own pace and provide mentorship that let's you ease back into being a veterinarian. I don't necessarily think you need to just be a vet tech but if that's where you feel comfortable I'd just be super transparent with where you apply and be prepared not to overstep boundaries

 

[pp9]

I dont wish to get into particulars but life has thrown me a lot of curveballs and storms that have broken me down to nothing. Ive had a lot of health challenges both physical and mental. I want to get back to work now and its been about three years since I graduated (class of 2022). I still maintained my license and have gone to conferences and done online training whenever there are subjects that I felt rusty on or seemed interesting. I dont feel ready or comfortable going back as a vet, I just want to be in the field again. However, I do wish to utilize as much as my training as Im legally allowed to with the goal to maybe slowly transition to vet work. Im in California if that matters. What positions can I apply for?

What do you want to be doing long term?

I second the idea of vaccine clinics (as a vet) - you can make great money this way, set your own schedule, and the work is not physically demanding. In my experience you tend to be working with inexperienced assistants though, which can complicate things. Shelter med is a good idea but in my (limited) experience tends to be very high volume/fast paced, so maybe not the best re-intro step. Could also look at GP relief without dentals/surgery.

In general, vets do not make good techs. Vets and techs aren't trained for the same things. If you were dead-set on a tech position, I wouldn't recommend a shelter setting as you might need to hit the ground running there. Vaccine clinics/Vetcos/Banfields might be a good option still - they are full service, but rarely get more complicated than monitoring during routine surgeries/IVCs/running bloodwork/xrays. ETA: I'd also consider tech relief, particularly if you are not anticipating needing to work as a tech for more than a year. You'll be hard to hire in this situation, tech turnover is already high enough without hiring someone who intends to leave.

I've had multiple vets (who had not passed boards) work as techs in a previous job and it usually didn't go well. They were new grads which was an extra layer of complication, not sure how much time you've spent actually in practice. You'd also have to be extra careful to respect the limitations of the position you hold, not the degree you hold...might be more difficult than you'd think.

Sorry final edit: CA requires techs to be licensed, not sure you'd qualify. Which leaves you with assistant positions

 

[medo1]

If you feel comfortable starting maybe volunteering or even applying at a shelter where someone is willing to mentor could be a great way to get back in the field without having to deal with client expectations. Something that's simple but high pace would be vaccine clinics. I think if you were frank with places you could find a place that would let you move at your own pace and provide mentorship that let's you ease back into being a veterinarian. I don't necessarily think you need to just be a vet tech but if that's where you feel comfortable I'd just be super transparent with where you apply and be prepared not to overstep boundaries

One of my main health challenges is standing still for long periods of time, so that makes surgery an extreme concern of mine for now. Unless I were able to do it sitting. Even so, mentally I find surgery very nerve wracking so would rather not jump into that right away but maybe later on when I have more confidence. Thats what Im lacking as well as navigating new medications and still needing PT. Do you need to draw blood at vaccine clinics? Technically im already employed at petcos for over 1.5 years but have never done a shift because I just thought its been so long since Ive drawn blood id be rusty for the heart worm tests.

What do you want to be doing long term?

I second the idea of vaccine clinics (as a vet) - you can make great money this way, set your own schedule, and the work is not physically demanding. In my experience you tend to be working with inexperienced assistants though, which can complicate things. Shelter med is a good idea but in my (limited) experience tends to be very high volume/fast paced, so maybe not the best re-intro step. Could also look at GP relief without dentals/surgery.

In general, vets do not make good techs. Vets and techs aren't trained for the same things. If you were dead-set on a tech position, I wouldn't recommend a shelter setting as you might need to hit the ground running there. Vaccine clinics/Vetcos/Banfields might be a good option still - they are full service, but rarely get more complicated than monitoring during routine surgeries/IVCs/running bloodwork/xrays. ETA: I'd also consider tech relief, particularly if you are not anticipating needing to work as a tech for more than a year. You'll be hard to hire in this situation, tech turnover is already high enough without hiring someone who intends to leave.

I've had multiple vets (who had not passed boards) work as techs in a previous job and it usually didn't go well. They were new grads which was an extra layer of complication, not sure how much time you've spent actually in practice. You'd also have to be extra careful to respect the limitations of the position you hold, not the degree you hold...might be more difficult than you'd think.

Sorry final edit: CA requires techs to be licensed, not sure you'd qualify. Which leaves you with assistant positions

Edit: long term I do want to try for veterinarian again, but I dont know if my body can handle the demands the career requires so just going with the flow. Thats makes sense thank you for your insight. Yeah i was told after two years of vet school one could become an RVT but I imagine that means actually sitting for the exam.

 

[MixedAnimals77]

I have no idea about vaccine clinics as I've never worked them, I just know about them from my friend who has worked a few. Hopefully someone who has done them can chime in. I mean I probably attempt poking 1 patient a week and work full time but even so I don't always get my stick. It all comes back with time.

For surgery you can certainly do them sitting if needed. I did quite a bit of sx sitting after my acl repair but it was definitely wierd for me at least. (Totally ignoring the confidence issue just saying it is possible).

Good luck!