What kind of part-time (or full) work do you do?

[yann]

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Hi guys,

some of you might already be familiar with me from the previous thread. howdy-do again 😛

Just wanted to see what kind of part-time or full-time jobs the non-trad SDN-ers are doing (or were doing)? I'm particularly interested to know what the VA residents are doing to earn those minimum $$ to get by, since I've been informed that you need a license to work as a vet tech in VA. For those who doesn't have a license, what kind of job are you involved in? Anyone do non-animal stuff? Or did you find a way to get some hands on part-time/full-time jobs?

A thousand thank yous in advance

 

[Whyevernot55]

I currently work full-time as a vet assistant/tech - not licensed, but most of the assistants are trained to do "tech things" as well.

In the past I have: waited tables, wrote for a horse racing magazine, worked for a toy company (marcomm and design), run an equestrian center, worked at the mall, been a rock wall climbing instructor, riding instructor, phone-a-thon caller...and more. If there's one thing I can say for myself it's that I have extremely diverse work experience. 🙄

 

[Polar Opposite]

I'm a non-trad, but not in VA. I work full time as a tech at the animal disease diagnostics lab at my IS campus...

 

[BlacKAT33]

Im on a research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. Before this i worked at a lab on my university's campus. Before that, I worked at Best Friends Pet Resort. I have done non-animal related work when I was younger-i worked at a garden center and a fabric store. The garden center was awesome. I loved being outside. Not a fan of the register jobs, never doing that again. And I would never have the patience to wait tables--props to people who can do that!

 

[HandD42]

Not a VA resident but I am a non trad working in a toxicology lab on pre-clinical addiction research. Pretty cool work and it is animal related (I get to perform rodent surgeries and even help with some study design).

Before this job I spent two years at a construction company helping rich people pick out the furnishings for high end condos. Lots of good stories from that job 😛
You think people get upset over their pet's vet bill you should see them get worked up over custom granite counter tops...

 

[eventualeventer]

I hope I didn't sound toooo discouraging about VA in the other thread. I work part-time at the Marion DuPont Scott Equine Medical Center, which is VMRCVM's teaching horsepital in Leesburg, as a "nurse". I am not licensed, so there are certain things I can't do like place catheters or pass NGT's, but I do a fair amount of other stuff, including taking care of foals, drawing blood, and giving meds via IV cath/IM/eye meds/fluids/etc. When I shadowed at a large SA practice (large practice, that is) in VA, they had a bunch of licensed techs who did a lot of the things like setting catheters, inducing/monitoring anesthesia, etc. There were vet assistants who did things like assist in appointments and restrain animals. I guess I should have been clearer in contrasting it to MD, where I have seen (unlicensed) vet assistants place IV catheters, run anesthesia, etc.

ETA: I did manage to sort of support myself by working as a vet assistant for a year (part this current job and part another one), in the sense of paying for rent (with a shared kitchen, own bedroom), groceries, and gas, but I was driving my parents' car (no car payment or insurance, and no money spent on Metro, since I was out in the boonies) AND they paid for my health insurance. As it was, I came out a bit behind financially - there was more in my savings account at the beginning of the year than at the end. Health insurance alone would have put me under very quickly, and neither of my jobs helped me at all with insurance (the first place said that I could get on their bare-bones plan for something like $400/month, but they would not contribute anything and the plan would not cover prescription drugs; my asthma drugs which are $$$, so I stayed on a COBRA from my parents' plan for $600/mo).

 

[parietal]

Like Virginia, Minnesota requires vet techs to be certified (and to come through an accredited program), although our state law doesn't define what non-techs can and can't do.

However, as a non-trad, I couldn't survive on a vet assistant's salary. So I continued to work in my previous field while taking my pre-reqs and volunteering and shadowing as much as possible. It worked for me, although I feel like I'm at somewhat of a disadvantage for not having seen the sheer volume of cases that some of my future classmates have. But we each go in with our strengths and weaknesses.

 

[VeganSoprano]

I'm a full-time SA emergency/ICU tech, non-traditional and unlicensed but pursuing alternative pathway credentialing (which is allowed in some states). If you live in NoVA, you may consider eventually getting a job in DC or MD once you have a solid basic skill set since non-credentialed folks can legally perform all tech skills in those jurisdictions. I get paid quite well - about $40K/year plus full benefits. However, the cost of living is *very* high here - my studio apartment in a mixed-income neighborhood costs $1150/month. I'm not living the high life, but I certainly can't complain.

I also work part-time as a barista, for the free coffee and to finance my prereqs which I'm taking part-time at the local university.

 

[marycatherine]

Right now I'm an Animal Care Tech at an animal shelter and a Kennel Tech/Vet Assistant at an animal hospital. I'm in VA and am a little discouraged to just find out I'm not going to be able to learn to place catheters? I can draw blood and do other fun stuff, so it's not too big of a deal, though I may need to brush up on some of the laws just in case...

I'm leaving my shelter job 🙂() at the end of this month because I'm picking up my science classes for the summer, but I'll hopefully also be starting a job taking care of the frogs at my school's lab? I need to follow-up on my "job offer" which was the professor looking shocked that anyone wanted to do the job.

 

[UM2014]

I'm not really a non trad (I'm 21) but I did graduate early so I had to figure out a Plan B for if vet school didn't pan out...and I didn't want to risk NOT starting my career ASAP for the same reason. I've been working as a full time research scientist for a biotech company since graduating in December. It's really interesting, challenging work. It's for human use and we use human organ donations for our research studies and product but it's amazing experience and unlike anything I've ever done before. I'm going to miss it and all my amazing coworkers in the fall!

 

[AUhopeful]

I'm a non-trad and work as a LA tech. I agree that it is very hard to make it on that salary, but I consider myself lucky to have a very supportive and encouraging husband. In the past, I have worked as a SA tech, avian zookeeper, waitress/hostess, barn manager, and I also answered phones at a few hotels.

 

[deleted266066]

.

 

[TBRaysfan]

I moved to VA in October and got a job in February as a Vet assistant at an equine hospital. I'm only part-time but have recently been getting lots of hours in, which helps the money situation.

However, I'm incredibly lucky to be able to mooch off of family for the time being.

 

[Tiktaalik]

.

 

[annemal22]

I am a non-trad, and I have a ton of work experience under my belt. I have worked since I was 14. Currently I work as a senior researcher at a pharmaceutical company, researching rare genetic diseases. I am in the pathology department. It is an awesome job, but I want to be the pathologist at this point, which is one reason I want to go to vet school. Also, I work part-time at a local vet clinic as a vet tech. I do this becuase it is another love of mine, and I missed the clinical aspect. Prior to this I worked as a vet tech for four years, the last of those years I was the head vet tech. I have worked at horse stables, the aquarium as a rescue and rehaber, lab animal vet tech, golden retriever rescue animal care/trainer, manatee necropsy assistant, research assistant in college, and worked at a contract research operation as lead histologist/clin path manager. All of it has been great, and lead me to know what I want to do in my career in vet med.🙂

 

[gone2dogs]

Another non-trad here (will be 34 soon), but unlike most of the above posters I am still working in my (almost) entirely non-vet related career. I'm a high school science teacher. I can't say that I really recommend what I am doing though, as it would seem to be what is keeping me out of vet school! I have been getting all the experience I can volunteering and shadowing, but it has been very hard building up a competitive number of hours. But as others have mentioned, I don't think I could support myself (and my dogs!) on an assistant's salary.

I can't really help you with the Virginia thing, but maybe you could work part time in a more financially lucrative field and part time as an assistant?

 

[Minnerbelle]

I am a non-trad, and I have a ton of work experience under my belt. I have worked since I was 14. Currently I work as a senior researcher at a pharmaceutical company, researching rare genetic diseases. I am in the pathology department. It is an awesome job, but I want to be the pathologist at this point, which is one reason I want to go to vet school. Also, I work part-time at a local vet clinic as a vet tech. I do this becuase it is another love of mine, and I missed the clinical aspect. Prior to this I worked as a vet tech for four years, the last of those years I was the head vet tech. I have worked at horse stables, the aquarium as a rescue and rehaber, lab animal vet tech, golden retriever rescue animal care/trainer, manatee necropsy assistant, research assistant in college, and worked at a contract research operation as lead histologist/clin path manager. All of it has been great, and lead me to know what I want to do in my career in vet med.🙂

Woooooooow!!! That's quite the career you've had - Manatee necropsy assistant sounds like the coolest thing ever (though quite stinky I can imagine)!

 

[annemal22]

Hahaha, yes minnerbelle, they can be pretty stinky! especially because they are herbivores and they get very gaseous after they die and are hanging around for a few days before found. I have necropsied whales, seals, dolphins and sea turtles as well. . . stinkiest by far, stage 4 whale. . pretty much slimey gelatinous organs that are very necrotic. . .lots of flies, that like to bite! hahahha. I would do it again in a heartbeat though! 🙂

 

[yann]

Thanks guys, this is really helpful!! Keep them coming 😀


By the way, I just found out I'm getting laid-off of my current work here...the company is doing terribly, and they need to cut someone from my department. And since it's only the four of us working, and I'm the only one planning to quit within this year, I volunteered. Might continue working part-time if they keep paying my health insurance, but this means I'm gonna have to re-think my plans. Might end up heading to VA earlier than planned, though would really hate to do that since I haven't reached my savings goal for this year will weigh the pros & cons and decide. damn economy!!

 

[dottoressa]

Yann, I hear there is a great need for equine hoof care practitioners in the VA area. It is a really fun job and the money is very good. Do you have any experience with horses?

 

[eventualeventer]

Um, what? Becoming a decent farrier (or hoof trimmer, for the people who think that shoes are TEH EVIL and don't want to be associated with the farrier name) requires a significant investment of time and money to learn, is demanding physical labor, and requires a significant investment in equipment. It's not something that can be done part time on a whim or at the drop of a hat. This may not sound PC, but there are also a lot of CRAP trimming/shoeing jobs being done out there, and horses suffering/going lame as a result, so I would discourage people who do not have the time and motivation to devote to become true artisans in farriery. I'm not saying yann wouldn't make a great farrier, and one of my favorite vets was a farrier before becoming a vet and is an awesome lameness vet because of it, but it is not something that can be done in a year before vet school while actually getting to the point of recouping your investment and making money while also trying to take classes. A friend's husband recently went about the RIGHT way to change from being an electrician (i.e., he was already crazy gifted with his hands) to becoming a farrier; he did a 16 week course at Cornell and spent months afterward transitioning from an apprentice-type position to having enough of his own clients to generate a decent income. The "VA area" is a huge area when you are talking about farriers traveling to horses, and while the really good farriers are always in demand there are a lot of so-so farriers out there in the D.C. area and it takes a while to get your name established as one of the good guys/gals.

 

[Freddie12]

I am non-traditional. I currently work as a Management Consultant - for fortune 100 and 500 companies guiding them through changes such as mergers, systems implementations, or strategy projects.

 

[Kaisand]

I work in the Telecommunications office at the University where I take classes. It certainly doesn't have anything to do with animals, but it's where I'm going to stay until I start back to school full time in the fall.

I was an English Lit major during my good old college days (non-trad here); now I'm rediscovering my inner Science nerd. 🙂

 

[Pigsfoot]

I'm non-trad too, have been working full time for years-but at the moment, i am working m-f, 9-5 as an animal tech for a research lab at a university, and p/t a couple of nights a week and a day on weekends at an emergency veterinary clinic.

 

[StartingoverVet]

Another completely non-traditional candidate: Hedge fund trader.

Certainly was not a problem for adcoms as it seemed to mostly fascinate them based on my interviews.

 

[dottoressa]

hi eventualeventer,
i don't know yann at all, maybe s/he's amazing with horses already? it was just a thought. there have been plenty of suggestions here that require a lot more education and preparation than learning to do an excellent hoof trim or shoe job.
by the 'va area' i actually meant by the vet school. i spoke with a woman who became a hoof care provider herself because she was having a hard time finding a *quality* provider in the blacksburg area. i should have mentioned there was 'a great need for _quality_ hoof care providers'... i think the ones who know nothing about the anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, and influential forces on the hoof are actually a dime a dozen in that area (from what she told me). farriers make great vets, I agree!

 

[cowgirla]

hi eventualeventer,
i don't know yann at all, maybe s/he's amazing with horses already? it was just a thought. there have been plenty of suggestions here that require a lot more education and preparation than learning to do an excellent hoof trim or shoe job.
by the 'va area' i actually meant by the vet school. i spoke with a woman who became a hoof care provider herself because she was having a hard time finding a *quality* provider in the blacksburg area. i should have mentioned there was 'a great need for _quality_ hoof care providers'... i think the ones who know nothing about the anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, and influential forces on the hoof are actually a dime a dozen in that area (from what she told me). farriers make great vets, I agree!

You can be "amazing" with horses, and still not be a great, or even a good "hoof care provider." I'm with EE on this one. It takes more than just being good with horses and having the physical ability. It takes time to learn, time to practice with someone who knows what they are doing, and money to invest (a friend spent almost $1000 in equipment).
You don't just decide to be "quality." It's something that has to be learned. I would NEVER trust anyone who hadn't gone through all the training to work on my horse's feet. I've seen way too many nice horses ruined because somebody made an oopsie that they couldn't recover from.

The feet are a BIG deal. Not something you play around with, and definitely not something you can become proficient at in less than a year before vet school starts.

 

[quantized]

I'm non trad. I work as an engineer for an automotive electronics research lab. It's fun, because we get to do stupid things with cars that no one will ever use because they're so ridiculous! They've also been really cool about the surgery I had to have that knocked me off work for over two months, so that's been helpful. I did all my classes and pre-reqs on evenings and weekends and during work time when necessary. It's definitely been a blessing that they've been able to work with me on all of this.

 

[zeebra44]

I'm non trad. I work as an engineer for an automotive electronics research lab. It's fun, because we get to do stupid things with cars that no one will ever use because they're so ridiculous! They've also been really cool about the surgery I had to have that knocked me off work for over two months, so that's been helpful. I did all my classes and pre-reqs on evenings and weekends and during work time when necessary. It's definitely been a blessing that they've been able to work with me on all of this.

Wow!

 

[dottoressa]

You can be "amazing" with horses, and still not be a great, or even a good "hoof care provider." I'm with EE on this one. It takes more than just being good with horses and having the physical ability. It takes time to learn, time to practice with someone who knows what they are doing, and money to invest (a friend spent almost $1000 in equipment).
You don't just decide to be "quality." It's something that has to be learned. I would NEVER trust anyone who hadn't gone through all the training to work on my horse's feet. I've seen way too many nice horses ruined because somebody made an oopsie that they couldn't recover from.

The feet are a BIG deal. Not something you play around with, and definitely not something you can become proficient at in less than a year before vet school starts.

hi cowgirla,

i do certainly understand the time, money, and commitment involved to become proficient in hoof care, and i do appreciate your concerns. absolutely agree that hooves are a big deal ~ no hoof; no horse, for sure 🙂

i have also met a number of 'seasoned' hoof care providers whose work is not nearly as good as that of individuals who have an inquisitive, scientific mind and have taken the time to learn more than the antiquated trim theories and forgery. i know quite a few very intelligent hoof care 'newbies' (relatively speaking) who truly comprehend the inner structures & workings of the hoof, diet and environmental influences, and physical forces that shape healthy hooves; and their work is often superior to the work of those who just regurgitate and imitate what they learned from the old timers.

"all the training" that you mention is very vague. unfortunately, there is no set certification process for hoof care providers. there aren't any state or national exams to evaluate proficiency. there is no set time period for training. anyone can just pick up some tools and go work on horses. that said, people who truly care about animals and are intelligent enough to get into vet school are an outstanding pool of individuals from which to recruit! hence, my suggestion to yann 🙂 i would never encourage anyone to just "play around" with hooves.

i do not discourage those who are interested from picking up some books, attending clinics, and taking on an apprenticeship. time limitations should not be an exclusion. i was in graduate school for 5 early years in my hoof training. i loved it, so i made the time and financial investment (my school work didn't suffer either). a friend worked full-time as an attorney while honing hoof care skills on the side, and now only works on hooves and has a successful hoof care practice. it can be done despite a busy schedule. a beginner would certainly not have a thriving business right off the bat, but we all started somewhere. and usually with _at least_ $1000 invested in equipment, plus plenty more in training fees.

i did not see yann mention that s/he was only going to do this job before vet school. surely 1 year is not enough to learn to work on just any hoof, rehabilitate all the pathologies one may encounter in hooves, and build a lucrative practice. further, like veterinarians, hoof care providers have to be life-long learners, as the field is always changing as we learn more about hooves and how to best care for them in domestication.
...maybe instead yann should just become a hedge fund trader. 😉

 

[StartingoverVet]

...maybe instead yann should just become a hedge fund trader. 😉

Hey I feel like I have just been blind-sided! 😱

 

[dottoressa]

Hey I feel like I have just been blind-sided! 😱

hahaha, no offense meant, startingovervet! of course, i was just teasing / being sarcastic 🙂. my point was that i don't think that, for yann, becoming a hoof care provider is all that unrealistic compared to some other jobs listed here.
i am amazed that you manage a hedge fund. i know from friends in NYC that it's really tough to get into.

 

[psilovethomas]

vet assistant at a small animal hospital

 

[Tech2Vet]

I've been an unlicensed tech for many years and worked in a few states that supposedly require techs to be licensed. To be honest, I've never had a problem finding a clinic that will let me work as a tech alongside licensed techs (doing dentals/placing catheters/doing anesthesia etc. etc.). I also make the same salary as they do - so I would definitely not recommend waisting time getting licensed.
I actually grew up in VA, and at one point I moved back for a couple of months and got offered a couple of jobs to work as an unlicensed tech - so there are places out there (I was in Richmond).
If that's what you'd like to do, I recommend looking for smaller clinics that are hiring and maybe even work as a tech assistant with the idea of learning on the job to be a tech (that's what I did in another state). The larger or referral/emergency clinics tend to stick to the required licensing thing....so try to steer away from those. good luck!

 

[thedogisgreen]

In California I've had a really hard time finding vet assistant/tech jobs without having a ton of long-term experience or an RVT. Volunteered and worked at several different places as vet assistants, slowly allowed to do more and more. No dentals or monitoring surgery, unfortunately, but maybe they'll let me get there eventually. I'm graduating in June and didn't get in to vet school for the fall, so taking a year off and applying again. Job search was awful but finally a full time spot opened up for a vet assistant at the small animal clinic I've been volunteering at for the last 1.5yrs. Yay!
But it was a huge pain to search and it was definitely the connection through volunteering that got me the job, other people didn't want me because I didn't have enough experience. Some states seem more lenient with that and some places, I guess there are just so many people available that they don't want those of us who haven't had the full time experience.

 

[lyndaelyzoo]

Another non-trad here (will be 34 soon), but unlike most of the above posters I am still working in my (almost) entirely non-vet related career. I'm a high school science teacher. I can't say that I really recommend what I am doing though, as it would seem to be what is keeping me out of vet school!

YAY to high school teachers!!!! 😀 Another high school teacher here!!! I have been teaching forensic science and zoology for ten years (that's where I got my zoo experience!! JK) and vet school can't start soon enough!!! I also worked as a bird vet assistant, equine vet assistant, stable manager, rider/trainer, riding instructor, and pet shop poop cleaner.

 

[Magical Realist]

I'm a non-trad, and I don't have a single, clearly-identifiable career or job. I do many different things, at varying levels of intensity, and somehow they all add up to a pretty decent living.

I won't be ready to apply for vet school until 2012, so I have plenty of time to get a variety of animal and vet experiences under my belt. I'd like to pick up a paying job in a vet-related field, but have no prior experience. But thanks to a sickly cat of mine (who died in March) I can administer sub-q fluids and injections, so this summer I'm going to volunteer with the local Humane Society--particularly their vet services section--and see how that goes.

Right now I volunteer at the Zoo, and just started an animal unit position in Gorillas, cleaning and prepping their rooms "backstage" and their outdoor exhibit spaces. I'd love to pick up a second animal unit position, but Gorillas is incredibly filthy, not to mention physically demanding, work--and until my lardy, out-of-shape, middle-aged self gets used to it I'm better off not taking on another big commitment. But the Zoo is amazing, and if I thought I could get into vet school on nothing but zoo work, I'd never leave.

 

[eventualeventer]

hahaha, no offense meant, startingovervet! of course, i was just teasing / being sarcastic 🙂. my point was that i don't think that, for yann, becoming a hoof care provider is all that unrealistic compared to some other jobs listed here.
i am amazed that you manage a hedge fund. i know from friends in NYC that it's really tough to get into.

Yeah, some of the other jobs here clearly require a lot of training that people happened to have. I don't think anyone is suggesting that yann become an engineer on her way to vet school. 🙂

I guess I was conflating this thread and a previous thread -- yann has previously stated that she is going to be living in NoVA near D.C.

I'm not sure what you mean by antiquated trim techniques and forgery. It's true that some of the traditional dogma of how to shoe horses is outdated and harmful (and I agree that there are a lot of farriers that do more harm than good with their lazy techniques - 10-15 minutes per horse is not enough time to do a GOOD job), but a lot of "new-age" trimmers seem to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Regardless of your philosophy, you do not become an expert or even good and efficient at trimming and shoeing without a lot of learning and practice. Useful knowledge and practice for someone wanting to be an equine vet, to be sure, but I would doubt the true efficiency, efficacy, and profitability of just deciding to become a trimmer without another source of steady income first (or at least the willingness to spend months without expecting to make money - as you stated, you and your friends had other sources of income while you were learning). Maybe I misinterpreted your motivations (and yann's reason for opening the thread), since certainly I would welcome more high-quality farriers around here.

 

[dottoressa]

Yeah, some of the other jobs here clearly require a lot of training that people happened to have. I don't think anyone is suggesting that yann become an engineer on her way to vet school. 🙂

Which is why I was taken aback by the response to my suggestion. lol. It's what I do, and I was just sharing, like the engineers and the hedge fund managers here.

I guess I was conflating this thread and a previous thread -- yann has previously stated that she is going to be living in NoVA near D.C.

Even better, as I also know an outstanding trimmer in that area who likes to teach!

I'm not sure what you mean by antiquated trim techniques and forgery. It's true that some of the traditional dogma of how to shoe horses is outdated and harmful (and I agree that there are a lot of farriers that do more harm than good with their lazy techniques - 10-15 minutes per horse is not enough time to do a GOOD job)

The number of inadequate hoof care providers in my area certainly outweighs the number of good ones. For the most part, they practice the "traditional dogma" which is "outdated and harmful" and may sacrifice quality for quantity, as you suggest.

, but a lot of "new-age" trimmers seem to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

I'm not in this group either, but I do understand who & what you're talking about. I personally try to keep an open mind and learn as much as I can. I am always looking to improve and keep up with new research, techniques, and materials. I can trim, cast, boot, shoe, etc. I think some people tend to lump all hoof care providers who don't primarily use metal shoes into this "new age" group, when it's clearly not the case.

Regardless of your philosophy, you do not become an expert or even good and efficient at trimming and shoeing without a lot of learning and practice. Useful knowledge and practice for someone wanting to be an equine vet, to be sure, but I would doubt the true efficiency, efficacy, and profitability of just deciding to become a trimmer without another source of steady income first (or at least the willingness to spend months without expecting to make money - as you stated, you and your friends had other sources of income while you were learning).

I agree it takes some time to become really good at anything. I don't know what type of situation Yann is/was looking for in a part-time job, whether it needed to be an instant money-maker or not. I just saw that s/he was going to be in VA (I assumed near the vet school in Blacksburg), and I know there's a need.

Maybe I misinterpreted your motivations (and yann's reason for opening the thread), since certainly I would welcome more high-quality farriers around here, but it seemed like a bold and somewhat out of place suggestion to make on this thread.

I don't have any motivations other than sharing that hoof care is a wonderful, interesting field, which can also provide some monetary rewards. I think it sounds like a good job. 🙂
I didn't think it very "bold" compared to some of the other suggestions, nor did I think it would be "out of place" on a pre-vet board. 🙂

 

[eventualeventer]

Sorry, I guess I was having a little snark attack there. I guess I forgot my anti-b*tch pills, and I need to stop making so many assumptions (one of my bad habits). 🙁

I agree, a worthy thing of pursuing in the long-term, just not a way to support yourself right away. 🙂

It sounds like we are pretty much on the same page. There are a lot of worthless shoeing and trimming jobs being done out there by people of all philosophies of hoof care, and there is a dearth of GOOD farriers in many places.

I am a bit touchy about hoof care because on horse-only boards there are a lot of people claiming that they are God's gift to hoof care and can, using their majikal hoof-trimming skills, can return devastating founder cases back to riding soundness, if only people would stop using EVIL shoes. Oh, and they learned everything they needed to know through some online courses and maybe a book or two. LOL.

 

[Minnerbelle]

I guess I forgot my anti-b*tch pills

I forget to take those almost every day.

 

[eventualeventer]

Yeah, I usually take them and act all nice and sweet, so people are surprised when I forget them and *wham* raging b*tch. 😛

 

[DVMDream]

I am currently back working part-time as an "assistant" (basically non-licensed tech doing everything a licensed tech does) at the SA/pet exotic vet clinic I started at when I was 17. I can't believe it will be 5 years in June already. 😱 I am also volunteering with horses (just feeding and putting back in stabled; so far so good but I have only done it one day so we will have to see if I fall in love with horses like have all of the other critters).

 

[guardian17]

I'm also a non-trad and I'm currently an animal control officer. This does provide the money I need for living expenses and school, but it's very demanding of my time. It's hard for me to work in my school hours and find time for studying.

 

[Tobysgirl81]

LVT working at a vet school. Love my job, HATE hearing people say they can learn just with "on the job" training - which happens a lot on this board. Yes, the technical skills portion of the position can be learned on the job - I teach it to students every day. The other part of my job - knowing what drugs do what, when/why/how to give those medications to patients, what bloodwork results mean, etc etc etc is NOT learned solely on the job.

I worked as a non-licensed tech before going to school to get my tech license. Things I took for granted or just "did" made a heck of a lot more sense once I learned WHY we did them. I not only have to apply those principles to my own job, but I have to teach them to students every day.

I have to say, working at a vet school made me realize exactly how much I DON'T know. I was amazed at the amount of knowledge both clinicians and students had packed away in their brains. Its really what pushed me to reapplying to vet school - I wanted to know all of that as well! So, as a tech, I certainly DO NOT have any illusions that I am a vet or will do phenomenally well in vet school. I simply consider myself fortunate enough to have a little bit of background knowledge that may help me along the way.

 

[yann]

Thanks for all the comments on your job! I'm getting a pretty good idea on the usual route people take, ones who don't already have a full-time job and don't have to move.
Since I'm a Japanese-English bilingual, I'm going to see if I could find a part-time job for translation/interpreting in the DC area. If not, well, I've changed my mind of finding my own place and might end up staying at my Dad's, so at least I'll survive🙂

Either way, this is really cool getting knowing what kind of stuff you all have been doing! Very colorful bunch, us SDN-ers😍

 

[KiaKia]

I was thinking about this thread today and would like to continue reading about peoples' jobs...

Anyways, now that I have a full-time job:

I'm a copywriter for a science & engineering publishing company during the week (37.5k pre-taxes, health insurance), work ~ 8 hours at that holistic pet food store I posted about before on the weekends, and volunteer ~6 hrs at animal emergency on Sundays.

I also live with my parents (no rent and get to use their car/food/insurance) and am naturally moderately cheap so hopefully I'll have a lot saved up by the time vet school starts, whenever that happens.

I'm hoping I'll be able to translate to a freelancer/work from home employee when/if I get in.

 

[Mama070609]

I worked as a Veterinary Assistant (in northern Virginia). The vets and techs were really happy to help me learn more and encourage me.

If you live near MD or DC, definitely look for job opportunities across state/district lines.

When I lived in MA, I worked in biomedical research labs. There are less opportunities for that in this area, but there are still some, if you have a science background.

In general, though, I think the job you work to pay the bills and survive really isn't that big of a deal (or shouldn't be). You just have to figure out how your experiences in that field can be taken to Veterinary Medicine and used for your benefit. Obviously, getting veterinary experience is important, but that can be done through volunteer positions/shadowing...it just takes some scheduling work.

One of the nice things about the area near D.C. is that the recession has been felt less around here than in other areas, so (I think) it's a little easier to find a job around here than it might be in other parts of the country. The further you get from D.C., the more places have been hesitant about the economy and hiring (when I was applying and interviewing for vet assistant jobs last year, the economy was a concern when it came to hiring decisions).

Edit: Hmmm...I'm a dork for not looking at the date of the original post before responding with specifics related to the original question (especially after I thought it was amazing that there were so many responses since I last checked SDN). Oh well.

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Hahaha, yes minnerbelle, they can be pretty stinky! especially because they are herbivores and they get very gaseous after they die and are hanging around for a few days before found. I have necropsied whales, seals, dolphins and sea turtles as well. . . stinkiest by far, stage 4 whale. . pretty much slimey gelatinous organs that are very necrotic. . .lots of flies, that like to bite! hahahha. I would do it again in a heartbeat though! 🙂

Come to TAMU. You could have done the stinkiest large animal in the world with us (details withheld due to patient confidentiality) 😉

Good luck pursuing pathology - it's a great career. I'm so happy I made the choice I did - getting to do what I like to do every day is an amazing feeling, even if the learning curve is incredibly steep.

 

[Bearby]

Come to TAMU. You could have done the stinkiest large animal in the world with us (details withheld due to patient confidentiality) 😉

Good luck pursuing pathology - it's a great career. I'm so happy I made the choice I did - getting to do what I like to do every day is an amazing feeling, even if the learning curve is incredibly steep.

I'm curious, but the fact that your icon is andy samberg with his nautical themed pashmina afghan made it ok with me that you aren't going to share the information with us.