Which is better: shadowing or a paid job?

[aspirevet]

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Hi everyone,

I recently quit my job of 9 months as a kennel tech. I did enjoy working there but I felt that there was no room for me to grow, and it was not a clinic so I did not get to focus on the medical part of things. I applied to a few clinics as a kennel tech/assistant in November but hadn't heard back, so I ended up just setting up times to shadow at my local vet during the week. Now, completely unexpected to me, I received a call asking me to come in for an interview at one of the clinics I had applied to.

According to the job description, everyone pretty much has the same duties as they all start out in the kennel and work their way up to assisting the vet and such. It is a small one doctor clinic.

I'm just conflicted because the whole reason I quit my other job was to get away from just the kennel and lean more towards the medical side. I'm worried that I'll be stuck in the kennel. I enjoy shadowing at my local vet as I am able to watch different procedures and surgeries, however one down fall is that I'm really not allowed to do anything but just stand and watch.

My question is this: Should I stick with shadowing, try to get the job, or try to work at one clinic and shadow at the other- all while in school? Basically, which do you think would be a better experience for me?

What would you do?

 

[WildZoo]

I would think if you're working in the kennel at the clinic it shouldn't be difficult to spend some time shadowing there as well, or talking to the doctor, learning more about the field, etc. Plenty of people start out in a kennel and move up to assisting, which it sounds like you would be able to do at this place. And getting paid for your time is never a bad thing!

 

[heyyimhayley]

My first veterinary experience was pretty much what you described... I was technically a kennel attendant, but it was part of a small clinic (2 doctors, 3 techs, and 3 kennel people), so as soon as I was done walking, feeding and cleaning in the mornings, I would get to help with treatments, appointments, and other things going on in the actual clinic area. I think it was much better than shadowing, since I actually got to learn things like restraint, nail trims, running lab tests, which were helpful skills to have when applying for my next job. With shadowing, you typically just watch.

 

[Coquette22]

Since you did apply, I'd go to the interview and during the interview, mention that in addition to your kennel duties, you'd like the opportunity to learn more of the medical side/you're trying to get into vet school. Then you and the clinic can decide if the job is the right fit for you.

 

[Devastating]

Do you want money? 😉

I feel like the clinic would be a good opportunity, because with it being a small practice it's pretty likely that your duties will often be split among the kennel work, assisting, etc. (rather than ONLY kennel forever). I've been shadowing too while job searching, and while it is a great start that has helped me gain more experience with surgeries and other day-to-day events at a clinic, it is as you said rather limited since you're just observing (I have only occasionally gotten to help with minor tasks like cleanup). So with that in mind, I would pursue the job as you would get paid for your time while still having the opportunity to see what's going on around the clinic, and eventually assisting.

 

[aspirevet]

Thanks everyone, I'll call them back tomorrow to set up an interview time. I'll let you know how it goes

 

[LetItSnow]

I dunno that there is a straightforward answer to "shadow vs paid job".

A paid job is ... well, paid. And money is nice. So that's a huge pro.

But shadowing is like friends with benefits ... if it isn't working for you, you can walk away any time no hard feelings. Not that you can't quit a job, but ... there's just more of a commitment. You can shadow multiple places easily. You can gain more broad-based experience. If you don't like the clinic, you aren't stuck with an awkward "you're quitting? but you just started" kinda thing.

Paid jobs can be hit or miss with regard to how much actual medical experience you're getting. You're IN a clinic, but if you're spending all your time cleaning kennels and taking animals to the bathroom and stocking shelves .... you're actually getting less exposure than the shadower who might be tromping around on the doctor's toes going into appointments, into surgery, into the treatment area, etc.

On the job you probably are more likely to get great experiencing learning how to restrain and develop other clinical skills. Some shadowers do, for sure, but as often as not clinics prefer shadowers to be hands-off. (Personally, I am of the opinion that pre-vet hands-on clinical skill development is overrated. I feel like you can get that experience as you need it, and build it as you need it, and having it as a pre-vet is nice, but doesn't provide any real long-term advantage. But there are very smart vets here on SDN that feel the opposite. So take it for what it's worth - just one opinion that has good people who disagree with me.)

*shrug* You just have to weigh the pros and cons of the specific job vs the specific shadowing opportunities and decide which gets you closer to your ultimate goal, whatever that is.

I mean... let's say I was dead-set certain I wanted to be an ophthalmologist. Or however you spell it. And I had a chance to shadow 2 afternoons a week with one vs take a part-time job as a kennel assistant. Hands down that shadow opportunity is more worth it in the long run.

Now let's say I had the same part-time kennel assistant job vs shadowing at a GP that didn't like shadows in the appointment room, wouldn't let you touch anything, and where the doctor just didn't have any time to talk to you about what's going on. Might as well take the job, at that point.

 

[DVMDream]

I mean... let's say I was dead-set certain I wanted to be an ophthalmologist. Or however you spell it.

How to spell ophthalmology was actually a question on one of our early ophthalmology exams third year....

I would say that I "cheated" by looking through to find ophthalmology spelled out in another question, however, I just call that "using my resources and being smart".

 

[LetItSnow]

How to spell ophthalmology was actually a question on one of our early ophthalmology exams third year....

I would say that I "cheated" by looking through to find ophthalmology spelled out in another question, however, I just call that "using my resources and being smart".

I feel like you just take a bunch of p's, h's, l's and o's and just kinda randomly mix them together and then spit it out with a combination lisp and "I've had too much to drink" sorta feel to it and that's how you get ophthalmology.

 

[DVMDream]

I feel like you just take a bunch of p's, h's, l's and o's and just kinda randomly mix them together and then spit it out with a combination lisp and "I've had too much to drink" sorta feel to it and that's how you get ophthalmology.

I definitely just said ophthalmology out loud with a lisp and a bit of a drunk spin.

 

[Trilt]

I definitely just said ophthalmology out loud with a lisp and a bit of a drunk spin.

Imma need that on video. 😛

 

[DVMDream]

Imma need that on video. 😛

Oh darn! I didn't have the video rolling... Such a bummer... 😛