The image presented of being a vet is a fluffy one. They get to treat animals, earn lots of money and heal animals! How bad can that be? Earning top MONEY and loving the job you say? What really is masked is the downsides that also accompany this job vocation.
Being on work experience has led me to appreciate the upsides and downsides of possibly being a first opinion small animal vet. I know I want to do small animals- its the one thing I've ALWAYS been interested in. Major upsides for me are the interesting cases, seeing how the animals get better with the treatment the vet gives, and being able to make an actual difference to the life of that animal and be an influence. Some owners are extremely dedicated to their pets, and a few of them have really made me smile over the past few weeks (although in the same breath some really make me despair at pet owners!). I think that I'd have to perhaps specialise in this environment though as I'm not sure I'd be satisfied with just doing first opinion work.
The downsides to me so far have been a few things. Owners are limited by money, which is understandable, and this is one of the major dilemmas a vet faces. I can understand if an owner has to plump for the cheaper treatments rather than the more expensive radiographs etc but when an owner can't even afford the yearly vaccinations and consultation fees it makes me slightly angry as to why they have a pet when they really can't afford treatment for it, however, this is something that we can be faced with numerous times as an ethical dilemma in general practice.
Other downsides for me have been the amount of routine appointments and the long hours the job demands. I knew what I signed up for certainly, but through the endless bitch spays and same old anaesthesia combinations- I think I'd want to be faced with something new, maybe more cutting edge everyday? Y'know, the consultations are where its at for me at the moment. The surgery is interesting but when you work out the medicine and management of a complicated case- I think my interest might be towards medicine and working things out rather than surgery. We already know I have an interest in neurology- I think! This works out perfectly for me as many cases are managed medically rather than surgically!
The long hours are a major downside for me. I have too many dreams outside being a vet. Yes I love the job, the learning, and I don't want to just go home and forget about a case... but on the flip side I want a family (preferably before I'm 30), and time to do other things- horseriding maybe, but especially dog training and owning a dog. The work-life balance is something I'm struggling to accept at the moment, and with many days being easily 8-7/8 and that doesn't count overtime or out of hours, when am I going to have time to fit ANYTHING in. To be fair though, being a vet opens a lot of doors. Maybe the general practice and time it demands isn't for me? I guess we'll see about that one, or just maybe, I need to find something where I can be flexible and get what I want.
Someone once told me- if there isn't your perfect job out there, you can always create it. I believe in this, and just maybe this is what I'm going to have to do :). Chow for now.
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