Top Reasons to Pursue a Career in Veterinary Medicine

 

There have recently been a lot of social media posts regarding the many negative aspects of veterinary medicine.  The stress, the $100,000+ post-graduate debt, the bullying on social media, and the high suicide rate amongst veterinrians just to name a few concerns.  

Despite all of this, the competition to get into the prestigious veterinary programs gets higher and higher.  There is still a huge desire from these intelligent, driven, Type A personalities to not pursue a career in veterinary medicine instead of the human medical field where they would encounter similar stress but be earn a much higher salary.  For some of us being a veterinarian really was our lifelong ambition and dream.  For others it became an idea later that manifested later in life.  What it is about veterinary medicine that still makes it a highly sought after career choice, particularly for women who outnumber the men in current graduating classes by around 25:1!!!!  Here are my top 5 reasons of why I love Veterinary Medicine and think its an amazing career option!!!

1) THE MEDICINE.  All of us love the science behind medicine and veterinary medicine allows us to delve into all aspects of medicine including dermatology, opthamology, internal medicine, emergency medicine, surgery, etc etc. These animals who can not speak for themselves come with medical puzzles and its our job to put the pieces together.  It is challenging and fun and rewarding when you get those pieces to tell a story.

2) EVER CHANGING FIELD.  As a veterinarian, there are constant changes and improvements.  New research, new medications, new surgical techniques, and new therapeutic options (hey, did you hear that rehab and acupuncture can improve quality of life for seniors and extend their time with their owners!!!! :).  How amazing is it to know that even after 10 years, 15 years, 20 years you can learn new things every day.  

3) LATERAL MOVEMENT WITHIN THE PROFESSION.  Not everyone loves general practice.  Not everyone loves emergency medicine. Everyone thinks of a vet as the white coated professional that gives your pet its vaccines, or the James Herriots of the world (All Creatures Great and Small....you should read it if you haven't!!!) . In reality there are veterinarians working for the government, in research, in palliative care, and as consultants in population medicine, insurance, nutrition, and yes ever pharmaceutical companies.  Not all of these positions fit all of us, but how amazing is it to be able to have all of these options!!!

4) OPTIONS FOR WORK/LIFE BALANCE We can be business owners. We can be associates.  We can be teachers.  We can choose to work part time or full time or even do relief work for practitioners who need occasional help.  These options let us tailor our work/life balance to what works with different stages of life.  

5) PERSONAL CONNECTIONS.  Throughout my career I have had the opportunity to do all of the above and as I navigated my way to find my way in this career I have had the opportunity to meet amazing people.  Individuals who share the true love I have for these animals. People who have supported me and cheered me on, and pushed me to improve myself.  I have worked with technicians that can get an IV catheter in a 4 week old kitten without batting an eye.  I have worked with vets that have forged the way for women in the workfield.  I have had the opportunity to cry with clients as we say goodbye to their beloved pet, and have developed true empathy, which I feel is sometimes lacking in human medicine.  Maybe this is exactly why we divide into human vs veterinary medicine.  Not necessarily because those in human medicine can't develop empathy but are far better at compartmentalizing.  How many GP's answer their emails and phones on weekends and nights from their many patients.  Compare this to veterinarians.  This is not to say human physician's are uncaring.....my GP would head to the hospital if he found out one of his patients was in there, just to check in.  But I think this is the minority.  If I am wrong I apologize.  

Every career choice has pro's and con's.  It is so easy to focus on the one client that yelled at you, or the one patient that isn't responding, even though you saw 100 other clients that week that expressed their gratitude and you successfully treated numerous patients.  It is so incredibly hard to shift that focus from the negative to the positive.  Just remember.....if you truly evaluate your situation and you are unhappy....you are never stuck.  Working part time, or in a different avenue of veterinary medicine does not make you less of a vet.  But it may make you a far happier person.  :)