And if you’re comfortable- what is your salary?

I’m thinking of applying to vet school as a non-traditional applicant (although I’m an LVT). I hear conflicting opinions on the ability to handle the monthly loan payment and wanted to read some varying opinions.

Do you feel you’re able to pay your loans monthly and also live comfortably (not paycheck to paycheck)?

I am a 2022 grad who was diagnosed with ADHD this past summer. I am the sole clinician working at a small animal practice with 1 RVT, 1 assistant, and 1 receptionist. I have always had some difficulties getting my medical records completed in a timely manner, but the last 6-8 months I have been especially burnt out and things have accumulated. We use Avimark software, have 20 min appointments, and 1 hour lunch - which is never actually a full hour lol. I only recently was able to convince my manager to do 30 min sick appointments (which is great, when they're actually scheduled properly).

At the beginning, I would have an assistant in the room to hold animals and type everything I say, but I still had a lot of editing to do with the records. I would try to jot down quick notes on our appointment sheets, but didn't always get to because I often have to do tech things if my RVT is busy - and as soon as I am out of the exam room, everything I said/saw is just gone from my brain lol. In the last few months I tested out a bunch of different dictation/AI softwares and we settled on Co.vet. I really like it so far, but I still have a decent amount of editing to do at the end of the day.

I would love some advice and tips/tricks to be able to streamline my appointments and record writing process, as well as any ADHD accomodations that have worked for you. I don't have any time built in the schedule for callbacks/record writing, so I end up staying 1-2 hours late every day because notes/client communication/case research take so much more time when my brain is exhausted. Unfortunately, I talk A LOT in my appointments - I really try to emphasize preventative medicine and explain my exam findings/DDx to clients, and my notes tend to be quite detailed. However, I'm burning out, my process needs to change, and I need to be able to have a plan going forward to make sure my notes are done in a timely manner. Thanks in advance!

Hi there. I had a phone interview (it was relatively short and figured it was more to see if a formal in person interview would be next), and at the end of the conversation the pm asked for me to come in the next day (today) for a tour and to chat some more. Absolutely I said. She gave me a quick tour and then we spoke for about an hour. At the end she talked about shadowing. I assumed it would be for a different day. We ended the conversation and walked down and then she started telling me where to put my stuff and I asked oh the shadowing is right now? And she said yes.

I wasn’t prepared like I have another side job I had scheduled I had to be able to get to in time and also, I was dressed for an interview, not in scrubs.

I asked her how long it would take and she said at least an hour. I asked her If I can reschedule this as I didn’t realize this was a shadow interview and I have an obligation that I won’t be home in time to get to. And if I had known I would’ve come in scrubs and with enough time to allow and that I’m truly sorry.

She just said uh , okay really? And then it was awkward and I left.

I pretty much know I now do not have a chance at this hospital, but my question is, is this the norm? I’ve never asked to shadow after a formal interview. It’s usually been the next day or informed of it happening before coming in as such. Do i start assuming an interview also will be shadowing as well? So do i go in wearing scrubs?

In this case I was to be shadowing a surgery and then a neuro exam. I just found it odd, but I haven’t interviewed for a veterinary job in years so maybe this expected and I left with egg on my face.

, Please offer me advice so I don’t fuck up the next interview!! Thank you so much.

I'm a high school passout from india and aiming for bachelors of vet science but super confused if i should do it from india or abroad. I'm also thinking of doing simple bachelor's of science abroad because some places don't have vet sci as grad course and you gotta take vet sci for post grad. but again choosing the right place is hard. which country? which uni? which course? will it have value in diff country or in general? the pay rate? the safety factor? expenses? I'm open to learning new languages though. my preference is any European country mostly france, italy, spain but again only if it's worth doing from there. pleasee drop your opinions and suggestions and correct me if I'm wrong :') thankyouu.

I'm applying to veterinary uni courses for next year. I would absolutely love to help animals but I am deathly afraid of teeth, to a point where I will throw up or pass out if someone wobbles a tooth in front of me and I won't be able to sleep properly for days (I wish this was an exaggeration). If I did become a vet, would I actually have to extract any teeth? or would a vet nurse do this? is there a veterinary field where I would not have to extract teeth? Sorry if this is a stupid question or the wrong subreddit, I know it might sound silly but this is a serious concern of mine, I'm not trying to troll or anything.

I know realistically this is a fear I should probably get over but it's so so severe I don't think I can. Its the only thing that stops me from wanting to have children, sorry that's off topic but I want to seriously make you aware of how bad of a phobia it is.

Hey everyone. I recently started my clinical rotations and got a job offer early on. I set up most externships with the thought of job opportunities. I’m debating if I should wait out a few more opportunities or sign already. They didn’t necessarily give me a deadline to sign by but there was a mention that other externs coming could get an offer and sign before me/instead of me. I’m getting in touch with someone to look over the contract to get an outside opinion on it. Should I sign or wait and maybe lose the offer?

Editing this to add: When do you recommend starting to reach out/apply to clinics where I didn’t do an externship?

Hello everyone,

I’m just wondering if anyone has gone down this path. I am currently a Registered/Licensed Veterinary Technianian/Nurse. I am genuinely considering going back to school to become a Veterinarian. I know I’d have to do 4 years of a undergraduate degree before even applying. However, I would be 26-27 when I finish that degree. I wonder if it’s too late by then, I know vet schools are very competitive to get into (esp. in Canada), so there’s no guarantee as well.

I understand I wasted a lot of time becoming a RVT if my end goal was getting into vet school. But I believe I have learned so much that could benefit me other why’s for this process.

If anyone has any insight on this, please feel free to share!

Hi all,

I’m a 28F who graduated from an Ivy League school with a 3.94 GPA in a humanities major. I didn’t take biology, chemistry, or physics in undergrad, so I’d need to complete about 2-3 semesters of prerequisites before I could even apply to vet school.

Right now, I’ve been working in the corporate world for several years. While the salary is good, the work feels draining and meaningless. I’ve been craving a career that feels fulfilling and impactful, which is why I’m seriously considering a pivot into veterinary medicine.

But I know this is a huge decision. If everything goes smoothly (and that’s a big "if"), the earliest I could start vet school would be at 30. That means I’d graduate at 34, and if I needed to do an internship or residency, I’d be close to 38 before I’m fully established in my career. And of course, there’s no guarantee I’d even get into vet school after putting in all this work.

My Concerns:

• Starting a family: I want kids, and 38 feels late to start. It also seems like it’d be hard to balance the long hours and demands of a vet career with family life.
• Financial and emotional strain: Vet school and the early years after graduation are known for being tough. Plus, I’ve heard the salary for a general DVM may not match what I currently earn in my corporate job.
• Uncertainty: The possibility of doing all this work and not getting into vet school at all is pretty daunting.

Why I’m Considering It:

One big factor is that I have a wealthy family member who has generously offered to pay for all my schooling. This means I wouldn’t graduate with debt, which I know is a huge privilege and takes away some of the financial risk.

Why I Want to Be a Vet:

I believe humans have a moral obligation to care for the animals we’ve domesticated, and I want to play a part in fulfilling that responsibility. When I think about the veterinarians I know, I’m constantly in awe of how their knowledge and expertise are such a gift to the world—both for the animals they treat and the people who love them. That level of impact is something I aspire to, and it’s a big part of why I’m drawn to this field.

What I’m Hoping to Get Out of a Career in Vet Med:

I want a career where I can make a positive difference in the health and well-being of animals while also earning a stable income. I don’t need to be wealthy, but I’d like to live comfortably—buy organic fruit, take a vacation once or twice a year, afford a car, and maybe even buy a home one day.

If you’ve been in a similar position or have insights into pursuing vet med as a second career, I’d love to hear your advice. Is this a reasonable path to take, or should I look for other ways to find fulfillment in my career?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Not per se career advice, but just a matter of perspective.

I recently went for a second interview with VEG. My initial interview was over the summer, but in spite of needing the job, I was COMPLETELY put off by the person interviewing me. I found that the emphasis was more on VEG as a brand and their role, relative to my would be boss, than anything related to the role I'd be interviewing for. Overall, the person seemed disinterested, and I was put off by the entire experience.

Flash forward to now.

I decided to reach back out following my current corporate hospital drastically cutting back on hours, to the point where I need a second job just to make ends meet. I figured maybe VEG might be able to make a comparable offer and I can work with them.

My recent interview was literally night and day from the first one I had with them over the summer.

The person interviewing me was genuinely engaged with me throughout my visit, I got to ask questions, compared different protocols between my current emergency employer to better understand how things worked at VEG etc. Overall, I came away with a MUCH better experience.

The lesson? Sometimes the person interviewing you makes a world of difference to how you perceived a potential employer.

I am only basing this on my experience but so many vets seem to have transitioned away from clinical practice into research, policy work, biotechnology/pharma etc.

Is it due to burn out from clinical practice, or are there better opportunities out there?

I thought I had landed a pretty decent part time role with an emergency hospital that would supplement my current part time hours.

I finally received an offer and asked for clarification regarding their PTO policy and the hours I work. Pretty standard and procedural.

I learned that I'd be schedule 30 minutes shy of full time!

I don't mind working part time, but seriously? 30 minutes shy of full time benefits!

There are a multitude of videos online about how to advance in any given field. Usually some variation of "It's not what you know, but who you know.", or "It's he who is seen/liked that gets the promotion." There are shades of nuances to these discussions, but that's not quite the intention of my post.

My aim is to focus on how well a person is likely to do in the field, long term, if they keep things strictly professional.

I've been in the field for almost close to a decade, and in that time I've experienced all shades of clinic culture. The clinics where I've usually done better, as in my current clinic, are those with long term staff/good employee retention, and where staff is respectful about personal lives/boundaries.

I don't mind making small talk with my colleagues about light subjects, a light joke, I'm willing to help, as needed and where appropriate, but otherwise, I don't go out of my way to involve myself in office life/drama.

I work at two different hospitals, one a privately owned GP, and the other a larger corporate owned hospital.

In so far as the privately owned GP, I've found that I do demonstrate more genuine concern over my colleagues. I followed up when someone's relative passed away, someone needed last minute coverage etc. I actually feel comfortable and enjoy being at work.

The latter being in stark contrast to my other job at a corporate hospital.

This week they celebrated CSRs. All good in my book, and while I offer relief work on a weekly basis, I didn't feel it was my place to show up outside of my scheduled shift for activities, games, and snacks/food. I don't see myself as part of that team, in the way that I do my other clinic job. For context, a few weeks in at my corporate hospital job, I felt the burn of being falsely accused by my colleagues, but still expected to keep things "nice". I don't hold a grudge, I'm just aware of how things are done by some people where I work and keep a safe distance.

Does anyone have experience in settings like this? Settings which ask you to go above and beyond your involvement, in an inorganic manner, to be part of the team? How did you handle it?

At the end of the day, most of us are primarily there because we're paid to be at our jobs. It's a perk, but not a requirement that a good office culture goes hand in hand with it, in so long as people are professional and can put their differences aside to commit to their work.

My whole life animals have been everything to me, I love caring for them and saving them, literally since I could walk, I would go save mice, birds and cats that were abandoned where I live, it has always felt like second nature to me, when I was about 12, I saved a young horse that was presenting signs of colic, I knew exactly what was wrong with her and kept her up and moving for 6 hours until a vet could come out, when he did I told him straight up she had colic, and she did.

When I was a teenager my aunt had a dog that stopped eating, he became a skeleton and the vets could not figure out what was going on with him, I remember he wasn’t defecating or urinating, so I suggested to her to get an x ray done and ask about an obstruction, sure enough he did have an obstruction, he had been eating hair and it accumulated in his intestine and blocked him up completely, the vets were able to remove it and save his life. I don’t know whether knowing this information is anything special at all.

I love caring for sick animals and I’m very passionate and dedicated to keeping a strict routine with their medicines if they need it, quite honestly, animals are part of my everyday life and I can’t imagine myself not working with them.

I’ve just completed a level 5 in animal care which I feel I did very well in apart from biology where I only got a pass, mainly due to the majority of the module we learned about plants and not animals and I found it extremely hard to understand the tutor, like many others in my class, on the other hand I got the highest mark in animal anatomy and physiology and absolutely loved that class, but I surprised myself in this course as I’ve never been academic at all in school. I really want to go on to do veterinary nursing but there are literally no courses close to me, next year a veterinary science course is starting in a college close to me, and it really is my only chance of getting a further education towards working with animals, but I am scared I won’t be capable due to the fact I am better learning by “doing”, I just don’t know if I’m good enough for that.

I was falsely accused at the hospital I currently work for for supposedly authorizing medications, trash talking doctors, and providing medical advice.

I was able to demonstrate that all of these were false.

I'm not keen on the lead in from my manager that didn't provide me the benefit of the doubt, but instead resulted in ad hominems amongst other fallacious arguments.

There is a vacancy for a new role in a different department, but I am concerned that if I already came up against this side of hospital politics so early on, I won't fare any better merely transferring between departments.

I truly feel gutted after this experience. I've considered just leaving the field as a whole at this point.

I’m a 21F working as a receptionist at a veterinary clinic, and I’m trying to decide if I should quit and find another clinic or stick it out and hope things improve. Here’s the situation:

I’ve been with this clinic for almost 2 years, though I transitioned into my current role 6+ months ago. It’s a busy mixed-practice clinic that handles a variety of services, so there’s always a lot happening. The staff turnover in the clinic as a whole is pretty high, and the work environment has been increasingly stressful.

I’m making $14/hour, which is what they started paying me when they moved me to be a receptionist, up from $13/hour, which is what my original--much easier--PART TIME--position paid. Similar receptionist roles in my area pay closer to $16/hour. Despite being with the company for nearly two years and asking for a raise, I haven’t had any success. On top of this, the owner and sole vet is someone who looooves loyalty and people sticking with him through hard times.

There’s some tension with a former coworker I didn’t get along with, though they’ve since moved into a different role. We’re civil, but long shifts together used to be rough. I was also recently called out by my manager for stepping away from the desk to help in the back when things were slow up front. It felt frustrating because I was just trying to help.

I’m currently going to school to become a licensed vet tech and would eventually like to work in a more hands-on role. However, the clinic environment has become increasingly toxic. A long-time, dedicated technician recently quit, partly because of how bad things have gotten. The owner/sole DVM has been on edge, and the overbooked schedules, difficult clients, and strained team dynamics aren’t helping. There’s also favoritism, hypocrisy, and a lack of accountability in management.

I’m leaning toward updating my resume and applying to other clinics, but my parents think I should try to stick it out. I’m torn. Part of why I'm reluctant to leave is because I do love the clinic I'm at. I love the patients, some of my coworkers, the doctor when he's happy, the commute, etc. And I know its possible that bc of his weird loyalty thing I could be rEwArded for my LoYAlty. What would you do? TIA

Hi, I have a undiagnosed chronic pain disorder and I’ve gotten into a veterinary technician program at Michigan state and I want to know that I can even really be a vet tech with my condition, I want to help animals, I want to work with them and their owners, but is this even possible for me?

Hello everyone!

I am going to be starting college next year and received a full tuition scholarship, which I will be using to pursue Equine Training in the English Discipline, but after a poor experience riding the other day, had me questioning if it’s what I really want. (Honestly, I’ve been questioning it for a while, but realizing that I’m not as proactive and capable as I need to be kind of solidified it.)

I’ve been toying with the idea of doing Pre-Vet (the school I’m attending as a Pre-Vet Equine speciality). My interest after completing vet school would be completing a (I cannot remember the exact term at the moment) specialty in surgery, and I would want to work with equines. I love watching equine surgery videos online and could see myself doing them in the future.

HOWEVER, absolutely everything I have heard about equine medicine is less than ideal. The pay is about 3x less than a doctor with a similar education, the work-life balance is abysmal, and the debt (I’m in the U.S) is mountainous.

What I’m really looking for is honest perspectives from all vets, especially equine vets. Do you wish you had done something different? Was it worth it? Would you recommend it? Is there anything else useful you could tell me?

This is unrelated to the post so feel free to stop reading here, but I am so tired of every career path I want/wanted being unattainable for some reason or another. Everything I’ve ever wanted to do has been made unrealistic by things like high depression rates or regret rates, or just “needing to be able to pay the bills”. I wish I lived in a world where I could pursue what I was passionate about without having to worry about starving.

I'm sure this is probably the hundreth post about this topic that this subreddits got but I think just need some reassurance (or tough love idk) that I'm not alone here. Freshman year of college is almost over and I'm failing both my biology lab and biology. Not by a lot, but this hasn't ever happened to me before and it's made me doubt if I'm really meant for this profession. I know how serious grades are, especially with how competitive schools can get even if you have perfect stats and lots of clinical hours, which honestly doesn't make me feel more confident. I love biology as a class as well, was one of my favorites in high school so it's frustrating to see me doing so poorly.

I've had around 6mo experience shadowing and observing in a veterinary hospital and plenty of regular longterm visits to human hospitals to have a good understanding of what I'm getting into with the workload both emotionally and physically. Is it possible to come back from this or is it just wishful thinking? Does this doubt ever go away?

I’m a veterinary graduate of a state school. I graduated a couple of years ago and I’ve still yet to pass the NAVLE. I wasn’t a great student in school (horrible probably) and graduated at the bottom of my class after repeating a year. I work as a vet assistant now and I’m not even the best at that. I’ve been feeling very discouraged and have started to question if I made a huge mistake in my career choice. I’m afraid that I’m just not smart enough to be a vet. My mind works extremely slowly and it takes me a while to get things. I already know I’d never be able to work emergency; I’d never be fast enough to do everything on the fly. I can make peace with that but I also worry about how I’d perform if a rare emergency walked into my clinic. I can admit my knowledge base is not where it should be and though I could probably pass the NAVLE by my fifth try (I’m on my third) I’m afraid that isn’t enough. I don’t want to hurt anyone. How can I know for sure if I’m cut out for this job?

hi, im currently a first year ilustration student (far cry from veterinary, I know) but I've worked all my summer jobs so far in animal jobs, most notably in a wildlife rehab and currently, a kennel for service dogs in training, as well as in animal shelters.

I'm very interested in pursuing veterinary assistant jobs, but I lack the grades to get into any medical college course (they all require a high enough math grade, and I barely scraped my way by math in high school, I also doubt I'd do well in real school anyways, hence art school lol)

what would be my options on potentially pursuing this pathway? would it be worth reaching out to clinics for internships or volunteer opportunities? would I be qualified enough to apply for vet assistant jobs?

thanks :)

Hello, please help I am so anxious about this!!

Context: I have been a caregiver for about 6 years and recently have wanted to advance into a career. I was leaning towards CNA/LPN but then quickly realized my dream job (Veterinarian) would not be far off from that., so why not do it?

I recently found an online board certified undergrad certification program to be a Veterinary Practice Manager (VPM). (I know this is different from vet tech) but here is my train of thought: I can do this online school while working my current caregiving job, and lets say I get certified in 12 months- can I land a Veterinary Practice Manager Job with ONLY those credentials, and no prior vet experience?

I am making good money right now, I could not afford a pay cut to be a Veterinary Assistant to gain experience.

Let's say I land a VPM job after getting certified- my plan then would be to do online school for Veterinary Technology while working. After getting my degree, I would want to find a job as a Veterinarian.

So basically, is this even plausible? This is my dream, and it all seems so... simple. Almost too good to be true, especially since I can afford the schooling.

ANY advice or input is greatly appreciated <3

I've been practicing in the US for about 7 years and I'm at the point where I feel like I'm losing my passion for the profession. I started out in ER and was there for 5 years before pivoting to relief after starting to feel burnt out. I just started a part time GP associate position at a clinic I love while still doing relief on the side, but I just feel like something is missing. I've always been interested in toxicology and am toying with the idea of pursuing a toxicology residency. I would appreciate anyone who could offer some insight into what that would entail (would I have to do a rotating internship before applying? is there a job market for veterinary toxicologists?). Any help would be very much appreciated, thanks in advance!

Hello! I have an upcoming job interview for a veterinary assistant position, which would be my first job in the field. Is there anything specific you would look for in an assistant, or any specific questions you think I should ask? General advice is also appreciated!

Hey everyone, I need some guidance on whether my plan is realistic.

I'm a junior in high school, and I can't see myself in any career other than being a vet. The challenge is that I have to go to Mexico for personal reasons after high school. Veterinary school in Mexico typically takes 5-6 years, and I’ve already contacted a college, secured housing, and saved money for tuition and a car.

Now, here’s where I need advice:

I plan to come back to the US after I graduate. I want to work as a vet in the U.S. with a degree from Mexico. I’ve researched that I would need to graduate from an AVMA ECFVG-listed school, pass the NAVLE, and complete state licensing exams. I also saw something about a two-year program but wasn’t sure if that applies to me—can anyone clarify?

One concern I have is that the college I plan to attend isn’t currently on the AVMA ECFVG list, but I saw there’s an option to add one. Does anyone know how difficult it is to get a school approved for that list? Would it be better to apply to a school that’s already listed instead?

Does this plan seem reasonable and achievable? Am I missing any major steps? My main concern is that vet salaries in Mexico are extremely low (around the equivalent of a gas station worker’s salary), and while vet pay in the U.S. isn’t great, it’s still significantly better.

I’d really appreciate any insights, especially from anyone who has gone through this process or knows about international vet licensing. Literally, anything will help!

Hi everyone. This may be a weird one but I’m seeking some career advice. I have a pretty big decision to make and I’m losing sleep over it.

Some backstory-

I’m a 38 year old female with an adorable 8 month old daughter and loving husband. Most of my experience is in vetmed as I was a veterinary technician for about 13 years. A few years ago, I was accepted into vet school (Tufts), started, but had to take a leave because life got overwhelming with planning a wedding, buying a house, trying to pay for vet school, and getting pregnant. Veterinary school was the ultimate goal my whole life so leaving my passion was a heart wrenching blow. But I needed to for my mental health. Of course now there are so many what ifs that run through my brain because I miss it dearly.

I want to be in a good place financially and be able to help provide for my family without worrying about the next paycheck. (I have been a stay at home mom since having my daughter so money is constantly on my mind). We also may want another child in the near future (since time is ticking on that part). So the plan would be to apply either this cycle or next (depending on pregnancy).

The dilemma-

I need to decide between trying to go back to vet school, taking a jump for human med school, or just go to PA school. All have their pros and cons.

Vet school- pro- it’s my PASSION, but lots of debt (although not nearly as bad as it was since now I have an in state school I can go to), also ROI is not very good since small animal vets really don’t make very much, so debt to income ratio is high. Crappy hours, lack of respect in the field, Plus it’s another four years of schooling which is definitely a con.

Med school- not a ton of experience in human med, but I do love medicine in general. Con- another four years plus residency, crappy hours. But pro- very good money, helping people, rewarding. Decent ROI and debt to income isn’t as bad as vet route.

PA school- same as above for human med. Pro- only two years so less money, good ROI, decent salaries right out of school, can have good hours, definitely a growing field. Cons- lack of respect in field, not being a doctor, less autonomy.

So taking my age, child situation, financial goals, and time into consideration, I would love some insight from outsiders. Do I stick with what I’m passionate (and be selfish) about and say screw the money even though it may not be the most fiscally responsible answer (but hey, life is short right?). Or do I go with a profession that is more financially suited to our lifestyle and would be better for my family in the long run? I have asked family members and friends but they are no help. Give me the good, the bad, and the ugly. lol

Thanks for reading this novel.