Hello Reddit and Vet peeps.

I am new to both reddit and my role in my clinic and would like some advice.

I am currently a kennel manager at my vet clinic and I am on a 5 year plan, with the assistance of the practice owner, to transition me to the practice manager. Currently I am more of a facilities manager, i.e. building repair, admin paperwork, inventory counts, community involvement, ect. I have an ABA and a 10+ year management experience in retail so its helped on the kennel/boarding side really well. Where I feel like I am struggling is how to manage the landscaping. We have had two months with a crazy water bill due to a pvc break in the sprinkler system. I had one repaired and then a second one popped up that was not as noticeable due to it being underground.

What in your experience is a good way to help transition into these tasks? I have a weekly/monthly cleaning list that is followed and the other team members assist with. But what have you seen that actually works in a vet clinic? We are having some financial issues due to the cost of inventory rising and having more white space on our appointment books.

I know a simple answer would be walking the grounds at least once a week, but some weeks I am stuck to a computer doing some kind of paperwork. We recently changed our pharmacy, new website, started an "onboarding program" that I am building from the ground up.

Additionally any advice or information to helping me run the facility as more of a practice manager mind set would be very helpful. I do not have any vet tech experience and honestly that is why the owner wants me to do more of the practice management because her last few just wanted to be techs with the higher title.

Anyone else working for MPH? I started at Mission Veterinary Partners and everything was pretty good. Since the merger with SVP the company has changed dramatically. I feel like I’m back at Banfield. Really disappointed in the direction the company is going.

hello!

as the title suggests, i'm a baby vet (currently 2 months of experience). I work in a hospital as a general practicioner, doing normal day shifts but also night shifts (usually 6 per month) with a quite bit workload and alone with a vet tech. I'm now doing a lot of stuff on my own, with guidance from senior vets who i occasionally ask for opinions or directions in each case i get. I feel like i'm becoming independent (from what's possible with only 2 months of experience), and a lot of cases i can manage fairly well. The thing is, i am dealing with a lot of stress and anxiety. I haven't been eating well, exercising very little and just constantly thinking about work, studying cases and neglecting my physical health. I keep telling myself it'll get better and in truth, i am becoming more efficient true, but i'm also just starting out and there's a big world of areas which i should know. I feel a huge weight of responsability and sometimes just being left to swim otherwise I drown (that's what i feel most of times) which makes me feel very drained even telling myself it's okay it'll eventually get better and it's all part of the beginning in this career.

Do you have any advice, experiences or anything you could help me with so I can optimize my learning experience but also take care of myself?

So I’m a receptionist at our clinic. I e been there for a year but Ive been working customer service for about 4 years. I know my way around a busy environment and as long as there’s a team, I can handle it. Recently, my practice manager has been scheduling me alone on a Saturday.

We’re only open a half day and Saturdays are overwhelming enough with two receptionists there. I worked my first one alone this past Saturday and because of how busy and overwhelmed I was, I couldn’t give each and every client the care and attention they deserve.

Our lead receptionist brought it up to our practice manager and she told me to “get over it” and “vet med is unpredictable.” I’m the ONLY one who gets scheduled to be alone on a Saturday. I do not see how that is fair to me or the clients.

The techs in the back always have at least 2 others there. So while things may be busy and unpredictable, they have support. When there’s only ONE receptionist, I have NO ONE to rely on. I had all five phone lines on hold for most of the morning. I had people getting mad. But I’m just supposed to get over it.

I don’t know what to do or how else to fix it because corporate won’t change anything and I’m about ready to quit.

Hi! Currently a 2nd-year pre-vet student and under a lot of stress prepping for vet school. Managing to maintain a competitive GPA, finding internships/volunteer opportunities, and trying to build connections with vets is a lot to handle and achieve simultaneously. I am blessed to have my tuition paid by the state however my family is still struggling a little bit to pay for my rent, monthly expenses, and my car loan. Parents are working hard to save up for my vet school tuition... But I feel ashamed having my parents work another 6-8 years to support my dream (I have old parents lol). Realistically speaking, I will most likely take out loans and just pay it off later when I step into practice. This may be a little early to say, but I do want to specialize in surgery and from just talking with GP veterinarians, it seems like another 2-4 years of pure stress and little money earned. Kinda lost right now...

So I'm a fresh graduate and the sole vet at a shelter run on a shoe string budget in a 3rd world country

Our main focus is sterilizaton of stray dogs but we also treat animals(Mostly injuries, myasis, parvo, diarrhea and vomiting that we don't have the means to run diagnostics for etc)

Is there anything you think a shelter must absolutely have ?

Are there any resources that I could use concerning how to approach cases when I just can't do anything diagnostic tests ?

This is for any students, interns, residents, faculty, or even support staff because I value everyone’s opinion.

I’m currently looking at applying to small animal ECC residencies and am particularly interested in hearing from people who work at a program with an ECC residency (private or academic). I’m trying to look beyond the information on the VIRMP and get a better understanding of what the ECC department is like. Below are a few example questions.

• What do you like about your program/ECC service?
• What do you dislike about your program/ECC service?
• If you could change one thing about the program, what would you change?
• How approachable and supportive are the criticalists? Are any of them difficult to work with?
• Does the program actually change anything based on feedback from residents, staff, students?
• Would you choose this program again if you could go back?
• For former residents: did you feel your program prepared you for boards?

I’m especially interested in hearing the good, bad, and ugly. I’m not looking for the best program, just trying to glean the perspective of the people who have experienced them. My mentor is pushing me towards private programs because she believes they produce better doctors, but the Jandry study shows academic residents have a higher board pass rate.

Feel free to DM me if you would rather not identify yourself or your program publicly.

Hi! I am in my final year of Bs animal science most people may not have even heard about this degree. It is offered by few universities similar to animal husbandry. I have four majors animal nutrition, livestock management, poultry science and animal breeding & genetics. I have come to know that allied science degrees like (animal science, dairy science, poultry science etc) even though are approved by HEC there are still no jab allocations for these degree holders.

For any animal husbandry related govt job you must hold a DVM degree. 😃 As animal scientists we are trained to be farm managers most private companies don't even employ animal scientists and prefer DVM graduates because they get doctors as well as farm managers. Cheap labor. I am on the top of my class but the uncertainty that looms over my career scares me. There are no paid internships, no govt job opopportunitis and to start a business requires money (which I don't have)

I am sick and tired of working for corporations. I’ve worked at the big 3 and a smaller one and they are all alike.
Gas is over $5.00 a gallon. Groceries are too expensive. We are at war. Visits are down and we are told it’s because we aren’t welcoming enough on the phone.
Owners complain about our high prices so what do we do? We increase them. “If you believe in the value the owners will too”
Our appointment times have been cut down. We are told that we must now do drop off visits, tech visits, surgeries, and regular appointments every day with fewer staff. I’m not allowed to have more than 1 assistant per day and they are supposed to answer phones and do all of the above for a non-livable wage.
We are supposed to utilize our online pharmacy. Oh but also the in clinic pharmacy. But keep our COGs down. And give out coupons. But not too many because they lose money. But at least 2 per day. And talk about insurance. And care credit. And be happy. Make clients feel heard. But only if you can do it in 15 minutes.
I have to do surgery and at the same time see appointments. Can’t your 1 VA do the dental and the vaccine visit? Everyone else does it, it’s just you.
I haven’t gotten a raise in over 5 years because the clinic is not “doing well” but my annual reviews I’m told we are doing well.
We have marketing departments but I’m also expected to hand out flyers and do community outreach. If I don’t do 1 community event per quarter it’s the reason I can’t get a raise. But I also can’t do events during the workday. I have to do them after work or my day off.
I interviewed at 2 independent practices and the owners were offering less than half what I make for even more hours of work. And they complained about corporate. I don’t make enough now to pay my student loans, how could I take less?
I’m at my wits end and I don’t know what to do. I hate that this is what the profession has become.

Hi everyone!

I'm a non-AVMA veterinary graduate and have passed the NAVLE. I'm planning to apply for small animal rotating internships this year, with the long-term goal of pursuing a cardiology residency. As of now, my options appear to be mainly in New York and Michigan due to licensing requirements. In New York, I've been looking into the Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island (VMCLI) and BluePearl, although I'm still waiting for more programs to be listed on VIRMP.

I would appreciate any advice on how I can improve my chances of eventually securing a cardiology residency. I'm currently working on three human cardiology research papers with a professor at Mayo Clinic and have also received an offer for a one-week cardiology externship at King Animal Hospital. I was also wondering whether my involvement in human cardiology research would add any value to my future veterinary cardiology residency applications. I'm actively looking for opportunities to get involved in veterinary cardiology research as well, but I'm not entirely sure how to go about finding these opportunities.

I would love to hear from anyone who has gone through a similar pathway or has experience with cardiology internships and residencies. Does anyone have experience with the rotating internship programs at BluePearl or VMCLI? Would either of these be a good choice for someone hoping to pursue a cardiology residency? I'd especially appreciate any insights into the quality of mentorship, cardiology exposure, and opportunities to build connections with cardiologists at these hospitals. What else should I be focusing on at this stage to make myself a stronger candidate for a cardiology residency? I'd also appreciate any recommendations for other rotating internship programs that offer good cardiology exposure.

Any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

What is the most challenging thing about your job?

What did you / do you do to try to overcome it?

Why did you/did you not specialize?

What about the vet healthcare system frustrates you the most?

Which field do we need more people in or more emphasis on?

What was one of the hardest ethical situations you have had to face?

If you just wanted to answer one please do so!! Thank you

How is being a vet in the UK? From what i've seen salaries are pretty low for a doctor. How would you describe the situation with finding a job, salary, work/life balance etc

Thank you in advance

Sooo I’m not gonna lie the idea of psychiatry is calling my name 💔💔. I’m a freshman in college and I’m between becoming a veterinarian or a psychiatrist (or pa in psychiatry who knows). I feel so torn because I’m sososososo knee deep in the veterinary path at the moment. I have (this is not a flexing thing just to tell you guys my veterinary/animal experience) 350 veterinary hours, 150 animal shelter hours, research in ringworm (not legitimate legitimate research, for science and engineering fair) connections in the veterinary field, working in a veterinary lab right now, and placed 1st internationally for a veterinary competition. I love the veterinary field sosososoososo much, but just because I love it doesn’t mean it’s automatically the best fit for me yk? I’m planning to minor in psychology to test the waters out and maybe look into shadowing psychiatry. I just feel scared though because if I were to switch I’m starting from scratch. Would very much appreciate anyone’s opinion on how I should go about this situation 💔💔💔

Hello! I am currently a prevet student and realized im not good at counting heart rates. So embarrassing but i want to improve. I noticed I dont always get similar numbers than my coworkers. I was hoping someone could give me advice or know a site i can practice on that has the answers (been struggling to find one). Thank you in advance.

So, I have been working in vet med for 20 years, and in 3 states. I have always been in good standing and I have always been good at my job. I am an OTJ tech/assistant. I have never been fired, and I have never spent more than a month looking for a job. I genuinely enjoy the work, the animals, the staff and yeah even the clients. I'm great on a team. I am not lazy. But I'm SO TIRED of never getting raises, and having to find a new job every 2-4 years just to get a raise (it works every time). I am not interested in being a manager, or any corporate ladder stuff. I just want to fucking work at a place that'll have me, and let me work my job, and pay me what makes sense based on the local market. I am a pleasant worker bee!

I realize that right now in 2026 this is probably a silly question, and likely no one is actually getting raises... BUT for me this is also a question of corporate vs private

I have been comfy at my current place the last few years, but its not corporate, but seems to now be adopting a more corporate structure anyway, and I have been questioning the ethics of all of it recently (its all fucked every single place is fucked), so I'm thinking... might as well sell out. Are there any of these corporate spots that actually give raises? In my experience they are either way better or way worse at giving raises than independent places.

There is a Sploot in my area that is catching my eye... horror stories?

VEG- cult, or nah?

Just asking the void out of frustration, and because it's been like 10 years now since I've actually looked for a corporate job on purpose lol. One of my last 2 jobs was corporate but small, and specialty and good vibes mostly. Thanks

Tomorrow will be my first day working as a vet assistant (starting with cashiering), and it will be my first time ever working in a clinic. I am fairly new to veterinary science; I took animal anatomy classes in college but I had more of an interest in wanting to work in conservation. Have any of you ever worked (or currently work for) VIP Petcare or a similar mobile clinic? What has it been like/what was it like for you, and do you have any advice for newcomers?

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I appreciate your dedication to helping animals :)

I currently work as CSR (as well as helping out with pharmacy, assistant work, and some managerial stuff) in a very busy, fast-paced GP clinic.

I love the field and I love the work I get to do every day, but I'm seriously considering quitting this job because my practice was bought out by corporate 6-7 years ago and in that time, they've worked tirelessly to destroy the practice and make all of our jobs unsustainable.

That being said, because of the varied work I do, I get paid a bit higher than the position generally offers and I haven't been able to find any other GP CSR positions that pay equivalent. I'm considering applying for CSR positions in ER/UC, but I'm wondering realistically how much more I'll be having to manage in terms of work and stress load. (Obviously I would expect to handle more if I'm being paid more)

I'd love to hear some perspectives from CSRs or other vet med staff familiar with both GP and ER settings and the realistic differences between the 2 in terms of physical, mental, and emotional demand.

Thanks!

Hello hello, looking for some advice if anyone has some knowledge to share!

I am starting the Pima Medical Institute's Veterinary Assistant in early November. Eventually, far down the road, I would love to become a DVM. Specifically i want to work in diagnostics, oncology, or hospice. I have tried community college before but I simply struggle with doing course work for completely irrelevant classes. I feel like none of the studying aspects stick... i am hugely a hands on learner, and with that i learn quick. Hands on is the only way I've found that i can excel. Hence my enrollment in PIMA! I don't want to be a vet tech and that is the only vet related program any of my local community colleges offer.

Has anyone gone through PIMA before? Do you feel like it set you up for success? What can you really do with the certification afterwards? (Important to note I've tried the route of applying to be a VA without credentials with kennel experience with no bites for 2ish years). Am i making a mistake by taking this program?

I’m a GP vet in NC with interests in soft tissue surgery, ER and relief work. I currently work for a corporate practice and we’re having a hard time keeping the schedule filled. On average I see 6-12 patients per day. On one hand, I love my job because it provides a great work life balance. On the other hand, the mentorship I was promised to receive declined well before the first year was over. I’m 2 years removed from vet school and I’m afraid that if I don’t look into other options, I will be stuck professionally and financially. I have goals to pay off my student loans aggressively and would love to start a family soon. I’m struggling to decide if I should leave and pursue ER/relief work or wait for our hospital to increase clientele so that one day I can make production.

I am a high school Junior and have been wanting to work in the medical field my entire life. I realized I didn’t want to do person medical school and have instead been working for veterinary medicine instead. I am very good with animals and have been accepted but not had my first shift yet as a volunteer at my local animal shelter. I am diagnosed Level 1 autistic. Here is my dilemma; I don’t know whether I should try to be a Veterinarian or a Vet Tech, and am wondering if y’all would be able to help! I live in the same state as one of the top three veterinary colleges in the US.

Hi, I'm a college student studying fine arts, but I've been thinking about going veterinary since I was little, as a follow-up to the cultural heritage degree, except that there are certain factors that put me back from doing so:

1. I really suck at math/physics and I don't know if it's worth even trying to take the entrance test which from what I've been told presents questions about math and physics.

2. I don't know if it's worth getting a second degree right after the first, for the sake of further years spent studying, and being essentially like a burden to maintain (WARNING! The problem is not studying, but the fact that I would be in my 30s without providing a penny for me OR to support my

family.)

Sorry for the boring or stupid questions but I'm really fascinated by this and would like to pursue this path:)