staging.vettimes.com

Blog

Being a millennial vet

Millennials are stereotypically considered lazy, entitled and always wanting something for nothing. And having previously discussed the many advantages of employing new graduates (and, therefore, millennials), this sort of labelling angers me.

The choices our generation makes are not due to lack of work ethic and naiveté about the future, but rather a reflection on the hand we have been dealt by society.

Recent statistics show the average baby boomer had to save for 3 years for an average-sized house deposit in comparison to the predicted 19 years it would take for millennials to do the same. By the age of 30, the number of millennials still renting is double that of their predecessors in “Generation X”.

At my age, my mother owned a house, had her first child (yours truly) and had been married. I can’t even comprehend the possibility of being able to afford one of those things at this stage in my life, let alone all of them.

We may prioritise our meagre disposable income in different ways, but, despite all the jokes, our love of avocados and lattes are not the reason we can’t afford to get on the property ladder. (For the record, I can’t stand avocado).

Unyielding abyss

It is excruciatingly impossible, says Jordan, to save enough in today’s financial climate to even consider a house deposit. Image © zimmytws / Adobe Stock

It is excruciatingly impossible to save enough in today’s financial climate to even consider a house deposit, while pouring money into the unyielding abyss of renting.

One of the biggest snags in the rental black hole is the deposit and associated agency fees. Shortly after leaving university, I had to magic £1,500 out of somewhere to rent a place close to my first job (and that’s a lot when your bank account hasn’t been above zero since you started uni).

Six months after that, I was faced with having to do the same again because I quit that job.

As vets, we bang on about being happy, having a supportive first job and leaving if it’s not right. That’s all very well, but what if you’re trapped financially?

I didn’t give much thought to my financial situation at the time because I was too unhappy to carry on. While I think it was ultimately the right decision for my mental health, I would carefully consider my situation before doing it again – two months of no salary left me in a very vulnerable position, and if it had been much longer, I would have been in serious trouble.

Luckily, I was offered accommodation for my second job, which was an enormous help, taking the burden of having to find a deposit again off my mind. This is one of the benefits of being a vet as a millennial – very few other jobs would offer a house as part of the package.

If you have to repeatedly uproot and keep forking out for rental deposits every time your circumstances change, it’s easy to appreciate how quickly you can find yourself in a mess.

And for me and my classmates, this is while holding down a respectable job with supposedly “good pay” for someone of the same age. But is the pay all that “good”?

Non-vet friends

My non-vet friends earn varying amounts dependent on their careers or jobs, but these certainly include plenty of non-professionals earning far more than me. However, multiple factors need consideration here.

Those who didn’t go to uni have six years of “work experience” and climbing their respective career ladders more than me. Those who did go to uni have a two or three-year head start, which is significant in certain industries.

While it’s understandable they have had more time to progress in the world of work, that doesn’t entirely quieten the resentment at having put so much money, blood, sweat and tears into a professional degree without the remuneration to reflect that.

And while we may have a decent starting salary in comparison to other graduate roles, we are very quickly overtaken.

The ceiling salary of the GP vet is a much-discussed topic, with an increase in salary seen early on, but thereafter very little difference is seen, despite further years of experience. In the current financial climate, the traditional partnership route becomes less and less tangible for the millennial veterinary graduate.

I struggled to be approved for a credit card, and with the very real possibility of never owning a house, I wouldn’t dream of asking for a loan for the kind of money needed to buy into a practice – and I think I’d be laughed out of the bank if I tried.

For my generation, the type of career, and therefore salary progression, is just not what it has been for previous generations.

Enjoy life in present

Perhaps this is why we value work-life balance more than our predecessors – for them, they worked hard in their early careers because there was a light at the end of the tunnel, being partnership.

Many of my millennial colleagues don’t even consider that as a possibility, with many of us not really knowing what we want to do long-term career-wise, and so we take each day as it comes, not just trying to survive, but striving to enjoy life in the present.

Millennials are all in the same boat – still young adults driving battered cars with bleak property-buying prospects. Image © Deyan Georgiev / Adobe Stock

It deeply upsets me that vets are still perceived as rich money-grabbers. I am not a rich vet, I’m just a millennial, struggling to make headway in an economy set up to put young people on the back foot.

The difference between me and my desk-bound friends, however, is I have the privilege to do a job that I love, and while it comes with all manner of stress, it’s worth it for being able to care for someone else’s beloved pets.

At the end of the day, though, millennials are all in the same boat – we’re still young adults driving battered cars with bleak property-buying prospects.

We didn’t choose to inherit this situation. We’ve drawn the short straw in the birthdate lottery, so all we can do is live the millennial lifestyle and enjoy our lattes and avocados.

May 3, 2018
Buying or selling a vet practice, part 2
In part one of this blog topic, we looked at the first phase in the buying/selling process (pre-due diligence). In this post, we‘ll look at the next two stages – due diligence and deal documentation.

Due diligence

In essence, due diligence is the process where the potential buyer takes a very close look at the practice it is thinking of buying. It will be keen to make sure it is getting what it expects and that no nasty hidden surprises are lying in wait that will reduce the value of the business after completion of the purchase.

The process itself is likely to involve the business owner’s advisors setting up a “data room” where the key information the buyer has asked to see is provided. These data rooms are now frequently online – essentially, file sharing sites.

Compiling information for a data room can be a very time-consuming process, and the more organised the practice owner is, generally the easier this process will be.

Usually during this process the owner doesn’t want too many employees knowing about a potential sale. This can impact the information gathering, often putting a greater burden on the owner.

It is, therefore, usually worth considering bringing some key colleagues into the process to help ease that burden (it is only so often you can use the excuse “the auditors need the information”).

Due diligence tips

Some key points to bear in mind for a business owner during the due diligence phase are:
- Always have robust confidentiality agreements in place with the buyer. But remember, if any sensitive, confidential information exists that could significantly disadvantage the business if the buyer doesn’t buy it, don’t disclose it to the buyer until you are happy a sale is very likely.
- Don’t try to hide any “skeletons”. Trust is very important to buyers; if they think they can’t trust you, a real risk exists of the deal not proceeding or the due diligence becoming much more detailed and prolonged than it might otherwise have been.
- Having clear lines of communication and responsibility mitigates the risk of detrimental issues and later potential disputes arising.
- Know what you are passing across. If any “skeletons” exist, make sure you know you are passing across a “skeleton”.
Documentation

Assuming due diligence has progressed well, the buyer will then move to producing the first drafts of the main deal documents.

Depending on timescales (and the buyer’s confidence it won’t uncover any nasty surprises) the documentation is often produced at an early stage in the due diligence process, so negotiation of the documents can take place while due diligence is ongoing.

In most cases, it is going to be the buyer’s lawyer who produces most of the deal documents.

Documentation tips

Key points to bear in mind during the documentation phase are:
- Don’t underestimate just how much documentation is required and how long it might take to agree. The main document is, of course, going to be the acquisition agreement, but ancillary documents (particularly those that rely on third party consent, such as banks, landlords or other funders) can play a very important role. Failing to address issues arising in relation to these documents can have a dramatic impact on the timetable.
- If possible, you (and your advisors) should avoid negotiating key documents at the last minute – preparation and planning is critical to avoid this. A detailed timetable and responsibility list should be prepared – and adhered to wherever possible.
- When appointing advisors, it is worthwhile asking them for a list of documents likely to be required. This will give you an idea of what is likely to be involved and may also indicate to you how experienced your advisor is in relation to disposals or acquisitions of businesses.
February 28, 2018
Supporting new grads: are you up to the job?
As I discussed in my previous blog post, if you are a boss, partner or practice manager, it’s important to consider whether your practice is suitable for a new graduate, before taking one on.

Perhaps you’re considering taking on a new grad for the first time, or maybe you’ve employed them before, but are struggling to attract candidates for your job vacancies – or it might be your new grads are leaving you after a short spell of employment.

If any of these apply, or you’re simply looking for inspiration on what you could do to offer support to new grads, I’d like to offer some suggestions from the new grads themselves.

Friendly face of support

Every new graduate looks for “support” in his or her first (or, in my case, second) vet role, but what exactly does that look like?

By far the most important aspect of support is communication – we’re all different, and the key to a great working relationship with a new grad is asking him or her the kind of support wanted or needed, and discussing how you can provide that.

This should also be considered a fluid, flexible conversation that continues through the first few months of employment – the rate at which a new grad gains confidence and experience will vary due to individual personalities, but will also greatly depend on caseload.

Being patient, friendly and answering questions are all important when dealing with a new grad. Image © .shock / Adobe Stock

Never assume

If your practice doesn’t see many cats, your new grad’s first cat spay might not happen for several months, and you can’t just assume having performed a lot of other surgeries, he or she will be fine to just get stuck in, when he or she may never have used a flank approach before.

On the contrary, some new grads can be dangerously over-confident, and that’s where your clinical and character judgement will be vital in ensuring the safety of their patients.

It can be a very delicate balancing act between pushing a new grad to improve, and not letting him or her charge in all guns blazing without the right skills.

Suggestions

The answer is not straightforward – no “one size fits all” new graduate induction plan exists – but a number of areas can be considered to help your new grad settle in.

I’m not suggesting you action all of them, or even that they’d all be suitable for every new grad or practice – they’re just ideas to think about.
- Provide a booklet with practice protocols – for example:
  - vaccine protocol
  - neutering advice (ages)
  - treatment protocols for common ailments (as a starting point)
  - what should be included in estimates for operations
- Order uniform or name badges and have them ready for the first day. It may seem trivial, but it symbolises being part of the team. Being asked 10 times a day who you are, or “are you new here?” gradually chips away at what little confidence you have as a new grad.
  Ordering a name badge for your new grad can help him or her feel part of the team. Image © kegfire / Adobe Stock
- Have him or her spend a morning on reception to learn how to book appointments and other tasks, to get used to the computer system.
- Put a nurse or receptionist in consults with the new grad to help him or her navigate charging for consults, saving notes, making up estimates and so on.
- Have the new grad observe some consults or accompany other vets on call-outs to help him or her grasp how the practice runs and to introduce some of your regular clients.
- Allow the new grad to pick up consults from a general list at his or her own pace.
- Book out double appointments for the new grad initially, then shorten these as he or she gets more confident – and, therefore, faster.
- Always have a more experienced vet available (in the prep room, perhaps) to answer those quick questions while the new grad is consulting. He or she need not be twiddling his or her thumbs, but, if performing procedures, ensure your new grad knows he or she can pop in and ask without feeling like an inconvenience.
- Decide on a maximum length of time for a consulting block and allow breaks for the new grad to catch up or have five minutes to gather his or her thoughts.
- Assign a formal buddy or mentor within the practice (not the boss) for him or her to go to as a first port of call for any problems – clinical or non-clinical.
- Provide regular constructive feedback – we don’t know if we’re doing okay unless you tell us!
- Have formal scheduled progress review meetings to let the new grad discuss any issues in a fair manner (the boss informally asking “how are you doing?” in front of half the staff will not always elicit an honest response).
- Have a working list of procedures or cases your new grad wants to gain experience in so all staff know to try to involve him or her if they get one in. Similarly, have a list of procedures he or she is happy to do alone (and an expected timescale) so reception staff don’t book in three bitch spays on day one.
- Supervision for operations – ask your new grad whether he or she wants someone scrubbed in, either in the same room or just within shouting distance, for different procedures.
- Have goals for the new grad to work towards without pressurising him or her.
- Show the new grad respect. Don’t undermine him or her in front of clients, even if he or she is in the wrong – better ways of addressing it exist without shattering the new grad’s confidence and credibility.
  Assigning your new grad a buddy or mentor can help as a first port of call for any problems he or she may encounter. Image © michaeljung / Adobe Stock
- Take on board any suggestions the new grad may have in practice discussions – he or she will have the most up-to-date knowledge, and it can be a huge confidence boost to have your ideas taken up.
- Try not to put your new grad to the bottom of the pile for holidays. In fact, some bosses almost force new grads to book a holiday after two months because they know they’ll need it.
- Give the new grad a Christmas at home (or at least the choice of doing so). Nobody wants to work at Christmas, but is it advisable to have a stressed out new grad – who will likely still need backup in December – on call for the busiest “my dog’s eaten the Christmas pud” poisoning fest of the year? He or she will have likely moved a long way from home and will be particularly lonely at this time of year.
- Have formal second on-call in place for as long as the new grad needs. Don’t assume he or she will be fine after six months – this will vary greatly depending on caseload.
Making a difference

From discussing our varying inductions and levels of support with my university friends, by far the most important thing is just being patient and friendly – even when it’s crazily busy.

Taking 30 seconds to answer a question will make a huge difference for the new grad, rather than letting us spend ages unable to find the answer in an ancient textbook.

If you take an interest in your new grad’s learning and development, rather than just employing us for cheap labour, you’re already heading in the right direction and your efforts to welcome us into the profession will be greatly appreciated.
February 27, 2018
BSAVA 2018
With the explosion of social media and digital marketing in recent years, many businesses have expressed frustration at just how fast the pace of change is. So, in an effort to support the veterinary profession, Veterinary Business Development (VBD) is delivering two presentations at BSAVA Congress to help empower practices when it comes to digital marketing.

Each presentation will run daily from 5 to 7 April 2018 as part of the industry-led exhibitor stream at the Premier Lounge at Arena Birmingham.

Your VIP guide to growing your practice with social media

The first session will offer a focus on social media – both organic and paid. It will be delivered by VBD digital marketing assistant Amelia Costanzo, who brings with her a wealth of experience from working on client campaigns.

Amelia Costanzo will focus on social media.

Synopsis

Social media use is booming across the UK, but is your practice taking advantage of the benefits it has to offer?

Is social media a viable business channel or a luxury busy practices don’t have the time to indulge in?

Amelia will discuss:
- which social media platforms you should be using
- whether a perfect time or day to post that attracts more engagement exists
- the organic and paid options you can take advantage of
- free tools for making social media management simple and painless
Amelia will explain, with proven tips and techniques, how you can use social media to grow your practice and increase loyalty among existing clients, while reaching new audiences.

Why you should attend this talk

If you would like to grow your practice’s social media presence in a simple and streamlined manner, this is the talk for you.

We know veterinary professionals are time-poor and are constantly having to make decisions that impact on animals’ lives. Many just don’t have the time to sit down and use Facebook or Twitter for an hour a day, which is why we’ve geared this talk towards offering quick, effective tips that can be actioned within a few minutes.

When?
- 5 April – 10am-10:45am
- 6 April – 3:30pm-4:15pm
- 7 April – 10am-10:45am
Find Amelia’s profile on LinkedIn.

Digital marketing blueprint – your ‘need to know’ guide

The second talk is by VBD digital marketing manager Hamzah Malik. Hamzah ensures his finger is always on the pulse, and has been growing businesses online since the age of 17. He brings with him both commercial and B2B experience, and has first-hand experience of techniques that are tried and tested in delivering results.

Synopsis

Hamzah Malik aims to deliver ROI for practices.

The world of digital marketing is rife with buzzwords, with new trends emerging every week. Hamzah cuts through the clutter and explains how to use digital marketing to reach new audiences, increase loyalty and boost exposure for your practice.

Points covered will include:
- the template you can use to instantly improve your digital presence
- how to use Google to get new customers and outmanoeuvre the competition
- the secret formula to ensuring your veterinary practice dominates locally
- how to use cutting-edge tools to automate elements of your digital marketing
- how to use your website to generate new customers on a daily basis
All tips are simple, proven and effective.

Why you should attend this talk

If you’re serious about growing your practice‘s digital presence and dominating the competition, this is the talk for you.

All tips are designed with the busy veterinary professional in mind, so there are some “quick wins” that will move the needle for you online very quickly.

The aim of this talk is to deliver you return on investment – any effort you put into your digital presence following this presentation will boost exposure locally or bring in new clients for you.

When?
- 5 April – 3:30pm-4:15pm
- 6 April – 10am-10:45am
- 7 April – 3:30pm-4:15pm
Find Hamzah’s profile on LinkedIn.

Check back here after the talks to download your exclusive guides and get copies of the presentations.
February 12, 2018
Buying or selling a vet practice, part 1
Last time we looked at some hurdles owners of veterinary businesses have to overcome in finding their way to the exit door. However, once you have one hand on the door handle, what can you expect to follow?

Practices that have been on a “buy and build” strategy will be familiar with the acquisition process, but many owners will only ever be involved in one sale process.

Business owners in this situation often rely heavily on friends and contacts that have been through the process before, but, in many cases, those people can paint an unflattering picture.

Parts of the process

So what is actually involved? Is it as time-consuming and stressful as many claim?

Generally, the process can be broken into six main phases:
- pre-due diligence
- due diligence
- documentation
- pre-closing
- closing
- post-closing
In this article, we look at the first phase and how to deal with some issues that arise.

Pre-due diligence

Headline price

Before letting a potential buyer inside your business, it is important to establish at the outset the price range they are prepared to pay, or at least how the price will be calculated.

From a combination of publicly available financial information and additional (non-sensitive) financial information supplied by the business owner, a potential buyer is usually able to give an indicative price.

However, a number of assumptions are likely to have been made when calculating this price and it will be important for the practice owner to understand what they were.

Structure

In addition to the headline price, how and when that is payable should be discussed at an early stage.

As an owner, you will usually want to get as much of the price in cash as soon as possible. A buyer will usually look to defer paying as much of the price as possible, particularly in a veterinary business where personal relationships between the vets and clients are key.

Given the number of issues that need considering if payment is deferred or subject to an earn-out (in which case, the price depends on the post-completion performance of the practice), it is vital a business owner understands whether this is the buyer’s intention and engages early with advisors to understand the issues in more detail.

Know your buyer

Every business owner understands a buyer will want to know as much as possible about the business it is buying before the sale completes, but not every owner appreciates the importance of knowing the buyer. For example:
- If any deferred consideration takes place, will the buyer be good for the cash?
- If an earn-out exists, do you trust the buyer to not manipulate the short-term profits to reduce the price payable?
- If you are continuing in the business for a period after completion, can you work with the buyer?
Consider speaking to the owners of previous businesses that have been bought by the buyer. Putting a bit of effort into this phase can help you gauge how likely the sale is to complete and the success of the exit.
February 7, 2018
Should you employ a new grad?
This weekend, I helped out with a talk at SPVS-VMG Congress on employing new graduates.

It gave delegates – vets, VNs, employers and new grads themselves – the opportunity to reflect on how wildly different each new grad’s experience can be, and appreciate the challenges employers face when hiring new grads.

The fact those in attendance had chosen to come to a talk on ensuring practice is right for new grads suggested most of our audience were forward-thinking employers who wanted to provide their new grads with a good start to their career.

The others

However, and sadly, not all employers have that at the top of their priority list. I would like to think such employers – who, as a result, are maybe not treating their new grads well – aren’t doing it maliciously, but rather just don’t have the time to teach and mentor properly, but also don’t have a choice but to take on new grads, given the employment crisis the profession faces.

However, that is still no excuse. I should also mention, of course, the minority of employers that will hire a new grad simply for cheap labour – meaning there is little to no interest in them at all. If you cannot provide adequate support for a new grad, don’t employ one – it isn’t fair on anyone.

My generation

Lazy? Or valuing non-work time? Image © Free Photos / Pixabay

Many of the challenges of employing a new graduate stem from the difference in attitudes between different generations. The new grads moving through the system now are of the “millennial” generation often stereotyped as lazy, entitled and needy.

Being a millennial myself, I inherently disagree with these generalisations – they just need looking at differently:
- We are not lazy, we just don’t want to work horrendous hours. We are more than happy to work strange shifts (evenings/nights), but that doesn’t mean working the traditional expectation of five long days, a full weekend on call and a further five days.
- We are not entitled, we just cannot justify the negatives of the profession long-term. The “love of veterinary medicine“ is very idyllic, but just isn’t sustainable in the real world. We could work less hours, be paid more, take holidays when we want and be paid reasonable sick pay in many other sectors, so why wouldn’t we? It’s not about the money, here – it’s about the injustice.
- We are not needy, we just crave feedback. How do we know we’re doing okay unless you tell us? How do we know how to improve if you don’t guide us?
Wake-up call

Some vets of the older generations still have the attitude of “we had to go through it, so you have to get on with it too” – as though the horror of being left to your own devices, being unable to contact anyone in the middle of the night when you are out of your depth, and the sleep deprivation of internships are just a “rite of passage” of being a new grad. It may be news to these bosses, but the new grads of today just won’t put up with that crap.

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting a different result” is a quotation often attributed to Einstein. Whether he ever actually said it is questionable, but it has applications in many walks of life. When these old-style partners still expect their new grads to be on call for 17 nights in a row, is it any wonder there is an employment crisis?

If you want to attract any staff, not just new grads, you’ve got to adapt to the present. Veterinary is changing and the modern new grad doesn’t want – and won’t settle – for the same things they did 50 years ago.

Let’s talk

Support… it’s all we need. Image © 135pixels / Adobe Stock

So, what do new grads want? Well, how long is a piece of string? The simple fact is: we are all different. The key to having a successful working relationship with a new grad is communication and flexibility.

The one thing all new grads want is support, but what that support actually looks like can vary wildly. For example, sometimes the new grad themselves will underestimate or overestimate how much support they need, which is why it is important for the learning process to be continual, with frequent check-ins.

It’s all very well saying I’ll only need second on-call backup for two months, but if, after that time, I still haven’t done a caesarean or calving, how can I be expected to be able to handle it alone?

Of course, this works both ways – new grads need to be upfront and honest about what kind of support they think they need, and practices likewise need to be honest about what they can provide.

If either party are overselling themselves to secure a job/vet, the arrangement will not work out long-term and both of you will be on the hunt again much quicker than you would like.

What we can do

So, why should you bother employing a new grad if you have to put lots of extra effort and time into it compared with employing an experienced vet? We new grads have a lot to offer:
1. We are tech-savvy (usually much more than our older counterparts).
2. We have lots of new ideas and experiences from a variety of placements in different practices.
3. We have up-to-date knowledge since we are fresh out of universities undertaking research into the newest techniques and treatments.
4. We are enthusiastic – despite refusing to put up with the poor working environments of the past, we are yet to become cynical about the veterinary profession.
What we lack is experience – and that is what we ask of you. Sure, the harsh truth may be that you don’t really have a choice in the employment climate as it stands, but if you get it right – and your new grad stays with you for years to come – it will be a true investment.
January 31, 2018
What main hurdles do I need to overcome to sell my practice?
Every veterinary practice owner needs to know two important things about his or her business – where the exit door is and how to open it.

Unfortunately, many owners don’t know the answers to these questions, for a number of (understandable) reasons.

Priorities

Perhaps the most common hurdle is: “I am too busy trying to run the practice and do my day job to think about that.”

As with any excuse based on not enough time, the issue is one of priorities – it is often not sufficiently high up on the agenda. The danger is when it becomes high up on the priority list, it might be too late to realise the value in the business.

Potential buyers

For many business owners, the second hurdle is they simply don’t know their practice’s potential buyer. This, however, is not something that can really be said about the veterinary industry just now.

For some time, the industry has seen significant consolidation as large corporate practices actively look to acquire firms across the country and, as a result, valuations have been rising. Therefore, for many veterinary practice owners, the question can be whether to sell the practice to younger vets in the practice or one of the larger corporates. This question can be a very difficult one, but one owners need to deal with.

In some cases, the answer will be driven by which route allows the owners to maximise the value for their business. However, in many other cases, maximising value is not the key driver, and owners are prepared to sacrifice some of the value to go down their preferred exit route.

Performance

Poor financial performance is also a hurdle many owners think they need to overcome before giving thought to an exit.

This is flawed logic!

Performance drives value, not exit strategies – owners need to address financial performance, but it needs to be considered in conjunction with exit strategies. If different options to improve financial performance are available, the one that fits better with an identified exit strategy is likely to be the right one.

Summary

To summarise:
- The veterinary industry has, for a few years now, been going through a lot of consolidation. For those veterinary practice owners who don’t have a planned route to the exit door, now is the time at least to work out which floor the door is on and who might be on the other side of it.
- If you can identify an exit strategy (or strategies), make sure it informs the ongoing decisions taken in the business.
- If you have competing interests among different owners, try to avoid letting them fester so resentment grows and positions become more entrenched.
- Value is only one aspect of the exit – focusing on the right exit strategy will drive value.
- Try to run your business with one eye on the exit door – what will potential buyers be looking for when they take over the business?
January 24, 2018
New year, new me

January brings with it an onslaught of well-intentioned gym memberships, diets and resolutions that often get forgotten fairly rapidly.

For me, my “happy new year” was tainted with uncertainty, as I had made the scary decision to leave my first job as a new graduate vet – quite literally forcing the “new year, new start” cliché on myself.

This decision was not made lightly. In fact, if I had listened to my gut feeling that things weren’t right, I probably would have left much earlier, but I stuck it out for five months. I had to be sensible – I had rent to pay. But, similarly, I was not going to stay any longer at the cost of my sanity.

Time to take action

Many of my new graduate friends also struggled at their respective workplaces to begin with, so I couldn’t help but think maybe it was just supposed to be hard. But as they all settled, and I seemed to just get more wound up with my situation, I began to accept it wasn’t right.

So, what were my options?

Address my employment concerns

Despite being advertised as a truly mixed practice, I found myself working as a TB tester virtually every day, which became unrewarding and a huge hindrance to my personal development as a vet.

I tried to address the situation, but was met with non-committal responses, such as: “Well, we are very busy with TB at the minute.” No offers of sharing it out were made, considering myself and another new graduate were carrying out all the testing. In fact, I ended up organising the whole practice’s TB equipment, paperwork and bookings.

The other issues I had were also met in a similarly non-helpful manner.

Go above the powers that be

One of the (few) advantages of working for a corporate group is you can go above the powers that be.

Although this provided a friendly listener on the end of the telephone, it didn’t actually achieve much after helping me explore the options of transferring to another practice within the group. As I was still looking for a mixed role, it came to a dead end pretty swiftly.

Hand in my notice

I was very aware my notice period tripled after I had worked at the practice for six months, so I had the choice of leaving before the six months were up or being stuck for at least nine months.

I did try addressing my employment concerns and going above the powers that be first, but I think I knew all along that, in the end, I was going to leave; it was just a question of when – before or after six months, considering the notice period, and before or after I had found another job?

Choice made for me

In the end, some timely external circumstances forced my decision – my landlord informed me he was selling his house, so I would only have a few months left of the lease anyway.

Once I came to the realisation I needed to leave, I felt relieved. This was ultimately short lived as I then faced the question of what to do afterwards – I even started to consider whether I actually wanted to look for another vet job.

But I didn’t have to look far to find some inspiration – my university friends were very supportive of my decision to leave my practice, but their stories of their own experiences were reassuring. The key was finding the right practice and being able to enjoy being a vet rather than seeing it as the stressful, unfriendly job with long hours it’s often portrayed as.

Negative into a positive

I began the job search slightly before handing my notice in – I think as a safety net, as I was still very apprehensive about being caught out with no work. I was also very concerned about how not having spent very long in my first practice would look to potential employers – would they think I couldn’t hack the pressure and gave up too easily?

My first interview this time around, however, was a massive confidence boost – my worries were ill-placed as my decision to leave my practice was only viewed as a positive move; that I was being proactive in my career development and not putting up with an environment in which I wasn’t progressing.

When more interviews and then job offers started emerging, I found the confidence to not only hand in my notice, but also to turn down offers that weren’t right for me.

Disguised desperation

We regularly hear about the shortage of vets in the veterinary press, on Facebook, through word of mouth and, for those working in understaffed practices, via first-hand experience. But nothing confirmed the veterinary employment crisis more than the poorly-disguised desperation some practices exhibited when I enquired about vacancies.

Yes, I was a little more desirable than a new graduate fresh out of university because I had worked for a few months, but I was still virtually a new graduate. If anything, I felt my skills had regressed since graduation because my confidence had been knocked so severely in my first role.

But I did know how to consult, interact with clients, break bad news, and offer and carry out euthanasia with the client in the room. These are the things you don’t really learn until you qualify; the small things that make a difference between being a startled- looking graduate in your first week being asked “is it your first day?” by a client, and a recent graduate who can give a calm impression of confidence and knowledge (even when you’re a little unsure).

It took me a while to convince myself I’d be employable enough to be picky, but with a few offers under my belt, I entered the new year jobless, but knowing so many practices out there were looking for vets.

It did, however, still take a considerable amount of moral fibre to swallow my pride and go to the job centre to sign up for jobseeker’s allowance. This was not without an added push from my ever-knowledgeable other half, who bluntly said: “You’ll be paying into it for the rest of your life, so you may as well claim it while you can.”

Daunting, but rewarding

Although it was daunting to quit one job without having something else lined up, it was the right thing to do and, inevitably, things worked out in the end. With a bit of patience and perseverance, I have now found what I think is the right job.

Although I can’t quite squash the niggling feeling it could all go wrong like the previous one, I like to think I’ve learned something from that disastrous experience, and am feeling much more optimistic.

After much reflection, I think I was just very unfortunate with my first role and a number of factors occurred that I could never have foreseen.

Take advantage

For many people, despite the new year clichés, January becomes a time of reflection. I’m not too sure about “new year, new me” but I’ve certainly ended up with “new year, new job”.

If you aren’t happy in your job, don’t be afraid to take the leap – especially if you’re a new graduate. It is so important your first job is right for you, otherwise it could scar you, and ultimately ruin your entire veterinary career.

It isn’t worth the stress of staying where you are unhappy – so many jobs are out there. It is, as they say, an “employee’s market” at the minute – take advantage of it.

January 16, 2018
Occupational hazards
Before I started vet school, I attended a workshop for aspiring vets where students shared anecdotes about the various occupational ailments they had experienced or witnessed over the years.

Despite having to defer the start my veterinary degree due to a horse-related incident, I got through university largely unscathed by veterinary-related disease. I contracted a skin infection while on placement in Bolivia, but I don’t think that was anything zoonotic.

However, some colleagues were not so lucky…

Illnesses and injuries

The various vet-student ailments that have affected friends include:
- rotavirus caught while on a dairy EMS placement
- an odd reaction to the BCG vaccine we received en masse in the first few weeks of vet school – after investigating a persistent cough, it transpired it was actually latent tuberculosis that would flare up periodically
- a mumps epidemic – while not zoonotic, the disease spread like wildfire through those who attended “Vetski” one year (a number of other skiing-related injuries were suffered on the same trip, including two damaged knees)
- the notorious cryptosporidiosis, which claimed at least one victim on every farm rotation group
- ringworm – despite having been in close proximity to cattle heavily infected with ringworm, I have avoided it thus far (the same cannot be said for one friend, who had to claim she had thrush to convince the pharmacist to sell her the necessary antifungal cream)
Appreciating dangers

TB testing – one of the most dangerous veterinary tasks.

Since qualifying, a good proportion of my work in practice has consisted of one of the most dangerous veterinary tasks – TB testing.

While I remained relatively unharmed for the first few months, I did appreciate how easy it could be to get injured, with some dodgy crushes to contend with and, often, largely unhandled beasts.

Having tested hundreds of cattle unscathed, my final test was quite eventful…

During a previous test at this particular farm, the vet had considered sedating one of the cows because it was so wild – but this time I was prepared, with sedation at the ready in case it was needed and the crush chained so the cow couldn’t go flying out the front door.

Crushed crush

Although a great deal of jumping about took place, I managed to test the cow without needing to resort to xylazine. However, the bull, which could barely squeeze into the crush, decided to stick his head under the front door and bend it nearly in half as the farmer, his son and I watched in horror.

Luckily, the bull seemed to think better of this plan and retreated before destroying the crush.

After the farmer had bashed the door back into some resemblance of its original shape, one calf somehow jumped out of the side of the crush and ended in a neighbour’s field.

First-hand experience

Just as we thought we’d had enough entertainment for one day, one of the six-month-old sucklers managed to squash my hand between it and the crush.

The world went green for a moment and I had to park myself on an upturned bucket.

Having taken a bit of a breather, we got the next calf in and I tried to continue, but the world kept spinning and I didn’t want to take my glove off to look at the damage. Feeling highly embarrassed, I sat back down and telephoned the practice for backup while the farmer went off to fetch a cup of sugary tea.

Not the only ones

An x-ray thankfully found no breaks, but a lot of swelling and bruising.

I joked with my doctor about occupational injuries, saying I didn’t suppose GPs would be likely to get into that kind of situation. However, he said he’d had a couple of knives pulled on him – one from someone demanding a prescription!

So, maybe we’re not the only medical profession at such a high risk of injury, we’re just exposed to slightly different dangers.
January 1, 2018
Breaking away from a vet’s diet of fast food

A while ago, I wrote about anorexia in vets… the stripped down, bare meaning being the clinical sign of “not eating”. As a student, I witnessed vets on placements routinely forgoing lunch or existing on a diet consisting entirely of Pot Noodles or fast food – one vet I shadowed had either a McDonalds or KFC on four of the five days.

Then, I could appreciate the lack of time and energy for cooking, but still couldn’t imagine being able to stomach so much junk food. I could not understand how you could work effectively and remain healthy while pouring so much crap into your body – and, of course, you can’t!

Isn’t it ironic that part of our job is to advise on diet and nutrition for clients’ four-legged friends, yet we don’t take our own advice?

Realisation dawns

Image © miketea88 / Adobe Stock.

As a student, there would be rare occasions I wouldn’t get lunch until 4pm or would just order a pizza through tiredness (or, more likely, from being hungover). But, on the whole, I had a pretty good diet. I exercised a lot and was organised enough to make lunch 90% of the time, so I was never stuck without food.

Yet now, as a new grad, I totally get the unhealthiness; it’s not really a matter of choice, but more a matter of pure exhaustion.

I found myself going without lunch on numerous occasions, mostly due to being stuck on farm all day TB testing, but sometimes due to being swamped with surgeries. Having not been able to stop for food all day, my first exploratory laparotomy was done after inhaling a cupcake – not the most nutritious of lunches.

24/7 shopping

There have been weeks I have consumed more takeaways or McMuffins than I am proud of, purely down to a lack of time and effort. I’m too tired to shop for food, or cook it, and I don’t want to spend all weekend meal-prepping for the week ahead, which is what my more organised, student self would have done.

It also doesn’t help that shops close early on a Sunday in England. I was definitely spoilt in Scotland, where 24-hour opening actually means 24 hours, 7 days a week.

If I cooked like I did when I was a student, my day would literally be work, cook, eat, sleep. But, to be honest, it’s not much better anyway – more like work, pick up takeaway, eat, sleep.

Maintaining a work-food balance

I do manage to get out on the bike at weekends, but not during the week, and as a former gym frequenter at uni, it gets to me sometimes that I’m becoming seriously unfit. Perhaps the answer is to get up early and go to the gym before work, but that’s not in my nature… I tried early running once, and all it did was make the day feel really long by 9am.

Mental health and well-being are constantly in the veterinary media at the moment, and, while I can empathise with my colleagues who lead the lifestyle of fast food, I’m not condoning it. This is no way to carry on. We need to try to achieve an acceptable work-life balance and, at the very least, a good work-food balance, which is something I am apparently not very good at yet.

I’m told it gets easier. Whether that means you get over being so tired all the time or just get used to it and somehow manage to power through, I’m not sure, but I hope it does – and I hope I find the energy to improve my diet.

December 1, 2017