On my course, in a year of 300 students and with a timetable of mostly nine-to-fives, it’s safe to say I spend a fair share of my time with other vets. However, in the first few weeks of university I was warned by older vets to beware of the “vet bubble” – and I understand what they meant.
Long and professional courses, such as medicine, law and veterinary science, have a bit of a stigma for being slightly closed off from the rest of the academic world – at least at my university.
I’m not sure it’s a conscious decision on behalf of those students concerned; without even realising it, the past few years have seen me cultivate and maintain friendships that are, predominantly, with other vets.
Incidental acquaintances
While I live in a household of eight, with only one other vet student, the majority of vets I know live in houses comprised solely of classmates.
I think it’s only natural to gravitate towards those you can’t help but spend so much time with. There are weeks when it feels like I live and breathe my course, with barely any daylight hours spent at home. Truth be told, I’m sometimes lucky to find the time to make it to even two society events a week.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining – I’m one of those people who like being kept busy – but it does explain why such close bonds are formed with people living the same hectic life right alongside you. When you’re crammed into the same four walls of a lecture theatre for three or four hours straight, of course you’re going to turn to your left or right and make connections.
Alternative associations
The vet bubble does have its downside, though. Obviously, all that time spent with vet students means potentially missing out on connections with people outside of your course.
In my experience, veterinary programmes tend to attract a certain type of person, and I think it’s important to surround yourself with a multitude of personalities and attitudes – particularly for people like myself and my course mates who are headed towards a career where communication and understanding is key.
Necessary alliances
On the other hand, the bonds forged with our “comrades in arms” might be just what we need to get through what is one of the most stressful courses out there. Leaning on those friendships and learning from each other at this stage in our careers helps prepare us for the years after we graduate when we’ll be doing the exact same thing in practice.
The vet bubble is something to be aware of, but you don’t have to give in to it.
On days where work is all I can think of, my friends on other courses are the ones who really keep me sane and remind me there is a world outside of my own.
It goes without saying, anything you can do to ease new graduate vets’ transition from studies to practice has huge benefits. I heard some companies are afraid of investing in their employees, as they are concerned they might leave and don’t see the value of their investment in that person. What I think is even worse is if that employee stays and you have not invested in their personal growth.
Simple structure
If we are talking about a clinical knowledge mentoring programme, it can be simple structure. The first and simplest step is a buddy system: team them up with someone experienced who can show them the ropes, and who they can go to for advice and support. Getting them to shadow their mentor for a couple of weeks before throwing them in the deep end is completely worth the money and resources invested.
The second step up would be a buddy system combined with a structured learning programme. This may be developed and run in house. At our hospital we have a programme called the “Accelerate Programme”. It is a 13-week course, each week focuses on a different topic, such as IV fluids endocrine emergencies and ultrasound. All new vets go through the programme.
Courses
The topics have associated readings with questions based on the readings. At the end of the programme is an exam. The readings started simple, we used review articles and textbook chapters – over time this developed into course notes written by graduates of the course. These graduates mentor new vets in the hospital and facilitate the programme.
Numerous online and externally run courses can be used if there is no capacity to run an internally driving course.
For me, mentoring goes beyond talking about clinical advice. As employers, we need to start creating career pathways for our teams; without a vision of what is possible for them they do not have a clue about how they can further contribute and what opportunities are available.
Pathway
The third step after a buddy system and a structured clinical learning programme is a pathway or mentoring associated with career progression. This is after the new staff member is completely competent in all the systems and processes, they are the right fit (this means they understand what they need to do, want to actually do it, have the capacity to do it, and fit the team and culture). From junior to senior, to coordinator or manager, show them what the pathway is, what they need to do and what they need to demonstrate to achieve that. If they are the right person they will do it.
The more we invest in mentoring and coaching our teams to their full potential, the more we benefit from increased productivity, loyalty, commitment and engagement. This boosts team morale, and means empowered and effective team members stay for the long run. A mentorship programme might be the best Christmas present you could give your staff.
Christmas is almost here, which means a much-awaited and deeply longed-for break from the 9 to 5 pattern of university life. The holiday period for Bristol students is starting a little later than normal this year, so, naturally, my friends and I are counting down the days until we get to retreat to the festive comforts of home.
This is my second Christmas coming home from uni and I remember the same time last year being quite a culture shock; the jump from student accommodation and rationed toilet paper to a house that is too hot – though you never believed there could be such a thing – and surprises in the form of presents rather than re-timetabled lectures and unexpected
deadlines.
Post-Christmas examinations
“It’s important to engage with whatever holiday traditions your family takes part in, and not lock yourself away behind your bedroom door with only text books and highlighters for company.”
Over it all, though, loom the post-Christmas examinations, which can’t help but make the season a little less jolly.
This is when all students must learn to juggle enjoying the well-earned rest and respite as well as finding time to work, a skill that vet students will likely have to draw on for the rest of their careers.
The task is not an easy one – ever since GCSEs kept me inside, revising on sunny summer days, post-holiday exams have been a bane of mine. It can also feel quite unjust and confusing when your university and lecturers both tell you to “have a relaxing holiday” and “take some time off”, but still expect the same quality of work you’ve been producing all term.
The same demand is made of most students, veterinary or otherwise, but for those who are also trying to fit two weeks of work experience into the bargain – such as my, perhaps foolish, self – the challenge and strain on time management become greater.
Staying motivated
Treading the line between work and play can be a daunting prospect, especially at a time when all you want to do is kick back and enjoy yourself. Staying motivated is really important. Being back home can feel like living in a whole other world, and it can be easy, especially if you live miles away from your university, to forget exams really do exist and are around the corner. On the other side of the coin, it’s important to engage with whatever holiday traditions your family takes part in, and not lock yourself away behind your bedroom door with only text books and highlighters for company.
Exams aside, and as patronising and impossible as it sounds, it is important to take some down time over the Christmas holidays with your family and friends. Mental health can take a dive during exam periods and working endlessly isn’t healthy. Of course, it’s important to study for those tests, get good grades and be the best that you can be – and if your joy stems from doing that then great.
But, at the same time, if you’re miserable because you have no time to spend with important people or to clock off then what is the point? It’s also important to recognise if you’re not at your best mentally, your capacity to revise is going to be low; so taking breaks isn’t detrimental to your studying, quite the opposite.
I love what I study, so a small break from learning recharges my batteries, but also makes me itch to start learning again. A work-life balance is a part of every course and every career, and it’s important to find something that works for you.
In the previous entry, we started to look at the article “What veterinarians and veterinary students really want“, which named work-life balance as the most important aspect for new graduates. This time we look at the second most important: working in a positive team environment.
“Salary will not keep a young vet in a practice with a negative culture,” Landis-Hanna said. “You have to fix the toxicity.”
Fixing a toxic culture is incredibly difficult for someone stepping into a new position. My advice would be, if the culture does not feel right, you have to decide to stay and contribute towards cultivating the culture you want or leave. That might seem a bit black and white, and you may feel you have no choice, but ultimately you do. If you stay and are not mentally prepared for the upcoming challenge it can sour your taste of this great profession of ours.
Stay or go?
I have friends who stayed in workplaces with an unsupportive, negative culture and it has ruined their first impression – they did not leave quick enough. If you decide to stay then give yourself a deadline and start to take action.
If you are a current employee and find yourself in a similar situation, you have the same two choices. If you are the employer and have high rates of staff turnover, stop and reflect, it might be you.
So, you decide to stay. The first thing you have to understand is the only thing you can control is your own attitude and actions. This is the most important part, you control your responses and your actions, so start to demonstrate the things you want to cultivate. Mahatma Gandhi said: “You need to be the change that you wish to see in the world.”
What to do
Control your attitude. This applies now, your words and actions are what you control, but they are external manifestations of what you think. Shift your mindset by focusing on the good, finding humour in bad situations, turn failures into lessons, focus on the present, stop the negative self-talk “I am not good at this” to “I am not good at this yet”.
Providing positive reinforcement to your work mates. This can feel uncomfortable if you are a new team member, but acknowledge them for their specific actions that impress you.
Spread happiness. This can be as simple as smiling and saying hello, and genuinely acknowledging people. Finding humour in situations, I find, helps dramatically.
Celebrate the wins. This applies to more than just your own. Celebrate your team members’ wins, celebrate them as a team. If a client gives you chocolates, take them out the back and share them with the team, as they helped contribute to your win.
Motivate and support your team. If there is something a team member has not done, support them or show them how. Everyone wants to feel they are learning and progressing, so encourage them and facilitate growth.
Gratitude is one of the most powerful ways we can change our perspective on life. When you feel thankful, grateful and content you will feel more satisfied with what you have in life.
Kindness. Demonstrate acts of kindness within your team – do something someone else would not expect you to do, or offer to help with something.
No ‘smack talk’
At the hospital we have a rule of “no smack talk” – basically, this means if you would not say something directly to a colleague or pet owner then do not say it at all. It has changed our team culture dramatically as we have eliminated negative talk, which I believe is a real problem in workplaces. Negative talk spreads, and can affect everyone and their performance. It isn’t easy to achieve and it takes time; however, as a team, we are much stronger and positive as a result.
Ultimately, what is important is that your first position is in a positive and supportive environment. Set yourself, your career, up for success – if you feel the culture does not fit with you, make a choice: stay or go.
I read an article on “What Veterinarians and veterinary students really want” and the top three things wanted from a veterinary role were work-life balance, positive team environment and mentorship. Over the next three weeks I want to explore these three topics and offer my perspective on how to achieve them.
For someone who often works 36 hours in 2 days, finding balance in my life is something I have to work on.
The first thing I thought of was what does work-life balance mean? I get asked about this all the time as I have numerous responsibilities in and outside of the hospital and people want to know what work-life balance is for me.
Looking inside
The first thing that comes to mind is, I am a big believer in looking inside before looking outside. We can look at other people’s lives, their decisions and actions, and judge them as being busy with no balance. What we are doing is applying our values, our criteria of what it looks like, what we like and want on others. No one-size-fits-all exists when it comes to work-life balance, often what works for someone may be the opposite for someone else.
Firstly, look inside at what does work-life balance mean for you. Ask yourself:
What are the important areas of my life? Work, family, friends, health/exercise, travel, and so on.
What would a successful outcome look, feel or sound like for me in those areas? Is seeing my family once a fortnight, catching up with friends once a month, but seeing my closest friend weekly and exercising three times a week a successful outcome for you?
What are the expectations of those most important to you and have you communicated your expectations? What do your partner, family and friends want or need from you and what do you need from them? If there is a mutual understanding and agreement of expectations then conflict is less likely.
Have you scheduled things important for you? Have you made time for family, friends, your health and well-being? Is your work really work?
Can you align your passions/wants/expectations with your work?
Work as part of life
I have a very hectic schedule, but I do my best to align myself with my tasks and responsibilities. I have a passion for learning and teaching, so I look for ways to do that in the hospital. If I am tasked with something I am not so enthusiastic about, but have to do, I look for the “gifts” in the task; I look for reasons why it aligns with me – what I can get out of it? What opportunities it can create? What are the impacts of actions I take?
I am not saying you should work more hours and be happy about it, but sometimes we forget the good things about what we get paid to do. I work weekends in the hospital and my shifts can vary between 12 and 20 hours – those important to me know this is the case, they have no expectations of me on the weekends, and during those 20 hours I have numerous opportunities to fine tune my skills, learn, teach, connect, give love, contribute, have an impact and have fun.
To me, work is a part of my life. I understand what work-life balance is for me. To make things easier for yourself and everyone around you, look inside at what work-life balance means for you, be clear about it, write it down, communicate it and take action on it.
Next week, I will look at achieving a positive team environment.
By the time we reach university, veterinary students already have a distinct advantage over the majority of the student population – in that we know what we want to do.
Certainty over my future career, although perhaps a slight cliché, has always been the envy of my friends.
When it came to the dreaded A-level decision making all those years ago, for me it was never really a decision. I knew I wanted to be a vet. Nay, I was going to be a vet – and if I was going to be a vet, I was going to have to study chemistry and biology. No argument about it.
Stereotypical
I selected English as my third subject and, thinking about it, it was perhaps my only choice. I did love the sciences, but they weren’t ever up for debate; they were an inevitability – a compulsory stepping stone I was happy to oblige if it got me to the career I’d dreamed about ever since I was six years old, playing with my toy animals along to scenes in David Attenborough’s The Blue Planet.
I’m well aware I’m a stereotype. Although I’ve had some people question my unerring enthusiasm, I’ve always been grateful for it.
I’ve never had the struggle of picking out A-levels, or even a degree, without a true indication of what I wanted to do with those qualifications. To me, that seems daunting and terrifying. I don’t envy my friends who are still battling with these life-defining decisions.
Infinite choices
“The career I’d dreamed about ever since I was six years old, playing with my toy animals along to scenes in David Attenborough’s The Blue Planet.”
A stereotype I may be, but I know I’m not the rule when it comes to vets. Some of my course mates only decided it was for them halfway through sixth form and had to scramble for last minute work experience – I don’t envy them either.
When I say I know what I want to do… I may be exaggerating just a tad. In truth, the job first year students have in mind is rarely the career goal they set off with after graduation day.
It’s also not an overstatement to say the possibilities for us as vet students are almost infinite. I thought for a long time I wanted to work as a vet in the army, fresh out of university, but I’m not so sure any more.
All creatures…
I’m in love with animals of all sizes, but mixed practices are rare. I also have a real passion for exotic species and a desire to travel, but this area of the profession is extremely competitive and more of a lifestyle choice than a job.
That being said, there’s nothing to say I can’t do it all at some point in my life. Even if I start out in an ordinary small animal practice, there’s nothing ordinary about it. I’ll be taking on the role of dentist, surgeon and GP – all in one.
In all honesty, there really is no rush for me, or any of my course mates, to decide. The length of our course can be seen as both a blessing and a curse, but it certainly does grant us the gift of time to figure out which direction we want to point ourselves in.
Without a clue
Even if we graduate and are still a little uncertain, that’s okay, too.
Who really knows what we’re going to enjoy and thrive at until we actually get out there and start doing it? Even the most mature students in my year are going to graduate with their whole lives ahead of them – and there’s nothing wrong with taking advantage of that and figuring it all out as you go.
As long as you have fun getting there – wherever there may be – who cares how long it takes you?
One of the most exciting and yet terrifying things about being a veterinary student is the fact there is always more to know. You can be the best student and even the best vet in the world, but you can never know everything – it’s simply impossible.
I’m in the second year of my course and I’m still getting to grips with this fact; and I know it’s something a lot of other vet students struggle with too.
I think it’s completely understandable; every step towards getting into vet school is incredibly competitive: from day one we’re taught to push ourselves, branch out from our A-levels and be as knowledgeable as possible to stand out from the crowd. It’s only natural we follow this desire to learn and keep learning as we enter the course.
Know-it-all
But it’s important to realise you don’t need to know everything, while also acknowledging learning all the anatomy, physiology and biochemistry available won’t make you the best vet – or even a good one.
Of course, it’s vital you know your stuff (your clients put their trust in both you and your medical knowledge), but when people are trusting you with their animals – whether they are their best friends or livelihoods – they’re not expecting you to be a human encyclopedia.
No, they’re expecting another human being across that examination table; they’re expecting communication, a calm, professional confidence and a reassuring, friendly face in those moments that matter most.
Not by rote
GCSEs and A-levels train us to memorise textbooks like our lives depend on it, but that’s just not feasible when you get to university. In secondary school you’re lucky enough to have a set curriculum and a finite number of facts to learn. We no longer have that luxury, but it doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
The fact there’s always more to discover, that I can never stop growing and improving – I find it amazingly exciting. Daunting, yes, but exciting nonetheless.
I’ve been volunteering at my local veterinary surgery for more than five years and I’ve seen all the staff, including the head vet, refer back to their textbooks on a regular basis – textbooks they bought and studied with all the way back in their first years of university.
Collective intelligence
At the end of the day, medical practitioners are only human; they have strengths and weaknesses. However, one of the key attributes of a good vet isn’t knowing it all, but applying existing knowledge to any situation that might present itself.
Our lecturers are constantly encouraging us to help each other through this course and to share our strengths with others. Working as an intellectual collective is a talent that carries through to general practice.
When I see my local vets duck out of the consult room to confer with their colleagues I don’t lose confidence in them; in fact, quite the opposite. Having the confidence to admit when you’re out of your depth is an invaluable skill and the sign of a true professional.
The announcement of a corporate veterinary group’s collaboration with the new Keele University/Harper Adams veterinary school struck a few chords, and seemingly opened a figurative can of worms that (like their literal parasitic counterparts) just doesn’t sit well in my gut.
A few points to consider here, the first of which I have written about before, although not about this particular arrival on the vet school scene.
More vet schools needed?
Do we need more vet schools? The short answer, in my opinion, is no. The employment crisis in the veterinary industry as it stands is multi-faceted – pluck a reason out of the air and it almost certainly has some impact on why practices are begging for vets:
compassion fatigue
poor working conditions
work-life balance
salary
lack of long-term prospects
Brexit
client pressure
under-supported young vets
I could talk about any one of these reasons at length (and have done), but, for the purposes of discussing the above gem of veterinary news, I will focus on the last point: support for new graduates or young vets.
Some practices are excellent at providing a nurturing environment for young vets, but many are not and often not through any fault other than lack of staff.
This lack of support leads to high stress levels, young vets becoming fed up and looking elsewhere for a different career that provides them with the mental stimulation they desire, but with better support, hours and pay to go with it – thus the vicious cycle of extremely talented young people leaving the profession after a few years begins.
Problem solver?
Will opening more vet schools help the staffing problem? No. It is a short-sighted, temporary solution to fill a gap nobody seems to be able to plug. But the more graduates that accept jobs from practices who ideally wanted an experienced vet and can’t source one, the worse the retention problem will become. It is unfair on both parties to take on a new grad if a practice does not have the resources to sufficiently train and help them through their first few years.
To solve the retention problem, the profession needs to improve working conditions and encourage vets to stay, not just find more avenues to farm out new grads to try and bridge the gap.
Are corporates good for the profession?
I could (and probably will) discuss corporates at great length, but there is no clear answer for them being good for the profession. Having been stung with the sore end of the corporate tail once before, I’m inclined to say no, but that would be based on my experience of one particular practice. Conversely, I have colleagues who work for corporate practices that seem to be very well run and provide a great environment for learning.
My opinion is not fact and, to keep it short and sweet, is summarised below:
The idea behind corporate practices is often well meaning, but does not always work when put into practice. For example, the graduate schemes sound great, but only work if they are implemented correctly on an individual practice level.
Some corporates are extortionately priced compared to independents – there is a fine line between charging appropriately and taking the biscuit. This is likely exaggerated because many independents have been selling themselves short for years; however, it is not okay to triple prices in a week when an independent practice is taken over. All it does is feed the myth that vets are only in it for the money.
Long-established corporately owned practices seem to have better client satisfaction than practices newly acquired under a corporate brand as the shock of takeover, staff changes and price increases are long gone.
Corporates aim to provide better working hours (a four-day week, for example) and flexible working patterns, but, again, this varies on an individual basis.
The hand of many partners in independent practice has been forced as the profession continues to change. Young people do not have the disposable cash to buy into partnerships, as was the tradition. Corporates have taken advantage of this by buying out those wishing to retire without any new blood coming through.
Corporate practices can vary wildly even within the same group – much of it comes down to the individual practice, as with independents. As much as corporates offer many benefits with their nice shiny contracts, many independents match or better these. Likewise, an independent or corporate practice can be an equally catastrophic place to work in if managed badly at the practice level.
Now, to the elephant in the room…
Should a corporate group be running a vet school hospital?
Is a corporate running a vet school hospital any different from the outsourced rotation format of the other newest veterinary schools – Nottingham and Surrey – whereby they have no on-site university clinic, but rotations are undertaken in nearby hospitals?
The concern with new veterinary schools popping up and proposing this sort of final-year teaching is the associated practices are then less available to provide EMS placements for local students. The purpose-built corporate hospital that is to be partnered with the new veterinary school avoids this particular hurdle in part, at least (there’s no mention of an equine hospital or farm clinic), but is it still a good idea?
Remaining impartial
It comes down to whether the corporate presence is going to be ingrained into the teaching. Will the graduate scheme offered by the group be heavily recommended? Would the business structure and branded drugs be taught to the students?
At university, we were always told to learn drugs not brand names to remain impartial. Would that impartiality be maintained appropriately in a hospital that uses own-branded drugs and whose bigwig advisory boards dictate which products should and shouldn’t be offered?
Encouraging research into all available treatment and diagnostic options is a key aspect of learning and practising evidence-based medicine on rotations.
Familiarity breeds
Even if no direct corporate emphasis exists, surely the undercurrent is going to sway the students into applying for jobs in sister practices under a graduate scheme.
As a new grad, you are bewildered by everything and getting a heads-up on even the smallest of obstacles can make a huge different to your day in the first few weeks. Therefore, simple things, such as the practice management system used in every practice the group owns, may be enough to sway the decision between accepting one of two jobs, simply because using a system you’ve gotten used to on rotations will make your life that bit easier during day-to-day practice.
Conclusion
It remains to been seen if a corporate partnership with the new vet school will be a success for the students under their care and the profession as a whole, and I’ll withhold judgement for now.
However, with predictions corporate takeover will saturate at 70% of practices in the profession, it is undeniable the veterinary landscape is moving further adrift from its once independent roots as the corporate giants continue to tighten their grip.
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.
It’s very daunting standing in your first consult as a real, qualified vet – even if it is “just a vaccine”, which invariably turns into “actually, this has happened“, or “now you mention it“, and so on.
But why is it we have that constant feeling of being on edge – more so than a few months previously, when we were still students?
A noticeable shift certainly occurs to being an actual vet, rather than someone who always has a supervisor to have the final say, or take the brunt of the backlash of a mistake.
However, is it the accountability or the responsibility worrying us the most?
Pressing concern
Mistakes are inevitable, but rarely catastrophic. IMAGE: pathdoc/Fotolia.
As soon as we swear the oath enabling us to register as veterinary surgeons in the UK on graduation day, we become accountable to the RCVS.
In the past year, I have witnessed more than one speech telling us a) not to be scared of the college, and b) not nearly as many complaints, disciplinaries or registration removals occur as we think.
Exact figures aside, the take-home message has been: if you don’t knowingly do anything wrong or illegal, the likelihood of serious consequences is very low. You can’t get struck off for making a simple mistake.
The veterinary press, however, seems to over-represent those who are struck off or reprimanded; after all, you never hear about how many vets were not struck off this month or doing their jobs as they should.
Perhaps this is where the unease stems from? And why the RCVS seems so keen to tell us these individuals convicted of misconduct are a very small minority of the profession?
Are new grads really scared of the RCVS?
Talking to my colleagues, the general feeling is we understand we won’t get struck off for making a mistake. However, if the fear has anything to do with our regulatory body, it’s more the confidence knock we would have as a consequence of having a complaint against us made to it.
Of course, an element of worry surrounds being banned from practising as a vet, but I don’t think I would rank it top of the “things to be afraid of as a new graduate” list.
Instead, in that list, I think responsibility carries a greater weight. As students, we were always supervised and, ultimately, the fate of an animal’s life never truly rested in our hands. Any decisions we made were either backed up or steered in the right direction by clinicians.
Now, it’s down to us. Yes – other, more experienced colleagues should be in each practice with whom to discuss cases or reaffirm decisions, but when it comes to the consult room, you’re on your own.
Experience is king
Jordan, pictured during her final-year rotations.
What if I miss a heart murmur? What if miss signs of glaucoma, a pyometra or a lump? The list goes on. What if I could have done more investigations earlier? What if I misdiagnose something and prolong pain because I didn’t prescribe the right treatment first time?
These questions going on in our heads, coupled with a niggling feeling we have forgotten something or misread a dose, are the root of the fear. I believe this is what scares us, more so than the RCVS.
The animals – and us inherently wanting to do our best for them – makes us worry. We worry our lack of experience could be at the expense of an animal’s health – or even their life.
The only way to get past this is to gain that experience to have confidence in our decisions and learn from the mistakes we will, undoubtedly, make.
My mum said to me this week: “This is the only time you’re ever going to feel like this,” and she’s right. (But don’t tell her I said that). Even if we start a new job in the future, we will have a lot more experience under our belts, so shouldn’t, in theory, feel as lost or scared as we do now.
Being a new graduate vet is a unique position for a myriad of reasons and we need to embrace it. The fear that comes with this newly found responsibility will ease with time, and we can take our careers in whichever direction we choose.
I have friends who stayed in workplaces with an unsupportive, negative culture and it has ruined their first impression – they did not leave quick enough. If you decide to stay then give yourself a deadline and start to take action.
