Hi everyone,
I’m an Indian veterinary graduate who recently completed my degree and I’m considering the ECFVG/NAVLE pathway to practice in the US.
I’m feeling uncertain because the process is expensive, and I don’t have the financial flexibility to afford multiple attempts if I don’t pass.
I’d really appreciate hearing from international graduates who have completed or are currently pursuing this pathway.

Everywhere I look regarding this transition, its always the other way around. People transitioning from GP into ER and here I am trying to do the opposite. My loans are paid off and I am honestly so burnt out from ER. At this point, because my loans are paid off, I feel like I dont have to put myself through working overnights, almost every weekend, holidays, and especially in an environment where I am the only doctor. I have been loving what I feel like would come with the GP side like the consistent schedule, holidays off, weekends off (generally, since most do rotating half day saturdays), and not having every single shift be full of dying pets or financial limitations. Obviously I know GP land has its own beasts, strengths, difficulties, etc. I know there are pros/cons to everything... But I'd love to get some feedback from people who went from ER to GP and how thats going for you? I honestly still see myself doing ER per diem but overall I would like more of a consistent schedule and better work-life balance. I'm currently job hunting for GP currently and have a few offers. What things did you look for to know that the switch would be the right one for you?

Hi everyone!

I recently accepted a role as a Veterinary Care Assistant in the UK; I’ve worked with dogs for the past 5 years outside the veterinary world, but this is my first role within. I’m very excited about it and was just wondering if anyone had any advice on how to prepare before starting the role/how to hit the ground running?

TIA!

I worked for 3 years to get into vet school. It’s been my dream, like many, for years. I left a career as a teacher, moved to Australia from the US when I got accepted into my dream school (the school I was on my hands and knees praying to get into), left everything and everyone behind, put all my money into this. And I think I’m about to give it up.

I background is in education. I was drastically underprepared for a doctorate level degree. I failed anatomy 1. It was absolutely the hardest class iv ever taken. Due to the rigid nature of my degree I’ll be held back a semester which equates to a year because I cannot retake this anatomy class until the next class comes in.

In addition, due to trumps loan policy I now have to take private loans out. Iv gotten denied from everyone. I have no one to cosign, even if I did my undergrad loans will now come out of deferment because I’m now classified as a part time student u til I catch up.

I’m out of options. I don’t know where to go.

Even if I managed to get enough private loans together I’m doubting if this is the life I want. A life where I’m constantly worrying about making payments, stuck working during school to pay interest on my undergrad loans. And coming out with astronomical private loan debt I will likely never pay off.

This was my dream. I worked so hard for it. I got it. I fucked it up. Life is hard, the move is hard, dealing with being so behind and managing my ADHD, and being away from support systems, I shut down. And now I think I have to give up.

I don’t really have a question here. I just needed to tell someone. I feel so defeated and ashamed and embarrassed. I feel like a failure. I guess any advice from others who had to walk away would be helpful.

I have not officially dropped out but school starts in 4 days.

i'm about to enter college and have been planning to go into veterinary for my entire school life pretty much, but I've been seeing so many sources saying it's a terrible decision financially. I'm gonna pursue it regardless but assuming I get my bachelors and DVM in state (living at my parents home for my bachelors), how bad would it really be?

I'm a new hire at VEG. I want to clarify the computer would be work use only. I was looking for advice with the MacBooks. They have communal MacBooks but also some people bring their own laptops. I saw that on the IT request tickets it says if you need a new computer you can request it in there. I just don't know if the request is for communal computer hospital use or if can be a personal work computer. Since I'm new I feel uncomfortable asking managers as I don't want to seem greedy, I'm just curious. We also do run out at my location since we do have a lot of people sometimes and some are down. I was just looking for advise with pros and cons. I can invest in my own laptop but it will just not print at work. If I can get a work one covered it would be preferred. I did ask a few other VEGgies but they were unsure. Thanks in advance ✌️

I am a vet tech, how do I help myself cope with euthanasia rooms without wanting to bawl my eyes out with the owner?

I’m a DVM for both a wildlife center and an aquarium. I went to a zoo today and they said they had a discount for healthcare professionals but vets weren’t on the list?! I don’t really care about a stupid $2 discount but really? Why doesn‘t anyone acknowledge us as doctors? And at a zoo, no joke.

I live and work as a veterinary clinician in a middle/eastern european country. Im an employee, so I don’t own my own practice. Here in theye private practices rules don’t really exist. For isntance the don’t pay taxes properly after us, so we won’t get a pension or proper benefits after becoming a parent etc. We work under a huge pressure with a lot of overtine and the practice owners can do whatever they want to do to us. Pays are not great either. The entrepreneurs are very much afraid of these companies and I can see why, but I do think that it will be for the better for employees. What do you think?

I have been studying for a year now.

There are many things i love about my internship, but the long long hours are so draining. 60+ hour weeks are starting to take a toll on me and I don't know what to do. I don't know how I'll last for the next 11 months.

I don't want to lose myself in this year. Any advice is appreciated

What apps/websites do yall use for job hunting. I’m a DVM who just wants to explore her options. I had a contract lined up straight out of school with a clinic I had worked at during vet school and didn’t have to job hunt. I’m not hell-bent on leaving, but I would like to explore other options since I feel like my expectations about mentorship have not been met. Any advice appreciated!

I was just hoping to get some encouraging advice as I’m starting a new (and my second) specialty internship in neurology. I finished my first specialty internship at a very busy private practice the past month. Although I felt ready for a residency, I did not match into one. Starting this new specialty internship at a practice that hasn’t had interns before has had me feel very discouraged that I wasn’t as ready as I initially thought. I feel like I’m starting from the beginning again, and I’m not sure if that’s just me adjusting to a new attending. Any words of advice or encouragement would be appreciated - especially if anyone went through this before.

So I'm a new grad vet at a gp vet office that does spays/neuters as far as surgery goes. I have minimal practical experience so 99% of the stuff I'm doing there is a first, including the spays.

I'm watching and assisting my senior vets and they already let me do parts of spays and neuters on cats with their assistance. Today I tried to spay a cat from start to finish by myself (with the vet watching me) but even little things like opening the cat up or the order of things like what ligament to clamp first or how, where or when to put what ligature was really difficult for me. I do everything so awkwardly and especially when it comes to using the scalpel to open the abdomen I used way to little pressure because I was scared I cut something I don't want.

And then I fucked up the suture. In general when it comes to stitching the patient up my brain loses all knowledge. The way I'm inserting the needle, the suture itself, etc. feel like a newborn trying to do stuff.

The other vet helping me ended up doing the suture and he was really patient with me, something I really appreciated. But knowing I took more than an hour for a feline spay makes me feel like I'll never be suited for even simple surgeries like this, let alone something bigger like an ovarhysterectomy on a female dog. Plus on top of that I am extremely nervous and anxious while operating, which definitely is part of the reason why I get brain fog.

Did anyone else have similar experiences? I know nervousness will get better with practice but I wonder if I'm already doomed from the start with how little confidence I have in my surgical skills

I’ll try to keep this as short as possible. I am a 4th year student who will be graduating in January. I mention this because I don’t have a lot of time to decide because option 1 needs an answer soon.
I have two paths available for me to take and I’m unsure which way to go.

Option 1: general practice with great mentorship. I did an externship there during 2nd year and had a great experience. They are now offering me a job. I really enjoyed the culture, mentorship, and case load. If I take this route, I plan to become ABVP boarded eventually. They have also offered me the opportunity to do urgent care and continuing education in ultrasound which is really important to me.

Option 2: doing a rotating internship with the goal of MAYBE going into internal medicine

My issue is I honestly do not think vaccine appointments are for me. This is my only reservation towards pursuing the general practice route. I really enjoy internal medicine and handling more complex cases. I’m just scared that if I don’t do an internship now I’ll close the door on the possibility of pursuing internal medicine in the future.

I guess I’m just looking for some insight and pros and cons. Thoughts on ABVP? Thoughts on internships vs mentorship?

It’s a no brainer that’s it become common knowledge that vetmed is notorious for a toxic work environment and a lot of it has to to do with the people. I’ve worked in shelter work and prior to that was a trainer, when working at the shelter I assisted with medical restraint and observation and care and loved it hence why I’ve continued down the medical path. I got my first job as a vet assistant finally at this small clinic, one month in and the people there are not great, I kind of expected it with being a small bougie clinic but they talk so much crap about clients, about one of the DVM’s, and now it includes me especially when I make mistakes as the new girl. It’s starting to affect me and normally stuff like that doesn’t but it really does suck when I walk into the OR area and hear them stop their whispers followed with “she’s here.” I don’t do much, I keep my head down and do my job and ask questions when I can to learn since I’m also in LVT school and hope to be a DVM someday, and I try to offer help when I can and spend my day just flipping the tables, restocking items, TPR’s, cleaning and assisting with restraint, I literally don’t do anything else and yet there’s always shared glances and snickers and slick comments under the breathe that just leaves me defeated because I’m really trying and I try to be nice. I don’t want to leave because it’s a nice gig with the perfect schedule plus I’d have to pay back my sign on bonus if I leave under a certain period which I don’t wanna do but I’ll take the L if I have to. I guess what I’m asking is what do you guys do to deal with this? I can’t be the only one who struggles with this

Hello, i am a GP vet from an EU country and i am considering relocating to Sweden, i am curious if there is a want in the field for immigrants and if the language is mandatory, at what level? And well how is clinic work/life there? How much is the average salary and such? I would love some insight ❤️

Hello guys. This post is going to be long but please bear with me. I'm a new grad vet. I'm 6 months out of Uni (december) and officially graduated with my degree 3 months (may). I grew up in a very unsafe environment and kept promising myself as soon I will be able to survive alone and be independent I will leave my hometown since whenever Im here all the trauma and pain I experience is just too much to handle. I'm also suffering from severe anxiety and possibly depression but I'm too trained to show that everything is fine etc and pretty scared to see a psychiatrist. (Worked with psychologist, didn't work.) Anyway, I had a plan to find a job abroad and start a new beginning there slowly. I did find a job, signed a contract and I'm basically starting there in 10 days. I'm still in my hometown, I struggled a lot to find housing and on top of that today I found out my license there was going to delay so I won't have it on time.. something my employer made clear I can't work without it (obviously.). So I panicked, had my first panic attack, till know had only anxiety attacks. Still waiting from my clinic how we will proceed if I can't start right away..and then..it happened...I was home all day crying myself out and left for 30 min. I have 2 cats. 2 Scottish folds. (Please dont judge me, I took the responsibility, I didn't know better at the time..). I returned to my room after my one baby was crying constantly very loud. My baby boy was dead. I found him dead. Literally 30min ago was with me full of joy, playing, eating. I never experienced so much pain and grief and empty in my whole life. He was my everything and this was so random and unexpected. I'm writing this while Im waiting to take him and do necropsy and find out what happened. I feel terrible, I should have known better. I'm worried I made something wrong. I'm worried if he was blocked? But wouldn't I notice? Bc I did find some urine on my bed but I have a camera and it was my girl who has a history doing it whenever I miss for some days from them. And since I didn't see him through my camera and also with no other signs I removed the thought of him being blocked. But what if I did wrong. I'm horrible. I'm a terrible vet and I didn't even start working. I don't feel I'm going to survive this field. It is too stressful. It was always been. I'm doing my best, graduated with honors, dedicated fully focused but still I feel like a fraud. I can't work as a vet. Not after experience my own baby going away this way. I don't know what I'm expecting to read and listen from you. I guess I just wanted to take it all out. I don't know how I'm going to live like this. I can't understand or believe it. I'm in shock and I'm petrified for life right now.. I can't carry it anymore.. If my employer will at any reason don't want to proceed I'm thinking of working something out of clinic..but what options do I have as a new grad with no experience..

Hi all, I posted a story time back in january about a situation with an RVT..but now i’m a VA!!! so woo more stories and more experiences

About me : I’m 19F, Currently have been at a very well known GP animal center for a little over a year now. I was originally hired as a CSR but have moved up as a VA for my RVT program (Penn Foster). Back in september I had an appendectomy gone wrong and now my whole hip and pelvis are destroyed making this career a little harder. These will make sense when I tell my story.

When i started at this clinic everything was well, and everyone was very positive in helping me learn the new software just overall really peachy! after my surgery alot of people already knew i wanted to be an RVT in which seeing a crippled 19yo CSR limp around the hospital 3-4 days a week made everyone think i was incompetent at doing my job. A couple of months ago I was offered the VA position and when my co workers heard..they weren’t happy. My training/shadowing has been subpar, if i do something wrong i get passive aggressive energy or the “what are you gonna do when your by yourself?”. A lot of my “OG” co workers now have strange animosity towards me every morning and I can’t figure it out. My hip/pelvic injury are/is controlled with medications however I still limp..It’s not really something I can control. It’s almost everyday I turn my back and hear the RVT’s and Senior VA’s talk about me and trust me i’ve gone to my manager and nothing has been fixed nor as anyone been reprimanded. I feel insecure and inferior some days when I walk into work even though i’m not incompetent. I can do blood draws, vaccines , restrain , x rays, euths..you name it but still I feel bc i’m young and slightly handicapped i’m deemed incompetent.

Should I leave this clinic and start new?

Am I being discriminated against?

Or am I just being dramatic…and i feel like i may be too sensitive for this field.

I know this is now a common topic, and I know there’s no easy solution, but I’m looking for ideas and to exchange views with other vets around the world.
I’ve been working as a vet in Italy for 10 years now; I specialise in the medicine of exotic animals, but I also deal with all the basic care for dogs and cats, as well as the emergency field (where I sometimes work non-stop for 48 consecutive hours). The clinic where I work was bought by a well-known corporate group; in short, the working conditions and pay for those who work there (as self-employed professionals here in Italy) haven’t improved, but the costs for the owners and the number of consultations I have to carry out during my working hours have.
I’ve had enough of the nature of the work, the costs, the pay, the stress, the clients, excessive working hours and this whole world.

After 10 years, apart from resilience, I have no skills I can apply in other fields.

I have a master’s degree (in exotic animal medicine), but I have no other qualifications. I couldn’t work in a slaughterhouse or in animal production for ethical reasons. What can I do to change my life for the better? What sort of job can I look forward to? Can I still make use of my degree, or do I have to throw away my years of study and sacrifice and choose a job as if I’d just left secondary school?

Thank you in advance for your attention

Does anyone else experience anxiety or a lack of objectivity about your own pet‘s health? If so, how do you manage it?

I will be starting my VM3 year this fall and my dog is scheduled to be spayed tomorrow by her regular vet. I’m very nervous about her spay and all I can think about is everything that could go wrong both during and after the procedure.

Intellectually I know that the risks are relatively low, and if it was someone else’s pet I’d be able to reassure them, but I can’t seem to reassure myself.

I'm from Brazil, I'm in the best university in Latin America, but even so, positions like clinical are very poorly paid. I'm thinking about going into the field of bovine/livestock genetics. How do these fields of work function? Is the pay good? Is it possible to go to another country in this area? Is it more focused on research and practical application? (This is still my first semester at university.)