Class of 2024... how you doin?

[battie]

because it was all about practice ownership

Thats BS. Should've been a class on how to manage yourself as an associate as thats the most likely fate for the majority of the class -_- #neverwantmyownbusiness

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[supershorty]

Thats BS. Should've been a class on how to manage yourself as an associate as thats the most likely fate for the majority of the class -_- #neverwantmyownbusiness

It was a giant waste of time and I recall skewering it on course evals 😂

 

[KCgophervet]

It was a giant waste of time and I recall skewering it on course evals 😂

you're not the first to have done so...

 

[supershorty]

you're not the first to have done so...

And yet, it persists from year to year...

 

[britzen]

You can 100% do this!! When I was a first year there were a ton of us who would just leave a blanket at our seat because it was always freezing. The downfall after first year though is that you have to carry it around with you because we can't leave things in the upstairs classrooms since they get used so much for other things but in all reality there will be no judgement if you do this. We would snack all the time too, but I feel like that will probably change since masks are required again

Fam, just leave your blanket in the closet where your mailbox is. No need to take it with you everyday

 

[SCML]

Yes! I could type loudly, grab a snack whenever I wanted, run my dogs out to pee, save drive time, and cuddle up in a cozy blanket. All things of the past

I was so worried about being in person!! Zoom lectures were perfect for me too… but like you said, waking up and not having to catch up on 20-30 lectures is NICE lol. I don’t necessarily love being in the class and it is long days but not being behind feels great. You’ll figure out what works for you too just like you did last year!!!

 

[sheltermed]

first day of class for us, rip. we were 100% online last year and are meeting each other for the first time for the most part. not too concerned about school itself, just worried about the social dynamic being weird

 

[mother-of-cats]

Hey guys! I hope everyone is ready for their first week back at school! What externships did you guys do this summer? I'm just looking to add some more potential places to go for next summer!

 

[SparksAndStripes]

Hey guys! I hope everyone is ready for their first week back at school! What externships did you guys do this summer? I'm just looking to add some more potential places to go for next summer!

I’m not ready for my first week back... but I’ve still got 5 more weeks of summer left 😁

Good luck everyone going back this month! One year closer to that degree! You got this.

 

[EngrSC]

Hey guys! I hope everyone is ready for their first week back at school! What externships did you guys do this summer? I'm just looking to add some more potential places to go for next summer!

What type of practices are you looking for? I was at a couple great equine practices this summer, but I know I’m in the minority being an equine tracker

 

[Katalinay]

Hey guys! I hope everyone is ready for their first week back at school! What externships did you guys do this summer? I'm just looking to add some more potential places to go for next summer!

I did the SJP (student job program) with Banfield and it was great!
I also did an externship with Veterinary Emergency Group for two weeks, part of it was amazing and part of it kinda sucked.

 

[WonderingStudent]

Hey guys! I hope everyone is ready for their first week back at school! What externships did you guys do this summer? I'm just looking to add some more potential places to go for next summer!

I worked at a specialty VCA hospital as a Vet Student Summer Associate. It was cool to be able to cycle through the different departments and see interesting cases.

 

[SCML]

I did the SJP (student job program) with Banfield and it was great!
I also did an externship with Veterinary Emergency Group for two weeks, part of it was amazing and part of it kinda sucked.

Do you mind sharing why VEG was good and sucked? I was thinking about applying for one of those!!

 

[Mythical]

Good friend of mine just started working as a VEG tech. My eyes popped out when I saw that VEG covers medical, dental, and vision… for ALL staff. (Just remembered that this discussion is about externships. But still, pretty dang cool that the company is making insurance coverage for its paid staff a priority.)

Is that enough to compensate for being called a VEGgie? (Yes, that is the official VEG term for its staff. It is all over the VEG swag and social media…)

 

[Coopah]

The weird thing about VEG to me is that clients are allowed EVERYWHERE. They get to see everything and there's no privacy. They have awesome benefits sure but I'm not sure you want to hear the screaming your chihuahu makes when I go anywhere near it nevermind rectal it.

 

[vetmedhead]

The weird thing about VEG to me is that clients are allowed EVERYWHERE. They get to see everything and there's no privacy. They have awesome benefits sure but I'm not sure you want to hear the screaming your chihuahu makes when I go anywhere near it nevermind rectal it.

I've heard mixed things about this. Some classmates have told me that it's been awesome and clients seem more understanding about things like wait times and the work you actually put into even relatively simple cases. Others have said that the problem clients seem to feel even more empowered to cause trouble in this setup because they can so easily get in the way/get into things.

 

[battie]

The pay scale for techs at VEG is wild. There's only one in Denver, but if any more open, they're definitely going to get an application from every tech in the area

 

[Trilt]

I've heard mixed things about this. Some classmates have told me that it's been awesome and clients seem more understanding about things like wait times and the work you actually put into even relatively simple cases. Others have said that the problem clients seem to feel even more empowered to cause trouble in this setup because they can so easily get in the way/get into things.

It just mildly grinds my gears.

I'm a really positive, peppy doctor. I rarely get complaints, am pretty darn good at making people feel good about things even when I'm telling them no, pretty generally happy demeanor... I have nothing to hide beyond an occasional exasperated UGHHH about how cheap heartworm prevention is when I see my second caval syndrome of the week.

But it's still a ****ing hospital. You're not allowed in the back of a grocery store, why the hell can you stroll into the back of a medical facility?

If you feel there needs to be a change, I feel like there's a medium between "clients allowed everywhere" and current operating procedures, but they sure seemed to jump right into the deep end with their operation.

With that said, none in my state and a lot of people really seem to like the company, so by all means I'm willing to be convinced otherwise in the future.

 

[Katalinay]

Do you mind sharing why VEG was good and sucked? I was thinking about applying for one of those!!

I had a really great experience with one of the doctors I worked with and a not so great experience with another one. I think this was more a individual thing then a problem with the program. I really liked the way they operated with the clients being there for everything - it's something I thought would never work until I saw it. Some clients are better then others and they are always welcome to step out if they can't handle it. The concept is kinda like you wouldn't take your kid to the ER and let them take them into the back and bring them back, so why would you do that with your dog? I never saw a problem with having to place a muzzle with the clients they all just seemed really understanding and patient - I'm sure there are exceptions. I don't know, I can't imagine operating emergency any other way after seeing the way things just work there. I think it's one of those things you have to see it and be in the environment to understand it.

 

[finnickthedog]

The weird thing about VEG to me is that clients are allowed EVERYWHERE. They get to see everything and there's no privacy. They have awesome benefits sure but I'm not sure you want to hear the screaming your chihuahu makes when I go anywhere near it nevermind rectal it.

There are definitely times when I just don't want to be watched. Especially as a new doctor who sometimes takes an extra minute to examine something that is new to me or ask another doctor a question about a case. I do most of my exams in the room but sometimes I just don't want an audience. And that's not even for emergencies.

So I can't fathom being comfortable with such an open set up.

 

[battie]

There are definitely times when I just don't want to be watched. Especially as a new doctor who sometimes takes an extra minute to examine something that is new to me or ask another doctor a question about a case. I do most of my exams in the room but sometimes I just don't want an audience. And that's not even for emergencies.

So I can't fathom being comfortable with such an open set up.

Last Saturday, I had a 3 pet appointment (1 hour and 20 minutes) where the client showed up on time, but argued for *40 minutes* about seeing me because I had been the recheck doc for her eldest cat's conjunctivitis. She was disturbed that I had asked another doctor for their opinion because I wasn't 100% sure on my opinion. I couldn't imagine having to deal with clients with that mentality watching my every move tomorrow during my first solo shift as an ER doc.

 

[Coopah]

It just mildly grinds my gears.

I'm a really positive, peppy doctor. I rarely get complaints, am pretty darn good at making people feel good about things even when I'm telling them no, pretty generally happy demeanor... I have nothing to hide beyond an occasional exasperated UGHHH about how cheap heartworm prevention is when I see my second caval syndrome of the week.

But it's still a ****ing hospital. You're not allowed in the back of a grocery store, why the hell can you stroll into the back of a medical facility?

If you feel there needs to be a change, I feel like there's a medium between "clients allowed everywhere" and current operating procedures, but they sure seemed to jump right into the deep end with their operation.

With that said, none in my state and a lot of people really seem to like the company, so by all means I'm willing to be convinced otherwise in the future.

Same, I get really good reviews from my clients. But guaranteed I start swearing during surgery or unblocking a cat. But I have done basically everything in front of a client before when I was volunteering at a free clinic and I had a chihuahu scream at me because he was a chihuahu and she didn't want me touching her cat anymore. Makes me nervous. Plus yes I frequently double check with other clinicians at this stage in my career. I don't want people to think of me poorly for ensuring their pets get everything they need. Maybe that'll change by the end of the internship but I doubt it

 

[Doctor-S]

When I bring my cat to the vetties, I'm happy to wait in the front reception area ... because I'm the pet owner.

I trust the vetties are providing my cat with everything she needs in the back medical treatment areas ... because they are my cat's doctors.

Besides, I do NOT want my cat to associate *me* with painful or uncomfortable medical procedures (venipuncture, dental extractions, surgery).

I'm pretty sure my cat would be stressed out or confused if she saw *me* standing in the same medical treatment areas where the vetties are poking her with needles, prodding her sensitive feline anatomy, or restraining her for an invasive procedure. My cat would probably wonder why I'm not "rescuing" her from the scary vetties!

Instead, I want my cat to associate me with our cozy, happy and tranquil home ... and NOT with a busy veterinary clinic filled with noisy medical equipment, strange scents and odors, ringing telephones, scary kennel confinement, unhappy animal sounds, and vetties scurrying around all over the place because the vetties are WORKING hard to ensure my pet feels well, and stays well 'cuz that's what they ARE trained to do.

No worries ... I'll wait patiently in the front reception area ... while the vetties practice best medicine in the private treatment areas.

 

[finnickthedog]

Also on that note, perhaps my memory of childhood is incorrect but I feel like I occasionally did go into rooms without my parents for blood draws, x-rays, and certainly there were times when I was admitted or had surgery that my parents weren't with me the whole time. I know for a fact that when I got stitches my parent passed out in the hallway so I was definitely alone for that.

I'm not necessarily criticizing the open concept itself, but I think presenting the concept in a way that makes it seem like taking pets to the back is a bad thing--as other clinics continue to operate that way--isn't the impression we should be giving to owners?

An open concept is fine and I'm not questioning that it works out for the doctors who work there. Although I'd be uncomfortable, not everyone is me.

I just also don't think there's anything wrong with not having such an open concept either. It also works.

 

[SkiOtter]

Also on that note, perhaps my memory of childhood is incorrect but I feel like I occasionally did go into rooms without my parents for blood draws, x-rays, and certainly there were times when I was admitted or had surgery that my parents weren't with me the whole time. I know for a fact that when I got stitches my parent passed out in the hallway so I was definitely alone for that.

I definitely went in the X-ray room by myself and the dentist. My mom waited in the waiting room at the dentist 🤷🏻‍♀️

 

[EngrSC]

What about the animals that do better away from the owner? One of my dogs is that way and I always mention up front that he needs to be away from me for treatments (even when I was teching and it would’ve been so much more convenient to do things myself). I don’t know that all owners would take kindly to that suggestion

 

[finnickthedog]

What about the animals that do better away from the owner? One of my dogs is that way and I always mention up front that he needs to be away from me for treatments (even when I was teching and it would’ve been so much more convenient to do things myself). I don’t know that all owners would take kindly to that suggestion

For what it's worth when you run into this, I feel like most owners who look nervous about the suggestion of seeing if their animal does better away from them, actually warm up to it when reassured that we're just giving this a try and if their animal seems more stressed rather than less, we're going to come right back.

 

[Viscernable]

My eyes popped out when I saw that VEG covers medical, dental, and vision… for ALL staff.

Is this uncommon is the US?

 

[EngrSC]

Is this uncommon is the US?

Very uncommon. You can get benefits (health, life, dental, vision) from a company when you work full time … but you pay a grip for them out of your pay. When I worked full time in engineering I opted out of benefits (because I was insured through my husband) but my friend at the same company paid ~$300/month for health insurance for herself. It costs even more if you tack on a spouse and kids. And this was at 100,000 employee company.

 

[DVMdreamcometrue]

Very uncommon. You can get benefits (health, life, dental, vision) from a company when you work full time … but you pay a grip for them out of your pay. When I worked full time in engineering I opted out of benefits (because I was insured through my husband) but my friend at the same company paid ~$300/month for health insurance for herself. It costs even more if you tack on a spouse and kids. And this was at 100,000 employee company.

It also depends on what type of coverage you choose. HMO or high deductible plans are usually cheaper, could be less than $100/month.

 

[Katalinay]

I understand the concerns over a hospital running the way VEG does, it's one of those things that seems like it would never work until you're in that setting and watching it work. I did not think it could possibly work - it seemed absolutely insane like a complete mess waiting to happen. But also there's not a lack of privacy I've seen doctors consult with other doctors and the clients aren't there/are in a different location. I think it's something that you have to experience to understand why it works, and you might not like it. I loved it, but it could also be a COVID effect for me. I really liked talking to clients and interacting with them so I don't know.

 

[finnickthedog]

I understand the concerns over a hospital running the way VEG does, it's one of those things that seems like it would never work until you're in that setting and watching it work. I did not think it could possibly work - it seemed absolutely insane like a complete mess waiting to happen. But also there's not a lack of privacy I've seen doctors consult with other doctors and the clients aren't there/are in a different location. I think it's something that you have to experience to understand why it works, and you might not like it. I loved it, but it could also be a COVID effect for me. I really liked talking to clients and interacting with them so I don't know.

I'm not skeptical that it works. I skeptical that it's a model that works for everyone.

As to consulting without the clients present... well okay, but is the animal present? Because the impression I got is that the client can go wherever the animal goes and what I was trying to say is that there are times I want to be examining the animal or showing something on the animal to another doctor but not have the client watching me. If the client can go anywhere the animal goes, this would be a hindrance to me personally--at least at this stage of my career.

At any rate my primary criticism isn't of the concept itself, but of implying to owners that there's something wrong with doctors/clinics that don't want to operate in such an open concept.

 

[SkiOtter]

Also does "stay with pet through all phases of treatment" include surgery?

 

[EngrSC]

Also does "stay with pet through all phases of treatment" include surgery?

I’d be curious to know how they’d get around the liability issues of that one. Or taking rads.

 

[vetmedhead]

Also does "stay with pet through all phases of treatment" include surgery?

Yes, I believe they are allowed to actually watch the surgeries, just not be in the surgery suite itself while it's happening

 

[WonderingStudent]

Also does "stay with pet through all phases of treatment" include surgery?

Some of the VEG hospitals (mostly the ones that they were able to build themselves) have a large window in the surgery suite so theoretically if an owner wanted to watch the surgery they can.

For x-rays, the owner stays outside but once we finish taking them the doctor usually brings them into the room to look at the rads and give their initial thoughts on it.

 

[finnickthedog]

Yes, I believe they are allowed to actually watch the surgeries, just not be in the surgery suite itself while it's happening

Well, that would be a hard pass from me. I'm not down to have an owner watch me perform surgery. God forbid there's a complication, I do not need additional stress.

Granted I know plenty of vets do let owners watch surgery--I certainly watched a few on my own pets back in my shadowing day--but it is not for me.

 

[Corgi_Queen]

Well, that would be a hard pass from me. I'm not down to have an owner watch me perform surgery. God forbid there's a complication, I do not need additional stress.

Granted I know plenty of vets do let owners watch surgery--I certainly watched a few on my own pets back in my shadowing day--but it is not for me.

I worked in a clinic where that happened. A few times I had to step out and explain what was going on and that everything was ok because it looked worse than it is (I was a tech). People would be in tears worried.

 

[EngrSC]

We started school this week and in person lecture is just … tiring. Having to run home at lunch to let the pups out then dealing with the parking situation has me feeling like I’m wasting valuable time.

We’re also not allowed to eat or drink in the lecture hall (but the hallway outside is fine) and that has me feeling a little grumpy too.

Sadness. Can I graduate now?

 

[battie]

We started school this week and in person lecture is just … tiring. Having to run home at lunch to let the pups out then dealing with the parking situation has me feeling like I’m wasting valuable time.

We’re also not allowed to eat or drink in the lecture hall (but the hallway outside is fine) and that has me feeling a little grumpy too.

Sadness. Can I graduate now?

Do you guys have mandatory attendance? If not, I'm a major supporter of school from home.

 

[EngrSC]

Do you guys have mandatory attendance? If not, I'm a major supporter of school from home.

Nope! I just don’t want to feel behind. But I’m contemplating saying the heck with it and only coming for anatomy lectures, lab (obviously), and integrative/problem solving sessions … because time …

 

[vetmedhead]

Nope! I just don’t want to feel behind. But I’m contemplating saying the heck with it and only coming for anatomy lectures, lab (obviously), and integrative/problem solving sessions … because time …

Do they Livestream lectures? My school did that in addition to recording them and it helped not feel so far behind

 

[EngrSC]

Do they Livestream lectures? My school did that in addition to recording them and it helped not feel so far behind

I wish, but no. Several of my classmates want livestream too. Maybe they’ll give it to us if we keep pestering?

 

[sheltermed]

We started school this week and in person lecture is just … tiring. Having to run home at lunch to let the pups out then dealing with the parking situation has me feeling like I’m wasting valuable time.

We’re also not allowed to eat or drink in the lecture hall (but the hallway outside is fine) and that has me feeling a little grumpy too.

Sadness. Can I graduate now?

Feeling this as well on many levels

 

[britzen]

Nope! I just don’t want to feel behind. But I’m contemplating saying the heck with it and only coming for anatomy lectures, lab (obviously), and integrative/problem solving sessions … because time …

They post the lectures on average 2 hours after they finish, so you're never that far behind for what it's worth.

The only thing that can be tough is if you have anatomy lecture right before lunch and then lab at 1 pm... but you can also just review the ppts from home and watch lecture later (or come in just for those lectures - I did that sometimes.)

Parking will get better in about 1-2 weeks btw. It's always awful the first week because everybody comes, but about 15-20% of the 1st and 2nd years will eventually stop showing up.

 

[EngrSC]

They post the lectures on average 2 hours after they finish, so you're never that far behind for what it's worth.

That’s promising! Last year it would sometimes take them a day or two to post a lecture. Once they earn my trust I probably will not go to lecture. I’m so much more efficient at home!

 

[Old-Country-Vet-Tech]

How does one create flash cards during lecture? Genuine question. Other than things presented in "phrase: definition" style, how do you decide what to make flash cards for, and what to put on the front and back? I think making flash cards during class would be a good approach for me, I am just kind of unclear on how I could do it. I can barely keep up taking notes, I usually just end up not

I take their statments and do fill in the blanks or flip them to make mock test questions

 

[EngrSC]

We got our clinic schedules for next summer

 

[PetVet23]

We got our clinic schedules for next summer

Ahhh congrats that's so exciting!!!!

 

[SkiOtter]

We got our clinic schedules for next summer

Hello why it no in your signature already