Work Hours

[Integralpix]

I realize there are many variables that come into play here, but generally speaking, what kind of hours per day/week would an average small animal physician work as an associate in a private practice clinic?

Furthermore, how much "work" would such a veterinarian bring home with him/her?

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[NittanyKitty]

The practice where I work (rural-turned-suburban Pennsylvania) has three full-time and two part-time veterinarians. We're open M/W/F from 9:00 to 8:00, T/R from 9:00 to 6:00, and Saturday from 9:00 to 3:00. The full-time vets usually put in two 12-hour days and three shorter days (around eight hours) per week. They also rotate being on-call for emergencies and coming in on Saturday night and Sunday to care for the patients staying at the hospital.

Of course, this varies by week, and when one doc is on vacation or out sick, the rest have to pick up the slack. As far as take-home work goes, most of the docs stay for at least an hour past the closing time making phone calls and updating charts and stuff (so, for example, they don't get lock up and leave until 9:00 on an 8:00 pm closing time). I don't think they take a lot of work home with them, but they working through lunch and staying late is common. Hope this helps!

 

[LVT2DVM]

Great question!

In the Mid-Atlantic area, there is a wide range. But the minimum total work hours for a full-time associate would be 40 hours and could range up to 60hrs per week. Most new associates are expected to take more time working up cases and therefore, in order to make up the difference in cases seen, generally work more hours than an experienced practitioner. The hours per day will vary with the hours the practice is open and what the practice policies are for seeing emergencies/urgent care patients and whether they keep patients in hospital when the clinic is closed. Some clinics use techs or assists to do overnight/weekend treatments, others require the docs to come in at least once a day to assess patients. (this can depend on each states legal reqs as well) These situations will of course all increase your total hours worked.

As far as how much work you take home, again it will vary from practice to practice. For example, if the practice is computerized/paperless, then you really cant take charts home to finish, so you will be expected to stay until those records are complete. Most new graduates have told me they spend their time at home, going on VIN, reading notes or books, reviewing information on uncommon or difficult cases or general stuff of interest verses actual required scheduled work.

 

[Integralpix]

Thank you both for the extremely thoughtful responses.

My current situation is this: I'm a burnt-out English teacher in my 6th year of teaching. I originally took on teaching because I thought it would be a career that supplemented my interest in writing. Little did I know how consuming this profession would be, however. I have zero time for hobbies, nor basic life essentials such as family, pets, and exercise--frequently working evenings, weekends, and into late night just to stay par. Teaching really is a lifestyle--not a career--and I hate to say I've become bitter and disillusioned due to this fact. I know when to say when, and it's time.

In searching for an alternative career, I've begun to think about all of the things that have brought me joy and fascination in life: Animals have always played a huge role. I'm looking to challenge myself in ways I haven't been challenged before (science instead of the arts). And while I don't foresee a problem with devoting a good number of hours to something I'm passionate about, I am a little concerned about maintaining some kind of balance between work and life because of the problems experienced while teaching.

Am I looking in the wrong profession, or can one realistically manage such a demanding professional job, family, and hobbies as a vet?

Please, keep the responses rolling. I'd love to hear from others, as well.

 

[projekt]

The AVMA (I think) recently did a study of this question and found that the average male full-time associate puts in 42 hrs and the average female puts in 38. Probably the main reason for the disparity is the females are generally responsible for minor family emergencies that the males are not responsible for.

Immediately out of vet school, the contracts seem to expect 50 hrs per week, from what I gather.

 

[Electrophile]

Thank you both for the extremely thoughtful responses.

My current situation is this: I'm a burnt-out English teacher in my 6th year of teaching. I originally took on teaching because I thought it would be a career that supplemented my interest in writing. Little did I know how consuming this profession would be, however. I have zero time for hobbies, nor basic life essentials such as family, pets, and exercise--frequently working evenings, weekends, and into late night just to stay par. Teaching really is a lifestyle--not a career--and I hate to say I've become bitter and disillusioned due to this fact. I know when to say when, and it's time.

In searching for an alternative career, I've begun to think about all of the things that have brought me joy and fascination in life: Animals have always played a huge role. I'm looking to challenge myself in ways I haven't been challenged before (science instead of the arts). And while I don't foresee a problem with devoting a good number of hours to something I'm passionate about, I am a little concerned about maintaining some kind of balance between work and life because of the problems experienced while teaching.

Am I looking in the wrong profession, or can one realistically manage such a demanding professional job, family, and hobbies as a vet?

Please, keep the responses rolling. I'd love to hear from others, as well.

There are a few folks in my class that have children and a good percentage that are married (myself included). You likely won't be able to make as high of grades as classmates who are single without as many family responsibilities and there are sacrifices, but if it's important to you, you'll do fine. However, veterinary medicine IS a lifestyle, not just a job.

I cannot see being an average small animal doctor being less busy than the average teacher. The two exceptions is if you do relief work and just work for area vets who cover for those who are on maternity leave, vacation, sabbatical, etc. You may have a little more flexibility, but less guaranteed income. The other possible exception is if you do small animal house calls where you just do health/wellness checks, vaccines, euthanasia, etc. Perhaps mobile dentistry, acupuncture, or spays/neuters or something similar if you're feeling particularly ambitious. However, please realize that if you go somewhere out of state in particular, you will get into at least 200K in debt unless you have a substantial nest egg and we do not have the luxury of our physician friends' salaries. Being a part timer and having bills to pay may not be feasible for your budget, but it's up to you and your situation. If income is not an issue and you just want to work with animals, perhaps being a veterinary technician or office manager may be the way to go? You are still a much needed part of the team, but less hours and less responsibility than the practice owning veterinary doctor or associate. Hope that helps!

 

[vetwife2008]

My husband has pretty good hours. 9-12 and 2-5 M, T, and F; 9-1 and 3-6 on W; and about 9-12 or 9-1 on alternating Thurdays and Saturdays (if he worked thursday, he gets saturdays off and vice versa). He does extra reading at night to catch up if he has a difficult case or surgery or just in general to keep up. It's a small practice (two vets, no lvts) so he spends lots of time as the only vet there and he has had to come in extra to check patients on a few occasions, but not too often.

 

[pressmom]

Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health, the relief of animal suffering, the conservation of livestock resources, the promotion of public health and the advancement of medical knowledge.
I will practice my profession conscientiously, with dignity and in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical ethics.
I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual improvement of my professional knowledge and competence.

I always go back to this. Especially the part about "continual improvement of my professional knowledge and competence."

There's a lot to learn to be a vet and a lot of hard work to get there. You will undoubtedly work many long nights in vet school and soon after you get out. I hear from many new vets that they're constantly playing catch up trying to fill in the gaps in their knowledge.

Once you've been out practicing 5-10 years, you may settle into a rhythm, but that's when this part of the oath comes even more into play: the knowledge you gained in vet school at this point could be out of date.

Like Electrophile said, being a vet is a lifestyle choice as well. I highly doubt you'll be less busy than you are as a teacher. The key with careers is finding something you don't mind or even love doing during the hard times: long days and nights, pointless classes, difficult cases, death/euthanasia, etc.

 

[catlover]

One thing that I think might be different from being a teacher is the 'unpredictability' of vet med. What I mean is that say in theory you're supposed to be off at 6pm, but if a hit-by-car comes in at 5:45, you may end up staying until much later than you expected.

When I was working at a clinic this summer, I was training my husband to not count on me being home at a specific time - he would ask how late I was going to work and I'd tell him "7 pm, give or take..." because I was never quite sure. He'd know to expect me only after I called him and told him I was getting ready to leave.