working at hospital during school year?

[yakpool]

Hi,

I am at my second year of vet school now. A lot of my classmates are working at the school hospital as techs. I myself are thinking about it too. I would like hear some opinions before making up my mind.

The reason I want to do it is obvious: it gives you wonderful hands-on experience, get to know the real world, learn things we won't be able to learn in books. However, I am hesitating too because I really enjoy some free time to be with my husband and friends, doing my hobbies etc., if I ever get free time. I kind of think that we will get our feet in hospitals anyway during the 3rd year, and the whole 4th year, and probably all my life after graduation.

So does it matter if you get more and ealier experience? Will I feel being behind in 3rd and 4th year if I do not do it now (I personally had very little clinic experience before coming to vet school). Also will the experience make you more employable or likely to get an intern/residency? (I have not decided if I am going to do intern/residency yet though)

Thanks, guys!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[julieDVM]

if its something you want to do, then by all means... but you're right - you're going to get plenty of time to work in 3rd and 4th year - and the rest of your career... working in the clinic isn't going to put you any further ahead or give your classmates a competative advantage over you.

my advice would be to enjoy your time off while you can.

 

[HeartSong]

If you're thinking about it just because others are doing it or because you're worried about being behind, I'd say don't do. It will only make you frustrated thinking about how much time it takes up.

But if it's something you really want to do for yourself, then it'd probably be worth the sacrifice of free time as long as you know you can still handle the responsibilities of keeping up in all of your classes and being there for your family when they need you.

Here we are really encouraged to observe and help out as much as possible at the hospital, but I don't know of any students who actually work there. That way there is no time commitment on our part, but we still get the experience. You might want to check into that and see if they'll allow you to do something like that.

 

[spikey]

only do what you can handle. your education comes first. i am working at a hospital, but only on saturdays. i love it cause it keeps me in it, and its a nice mental health break. reminds me why i'm in school, and i get to do what i love.

 

[yakpool]

Thank you guys! I end up helping out at ER one night a week. Because it is not a job, so I can come and go as I want to. Meanwhile I have saw some cool things

 

[vet1998]

Hi
I'm a foreigner veterinay graduate, erolled in the ECFVG program .
I passed the veterinary Boards (NAVLE)
Currently, I'm preparing for the last step of the ECFVG (step4) which is the Clinical Proficiency Examination (CPE) , then I will get my lisence as a Vet.
I'm looking for a veterinay hospital or private clinic where I can work as a Veterinary technican to get my hands on American clinical experience, this also will help me pass the test.
Please get back to me concerning a Veterinary technican position in a veterinary hospital or clinic.
Thank you so much for your help.
Vet1998

 

[silverelf]

Hi
I'm a foreigner veterinay graduate, erolled in the ECFVG program .
I passed the veterinary Boards (NAVLE)
Currently, I'm preparing for the last step of the ECFVG (step4) which is the Clinical Proficiency Examination (CPE) , then I will get my lisence as a Vet.
I'm looking for a veterinay hospital or private clinic where I can work as a Veterinary technican to get my hands on American clinical experience, this also will help me pass the test.
Please get back to me concerning a Veterinary technican position in a veterinary hospital or clinic.
Thank you so much for your help.
Vet1998

sorry, but that's not what we do here. this is primarily a forum for doctors still in veterinary school, and there are no job offers here. my suggestion is to go to veterinary clinics in your area (or in the area you are planning to move to in the USA, if you are not already here) and ask to see the office manager. explain your situation and give her a copy of your resume. hopefully at least one of the clinics in your area will be hiring and give you a job. good luck!

 

[Beagingese]

I'm working in the Teaching Hospital here in the Clinical Pathology lab. I will be in training for the rest of my first year of school. Then as of April I will be one of 4 on-call techs. We carry pagers and come in after hours if clinicians/students need CBC's, U/As, blood gases or coags done. I'm learning TONS and it's pretty minimal hours so far so I'm really enjoying it. It's a great way to see what patients are in the hospital without taking lots of time to walk back and look at every chart. Then if there's something good, I can go back and check it out.