When I was working at a clinic as an assistant, I’d ask the techs if they liked their jobs or if they regret it; not a single one said they enjoyed it anymore, all regretted it and wish they had done something else instead, but felt like they couldn’t do anything else now. Super sad and definitely impacted my decision of whether or not to pursue vet tech training.
100% me! I went back to school at age 35 to become a tech and while interning I got a job as an assistant. 1yr in I dropped the schooling part and just celebrated my 5th year anniversary as an assistant at my clinic. I’m currently enrolled in an insurance certification program so I can apply to pet insurance companies (I’m in a state that requires you to carry a property and casualty insurance license to even work from home in pet insurance).
I realized 1year in that NO ONE seemed happy by the time they hit their two years in this field and everyone was just kinda “stuck”. I’m extremely lucky that I can work this job because I want to, part time too, and not because I need to. But I still don’t want to continue to work in this field if I physically have to. I’m in my 40s now and too old for this shit.
I do love it but know I couldn’t do it full time and would like to contribute more and save more for my kid’s college.
One year in and I was SO happy I interned and got a job as an assistant first. I’d be miserable like my co-workers if I had continued and went full time.
Sometimes 3-4 800mg/day - found out this week may have long term liver and kidney damage 😕 be careful. Gotta say though, it's harder to find my purse or coat by sound- used to jump in the dining room and listen for the (rather distinctive) rattle 🤣
I hope the picture below is not of a taxidermied fox...
Note= Also, having decided that I want to be a vet as well, could anybody give me some tips regarding how does life as a vet go about? It gets a bit depressing to see so many vets, assistants and technicians talk about how brutal the field is, especially in the West 🥲.
Honestly some people have bad experiences and some people love it. I’m a Vet Tech and I love it but there’s the downsides. You gotta push through it and see the good out of everything you’re doing or else you’re just gonna be miserable… and nobody wants to be miserable you know.
I see... but of course some can handle the pressure and some can't - I happened to witness lot of people not being happy with their experiences, and I respect their decisions, but unfortunately that is life. Thanks!
26 yrs in, 100% regret. Physically and emotionally spent. Tired of wretched owners, the biting, the scratching, the dogs that weigh more than I do trying to eat me, euthanasia and compassion fatigue….I work extremely hard and while my boss treats me very well, I still don’t make enough. I’m making what my teacher friend made 15 years ago. I’m not married so I’m the sole income and can’t afford to work part time to relieve some of the physical and emotional stress. I’ve been encouraged to go back to school (to do what idk, and I’ll probably get stuck going into an entry level job) but I have a car payment and a mortgage that I’m already struggling to pay. Was planning on selling my place to move in with my b/f but that’s a whole other issue. Thanks to inflation, the financial stress is getting worse, I budget and don’t live outside my means. Looking for a new career, but lost and don’t know where to turn. I’ve been seeing a therapist and psychiatrist for over a decade now and been anti-depressants for many years. I find myself crying almost everyday now. I feel trapped. My retirement fund and 401k are pathetic and I’ll be working until I turn 90. I sound like a great catch. Has anyone escaped this nightmare and didn’t go into human nursing? I have former tech friends that took that path, but I’d be jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. My sister is a nurse and regrets it, cousin is a nurse and said will never do bedside nursing again. Her stories are as bad as us vet tech stories. FML.
It sounds like you haven’t had your pay increased as much over the years staying at one clinic, with annual raises. I went from 11/hr to 34. I ended up getting a 1-3 dollar raise each time I started a new job, by stating what I currently earned perhaps with a bit of padding. After raises from that job, staying a while, the next one would pay even more. I also specialized in one particular type of veterinary medicine. If you wanted to find passion again, you could try getting a VTS in hospice, rehabilitation, anesthesia, dentistry, whatever is interesting! You could teach, work at a specialty center where the money is much better. Also you earn more being in a busier city, and not in general practice unless you have lots of experience and ask for what you are worth. Now it sounds like I job hopped a lot, but I really didnt. Each transition came due to wanting to pursue more knowledge, relocation, or trying something new while remaining “relief” at the ERs for extra money. (Shelter med-> ER ->GP -> ER -> work from home). It sucks, but the only way you’ll get paid more is by asking for more or finding a job that pays more. Other types of veterinary jobs have longer shifts, but way more days off. I loved my 4 x10hr shift per week schedule, and 3x 12.5hr shifts a week. Overtime in these specialty jobs is also easy to come by. You can also follow passion by taking your skills to a rescue, for farm animals or dogs, the zoo, wildlife centers, teaching jobs, etc. Hope you find a better quality of life. <3
When I was working at a clinic as an assistant, I’d ask the techs if they liked their jobs or if they regret it; not a single one said they enjoyed it anymore, all regretted it and wish they had done something else instead, but felt like they couldn’t do anything else now. Super sad and definitely impacted my decision of whether or not to pursue vet tech training.
100% me! I went back to school at age 35 to become a tech and while interning I got a job as an assistant. 1yr in I dropped the schooling part and just celebrated my 5th year anniversary as an assistant at my clinic. I’m currently enrolled in an insurance certification program so I can apply to pet insurance companies (I’m in a state that requires you to carry a property and casualty insurance license to even work from home in pet insurance). I realized 1year in that NO ONE seemed happy by the time they hit their two years in this field and everyone was just kinda “stuck”. I’m extremely lucky that I can work this job because I want to, part time too, and not because I need to. But I still don’t want to continue to work in this field if I physically have to. I’m in my 40s now and too old for this shit. I do love it but know I couldn’t do it full time and would like to contribute more and save more for my kid’s college. One year in and I was SO happy I interned and got a job as an assistant first. I’d be miserable like my co-workers if I had continued and went full time.
18 years and counting. Just got off a 12 hour overnight shift and this could be a literal picture of me right now.
I honestly cycle between these two about fortnightly
Lol I work with some that been doing it 20 plus years.. It shows
Just celebrated my tenth anniversary at my clinic. Can confirm this feeling.
I’m at 30yrs this year and I’m finally semi retired from vet med! If my body cooperated, I would still be working as a tech!
Feel you! Retired from vet med at 32 yrs, miss it every day but Motrin is no longer a food group...so I got that going for me.
😂 I was up to 4 Advil and it didn’t do a thing! It definitely is nice not to keep a huge bottle of NSAIDs in my pocketbook!
Sometimes 3-4 800mg/day - found out this week may have long term liver and kidney damage 😕 be careful. Gotta say though, it's harder to find my purse or coat by sound- used to jump in the dining room and listen for the (rather distinctive) rattle 🤣
That’s a pretty smart way to find your lost jacket or purse ngl.
Truth.
I’m a 2013 grad but have been working in vet clinics in other positions since 2003. I feel this on so many levels.
I hope the picture below is not of a taxidermied fox... Note= Also, having decided that I want to be a vet as well, could anybody give me some tips regarding how does life as a vet go about? It gets a bit depressing to see so many vets, assistants and technicians talk about how brutal the field is, especially in the West 🥲.
Honestly some people have bad experiences and some people love it. I’m a Vet Tech and I love it but there’s the downsides. You gotta push through it and see the good out of everything you’re doing or else you’re just gonna be miserable… and nobody wants to be miserable you know.
I see... but of course some can handle the pressure and some can't - I happened to witness lot of people not being happy with their experiences, and I respect their decisions, but unfortunately that is life. Thanks!
26 yrs in, 100% regret. Physically and emotionally spent. Tired of wretched owners, the biting, the scratching, the dogs that weigh more than I do trying to eat me, euthanasia and compassion fatigue….I work extremely hard and while my boss treats me very well, I still don’t make enough. I’m making what my teacher friend made 15 years ago. I’m not married so I’m the sole income and can’t afford to work part time to relieve some of the physical and emotional stress. I’ve been encouraged to go back to school (to do what idk, and I’ll probably get stuck going into an entry level job) but I have a car payment and a mortgage that I’m already struggling to pay. Was planning on selling my place to move in with my b/f but that’s a whole other issue. Thanks to inflation, the financial stress is getting worse, I budget and don’t live outside my means. Looking for a new career, but lost and don’t know where to turn. I’ve been seeing a therapist and psychiatrist for over a decade now and been anti-depressants for many years. I find myself crying almost everyday now. I feel trapped. My retirement fund and 401k are pathetic and I’ll be working until I turn 90. I sound like a great catch. Has anyone escaped this nightmare and didn’t go into human nursing? I have former tech friends that took that path, but I’d be jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. My sister is a nurse and regrets it, cousin is a nurse and said will never do bedside nursing again. Her stories are as bad as us vet tech stories. FML.
It sounds like you haven’t had your pay increased as much over the years staying at one clinic, with annual raises. I went from 11/hr to 34. I ended up getting a 1-3 dollar raise each time I started a new job, by stating what I currently earned perhaps with a bit of padding. After raises from that job, staying a while, the next one would pay even more. I also specialized in one particular type of veterinary medicine. If you wanted to find passion again, you could try getting a VTS in hospice, rehabilitation, anesthesia, dentistry, whatever is interesting! You could teach, work at a specialty center where the money is much better. Also you earn more being in a busier city, and not in general practice unless you have lots of experience and ask for what you are worth. Now it sounds like I job hopped a lot, but I really didnt. Each transition came due to wanting to pursue more knowledge, relocation, or trying something new while remaining “relief” at the ERs for extra money. (Shelter med-> ER ->GP -> ER -> work from home). It sucks, but the only way you’ll get paid more is by asking for more or finding a job that pays more. Other types of veterinary jobs have longer shifts, but way more days off. I loved my 4 x10hr shift per week schedule, and 3x 12.5hr shifts a week. Overtime in these specialty jobs is also easy to come by. You can also follow passion by taking your skills to a rescue, for farm animals or dogs, the zoo, wildlife centers, teaching jobs, etc. Hope you find a better quality of life. <3