Vet Students & Pros Anxious About Career

“I’m young and very new to the field. I’m about to go to school for veterinary technology, and I just started working as an assistant in a clinic. It’s genuinely been really great. Yes, I’m exhausted all time, but everyone I work with is amazing. Except one doctor 😭 Apparently she picks on everyone when they’re new and you just have to bite back at her and she’ll treat you somewhat decently. Problem is I’m too soft 😭 my coworkers are all telling me just to talk back to her and she won’t be so r”

“Hey all, I currently work FT and can't always line up with my availability and my local vets especially when I want to take her for regular check-ups. What do you do to navigate this? and, also how many of you actively switch vets if they had all your details but availability that matches yours, i know i go to different vets docs, often at the same clinic but want to hear your thoughts. Thanks! submitted by /u/Odd-Message3148 [link] [comments]”

“Hi everyone, I’m a rising 2nd-year vet student. This might sound very stupid, but I’ve been struggling with the reality of being a vet student in the U.S. while my grandmother who practically raised me is back in my home country. ​As I look ahead to my career, I’m terrified that I won't have the time to see her as she ages. I’m trying to plan my future with her in mind, and I was hoping for some honest advice: ​Taking 3 weeks off: Once I’m a practicing vet, is it realistic to take 3 weeks of”

“Hi all - I have a few questions regarding internships // advice on what I should do. All input accepted. About me: - Graduated from an AVMA-accredited school (UCD Dublin) w/ 3.57 GPA. - Working small animal GP past 2 years in Dublin, Ireland - Interested in pursuing a rotating internship in United States (June 2027) - I have good LORs from board-certified specialists from my vet school. - I am currently interested in ECC, surgery and DI - NAVLE passed. Questions What is a competitive GPA for int”

“Hello! I am a 17 year old looking to go into the veterinary field. I would like insight as to what specific career in the field would fit my interests. I want to work with all animals. I don’t care which. From exotic animals to barn animals to wild animals. I am a relatively smart student with a 3.9 GPA and a competitive ACT score so I believe I can get into a good college. I am already interested in biology, I have completed AP bio and this year I am taking Anatomy and Biochemistry with the hop”

“I don’t really know what I’m hoping to get from posting this, maybe just to hear from people who’ve been in a similar position. I graduated last year (Feb 2025) from an RCVS-accredited EU veterinary school. Due to health reasons, I had to take around a six-month break after graduating before I was able to start working. My original plan was to work in the UK, but as someone who needs visa sponsorship(I’m from SE Asia), I found it incredibly difficult. I applied for graduate schemes and other new”

“My vet randomly offered me a tech position with him during an emergency farm visit…. I feel like I am under qualified because I have never had any type of tech “training.” Little backstory- I have raised livestock my whole life, I am 30. Like most farmers, I handle the majority of livestock “vet needs” myself. Obviously if it is something out of my scope, I call the vet. I feel as if I have a lot of knowledge just from dealing with livestock daily but also worried that I don’t? I don’t want to t”

“I’m 21 and a veterinary assistant at a clinic. I graduated from Pima Medical Institute and earned my Veterinary Assistant certification this past March. I’m hoping someone can give me some advice or words of encouragement. First, I’m very thankful that I was able to find a job right after graduating. Before this, I had never worked in a veterinary clinic. I always wanted to work with animals, but I never even knew veterinary assistants existed until I found Pima’s Veterinary Assistant program. A”

“Good Morning Everyone! I’ve been looking into different certifications and associations, CDPT-KA, IACP, etc and I came across Jonas Black’s Professional Association of Dog Trainers and I was curious if anyone else has heard about it or has any additional information. I know that the CDPT-KA is a large certification and one of the most widely known ones but I don’t like its restrictive outlook on tools. I’d like to be apart of an association that is more focused on the betterment of the dog versu”

“I am a general practice small animal veterinarian in NC and I graduated in 2023. For the past two years, I have worked at a general practice that is corporately owned. During my time at this hospital, I have definitely gotten more confident in my dental and surgery skills. However, at this point, I feel very bored like I’m just kind of doing the same things over and over. We do have two other doctors at this practice. One doctor is also kind of new to general practice, the other doctor is the me”

“I am a newly graduated vet since 3 weeks ago and now work in a small and large animal clinic in the countryside. The patients I have met are small and large, from a dog weighing over a kilo to large farm animals. But. I feel like I know nothing. The nurses ask me specific questions about dosages, owners ask me questions about progress, why and how. Simple things like ”heparin blood vials” - was that green? Why do we use it again? I was not a bad student, I had a good average and was in the upper”

“Finally got into a internship that I've been dreaming about for quite a while. It's on my college's wild animals hospital and today was my first day. They let me and the other intern watch and help with a small rodent that some biologists brought to us and when we started doing x-rays it had several fractures all over it's body and our professor opted for euthanasia. I'm sure that's what I want to work it, I know this is unfortunately a very common occurrence when you wor”

“i started my first observation hours today and i weirdly got lightheaded seeing the operating room and seeing blood drawn. this has never happened to me before, and im sure its something you get used to, but any tips for it? ive gotten bad when i had my own blood drawn but its been years and ive never had an issue seeing it on someone else. it was really discouraging as ive been looking forward to this so much. does this go away with more exposure? submitted by /u/SurpriseFamous8034”

“Hi, I am soon entering my last year of vet school and I am insanely worried about what the future holds. I feel like I know absolutely nothing, that I have learned nothing in the past 5 years. It’s really embarrassing to admit because I have poured myself into these studies and really thought I wanted to be a veterinarian. However, every single time I do an internship/externship and I am quizzed by the veterinarians, I don’t know the answer. Sometimes I know it’s performance anxiety and to be as”

“I was just wondering what the pros and cons of being a locum vet were compared to the normal veterinarian working in a practice. I am curious to hear the perspective of a vet in this. submitted by /u/OppositeDrawing6126 [link] [comments]”

“Hello! I work in veterinary inventory management and have been tirelessly trying to transition to safer cleaning products. My biggest challenge right now is air freshener sprays. People at my hospital use them HEAVILY in the bathrooms, especially in our poorly-ventilated basement, and there’s often a build-up of product that persists 24/7. We’ve used Febreze for a long time, but we recently have been trying out the Spartan Clear Air Odor Eliminator spray. However, the labeling on the sample bott”

“Hi all! Not a vet tech yet, but I did just recently finish a vet assistant program at a medical college. It was my goal to get a VA job right after school, but it has now been two months since I graduated and I have had no luck with getting any job offers. I have interviewed at a few places and have received countless rejections. I’m sure part of it is because I have no experience other than a six week externship, but how am I supposed to get experience without a first job LOL. I am also going b”

“I am 34 years old and I've worked as a Veterinary Technician for almost 10 years now. I've gotten pretty burnt out on it, I used to love the job, but no matter what clinic you go to it is always a toxic environment where coworkers still act like its high school and the pay is pretty bad. I just can't deal with it anymore. My dream job would be working with birds all day every day, but sadly just not possible in my city. I don't have a college degree or other certifications, to re”

“I am 34 years old and I've worked as a Veterinary Technician for almost 10 years now. I've gotten pretty burnt out on it, I used to love the job, but no matter what clinic you go to it is always a toxic environment where coworkers still act like its high school and the pay is pretty bad. I just can't deal with it anymore. My dream job would be working with birds all day every day, but sadly just not possible in my city. I don't have a college degree or other certifications, to re”

“Hi everyone, I'm an incoming international student starting the English-language Veterinary Medicine program at SGGW this October. I'm from Ecuador, and I have a few questions I couldn't find clear answers to in the subreddit history: How demanding is the first-year workload for this program specifically? Are professors generally approachable and accessible for questions outside of class? What essential supplies (textbooks, equipment, etc.) would you recommend bringing for the first”

“I'm currently in college to be a vet tech but this summer managed to get a job as a vet assistant/tech in training to gain some skills and also earn a bit of money. I love this clinic for the most part as it's so close to where I live and I find the way they work just works really well for me but everyone there is burnt out and I feel like it's already rubbing off on me. Today was a good example where we had a lot of difficult animals and owners and by the end of the day everyone was”

“Hello all! I've been a veterinary assistant for 10 years, and moved from TX to CA last year. I've been in small animal GP for nearly my entire career, and at an ultrasound referral clinic under a DACVR DVM for the past 6 months. It's interesting work, and I've learned a lot, but I'm starting to get the itch to go back to GP. I have an interview lined up for next week at the nearby clinic I take my cats to, and if they can offer me more money/hour + discounted pet care, I'”

“hi. my goal is to eventually become a veterinarian but i'd like to have more experience first to decide if that's truly right for me. i've been looking for vet assistant/receptionist jobs and they all require multiple years of experience (2-3+, even up to 5+). from what i understood this was an entry level position but ive been turned away a few times now for lack of experience (only experience being in an animal shelter, fostering, kitten nursery etc. for 1yr) and many listings sayi”

“Hi friends, I’m a kennel assistant currently but after gaining some more experience I really want to become a technician. I’m specifically interested in emergency & specialty care, and I work better on night shifts due to my sleep disorder so it’s better suited to me. My question is this: for those of you that have done and sustained e-vet work, is the mental and physical load worth the payoff? I want to help animals so so much , but I worry about over exerting myself in a way that will limi”

“hello. I'm a vet from India currently pursuing master of veterinary science (MVSc, post graduate degree after vet school) in veterinary medicine. my college clinic (the one in which I work as a part of my masters) is an internal medicine referral centre (so no surgery or ortho related cases). please answer few of my questions- please help guide me how to choose a good thesis topic that can help me in getting a radiology residency or specialty internship position. like are there any hot topic”

submitted by /u/Anxious-Artist415 [link] [comments]

“i could never do that job. taking care of sick/dying animals would break my heart! i have the greatest appreciation for the veterinary staff that take care of my dogs, worth their weight in gold and so underpaid.”

“Hi there! I’m wondering if anyone has had a positive experience working as an assistant at a clinic without techs? I recently received VA certification and my only clinic experience was for my externship. The clinic manager said their assistants are kept within their legal scope of practice and the DVMs happily do all the regular tech work themselves. Which in my state includes intubation, cystos, and extractions. I’ve been warned about clinics without technicians. People have told me to run for”

“I’m about to start my first placements in clinic (4 weeks). I’m an animal care professional but doing placement for nursing, with an end goal of being a veterinary parasitologist. My hours (including my commute) are 6am (leaving home) to 7pm (arriving home). I’m currently in an active fibromyalgia and ulcerative colitis flare and I’m increasingly worried about how I’m going to manage these placements, especially in this heat. I will be asking for basic accommodations like a stool to sit on durin”

“So I live in a state where vet assistants are not legally allowed to draw blood/give vaccines and vet techs have to be certified. Is that the same in other states or do vet assistants have more responsibilities especially states where you don't need the vet tech certification? Essentially I guess I'm asking if vet tech and vet assistant roles are still separate in states where you don't need certification to be a tech. Sorry if it's a silly question.. 😥 submitted by”

“I should be studying for my board exam, but I'd love to hear your predictions for what veterinary medicine might look like in the future. Both big and small predictions are welcome. Veterinary midlevels? Shift away from reimbursement model pet insurance? Pet insurance being more ubiquitous? Sonography technicians for ultrasound teleradiology/tele-echocardiography? Something related to the rapid increase in veterinary programs? Mine is veterinary midlevels. With the large corporate presence i”

“Vet working in the North. It has been very very quiet. Is this also happening to you guys? submitted by /u/methylethelponderer [link] [comments]”

“Hi all of you lovely UK vet nurses - I could really use some guidance/advice. I’m a registered vet nurse in the U.S. currently studying for taking my exams for the UK registry. I’m doing the theory exams first and then my OSCEs next year. I am receiving some help from a mentor local to me (I’m in the UK on a skilled worker visa) but it does cost money hourly to see her so I’m seeking additional guidance. She has given me some insight as to what I may see on the tests (as well as my exam info pac”

“Hi all, I am currently working in Brisbane as a small animal GP veterinarian in private practice. I've been out of uni 3.5 years now and am pretty confident in most routine smallies GP stuff but I'm also in this awkward phase where I wouldn't consider myself an "experienced vet", but I'm also not a new grad either. I am confident in what I do know, but I'm also aware of my limitations. For various reasons, I am looking at moving to NZ. I have never actually been the”

“I’ve been working for 2 years now in total in small animal GP in Australia. I’ve haven’t exactly had the smoothest start to my career. My clinical knowledge is fine but my procedural understanding and practical experience is still limited in some areas. I don’t do ultrasound at all. Today a dog came in with a lateral elbow laceration and a mobile swelling over the olecranon and the management stumped me a little (because of the concern of bursitis, joint involvement). I was on my own at the end”

“I’m a new grad that has been working for a high volume spay and neuter place for cats. I am really confident in my spay / neuter abilities, but will go down rabbit holes afterwards thinking that the cat will get a hemoabdomen or an inadvertent ureter ligation. I know mistakes happen, but how does one deal with the “what ifs”, especially with high volume surgery. I do really love surgery! Just terrified of complications submitted by /u/Traditional-Peak-882 [link] [comments]”

“I'm 17 and from the UK, just finished college and decided to take a gap year to fully explore my uni options before I go and spend £30k on a degree. I love biology and learning about disease, so I've been looking at doing biomedicine or radiography, but came across veterinary imaging today which I didn't even know was a career! I found out theres a few more veterinary careers than exist out there like this, like veterinary physiotherapy, animal behaviourists, and veterinary geneticis”

“Hi everyone, I’m a veterinary technician from Turkey with several years of experience in small animal clinics. I perform anesthesia, surgical assisting, lab work, emergency care, and most other duties. Due to economic conditions and long working hours in Turkey, my main goal is to emigrate permanently to Europe after completing my mandatory military service (starting this November). I’m looking for the most realistic EU countries for a Turkish vet tech to immigrate and settle long-term. My Quest”

“Hello! I’ll keep this as short as I can lol. I have very bad ocd, which causes anxiety regarding schedules. I start my first day on Monday as a Vet assistant and at a smaller local office. I shadowed a tech a few weeks ago, and was able to see what they did from like 2-5pm. It was mostly calling in clients, asking initial questions, helping restrain for the vet to check them, then at the end help the client out with any medications etc and lead them out. Between that, there were things to tidy/o”

“I have an opportunity to potentially switch from general practice to a senior staff Veterinarian lab position. I realize this job will vary considerably between labs but I was just wondering if there are any lab veterinarians out there I could chat with? Or any that made the switch from gp to lab? submitted by /u/Vet4112 [link] [comments]”

“Hi! I am currently deciding in doing a rotating internship vs a ER training program. I have read MANY of the previous threads on here about the pros and cons of each. I recently came across a hospital I haven't heard anything about called West Hills Animal Hospital & Emergency Center in Long Island. I like how they have GP and ER as I think I'll enjoy starting in ER and maybe transitioning to GP in the future when my life's needs change. However, I haven't seen anyone talk ab”

“Brainstorming a career path and need advice on a few pathway strategies - Australia Looking to complete my Cert IV in Veterinary Nursing was enrolled and everything but through TAFE the cost of tuition combined with the cost of living is too much. Going to Uni and completing a Bachelor of Veterinary technology is more economical but obviously longer duration. I’m an absolute sucker for knowledge and learning and am of the understanding a vet tech is more hands on, has more responsibility so this”

“So I have been out of the veterinary field for a few years now as I had to take a step back from pursuing school for a bit but I’m ready to finish school and become fully a certified tech. I have an interview with a clinic coming up and I really want to avoid any toxic work environment, as my last experience was not the best. Anyway, are there any must ask questions I can bring up to best determine if the clinic will be the right fit for me? I’ve never been good at asking employers questions but”

“Hellooo!! I am currently (going to be in the fall) a first year Vet Tech student, though I have already completed a few required courses, and I was wondering what types of internships or job opportunities there is in wildlife or exotic animals (whether it is a zoo or an exotic pet clinic) for vet techs. I do not necessarily intend on trying to get a full time job in this field right after graduation. However, I am interested in it as a possibility some day and possibly an internship and was hopi”

“I have worked for Banfield for 8 years. I made a really dumb mistake. The pet is completely fine but I didn’t follow Banfield safety protocols. I had one PIP 3 years ago. I’m worried I’m going to get fired. Has anyone been fired from Banfield and how hard was it to get another job? submitted by /u/Puzzleheaded-Yard719 [link] [comments]”

“I’m a vet student in Canada interested in applying for a rotating internship once I graduate (2028). I plan to specialize in anesthesia and it’s where I’m currently working while in school. My grades are in the middle of the pack and I hold an 80 average currently. I’d like some info on an internship that has guaranteed overnight support, mentorship, and is maybe outside of Canada. Anyone have experiences they’d like to share? I’m open to international training (USA, EU, AUS) submitted by”

“Becoming a Veterinarian has always been my absolute dream but it's impossible to achieve it where I live due to multipule reasons. So I was wondering what is your experience like espacially as an international student studying Vet Med in Spain. As a 26 years old international (non EU) student who just got back to school, what are the best options for me? I'm doing a lot of research but I still need help in some things. I know I would eventually need to learn the language & of course”

“Hello! I’m a veterinarian with 2 years post graduate experience in 100% small animal GP at present. My partner is looking at moving to either Switzerland (first preference), Denmark, or the Netherlands for work, and ideally I’d like to be able to go and work too. Can anyone working in the above countries shed some light on how likely it is that a vet of my experience would be able to find work there? From my research, Switzerland is probably the most difficult to crack. And any other advice on t”

“For context I am a recent college grad who got their degree in Biology with an emphasis on Ecology, Evolution, and Animal Behavior. All through school i worked at net clinics and with animals and when i graduated I got my first job as a Tech at a local humane society. Honestly it was a shit show. I won’t even go in to the terrorizing the managers did on a weekly basis, but near the end of my time there all state funding was lost and a new contractor was supposed to take over completely. Honestly”

“May be a niche individual but I'm currently an unlicensed vet tech working full time at a zoo. Looking at Dallas College with the distance learning program but was wondering if anyone was able to use their facility as an OCCI approved hospital or had to obtain hours at a private clinic? submitted by /u/Pride_Animal7685 [link] [comments]”

“Just what the title says. I started my first job at an exotics specialty clinic a little over a month ago, and I was wondering if anyone had any advice for places I could keep up on my learning at, or groups specifically for exotics techs submitted by /u/TinfoilHyena [link] [comments]”

“Hi vets I am a new graduate just applied to VVI. I seek mentorship so I can improve faster. Can you share your experience in this program? Did you struggle to prepare the cases, and is there a complaint from your mentor about the cases that lack tests? Did you find time to study? Is there continuous mentoring? Can you mention the best and the worst parts of your experience? submitted by /u/Old-Decision-315 [link] [comments]”

“Hello, I am currently a second-year student undergraduate student studying Animal Science on the pre-veterinary track. I am taking a summer course focused on professional development, and one of our assignments is to interview someone working in our desired career field. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to speak with you about your career and experiences. If you are available, I would like to meet this week (before Sunday) to ask you a few questions. I am happy to work around your sche”

“i'm a first year student earning an associates degree in animal science. although my end goal is not to be a veterinary technician, the studies and hands on skills seem relevant for my long term goal of animal lab sciences and/or rehabilitation + conservationalist work. after reviewing my degree audit and finalizing my fall schedule, i was left feeling so discouraged. i have many classes left before i graduate, have yet to complete mentorships, and the student loans are only increasing. i&#3”

“Hi I'm currently going to school for vet tech. I'm wanting to get an assistant position. Ive learned that vet tech title is protected under Nevada state law. And the only way to work with or under a clinic is if your an assistant tech or receptionist. I want to apply for this assistant position. My question is since I worked at other jobs (not related to animals or vet industry) before pursuing my dream career should I give them my resume with the other jobs listed and turn in a cover le”

“I have been looking into re-entering the vet field at 33 after being unable to find work that is a suitable substitute. I have always wanted to be a vet tech but was bullied out of the only clinic I worked at by a vet tech who shattered my confidence in being suited to the industry when I was in my early twenties. Just looking to get some opinions from anyone here who started late or know someone who has. I have continued to provide fostering care for neonate kittens for 10+ years and w”

“I don't know much about grad school becuase my dream has always been to go to vet school, but now I am wondering if I should look into it. I am graduating from undergrad in a year from a very agriculture haeavy uni and don't wish to stay here for grad school/vet school. I am a summer intern in an agriculture production based lab, and its been pretty good so far. I know I dont want to work with production animals, but I would like to go into research. My dream is to be a veterinary resear”

“Hi so I’m very confused about whether the exemption for the IME applies to me, given I want to work in clinical labs. Do I need the upfront IME if I’ve done it for my study permit (not more than 5 years ago)? If NOT, what do I submit for the “request for medical exam” and “proof of upfront medical exam”, which are listed as required documents? And if I DO need them: if I submit it without the medical exams but only the request form (on which I just check a box?) what happens next? I understand t”

“I was hired as a kennel technician back in September 2025, practice manager informed me after interviewing for a veterinary assistant job that they had the kennel position open that they would also be cross training me as a veterinary assistant as well. This is my first real veterinary setting job, unless you count the two years I worked along side vet techs and veterinarians at an animal shelter. Being a vet tech and eventually getting registered is what I want. It's the one thing I am 100%”