DrAndyRoark.com

Articles, Videos, & Training on Pets & Veterinary Medicine

Sarah Hagen, DVM

How to Be Thankful During A Pandemic*

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*OK, I’ll admit, this title is pretentious. 

But stick with me here. I don’t pretend to actually be able to make this apocalyptic worldwide shutdown into an affirmative self-improvement experience. BUT I do know that some fancy psychologists somewhere report that positive thinking leads to positive being. And so, I have endeavored to show why I think that us veterinarians, do in fact, have a lot to be thankful for during a pandemic. Let me count the ways. 

1. We’re essential

Truly, this is a big positive. The fact that we even get to work right now is huge. My husband is a dentist. It turns out sticking your hands into the breathing orifices of other humans during an onslaught of a respiratory virus is not advised. And so, he has been stuck in our 1,500 square foot apartment for 8 weeks, collecting unemployment checks, and watching videos about how to suit up in full PPE for his eventual return to treating the human mouth. While I have occasionally been envious that he has gotten to play approximately 1-million hours of video games in the last two months, in the end, I am just so incredibly thankful that I have a job to go to and a paycheck to collect. 

2. Curbside service

As one of the very few businesses whose clients are not humans, we have the unique ability to provide our services without strange people entering our workplace. I have cracked a few jokes about how my clinic should move into a Taco Bell to expedite our curbside service. Instead of “can I take your order?” it will be “can you tell me how long your dog has been vomiting?” That could be followed up with, “OK please drive up to the first window and hand us your Maltese and we’ll have him feeling better in no time!” While curbside service comes with its own challenges, it is pretty great that we can do our job fully and minimize human contact. No other medical field can practice without significant direct human contact and the associated risk.

3. Social interaction

While things inside our clinics have changed, it is pretty cool that we still get to see other people. We may be wearing a mask all the time, staying six feet apart whenever possible, and even working in teams, but I for one feel lucky I get to see my coworkers every day. Many of my non-veterinary friends are working from home and the only other human beings they get to see face-to-face are their spouses, kids and grocery store clerks. From what they tell me, this is tiresome. The biggest moments of levity in these last few months have been moments spent with my team. My techs, receptionists and fellow vets have done wonders to keep my spirits up.

4. We know science

Imagine trying to decipher the endless stream of information about COVID-19 without any medical or scientific training. It is confusing and disorienting regardless, but at least we started this knowing corona could, in fact, refer to a virus and not just a case of beer. We understand the importance of research, peer review and solid science. We understand ELISA tests, vaccine protocols, and ventilators. This may be a new disease, but if we can pass a board exam that covers everything from wet tail disease in hamsters to erysipelas in swine then we have to be some of the best-prepared people to wade through the random medical facts coming at us from every direction. 

5. Growth through the challenges

This one might be more of a stretch for some. But if you’re being really “glass half full,” then any challenge is just a chance for growth and improvement. Maybe it’s that your clinic added telemedicine, maybe it’s that you had to improve efficiency, or maybe it’s simply that this time made you focus on your priorities. But I for one am hopeful that our profession will actually grow through these difficult times. 

I know the risks of the Coronavirus are real. And I do not say any of this to undermine the absolute scariness of these unknown times. I hope everyone is washing their hands, practicing social distancing, and wearing masks. And I think it’s completely normal and OK to be sad, frustrated, confused, and afraid about this all (I certainly have been). But I also hope that at least for a moment, we can also find the spots of positivity shining through. And I hope we can all be thankful to work in veterinary medicine through it all.

Love and good thoughts to all my fellow vets.

– Sarah

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

Why I Would Not Do an Internship Again

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Last year I did a rotating internship. When I tell people about my year I have a stock response that I can dole out on demand. I have told my grandma, my new co-workers, my high school friends, and everyone in-between the same synopsis. It goes like this: “Last year I did a veterinary rotating internship. It was the hardest year of my life. I worked really long hours and went into the hospital on most of my days off. I lived two hours away from my fiancé but saw him only once per month. BUT, the people I worked with were great, I had the opportunity to work one-on-one with amazing specialists, and I learned more in one year than I could have ever imagined.”

All of these words are true, but they skim over the facts to make a sound bite that barely represents what I experienced. One of the frequent follow up questions is, “would you do it again?” And this is when I lie. I say, “Of course. It made me a better doctor!”

Here is my secret truth: I would not do it again. If I could go back two years in my past, I would not let myself agonize over personal statements and recommendations and spreadsheets of internship locations. I would not have done interviews and site visits. I would have found a private practice with reasonable hours, doctors willing to provide mentorship, and nearby specialists to develop relationships with. Maybe my development as a doctor would have been slower, but it would have come. I would have prioritized continuing education, read relevant journal articles, and not been afraid to reach out for case help. But I would not have done an internship.  

I would not do an internship again because of what I now know my priorities are. I value my relationship with my significant other. I value my relationship with myself. And I value my relationship with my work. Last year, none of these relationships were good or even tolerable.  

My relationship with my fiancé was primarily me regaling him with the little injustices I had experienced each day. I would smile all day at work and then unload my stress onto him on the phone that night until he dreaded my phone calls.

My relationship with myself was equally abysmal. I would torment myself over how I didn’t have it all together when it was impossible due to my long hours. I felt guilty when I was taking an hour to watch TV because I felt I should be using those few spare moments to do laundry, buy groceries, or make sure my bills were in order.

And finally, my relationship with my work would best be characterized as dread. I spent a lot of time staring at “Help Wanted” signs in bookstores and burger joints and imagining leaving my dream profession forever. I cried at least once a week as I imagined dreading my work for the next 40 years. I kept wondering, “did I really go through this much school and this much effort to do something that makes me this miserable?” Work is where we spend the majority of our waking lives. It cannot be something you dread.  

I am now 6 months post internship and I do not dread my job. I have a private practice job with reasonable hours and supportive colleagues. I married my fiancé and we have a normal, healthy relationship. I can watch TV for an entire day without inducing anxiety. And, I am grateful and happy to be a veterinarian.

I know that for many an internship may be rewarding. I know that for many the sacrifices in quality of life may be worth it. In no way do I think that internships are bad or that no one should do them. But, I do know that for me it was the wrong choice. I made that choice thinking it was necessary to make me into a good doctor. But now I see that for me, being a happy doctor is key to being a good doctor.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.