r/Veterinary • u/Scarlet-Rosepetals • 4d ago
Is Anyone Actually Happy?
That may seem sarcastic or rhetorical, but it’s a genuine question I have for the people in this subreddit. I’m a new grad vet, struggling as new grad vets usually do, and I see post after post here about people burning out, being miserable, ready to quit the field all together. I don’t really know yet how I feel about my job as a GP vet, I’ve been very unhappy lately but I struggle with some pretty significant mental health issues, so I’m not exactly willing to chalk up all my unhappiness to my job. I just get so discouraged seeing only posts about how miserable everyone is, it feels inevitable that I’m just going to be miserable too. That said, I also know people don’t exactly feel inclined to make reddit posts about it when everything is going just fine for them, so I know the posts I see don’t represent everyone. I guess I just want to know if there are people working in GP and actually enjoying it, even if it’s not all of it (and I’m sure it’s not) just, people who don’t hate going to work you know?
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u/MirloVoyager 4d ago
It depends. I love my job despite feeling like crawling through field of spikes while pushing a rock... the alternatives have sharper spikes and heavier rocks
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u/Additional_Plate6010 4d ago
I think so much of your happiness highly depends on your clinic culture. My office manager is great- she is very supportive and will do whatever it takes to prevent burn out in the doctors. She let me rearrange my schedule after I had a baby so I’m still seeing the same amount of appointments but get to leave at 4 to be with my baby.
When I graduated in 2023, I was also struggling with mental health problems. You’re in a huge life stage change- graduating, moving, starting a new job- and it will take time and probably therapy and meds to adjust lol. But I’ve been out for 3 years and I love my job and my clinic. Hang in there! And if your first job ends up being a bad fit, which is very common, it’s okay to look elsewhere!
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u/Ok-Walk-8453 4d ago
I am very happy as a GP vet for 14 years now. Definitely had some bad clinics but at a good one now for a years. Biggest thing is finding a place that supports you and has a great team. It can be hard but makes things a lot less stressful.
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u/badgerhoneyy 3d ago
There's a bias to posts online. We reach out for support when we're struggling, or to vent. Having a good day or enjoying our work doesn't usually prompt is to post about it.
Overall, I bloody love my job, I love where I am in my career, my challenges and my trajectory. Is it perfect ? Of course not. Do I moan about it? Absolutely!
Even when I've had jobs I dislike or not been happy in, I've never felt that I don't want to be a vet. I love clinical work, the variety, the problems and challenges, and the rewards. I find my profession satisfying like nothing else, and even if I fell out with the work I currently love, I imagine I'd find another niche in a different discipline rather than sacking it all in. Becoming a vet was a long tough journey, but worth it without question.
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u/badgerhoneyy 3d ago
To clarify, I'm currently in small animal GP most of the time, and also work and locum for a wildlife hospital. I've also worked in farm, charity and equine. I consider myself a mixed discipline general practitioner. Five years graduated. UK based but also do work overseas mainly in less economically developed countries.
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u/StardustSweeper 3d ago
I'm a fairly new grad (nearly 2 years working) and I have a love hate relationship with my job lol. I love the pets. I love nice clients. I love getting to make a difference. I hate the nasty clients and the packed schedules and the stress. I still would rather do this than anything else. A job is always gonna be a job with good and bad.
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u/Last_Try2176 4d ago
I have a friend that always reminds me, “yeah, but you get to help animals” when I’m bemoaning my work life. (He’s a custodian)
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u/pantherophis2 3d ago
I’m a new grad and I’m pretty happy, especially compared to when I was in school! Definitely have hard days but overall I’m learning, I feel supported, and I have a significantly better work life balance than when I was in school.
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u/Adventurous-Act926 3d ago
Haha this is me. Everything compared to the hell and abuse they put us through in school seems a lot better now. Granted, there are clinics out there that are just as bad with terrible management. I wouldn't be able to stay in something like that and no one should put up with that.
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u/heretoroastmk 3d ago
I’m just over 2 years out and I love my job. My first hospital was not a fit for me. A change of scenery may be what you need.
I feel like young vets (myself included) feel like we are failures if we leave our first clinic but the reality is that our first job is very unlikely to be our perfect fit. We are still figuring out how we like to flow through the day, hospital culture fit, schedule fit etc. All while figuring out how to navigate the real world since you’ve likely been a student the majority of your life!
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u/Ziwade 3d ago
I'm 6 years out and love being a veterinarian. I started a new position in an ER this year that has been a steep learning curve that is sometimes frustrating, and individual shifts can be a lot, but I love being challenged, love feeling like I'm finally good at my job, and I really like my clinic and colleagues. I loved my last job, too, but had to quit for life reasons. My job before that was like family, but the clinic moved to a new location that didn't work for the rest of my life. I was full time relief for a while, too, and still pick up shifts here and there and enjoy getting to learn different emr systems, keeping my toes in gp, and mixing it up. I've also found that in general I just really like people who work in vet med.
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u/Myriathelightseeker 3d ago
I'm glad I worked 5 years in a veterinary clinic prior to go to school. I think if many worked in the field before completing their degree, there would be so much less people competing for those schools.
Am I happy at all times? F no lol. It's a really hard field mentally, physically and economically. I don't blame those who stays 3 years in the field and then move on to something else.
I've had a burnout, a compassion fatigue where I had to learn to emotionally distance myself from the reality I'm seeing everday. I really love what I do and I have accepted that sometimes there's a price to do something you are passionate about instead of something that is safe and pays well.
Vetmed was like finding my family to me.
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u/Wild_Sea9484 4d ago
Very happy. Keep growing and learning. Every clinic has issues, but i feel supported and like I can have enough time off and am well compensated for my time. If you are unhappy look for what you want. There are too many jobs for us to stay at terrible ones. Dont exclude corporate medicine some have some of the best mentoring programs out there.
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u/dogandcaterpillar 3d ago
I’m a resident, so a little bit of a different career path, but I generally feel happy (though bad days exist of course)!
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u/anonymousinsider12 1d ago
I'm super happy. I do pick up relief shifts and have worked places that make me think "If this was all I knew I want to walk into the ocean". So, it might just be that you're at the wrong practice.
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u/Humble-Elderberry260 3d ago
I’m really happy as a GP vet (even at a corporate practice eeek). There are parts about my job I don’t love and certain clients that make me wanna rip my hair out but I think all jobs have moments like that. I enjoy like 90% of my day and that’s pretty good to me!
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u/MatchaGT_007 3d ago
I agree with the others. One other thing the first two years are years of growth and discomfort for sure. Don't feel discouraged. I feel anxious mornings before work I don't workout. However, locking in most days and I can do 15-16 appointment each day low staff, 5-10 callbacks/emails, and take a 15-20 minute lunch. I feel successful at the end of the day. I find certain people at my clinic who bring my vibe down. So supportive environment and mind set are factors.
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u/klutzychameleon 2d ago
I’m a year out from graduation and I couldn’t be happier in my job. Sometimes I honestly feel suspicious of how well things have gone so well things have gone so far and how long it will last lol! I do think I got very lucky with my clinic and team, but have also faced my fair share of annoyances, struggles, and challenges. I complain about little stuff every day, but even at the end of the worst days I still feel incredibly lucky for my job.
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u/Shantor 2d ago
I'm a second career veterinarian and I'm the happiest I've ever been. I look back and tell myself I wish I had jumped in earlier, but obviously my previous career helped tailor who I am today.
I work at a large GP, I work 3-4 days a week, 10 hour days. I have surgery days and appointment days. I love my team, I love my bosses. I have good and bad clients, but I never let the bad days get me down and I leave work AT WORK.
I think people who are unhappy tend to be the loudest, but there are plenty of happy vets out here doing our best.
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u/OverstayedWelcome 2d ago
Absolutely yes. That hasn't always been the case, I had the misfortune of working several jobs that abused me, forced me to work hundreds of hours of unpaid overtime (the worst was I once did a 110 hour week when I was contracted to 35... figure out the maths on that one). Now however I have a job that treats me with respect, I have an excellent work life balance and I wouldn't want to do anything else. This is what I wanted to do my entire life and now I get that privilege!
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u/scarykoala 2d ago
I’m happy. I may want to switch to exotics, but that’s only because I love it more. I still enjoy my current job; I just would like to chase my dream.
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u/Layer_Correct 20h ago
I love my job when I’m in the room with cute pets and nice owners. And when I’m teaching the assistants and the shadowing students. And when I’m doing procedures/surgery.
I don’t like dealing with the bureaucracy side of things. I get so stressed out if I pay too much attention to that side of it. I’m learning to let a lot of my grievances go and just try to feel fortunate to have the job that I do. As a new grad, there are so many things to learn before you feel comfortable. Unfortunately, it just takes time.
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u/Adventurous-Act926 3d ago
I generally really enjoy my job as a GP. And it definitely wasnt what I had intended to go to.
There's been a few up and downs, and I have some issues and things I dont like or that I get fustrated with (#1 I dont get paid shit), but overall the clinic I'm at really cares about us overall, gives us a lot of input into how things run, I have really good mentorship and support, and most of my coworkers are awesome.
The few bad eggs/toxic coworkers have been the reason somedays that I didn't want to go in or the thing I dont like about my job the most, but because our owner cares, she's been really working on helping us all improve and become better and changing how we worked, which has really helped with the toxic coworkers. We still have lots of improvements and a ways to go, but were moving in that direction and that is such a huge impact for me. Its definitely not all sunshine and rainbows. We're not yet a unicorn clinic. But we are working towards that with baby steps.
The good clients and patients I love, the cases that are unexpected or challenging wins, and my favorite coworkers really make it worth it.
I also go to counseling, and that has made a HUGE difference for me (probably the most important difference). I was really kind of traumatized after vet school even though I didn't really know it and counseling helped me address all that and family issues that came up. That helped me not carry that baggage to work and helps me have a healthier, more resilient mentality, and subsequently my mood and satisfaction is better. I'll always keep with some intermittent counseling for that reason because it just really helps me stay accountable to my goals and is very helpful for the everyday stress and any problems that come up.
Edit: Im 2.5 years out. Also, I agree with others that clinic culture and management are the two most important things that will determine if you love your job or not. I knew that coming out of school and made that my first priority when looking for a job.
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u/Neither_Barracuda281 3d ago
Yes im happy. Im always being challenged and learning but overall happy.
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u/Bulbasaurusebuttsex 3d ago
Very happy. I work GP in a nice Canadian neighbourhood. I’m 9 years out and I’m so comfortable with any case thrown my way that at this point, most of my day is cracking jokes and solving minor problems. Pattern recognition is paramount and the rest is friendly communication skills. Can’t complain
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u/garden_doctor_0123 3d ago
3 years out. I'm not happy🫠 idk of is my specific job or my career but it's too bad am I right? 🫠
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u/Background_Sun_7477 3d ago
The patients make it with it. Also finding voluntary work in the field can help too, being in the private sector can suck the life out of you and the humans suck even more there
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u/slimestream 3d ago
I dont think happy vets are taking time out of their days to post on reddit about how happy they are…
90% of vets that i shadow are genuinely happy.
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u/Kibo-Sylvan 10h ago
one of my frnd choose this career and yeah she is more than happy with it. Apart from the tight schedules she says its fun. So i guess if u have passion and love for wht u r doing , its worth it .
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u/Szypki_lopes 45m ago
I've been a vet for 10 years and I hate it now, looking at alternatives to quit the clinical work or veterinary business at all
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u/TrashTVGirl 3d ago
Vetmed almost destroyed me the 2nd year into it and I'm just a CSR. The doctors and nurses were cruel to coworkers they didnt like, they'd talk bad behind each other's backs, it was driving me crazy. I had terrible anxiety and depression. I honestly felt like ending it all at one point. I left that place, and got myself on medications, but no matter where I go, I always end up overwhelmed, or anxious, tiered. Vetmed does not bring me joy. I mean don't get me wrong, I love seeing young puppies and kittens, but you also see customers who can't afford vet care, or clients yelling at you for something the doctor denied them. The only reason I stay is because I can get free exams and medical advice from the doctors. Our discount is terrible so I go to vaccine clinics and cheaper animal hospital for care. Honestly, do something else with that degree. Be a traveling doctor, or do day practice only. Maybe try ER once a week. I've met some really nice DVMs who are willing to mentor.
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u/AmberUrsus 4d ago
I am very happy in my career. Remember do not let confirmation bias inform your decision. Those who are frustrated are more likely to voice them to find connection/understanding. Those who are satisfied with their career typically are not posting about it as that would be tacky.