Starting my veterinary career:
Eleanor Goad
Eleanor is a new graduate vet from the University of Bristol, currently working in first opinion small animal practice in Cornwall. She has a particular love of medicine, and outside of work enjoys running, reading and spending time by the sea.
Tell us a little about your career journey to date?
I’m currently (at time of writing) just a few months into my first new graduate position following university. I’m based in a small animal, first opinion practice by the coast that also sees quite a few exotics through its doors.
How did you go about finding the right practice for you?
I applied to my practice through a corporate new graduate scheme, and although I didn’t do EMS at the practice, I think that’s a really good way to go about it.
In general, getting a large amount of work experience in a wide variety of practices is key. It taught me what I wanted to get out of a job, which is something that no lecture at university is ever able to teach you.
Personally, I tried to get a good feel of the practice by looking at the people I would be calling my colleagues. Were they happy? Was staff retention high? Were the new graduates who came before me still working there, and what had they thought of the process? The people I met on my interview day were all so lovely and welcoming, it made me feel like it was the right place for me.
How much of a factor was location and finances in the choices that you made?
For me, location was a big factor in the decision-making process, and that’s because I wanted to get into the habit of having a good work-life balance from the off.
It’s so very easy for vets to become all consumed by work, and so I think being located somewhere where you either have a really strong support network, or access to hobbies and interests outside of the practice, plays a big part in making life as a veterinarian sustainable.
In terms of finances, it’s my impression that due to the rise of corporates, most new graduate roles offer quite similar starting salaries. What’s probably more important than just the overall figure is what’s expected of you for that salary – will you have on-call duties, how frequent are the weekend shifts, are you on a four or five-day week, and will you be compensated for overtime with time in lieu, for instance.
What are some of the things you wished you had known before your first job?
Firstly, it will get easier with every week that passes. It can all feel very overwhelming at the beginning, but that’s to be expected for anyone starting their first job.
It also really pays to be organised. Keep a little book on hand to jot down useful dosages, vaccine protocols or any short cuts for the IT system your practice uses.
Lastly, I cannot emphasise enough that it is okay to ask your colleagues questions. You are not being annoying by doing so, you are being proactive and responsible. The best vets are those ones who respect their own strengths and weaknesses and ask for help when needed.
Image: AI (Adobe Firefly)
How has your job met your expectations, and what opportunities has it presented?
Having not been able to spend some time in practice with my current team before I applied for the job I wasn’t sure quite what to expect, but a lot of the fears I had about starting in practice were quite unfounded. I have felt really supported, valued and encouraged and that my confidence is growing with each passing week.
I think I’m very lucky that the location of my practice and the variety of experience within my team lends itself to having a good exposure of interesting and routine cases alike.
I’ve had a lot of support in both the medical and surgical areas of my learning, which has given me a lot to think about in terms of where I want my career to focus over the next few years.
What have been some of the challenges you’ve faced, and how have you overcome them?
My first euthanasia certainly felt like my first huge challenge and a large and emotional milestone. I’ve been really fortunate to have a lot of specific training in how to approach these consults. This, and the support of my colleagues – in particular a lovely student nurse who volunteered to be in the room with me – helped make the whole experience as smooth as it possibly could have been.
What hopes or plans do you have for the future?
I know that I would love to pursue further qualifications eventually, perhaps in medicine or emergency and critical care (ECC). But for now, I’m just focusing on becoming a good well-rounded vet, which I feel like is often enough of a task in itself.
What would be some of the best advice you could give to students, or those about to graduate, about their first job?
Don’t feel like you have to say yes to the first job that you’re offered, unless of course it really is a dream come true. There’s also certainly no pressure to find a job before you graduate. We’re very fortunate right now that the veterinary job market allows us to almost interview and vet our potential employers just as much as they are interviewing and vetting us – no pun intended.
Remember also that a job is more than just a salary. Consider the location, your commute, if the staff there already seem happy and content.
Choosing your first job is the first sniff of autonomy us young vets have had since we chose our vet school five, sometimes six, years ago. And even then, there were less than 10 to choose from.
It’s only natural that this decision seems daunting, but try to enjoy it as much as possible because the truth is you’ve earned it.