Associate Veterinarian
(Female, Age 27) from Forest Park, IL
This is a REAL-LIFE job profile written by a Female aged 27 who works as a Associate Veterinarian in Forest Park, IL. We have removed all names and personal information in order to protect privacy. This professional kindly spent a bit of their time to complete one of our job profile surveys so that prospective job seekers like you could read their insights. Please excuse any punctuation or grammatical errors in this profile.
At a Glance
Current Job
Basic data on your current job
| Job Title | Associate Veterinarian |
|---|---|
| Salary | $76,000 |
| Other Compensation | None Set |
| Hours/Week | 38 |
| Company Size | (not answered) |
| Location | Forest Park, IL |
| Years Experience | 1 year |
Career Ratings
Opinions on your CAREER overall (i.e. not just your current job)
| Years in Career | 0 |
|---|---|
| Education | (not answered) |
| Income Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Interest Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Work-Life Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Fulfilment Rating | 0 / 10 |
Current job Q&A
Describe the type of organization you work for.
I work as a veterinarian in a 3-doctor small animal practice. We see mostly cats and dogs, with an occasional bird or ferret.
Describe your job role and responsibilities.
I am a veterinarian – I perform surgeries (spays, neuters, mass removals. I also practice medicine, which ranges from routine health checks and vaccines, to figuring out why a pet is vomiting.
Please list an additional benefits (beyond compensation) that you receive.
2 weeks vacation, individual health insurance, dental insurance
Do you feel you are under/over or well/fairly compensated at your current position?
Well-compensated
Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Please explain.
Yes – I work with other doctors, and I also work with assistants or “animal nurses.” I enjoy the interaction and being able to seek opinions from different sources.
Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes
Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes
Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it.
Please rate each of the following aspects of your current job on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest/best):
Income: 2
Benefits: 6
Hours: 5
Co-Workers: 3
Supervisors: 4
Job Title: 8
Level of Responsibility: 7
The Actual Work: 1
A day in the life of…
Please describe a typical workday for you in your current job:
| 5am to 6am | |
| 6am to 7am | |
| 7am to 8am | Monday – wake up at 7am – get to work by 8am |
| 8am to 9am | Arrive at work. See apoointments (appointments are scheduled every 15 minutes)or write up medical records from the night before. |
| 9am to 10am | Perform surgeries – spays, neuters, mass removals. Return phone calls from owners calling about their pets. See appointments if no surgeies scheduled. |
| 10am to 11am | Surgeries or appointments. Return more calls. |
| 11am to 12pm | Finish up surgeries for the morning, most see appointments. |
| 12pm to 1pm | See appointments, return phone calls. Call the owners of pets who had surgery performed. Call owners of pets that I saw previously to get updates on how they’re doing. |
| 1pm to 2pm | Lunch |
| 2pm to 3pm | Lunch |
| 3pm to 4pm | Lunch |
| 4pm to 5pm | Appointments. Usually have a few (3-4) phone calls to return from people who called over lunch. |
| 5pm to 6pm | Appointments, return phone calls in between appointments. |
| 6pm to 7pm | See more appointments. |
| 7pm to 8pm | See more appointments. |
| 8pm to 9pm | Clinic is officially closed. Write up records of pets I saw that day if I haven’t already, or if I still have energy. Leave work between 8:30 and 9pm. |
| 9pm to 10pm | |
| 10pm to 11pm | |
| 11pm to 12am |
Table of Contents
How you got your job
How did you get your current job?
Referral from another veterinarian who I applied for.
What was the application process?
My current boss contacted me and I submitted a resume and was invited for an interview.
Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
Yes. I visited the clinic on a Saturday and spent the day following the other 2 doctors into appointments. They asked me a few medical questions (what’s the correct dose of insulin for a 10 ppound cat, etc). I ate lunch with the doctors and assistants and was offered the job later that afternoon.
If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
How much experience do you have doing spays/ neuters? Why did you become a vet? How did you like vet school? Do you know people in Chicago (I’m originally from Wisconsin)
Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes – I was always free to ask questions
Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
Yes – I was trained in vet school. The first 2-3 weeks of my current job I just followed the doctors around and learned how to conduct an appropriate exam on a pet.
Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
Yes – I attended 4 years of professional school for my career.
If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
Visit the website for the American Veterinary Medical Association (avma.org). Volunteer at local shelters, veterinary hospitals, and be sure to speak with a college advisor about requirements.
What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
Ability to work well with others, love of animals (of course), ability to work independently, self-motivator.
Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
Yes – you have to complete at least 3-4 years of undergraduate college work to meet the veterinary school requirements, then you complete 4 years in vet school.
What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
I’s a very rewarding career, and go for it if it’s something you want to do. Willpower and motivation will take you a long way.
Long-term career plans
Is your current employment part of your overall career plan? Why or why not?
Yes – I’ve wanted to be a vet since I was a kid.
What are your current career goals?
Hopefully I’ll own my own animal hospital in 10 years
Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?
I love my job !
Prior work history
Please list your most recent jobs prior to this current job:
| Title | Length | Salary | Description | |
| Prior Job 1 | Research Assistant | 4 months | $10/hour | Assisted with research conducted with mice/ rats. |
| Prior Job 2 | Animal Caretaker | 6 months | $11/ hour | Cleaned cages of research animals (mice, rats, monkeys) |
Educational background
Please list your educational background:
High School GPA:3.9
| GPA | School | Degree | |
| College (Undergraduate) or Technical/Vocational |
3.6 | UW-Madison | Zoology |
| Graduate or Professional (Masters or Doctorate) |
3.2 | UW-Madison Vet School | Doctor of Veterinary Medicine |
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