I realized I haven’t written about my job situation.  This is what has really stressed me about this move.  The problem is this:

I hate surgery.

Specifically I hate dog spays.  They stress me more than anything else on Earth.  On the days I did spays I didn’t eat because of the stress.  What is one of the main thing that general practice vets do?  Dog spays. 

Through the combination of seniority, whining, and manipulation I have finally achieved a surgery-free schedule.  I don’t want to give that up.  I couldn’t see a way around this problem.

Add to that problem the fact that beggars can’t be choosers.  On the AVMA website there are exactly three job listings for my entire state.

I sat down and decided to figure out my ideal job.  It went like this.

1.  No surgery
2.  Wellness and medical visits done in a way that was open to holistic practice
3.  Nice people as clients and to work with

So there it was.  Put it out to the universe or whatever.  I kept checking ads and considered trying to start a housecall practice but that would mean little to no income for a while.

I found a website for a low cost wellness clinic.  They didn’t seem to just be peddling vaccines.  It reminded me of a human clinic in a drugstore.  Quick, good medical care for minor illness.  I filled out their request for info.  Then I read more and realized that they also did low cost spay/neuter.  Crap.

I got a call back from them.  I tried to figure out how to politely say that I filled out the form before reading all the info.  I decided to say that after considering it more I didn’t think it was a good fit for me.  We chatted for a bit and then I decided to segue into turning them down.  “Is this more wellness visits or surgical?”
“What do you want to do?”
“Um, no surgeries?”
“That’s fine with us.  Whatever makes you happy.  By the way, are you looking just to work some shifts here or do you want to have your own clinic?”

That was an unexpected twist.  Turns out that they want to open more locations but they need an experienced vet who can run it.  It sounds like I’ll work for about a month a few days a week at the current location to learn their ways and to make sure we all get along.  They will then open the new location and I’ll take over.  They have offered several options for ownership of the clinic.  I’ll probably buy in over time so I don’t have to put any money in up front.

I went to the clinic for a while.  Part of their mission statement is super friendly service.  Get this – the technicians all but trip over themselves to help the vet.  Where I work one of the technicians has to be told every time to take the dog’s temperature.  That isn’t being told every day – I mean I have to tell her every appointment every day.  Over half the time she can’t manage to get it done anyway.  She’s lucky I’m just a peon or she’d been fired long ago.  I won’t know how to act with helpfulness.

Hopefully it will all work out.Â