It started with my tweet.
I was working this weekend as it seemed to be for every significant event this year. My daughter’s birthday, my son’s birthday, my birthday (I’m in denial about this one!), every long weekend and now my wedding anniversary.
Earlier in the year I was working every Saturday and every second Sunday, so I can’t really moan about events falling on a weekend I worked as I worked every weekend! It was my choice so I didn’t have to put my young daughter in childcare.
What I found so sad is the reply tweet by Wauchope Vets. I would be upset, frustrated and annoyed to miss my 2 year old’s birthday.
The one thing I find most veterinarians dislike about our veterinary profession is the lack of a life that comes with it. Even if you don’t work in a practice that is open 7 days, for many vets the on-call component makes the work 24 hours, 7 days/week.
I have worked too many Christmas holidays to recall + Easter + public holidays + weekends + 10-12+ hour days. That’s the time commitment our profession dictates.
As a veterinarian, you know the hours are part of the job.
As another year of service is added to your veterinary career, the sacrifices can take their toll.
The sacrifice on your personal life. The ability to have a personal life. How frustrating is it trying to be in a sporting team or have a weekly commitment knowing every second, third or fourth weekend you may not be available. The social functions and family gatherings that are missed. The nights out you don’t enjoy as you are so exhausted from another crazy, busy day or the nights out you just don’t make because of the emergency just before closing.
The sacrifice on family life takes the greatest toll for most veterinarians. Once we have families, priorities and ambition change.
For men, it can become more stressful being the sole financial contributor and balancing providing for the family yet being home to enjoy that family. For women, it’s how long can they afford to be off work financially & their career, finding and affording childcare, the guilt and stress associated with returning to work, either full or part time and the juggle associated with working and parenting.
It can be the little & big things that can tip a person into dissatisfaction with their current employment or career choice. It can be the cumulation of years of sacrifice when you realise you are getting older and the time you were waiting for to have a break, is never going to come…
For example:
- Having to work 3 weekends in a row just to have 1 weekend off
- Never making it home for that birthday party
- An unhappy partner as you are late again
- Never being fully present at home as you are worried about the case in hospital
- A phone ring tone resembling the on call phone that instantly makes you angry
- Missing your child’s school activity or sporting event
- Missing dinner with the family every night or just putting the kids to bed
- Hearing about non-veterinary colleagues income & lifestyle
Thank you for this. I am starting work in animal care staff at a shelter and am considering going into medicine, and I want to go into it with my eyes wide open.
Thank you for inspiring the post..
I hope you got to enjoy some of the birthday and cherished the moments you had.
Great article/thoughts!
I guess we need to stop feeling guilty for placing our family first! Not easy but we need to stay loyal to our principles.