job #1 (aka THE DREAM JOB): they liked me a great deal, but interestingly enough, an internal medicine specialist applied for the job, so they decided to start a mini-specialty practice instead of hiring a GP. thus, i am out. (asheville, NC)
job #2 (worst interview EVER): hired someone else. no sorrow there. (antioch, TN)
job #3 (great diagnostics/therapies, old hospital): oddly, have not heard from them, don't know when or if i will... (jefferson city, TN)
job #4 (gorgeous clinic, limited medicine): clicked with owner amazingly well, loved the clinic itself, tentatively offered job - trying to work out finances. negatives: in the middle of tennessee (flat), cost of living 50% higher in that area, farther from family/friends/anyone i know and love. still working that one out. (franklin, TN)
job #5 (haven't seen clinic in kentucky, owner met me for dinner/interview midway): i got really weird vibes from this owner. he spent the first 30 minutes of the "interview" bitching about his employees and how he can't get them to do anything he wants. have not followed up on that one, although he did invite me to kentucky for an interview. (lexington, KY)
so, it's been a bust so far (mostly), and i'm feeling very down in the mouth about the whole job search. this is what's pending:
metropolitan NC - emergency clinic, amazing salary (80,000 + 27% production), all the toys, good word of mouth about them. i'm heading down on monday morning to do a working interview on monday night, followed by a formal interview on tuesday morning.
lexington, SC - also an ER clinic. it hasn't opened yet, so i'd be there at the beginning of this clinic, which is kind of cool. has all the toys i like (digital xray, etc). on the other hand, i know no one at all in that area, and south carolina is kinda hot, flat, and sandy. i'm going there for a working interview on friday, may 15.
brentwood, TN - this hasn't been confirmed yet, although they are conversing with me via email and are interested in me coming down for an interview.
this sucks. i know i have high standards for where i work, and i know i'm picky...but sheesh. 2 of my internmates already have firm job offers - and 1 has already accepted a job. any words of wisdom from anyone who has done the job dance before? this is my first real foray out into the world of REAL jobs, and i'm not liking it one bit.
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Stories from the ER veterinarian world
DISCLAIMER
Any similarity between my stories and any person or animal, living or dead, is strictly a coincidence. Names, breeds, sexes, and details of the stories have been changed to protect the guilty and innocent alike.
About Me
- The Homeless Parrot
- I am an emergency veterinarian in North Carolina. Despite the crazy people I deal with, the awful cases of injured and sick animals, and the overall stress of emergency work, I absolutely love what I do. Happily married since I was 20, I have a wonderful husband who has a PhD in Mathematics, and a daughter around whom our world currently revolves. We also have a zoo living in our house that can be alternately wonderful and maddening. There are cats, parrots, and a dog who is very low on the totem pole. Our days are never dull and we are learning to balance the demands of work and family. If you'd like to contact me: homelessparrot@gmail.com
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Medical terminology
- Azotemia - elevation in kidney enzymes (BUN and creatinine) indicating dehydration, kidney failure, or urinary obstruction
- Lactate - a salt/ester of lactic acid that is produced as energy for a cell when oxygen levels are low. In critically ill animals, elevated lactate can be an indicator of inadequate blood flow to organs (perfusion), decreased delivery of oxygen, and/or decreased oxygen uptake. Values > 6-7 are usually considered to be poor prognostic indicators for survival.
- GI sloughing: when the cells lining the GI tract die (can be secondary to MANY things, including heatstroke) with resulting bloody diarrhea, bacterial translocation into the bloodstream and sepsis
- TTJ: transfer to jesus: code for when an animal needs to be euthanized or die
- DIC: disseminated intravascular coagulation: a very, very bad thing - when the hemostatic system gets out of whack, and clots start forming in the blood vessels until all clotting factors are wasted. once those are gone, internal hemorrhage ensues, followed by death, usually. also known as "death is coming"
- Pleural effusion - fluid contained in the pleural space (chest) - this is not the same as fluid in the lungs (see pulm edema) - in cats can be caused by infection in the chest, heart failure, cancer, FIP, feline leukemia, FIV, and in some cases, the cause is never found (idiopathic)
- Anisocoria - unequal pupil size (related to any number of causes including brain damage/head trauma)
- Laterally recumbent - lying on side, unable to rise
- Hyperglycemia - elevated blood glucose
- Hyperkalemia: elevated blood potassium - a life-threatening condition related to several disorders (kidney failure, antifreeze toxicity, urethral obstruction...etc)
- Sepsis - refers to a bacterial infection in the bloodstream or body tissues. This is a very broad term covering the presence of many types of microscopic disease-causing organisms.
- Nephrectomy - kidney removal
- Splenectomy - removal of spleen
- Pulmonary edema - condition in which fluid accumulates in the lungs, usually because the heart's left ventricle does not pump adequately ( can be caused by heart failure, electrocution, drowning, too many IV fluids, to name a few)
- Tick borne diseases - any of a myriad of diseases transmitted by ticks - including but not limited to Rocky Mtn Spotted fever, Lyme disease, Ehrlichia
- Fine needle aspirate - A method of sampling in which a needle is used to suck in cells or tissue bits for diagnoses (good for diagnosing masses/lumps)
- Blood glucose - The principal sugar produced by the body from food–especially carbohydrates, but also from proteins and fats; glucose is the body's major source of energy, is transported to cells via the circulation and used by cells in the presence of insulin (normal range in a dog/cat is 75-100)
- PCV - packed cell volume - the volume of packed red cells in milliliters per 100 ml of blood (normal range 35-45)
Diseases I see/treat frequently
- Dystocia - difficulty birthing. May be responsive to oxytocin administration (Pitocin, as in people) but may require c-section.
- DKA - diabetic ketoacidosis: the extreme end of the diabetic scale. A patient that is diabetic can develop DKA when other diseases make the blood glucose hard to regulate. Other diseases that are commonly associated include urinary tract infection, pancreatitis, pyometra, skin infection, and cancer. In DKA, the body starts metabolizing fat and producing acids that cause a drop in blood pH, nausea, weakness, severe dehydration, electrolyte derangments, and death.
- DCM - dilated cardiomyopathy: an idiopathic (cause unknown) cardiac disease in which the heart chambers become very thin/dilated, and cardiac output drops radically. Causes arrhythmias, tachycardia, and sudden death. Seen in large breed dogs like Dobermans, Great Danes, etc.
- Lymphoma - cancer of the white blood cells, the most common and treatable form of cancer in dogs
- Blocked cat - slang term for a male cat with a plug of mucus and crystals obstructing the urethra (fairly common in male cats) definitely a life-threatening because urine can't get out of the body! If present long enough, causes shock, acute renal failure, hyperkalemia (elevated potassium), coma, and death. Symptoms include straining in the litterbox, yowling while trying to urinate, producing small, bloody drops of urine (also symptoms of feline cystitis, a non-lethal condition)
- GDV - stands for gastric-dilatation and volvulus - a condition of large breed, deep-chested dogs (usually) in which the stomach rotates 180 degrees on its axis and thus - nothing can enter or leave, considered the "mother of all emergencies" - it warrants immediate surgery and carries a guarded prognosis
- IMHA - immune-mediated hemolytic anemia. A disease in which the immune system attacks the red blood cells and destroys them. It causes profound anemia and is life-threatening. Causes are primary (no known cause) and secondary ( tick borne disease, cancer, and heavy metal intoxication). Treatment is immunosuppression with drugs primarily. Prognosis is guarded at best.
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3 comments:
Just a FWIW--that guy in KY is giving me a great big red flag. If he can't get employees to do what he wants it says to me either he doesn't have a really clear idea (and changes his mind continually, confusing people) or his training is abysmal. I might go to that interview if he's paying (and Lexington is nice, if you've never been--if you do go, have dinner at Tachibana--best sushi in town!) and see his place and chat up the staff without him around.
I've worked for a few guys who did nothing but bitch about staff--and it was not the staff that was the actual problem. Plus, if he drags that out IMMEDIATELY at an interview--something is WAY UP.
good luck!
Of the two times I did the job hunt thing, I had places both times that didn't ever contact me again after an interview- which I thought was kinda unprofessional. Other places called with either offers or regrets. The KY guy is giving me the willies as well. I'd stay clear of him, though I agree Lexington is a beautiful area. Very horsey, if you're into that. A new e-clinic could be good or bad. The one in I think it was NC or SC with the great pay watch out- sounds like a high cost of living area and you may not have as much left over as you think you will. I take it you're wanting to stay in the south??? Good luck!!!!
Beloved Parrot here: If you'd like to give me his name (Lexington KY guy) I can check him out with some of the folks at the premier avian vet clinic in Lexington (Pennyroyal Small & Exotic Animal Hospital; Dr. Bianca Zaffarano). Completely confidential. Of course, I'll understand completely if you'd rather not -- and I do agree that if things are always the employees' fault it's always NOT the employees' fault.
If it's Gilpin I can tell you my personal experiences (not overly positive).
mdfloyd@gmail.com
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