2 minute read
To the Soon-to-Be DVM, From One Year in the Future
By Anne Chiruvolu, DVM
One year ago, I received a text from my future colleague at the hospital I would be joining after graduation: “Your business cards are here!” Attached was a photo of stacks of crisp new cards with the company logo and the words “Anne Chiruvolu, DVM.” As I stood in the veterinary teaching hospital, exhausted and knee-deep in inpatients, those words seemed incredible—too good to be true. Was I really this close to everything I had been working so hard for?
And just like that, I’ve now been the doctor on those business cards for nearly a year. I’ve watched my confidence grow, my knowledge deepen, and my efficiency increase. I’ve had so many firsts and so many teachable moments—like a complicated case that hinged on a good rectal exam, proving every internist right that the only reason not to examine that end of the dog is if you don’t have a finger, or…you know the rest. I still have a long way to go, of course. There are plenty of firsts that haven’t come my way yet. But I’ve thought a lot about the advice I would offer to the earlier version of me, one year ago, staring incredulously at those business cards.
You don’t think you’re ready, but you are. Even though it doesn’t always feel like it, the skills you need on day one are already in place. The vet school faculty know what they’re doing, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how facts from lectures years before pop into your head when you need them most.
But remember, help is out there…and you’ll need it. Just because you’re ready to get started doesn’t mean you know everything. Every day I’m consulting textbooks, articles, Veterinary Information Network, and of course, my colleagues and technicians. Calling the IDEXX specialists has saved my bacon many times over, from deciding on next steps for my complicated 18-year-old nephrotic syndrome patient to putting together a treatment plan for an English bulldog with a highly antibiotic-resistant skin infection. And help isn’t limited to cases; you also need to lean on your family and friends for your own mental health. Whether seeking validation for a difficult decision or just sharing a funny photo, I can count on my vet school crew to be there for me, just a text message away. Keep them close, even if they’re physically far.
And lastly, there IS a place in veterinary medicine for you. Everyone in vet school has their own challenges and things that make them unique. Chronic illness, debt, lack of experience, physical limitations, family obligations, imposter syndrome… none of these mean you cannot become an outstanding doctor. Every person I know in my graduating class had their own struggles of one kind or another, and I’m consistently blown away by the amazing things they are accomplishing out there now. Find a practice that will set you up for success and nourish your growth, personally, and professionally—they are out there waiting for you. And they’ll print you some very nice business cards for when you arrive.
Calling all new grads!
Would you like to be featured as the next First Year Vet in the California Veterinarian? This is a great way to document your first year out of veterinary school, chart your professional and personal growth, and serve as an inspiration to current veterinary students. This opportunity involves writing six short articles (about 400 words each) on a bi-monthly basis about your experiences in the real-world of veterinary medicine. If interested, email Taryn DeOilers tdeoilers@cvma.net by June 15, 2023.
MAY 15, 2023
Inclusion & Diversity Committee Meeting
MAY 17, 2023
VISC Board Meeting
JUNE 9, 2023
Joint Board of Governors/ House of Delegates Meeting
JULY 18–20, 2023
Veterinary Medical Board Meetings
OCTOBER 6, 2023
CVMA Board of Governors
Action Planning Meeting