I want to leave vet med — should I quit or can it get better?

If I had a penny for every time I've dreamt of leaving vet med and opening a pancake shop .... I could at least have bought a LOT of pancakes, with extra Nutella 😋.

Most vets I know harbour some fantasy of quitting vet med altogether, so if this is you I want you to know you're not alone! (It would actually be quite fun to put together a list of all alternative jobs vets think of...).

To answer the question: It CAN get better. And also - you MAY have to quit, for a while.

About quitting: If you're in severe burnout where you've got heart palpitations, can't sleep, thinking about quitting and not just the profession (!), hate going to work, feel so exhausted you can't even face making dinner, and it's affecting your relationships - then I would absolutely recommend taking break, as long as you need.

The problem with taking a break due to burnout, is that we basically go on sick leave because of stress (something unmeasurable, happening inside our body and brain), and it's just not the same as breaking a leg. Since no one can SEE there's anything wrong with us, we feel we have to justify ourselves, we feel bad for our peers that have to cover our shifts, and we feel useless and bad that we couldn't just "get ourselves together". Be aware that these thoughts are likely to come up, AND, you've GOT to get over that shit.

Most of us have worked relentlessly for years non stop. First to get into vet school, then to get through it, and then trying to get good enough at everything as quick as possible once in clinics. This has made us into incredibly hard and resourceful workers, most of us smart as whips, AND we don't really know how to do nothing. We also tend to attach our value to our output, so resting = zero value. You also HAVE to get over this, and learn to be ok with resting, not making it mean you're less than.

Next thing with taking a break is that it's great to get you out of fight and flight so you can calm the f down and breathe again, but you will lose everything you gained if you run back into vet med without learning how to deal with it differently first.

The veterinary profession is not going to get less challenging while you're away from it, so you need to be willing to see things differently and change your perspective. Most importantly, change your patterns that are destroying you, such as people pleasing, lack of boundaries, low self confidence, and so on.

That said, it is totally worth it. I left vet med thinking I would never go back. The break gave me the space I needed to explore what was going on inside of me, and what were the reasons I had so much anxiety, so little confidence and the worst time management know to man. With the help of coaching, I built the skills I needed to become calm, confident and happy again, able to be an amazing mum for my teens, and eventually WANTING to get back into vet med, feeling in my bones that I knew how to handle and enjoy the profession.

Don't get me wrong; there will always be moments/days where I want to run for the hills, wondering why the f*ck I ever wanted to be a vet (and dreaming of new recipes for glutenfree, plantbased pancakes everyone can eat...) But those moments a few and far in between now, and I dare you to show me any profession where people are constantly on a high and happy.

Vet Med is an incredibly challenging (and rewarding) profession. It's normal to get overwhelmed and wanting to quit at times, but if this becomes the overall feeling, then there are absolutely things you can do about it (such as using coaching to change the way you see and do things), maybe starting with a break if it's all a bit too much. Then come back roaring!!

In your corner,

​

Ready to fall back in love with Vet Med?

If you're feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or doubting yourself — I get it. I've been there. Here's how I can help:

• Book a Free 50-Minute Coaching Session — Let's chat about where you are and where you want to be. Book here
• Download the Free Burnout Guide — 10 ways to overcome burnout in the veterinary clinic. Get it here
• Explore the Happy in Vet Med Programme — Beat burnout and imposter syndrome. Learn more

You don't have to do this alone.