You look too young to be a vet

Re: You look too young to be a vet

Anthony Todd — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 16:42:05 GMT

At least none of you, male or female, have been referred to as "the short, stumpy, balding one" at the age of 23, that's twenty three [sigh]

Re: You look too young to be a vet

Julian Earl — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 09:28:18 GMT

Thanks Anthony, but you could have told me this by private messaging? I haven't got used to being old 33years after qualifying, .

Re: You look too young to be a vet

Anthony Dennison — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 20:03:14 GMT

A client once asked for 'the vet in his mid-thirties' the summer I graduated at the ripe old age of 24...

I think women have a harder deal when it comes to these sorts of things.

Re: You look too young to be a vet

Bibs — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 12:05:43 GMT

I've not had anyone say I look too young to be a vet, not even when I got my first job at 22. I'm a bit taller than average and have one of those resting faces that people want to tell to cheer up ("resting bitch face"). Even when I'm feeling quite happy I can have a dry/dead pan sense of humour. Come to think of it loads of people have told me I look tired rather than too young....not good when looking back over 22 - 32 years old.

I did have a farmer comment when I went to his farm for the first time, in my first job, to do a C section that he was glad I was a "good sturdy lass"....charming. I took it as a compliment.

Re: You look too young to be a vet

Wren — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 11:52:53 GMT

Being Scottish I was at Vet School at 17 and qualified at 22. Luckily I'm tall, so didn't have too many problems, but it was still a bit weird being in my mid-20s and having been qualified for 3 years and having vet students to see practice who were older than me!

Re: You look too young to be a vet

Bob Russell — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 10:57:25 GMT

Sadly I stand no chance of being considered too young to be a vet (except by the visually challenged!)

My wife, on the other hand is regularly asked for id in pubs and has been refused alcohol sales on occasions when she has forgotten her drivers licence. Bouncer at a bar blocked her (and sister-in-law) entry yesterday until the drivers licences came out. Not sure if she is the lucky one or whether I am!

Re: You look too young to be a vet

Anthony Todd — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 10:53:42 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]The 10% that needed it may have got even better with better treatment![/quote]

Part of the "art" ,which has been largely lost, is to pick on that 10% rather than over treat the 90% which, as you say, will get better despite treatment, and even a definitive diagnosis.

Most successful dinovets also had that ability and their clients were grateful.

I mean bloods for a dog with mild diarrhoea, come on.....! Or even suggesting major internal fixation for that 4 months pup with the shattered wrist.

Or superVET and the complicated multiple pinning of metacarpals where the whole foot was so obviously dead....yet featured on TV.

Sorry, only picking them as illustrations and without knowing all the details.

Re: You look too young to be a vet

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 09:33:07 GMT

[quote user="Anthony Todd"]Apart from the fact that most of his patients got better, [/quote]90% of our patients will get better despite rather than because of any treatment. The 10% that needed it may have got even better with better treatment!

Re: You look too young to be a vet

Anthony Todd — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 09:29:24 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]Sadly too many dinovets have accepted the road to extinction of their own careers by carrying on in their own (old) sweet way.[/quote][quote user="Martin Atkinson"]The key is in the phrase, 'results, judged by clients'. He had bedside manner and could charm birds out of the trees but like so many dinovets was able to pull the wool over the client's eyes and the application of bovine faecal matter was liberal. In many ways it is little more than exploitation of the average pet owner's ignorance of even the most basic medical knowledge.[/quote]

Apart from the fact that most of his patients got better, and they did, because of his "art" and his applied "sparse" knowledge, if they didn't he was able to predict it and without all demonstrating his infinite knowledge.

These days the modvet applies bovine matter just as liberally ,and the average owner is just as ignorant, but some are able to see through a dissertation on the differential diagnostic possibilities of a runny nose, whereas Uncle Clive just sussed the case and gave [probably] a placebo, knowing the case would recover anyway. Which it did.

He taught me a lot; which I tried to apply.

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]Sadly too many dinovets have accepted the road to extinction of their own careers by carrying on in their own (old) sweet way.[/quote]

Ironic, most of the posters here have worked for these dinovets during their "road to extinction".

Re: You look too young to be a vet

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 09:03:53 GMT

[quote user="Anthony Todd"]

Remember Uncle Clive; revered by clients; knowledge, by current standards, sparse, techniques way way outmoded.

Results, judged by clients, fantastic, 'cos he had the "art" in spades, and I'm sure you all know of others you've experienced.

You all should wonder why and what this was, and try to develop that particular art first then, and only then, apply all that infinite knowledge.

[/quote]I would not try not to speak ill of the dead and accept that Uncle Clive gave me the opportunity to develop unhindered with quiet advice but never criticism for my errors of judgement but I did not even then believe that he was anything other than a dinovet. The key is in the phrase, 'results, judged by clients'. He had bedside manner and could charm birds out of the trees but like so many dinovets was able to pull the wool over the client's eyes and the application of bovine faecal matter was liberal. In many ways it is little more than exploitation of the average pet owner's ignorance of even the most basic medical knowledge.

I feel that I'm a dinovet that has evolved by knowledge and willingness (nay ability) to learn and adapt to cutting edge knowledge to something that is infinitely better than that I possessed as a 5 even 10 years graduated young thing. That coupled with experience I hope is a winning combination. Sadly I never possessed any charm or bedside manner, clients have to take me as I am. Sadly too many dinovets have accepted the road to extinction of their own careers by carrying on in their own (old) sweet way.

Re: You look too young to be a vet

Charlotte Marshall — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 08:17:45 GMT

I also used to get this a lot. The most annoying bit of it used to be clients who tended to look at the male vet student when giving their history! Now I don't tend to get that but people do ask how long I've been a vet and are quite surprised when I tell them it is 18 years!

Re: You look too young to be a vet

Suzanne Kelly — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 00:49:50 GMT

I used to get that all the time, hadn't heard it in ages until a few weeks ago a lady was convinced that I Iooked too young to be a qualified vet. I was thrilled ( 19 years qualified) until I got further into the consult and realised the lady was suffering from dementia. Oh well.

To the OP don't worry about it, maybe some people use vets instead of policemen as their yardstick!

Re: You look too young to be a vet

Anthony Todd — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 23:35:09 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]It is all a bit ironic really that clients have more confidence in the old practice principal who is a dinovet bordering on incompetence than the recently qualified vet who has infinitely more knowledge. [/quote]

[You, of all people, would expect me to rise to the bait Martin.]

Remember Uncle Clive; revered by clients; knowledge, by current standards, sparse, techniques way way outmoded.

Results, judged by clients, fantastic, 'cos he had the "art" in spades, and I'm sure you all know of others you've experienced.

You all should wonder why and what this was, and try to develop that particular art first then, and only then, apply all that infinite knowledge.

[I don't think I ever had the art or the knowledge.....]

Re: You look too young to be a vet

emerald — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 13:21:34 GMT

I've had the same too,only 5 foot 2 so don't think that helps.

Re: You look too young to be a vet

emerald — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 13:21:34 GMT

I've had the same too,only 5 foot 2 so don't think that helps.

Re: You look too young to be a vet

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 11:42:23 GMT

It is all a bit ironic really that clients have more confidence in the old practice principal who is a dinovet bordering on incompetence than the recently qualified vet who has infinitely more knowledge.

There's a practice nearby where the dinovet recently sold up to a corporate. Clients are leaving in droves not least because of the corporate attitude but also because they don't trust the young vets there. I have actually said to some of them something to the effect of: to be honest the vets your'e seeing there now have got to be better than Mr Brontosaurus.

Re: You look too young to be a vet

Gillian Mostyn — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 11:00:26 GMT

[quote user="CatherineThomas"]I think sometimes people ask things like that to work out how much experience you have without sounding rude.[/quote]

That's what I was getting at. I opened my practice when I was 5 years graduated at age 28. I also looked even younger back then but confidence generally carries you through. People tend to only query your age if they're worried about your knowledge or experience.

If these are just throw away comments they are probably meant kindly and. as others have said, try to enjoy them!

Oh, and as I work part time I get the occasional 'are you new' or 'are you a locum?' These comments are usually harmless but are occasionally said harshly... it is hilarious watching their face change when I point out that I'm the boss!

Re: You look too young to be a vet

An On MRCVS — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 10:57:28 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]

How is your manner? Do you tend to be confident and assertive or timid and quiet?

[/quote] I do feel I am assertive, but I am not loud or pushy. I constantly get asked for my ID outside work, that doesn't bother me so much. I suppose it does not help that I am rather small in height as well - but it annoys me when they think I am a student and only gain confidence in me when they see me managing more complicated cases...

Re: You look too young to be a vet

Alex Gough — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 10:44:56 GMT

Had it a lot when I was younger, even someone telling me I looked wet behind the ears! The beard helped me, but I wouldnt recommend it for a woman. Went to the pub with three colleagues in their mid 20s and early thirties a few months ago. The guy behind the bar said, right I want IDs from everybody, then looked at me and said, not you. :(

Re: You look too young to be a vet

CatherineThomas — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 09:25:14 GMT

I get that quite often too. When I recently started working in a new practice I had a couple of people asking if this was my first job. I graduated 8 years ago. I don't think I look that young. I haven't been asked for ID in a shop or pub for years, in fact I wasn't often asked for ID when I should have been because I'm tall so I always looked older than I was as a teenager.

I think sometimes people ask things like that to work out how much experience you have without sounding rude.

Re: You look too young to be a vet

Hannah Wynne Richards — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 09:21:16 GMT

Was that due to the status of being the boss, or the wrinkles are grey hairs that rapidly developed?

Wynne

Re: You look too young to be a vet

KMurphy — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 09:08:18 GMT

[quote user="Jo Dyer"]Mind you, a sales assistant in Sainsburys cheered me up no end the other day by asking for ID.[/quote]

I had to get my husband to buy a bottle of champagne for me when I was refused in Tesco! I was 32!

In response to the OP - I don't think it's such a big issue and certainly nothing to lose sleep over. I found what quickly dispelled the "young" comments was becoming the boss. It ages you almost overnight :)

Re: You look too young to be a vet

Hannah Wynne Richards — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 09:00:15 GMT

Another who says enjoy it whilst you can

Wynne

Re: You look too young to be a vet

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 08:48:02 GMT

I would take it as a compliment, as Jo says enjoy it while you can. At the other end of the scale people don't think that I look 64 (perhaps I look too young to be a dinovet) so I'm very happy with that.

Re: You look too young to be a vet

Joyce Whitehead — Thu, 18 Dec 2014 08:47:27 GMT

I'm with Jo, enjoy it while it lasts. I also used to get this as a young graduate. I generally countered the "have you been here long" or even the "are you a student" with saying I'd been there years and was surprised they hadn't seen me before too. I well remember the moment that someone said they had seen the young lady vet and it was no longer me though... And even worse when someone asked to speak to the older lady vet!