Pulse - August 2022 - 44

FROM THE SCVMA OFFICE JENNIFER HAWKINS, DVM, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
JHAWKINS@SCVMA.ORG
RECIPE FOR SUCCESS OR BURNOUT?
I
n 2016, the 10-year-old daughter of my boss at the time (who is not a veterinarian) wrote me a letter about
why she wanted to become a veterinarian. In 2020, she interviewed me over zoom for a school project and,
recently, at age 16, she reached out to me again as it was now summer break, and she is motivated now more
than ever to pursue this profession. I had the pleasure of connecting her with a local veterinary hospital to gain
some veterinary experience.
Summer is coming to an end, and for many, the school year is
beginning this month. UC Davis and Western University veterinary
students will return to the classroom on August 15th.
Though much of vet school was a blur to me, I remember well my
first days in veterinary school. It was very humbling being in the
company of such bright high achievers after being accustomed to
being the curve buster in my undergraduate and high school years.
I was also struck by how intense and competitive my new classmates
were. I've since learned that veterinary students have been
said to be as competitive as elite athletes. I recall at my veterinary
school orientation being told that one in five of us would adopt
an alcohol or drug dependency. I now understand that this was an
attempt to help students understand the maladaptive coping mechanisms
that can be adopted when experiencing high levels of stress.
So, what is the formula for getting into veterinary school? What
makes a veterinarian? Veterinary professionals are also typically
perfectionists, introverted, empathetic, and even neurotic. While
veterinary schools likely don't intentionally select for these qualities,
it has been shown that most veterinary students and veterinarians
tend to have large helpings of each of these traits.
Perfectionism describes someone who strives to be flawless and
perform at their best. While perfectionism helped get many of
us through the coursework needed to get into veterinary school,
there are components of this trait that can be detrimental to our
own health and success. Perfectionists can be their own worst
enemies as they tend to fixate on imperfections and be highly
self-critical and critical of others. It has been shown that the trait
perfectionism is correlated to a higher perception of stress and
lower resiliency.
Veterinarians are often more introverted than not. Introverts
are usually reserved, quiet, and introspective. Introverts find social
interactions draining and require solitude and quiet to recharge.
Extroverted people tend to be unreserved, gregarious, and are
energized by social interactions. Extraversion has been associated
with better perceived health and resilience. Introverts have been
shown to experience more intense emotions and lower resilience.
Being highly sensitive to the emotions and non-verbal cues
around us is a useful tool in understanding our animal patients.
Empaths are highly attuned to emotions around them to the point
of even absorbing or taking on the feelings of others. We're drawn
this field because we want to help and our empathy allows us to
better detect suffering and provide emotional support. Though it
is a great asset to connecting with owners and helping their pets, it
can be emotionally overwhelming to constantly absorb or experience
the emotions of our clients.
The perfectionist in me knows that I am not neurotic! But neuroticism
is a personality dimension that everyone has. Like sound
levels on an electronic mixing board, some of us have low levels
of neuroticism and some of us go to eleven. Being neurotic
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AUGUST 2022
PULSE
doesn't mean we have a
laundry list of fears like
Monk or that we're neat
freaks like Felix Unger.
Neuroticism can simply
make us more aware of
potential negative outcomes.
I've called it
being a " worrier " and
thinking of worst-case
scenarios when developing
an action plan. Those with high levels of neuroticism tend to
experience more anxiousness, distress, and dissatisfaction.
I have seen colleagues go through burnout, compassion
fatigue, and even suicide. As a burnout survivor, I'm saddened
that many veterinarians report that they don't encourage others
to join the profession after experiencing the stress common
in this field. The worrier in me wonders what is my obligation
to this motivated teenager reaching for her dreams? Would that
have changed my mind if someone told me about these issues
prior to vet school? Not likely. But it might give some perspective
when entering the profession.
No pressure veterinary students, but we need you to be mentally,
physically, and emotionally healthy and ready for a long rewarding
career in this great profession. Though compassion fatigue, burnout,
depression, and anxiety were barely talked about in the days
when I went to vet school, these topics are more commonly discussed
in vet school classrooms. It is also incumbent upon us in
this profession to continue to identify and implement operational
changes that can help reduce occupational stress.
After much thought, I've decided to shove my neuroticism aside
for the time being and allow this young student the opportunity to
enjoy her volunteer time and veterinary school goals before letting
her know about the professional challenges she will need to be
mindful of as she moves through the early stages of her veterinary
endeavors. As she gains experience and affirms her career choice,
I'll make time to talk with her about the many rewards this profession
has to offer and the importance of taming our perfectionist
tendencies and strengthening resilience to achieve a long healthy
career in this amazing profession. In addition to learning the technical
components of the job, I am hopeful that soon-to-be recent
grads will emerge with the emotional tools, as well.
When she
is a successful veterinarian I hope that she will encourage other
young people, without hesitation, to join this great profession.

Pulse - August 2022

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