I’ll never forget my first real aha moment in practice.
My first job after veterinary school was at a large, multihospital, multiowner practice in northern New Jersey. Like every newly minted practitioner, I was nervous and a bit terrified. How was I going to remember all those facts? How would I know what to do with my first case of…whatever?
Thankfully, the practice owners of these hospitals were wonderful doctors and excellent mentors. One day, while looking for a drug in the pharmacy, I asked one of them a question, frustrated and embarrassed at myself for not remembering which drug would be best for my patient. He very patiently perused the numerous texts on the shelves, pulled one down, and opened it up to find the answer to my question. His words were ones I remember to this day: It’s okay if you don’t remember. You can’t possibly remember everything. You just have to know where to look.
It was as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Everything would be okay. It’s normal not to remember all those details you crammed into your head to get through vet school and pass your board exams. You just have to know where to go to get the information you need.
As you venture out into your new life in practice, dedicate time to discovering resources you know you can turn to when you need them. They might be textbooks, journals, apps, or online resources. Ask around to see what resources your colleagues find useful. Just remember that it is okay to not know everything your first day out. Your own skills and knowledge will continue to develop with practice—and you’ll find you will still learn new things decades later…and beyond.
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