Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Peoples'Friendship University of Russia –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
From a love for books about dinosaurs and National Geographic programs to a veterinarian. This is the path of a fourth-year student of the RUDN Agrarian and Technological Institute (specialization: Veterinary Science) Vagram Zadoyan. In honor of his professional holiday, which will be celebrated in Russia on August 31, he shared stories from his work at a veterinary clinic and gave advice to future colleagues.
Is choosing a profession a childhood dream?
Somehow, it all started in childhood: books about dinosaurs, TV programs like National Geographic and Animal Planet, and I also lived in the village for some time. In addition, in Armenia, where my roots are, there is a holiday called “Atam atik” — it is celebrated after a child’s first tooth appears. The essence of the holiday: objects symbolizing different professions are laid out in front of the baby: a microphone for an artist, a stethoscope for a doctor, scissors for a tailor, and so on. It is believed that the first object that a child chooses is associated with his future professional path. I chose a plush dog. So, apparently, I decided who I would become already in my deep childhood.
Why did you enter RUDN?
Because it is a beautiful university that unites many countries and professions. You can make friends with specialists from a variety of fields: lawyers, customs officers, pharmacists. In life, you need good friends and connections (smiles). But the main thing is that they give you knowledge that you really use in practice. Sometimes I review lectures and reread notes that I wrote in class. A doctor studies all his life and returns to the topics he has covered to reinforce everything for sure. Most often, I review lectures on surgery.
Have any of your teachers become mentors to you? If so, what did they teach you?
Yes, Sergey Aleksandrovich Yagnikov. He used to teach surgery here, now he has two clinics where he works. It so happened that he gave me a topic for my diploma thesis, which I am very happy about. I still remember his quotes. For example: "A good doctor has no bite marks or scratches on his hands" or "You have two hands, but one face" (about getting too close to an aggressive animal).
What year did you start working? And is it difficult to combine study with work?
I started working already at the end of the first semester of the first year. It was difficult at the beginning, as everything was new, but gradually I got into it: professional doctors explained things well. Sometimes I asked for time off from classes or went with other groups from the stream so as not to miss classes. The teachers at the university are understanding, as all veterinary students need practice, otherwise they will not be able to become doctors right after graduation. I still have enough energy to combine both, the battery does not run out.
Where do you work now and what are your responsibilities?
I am a veterinary assistant at the VetProfAlliance clinic. The help required from an assistant may vary. Sometimes you need to lift a 70-kilogram Tibetan mastiff, and in orthopedic surgery you even need to bend metal plates and break bones. The clinic allows you to work at appointments, in the intensive care unit, in intensive care, in surgery, on ultrasound and MRI. And so on, until you decide in which direction you want to develop and move.
What difficulties have you encountered in your work? How do you cope with emotional stress? After all, veterinarians often encounter animal suffering and the grief of their owners.
Of course, I had difficult patients, for example, with a weak heart or rare mutations and anomalies. There were wild and very aggressive animals. But when you work for a long time, you get used to everything, no matter how sad it may sound. There were also emotional burnouts, but at such moments, colleagues and friends from the university helped me. The clinics have their own psychologists who help employees in difficult times. I feel better after training in the gym and time spent with my family. Everyone copes in their own way.
A veterinarian's job is not only treating pets, but also communicating with their owners. Do you always manage to establish contact with people?
There were no particular problems with animal owners. As the doctors at my clinic tell me: "You are a sensitive and charming person, so people feel calmer with you." In difficult moments, you need to show understanding, compassion, and empathy. There are clinics and doctors who say that this is not professional, but I think this is a lie. We are used to seeing various injuries and illnesses in animals, but not people who come to us for help. Sometimes people can say too much in the heat of the moment, so you need to control yourself and know how to calm them down.
What is the most pleasant memory you have from your practice at the clinic?
One day, a granny came with a cat. I needed to give her pet an IV. I prepared everything in front of her, and she said, "Wow, they didn't teach us this in medical school in the first year, and you're such a good boy!" In gratitude for helping the cat, she treated me to jam and apples. It was very nice.
Do you have a pet yourself?
Yes, the cat Dymok. I took him from the clinic, they brought him and left him at the door, like in old movies they throw children on the porch. The next day, everyone was wondering what to do with him, in the end I decided to take him. My parents were against it, but now my dad drinks tea with him, and my mom cuddles him until she's blue in the face. One day, a strong wind blew a window in our house, and Dymok fell from the ninth floor. Everyone was in a panic, but I managed to calm down and examine my pet, after which I realized that everything would be fine. Dymok broke his femur, but the doctor and I patched him up. I often remember that day, was I scared? Yes, I was. But if everyone is scared, then who will pull themselves together and act? I'm glad that I learned not to lose their head in emergency situations. Dymok is fine now. He lives his own happy cat life, a couple of months ago he turned two years old.
What are your professional plans for the future?
I would like to open my own clinic and manage it. But first I need to get a taste of working with animals on the front lines, so for now I plan to delve into orthopedic surgery, working with bones, joints and ligaments.
Finally, give some advice to those who dream of entering veterinary science.
The main thing for a veterinarian is to be attentive, kind, but have an inner core. If you want to learn something, then approach teachers, doctors and ask what is unclear. This way they will understand that it is important and necessary for you. Do not be shy and believe in yourself! At first it will be difficult, and there will be thoughts that maybe this is not for me? This is temporary, it is worth finding a clinic with a cool team, good mentors and career growth, and you will take your words back.
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