[DOG BARKING]
HENGAMEH KAMALI: I'm a veterinarian,
and I work at VCA Loomis Basin, where
we see both general practice and emergency, small animal
patients.
But at this hospital, we primarily
work with dogs and cats.
Most of us work, I would say three to four days a week.
Typically 9 to 10 hour shifts, and then potentially
have to stay later, depending on if I have a surgery to do,
or lots of records, or things like that.
ER, you can have a 7:00 to 4:00 PM shift,
swing shift from 10:00 to 7:00.
And then doctors at this facility
who work like 7:00 to 2:00 AM, or 7:00 to 7:00.
So today my day is going to look like I'm
going to be seeing general practice appointments.
Some of my long-term clients in the morning
so that's my schedule today, but it definitely
changes every day, which is what makes it so fun and exciting.
Hello.
Hi.
How are you guys doing?
SPEAKER 1: We're doing fine.
HENGAMEH KAMALI: Good.
How's Rudy?
SPEAKER 1: I think he's doing OK.
He still has his seizures.
HENGAMEH KAMALI: How does he act afterwards?
Does it take him a while to kind of rouse can go back to normal?
SPEAKER 1: I got you big boy.
HENGAMEH KAMALI: It's OK.
SPEAKER 1: It's OK, buddy.
HENGAMEH KAMALI: It's OK, Rudy.
Hi, you're OK, honey.
SPEAKER 1: Good boy.
HENGAMEH KAMALI: I know, it's so much things happening.
So for my veterinary journey, I went to UC Davis
and studied animal sciences for my undergraduate degree.
And then I was luckily enough to get into the UC Davis
veterinary program, which was another four-year program.
And from there, did a one-year internship
in small animal emergency and internal medicine
where you rotate through this hospital.
And then I was signed off as an associate veterinarian now.
I decided to be a veterinarian like most of us
at a really, really young age.
You have this passion and love for animals.
I remember my mom used to bring home like sick wildlife
into our house, like little birds, and things.
And we would nurse them back to health
or take them to the Wildlife Center.
So we're about to go see our next patient.
His name is Nico, and I saw him two weeks ago
for an ear infection and some really itchy skin.
So hopefully he's doing better on the treatments
that we had, and we'll go find out.
How was doing the ear medications?
Did he tolerate it OK?
SPEAKER 2: Yeah, he responded well to the medicine.
So we could tell right away the pain--
HENGAMEH KAMALI: That it made a difference.
SPEAKER 2: Inflammation went away right away.
I mean, within the first hours of putting that medicine on.
HENGAMEH KAMALI: OK, can I take a little sample, honey?
You're such a good boy.
His right ear is still a lot dirtier than the left ear.
So we need to continue to do an ear flush routinely,
but he shouldn't need the antibacterial ointment anymore,
which is awesome.
Hey, I have a trivia question for you.
What are a few different types of veterinary jobs
that are out there?
We'll have that answer later in the video.
One of the biggest skills I would
say to have as a veterinarian is communication skills.
You are working with people when it's some of the hardest times
and challenging times of their life,
especially if you're working on ER
or dealing with quality of life exams.
And having empathy to really empathize, and put yourself
in patient's shoes, and the owner's shoes can make so much
of a difference on your interactions,
your relationships with staff, and clients alike.
Hi sweetheart.
Hello.
SPEAKER 3: She's in today for vaccinations.
HENGAMEH KAMALI: OK.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
So I always try to desensitize them a little bit before I
actually poke.
Good girl.
Wow.
You did so good.
SPEAKER 3: Yeah, she didn't even flinch.
HENGAMEH KAMALI: She didn't.
I swear the cheese worked.
Definitely in Vet Med you're dealing with scared animals,
dogs, and cats.
We're bringing them into an environment where
they don't know the smells.
They don't know the sounds.
So it's really important to be cognizant of that
and try to respect them as much as possible.
So we really encourage veterinarians
to try to learn the best practices for Fear Free,
and make their patients as comfortable as possible,
and really try to put yourself in their shoes
because it's a scary time for them as well.
What I love most about being a veterinarian
is that I can go home each and every night,
and really feel like I'm making a difference for my community,
and that I've dedicated my life to something that I think
is worthwhile, and I'm hoping that I'm
bringing joy to people's life.
I can be saving patients, and doing overall good
for patients.
Definitely one of the hardest parts about being a vet
is the emotional toll it can take on you.
Having to walk into your next appointment
where it might be a quality of life exam for owners who
have had this pet for years.
Mental health is such an important issue
in the veterinary community that I think a lot of people
don't know about.
So being able to have those days off
to really bounce back, find ourselves again, and deal
with the emotions of the week is really helpful.
If you're looking to going into the veterinary field,
get some experience in one way or another
in a veterinary environment.
It's really important to immerse yourself in the field,
and really decide if it's something
that you want to dedicate your life to.
If you are looking to go into vet school
or going down this path, believe in yourself.
I know during undergraduate a lot of the professors
would tell us that how many of us want to be vets,
and only a very small percentage will actually make it.
And it was really disheartening.
I thought about changing my career path numerous times.
But I assure you, if it's something that you're
passionate about, and something that you really
want to dedicate your life towards,
it's definitely achievable.
So just don't give up on yourself.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Thanks for watching.
Be sure to and subscribe to our channel.
And we'll see you next time.
[CHATTER]
Get out the awkwardness.
OK.
[LAUGHTER]
See why it's so awkward.
SPEAKER 4: I don't know.
What am I supposed to say?