Sun, sea, sand, an exotic country and the vocation you love… What’s not to like?
Becoming a vet is not a profession people generally just fall into… it’s the culmination of years of education, training and, for many, a lifetime fascinated and enamoured with animals, motivated by a desire to help, and do something good. It’s really important, therefore, to make sure that our decisions about where to work and practice this wonderful vocation are based on realistic expectations and a good understanding of the facts.
The UAE has much to offer veterinary professionals, it is a dynamic and interesting work environment, and it can be hugely rewarding, opportunistic and transformative. It can also be very demanding, challenging, and high intensity, with plenty of time, spent far away from comfort zones. We all expect to work long hours in our profession and this won’t change by moving abroad, the hours will still be long, and the needs of our patients will be just as immediate.
However, that sun, sea, and sand combo is pretty much a constant (albeit too hot to enjoy for five months of the year) and the mix of cultures, ambitions and entertainment means that you can be spoilt for choice when it comes to downtime leisure activities.
In the seventeen years that I’ve been in the UAE I’ve experienced the full range of what the UAE has to offer, both professionally and socially. From arriving as a newly employed Vet, to opening my own practice and now coming to the completion of a Residency in Veterinary Behaviour Medicine, there have been periods of highs, lows and an awful lot in between.
So, what would a standard day look like?
Well, most of the private clinics operate similar business hours so you could expect to start your working day at 8am by checking in with the nursing team and in-patients and taking a minute to plan the day ahead… it’s a fast-paced industry and dealing with change is something that we’re all used to, however, where possible maintaining an organized schedule with the reception team is crucial to achieving the best results.
Mornings often mean admits and the range of treatments, surgeries and procedures is no different here than anywhere else. This means that every day can be very varied, and it definitely helps to be confident across the spectrum of procedures and technologies as it’s likely that you will need the full array of competencies at some time whilst working in the UAE.
Depending on the number of procedures due, there will also be a steady stream of consult customers. We see primarily cats and dogs with the occasional bird, rabbit and reptile popping up for extra diversity. There are practices in the UAE that see mainly exotics and a far greater proportion of avian patients, however, with specialist facilities in place that deal predominantly with these animals, we are happy to refer them elsewhere.
The period from 8:30 – 13:30 is always busy with procedures and/or consults. Making time for hospital rounds is a must of course and will always happen between 14:00 – 16:00, time dependent on team availability.
With a sizeable affluent population, there is generally a steady stream of customers throughout the day as normal “working hours” do not necessarily define preferred times for patient visits. Whilst being great for business this does mean that consults are often back-to-back, and paperwork and prescriptions may need to wait. As the end of a shift approaches, grabbing 30 minutes to catch up on these plus case notes, follow-up communication and suppliers is a must. Consequently, working hours have a habit of stretching out a little. But as we know, it’s always best to do it today rather than put it off until tomorrow, as tomorrow can be a very different day than expected.
So, on a good day, with no late emergencies and complications, being out of the door by 17:00 is realistic. Of course, the evening/late shift team will be just hitting their stride at this time as the period from 16:00 – 19:00 is another peak time and, whilst the number of procedures will be reduced, the volume of customers through the door remains consistently high.
An average of nine hours a day, five days a week is the target. Weekends, evenings and the very occasional night is a reality, and the pace can seem relentless. There is some seasonal impact, but this has become less obvious over recent years so be prepared to roll your sleeves up all year round as there is no shortage of patients and the customer demand for the best vets is constant.
Time off offers plenty to do, from watersports to just lazing at the beach or even a bit of culture with new museums opening constantly. The nightlife is vibrant and fun with lots of amazing restaurants and diverse cuisines. Sometimes time off may be more about recovery than luxury and there will be days when a glimpse at the blue sky and huge sun out of the window will be as close as you get to living the dream. But, with basically 360 days of sun a year, there is always tomorrow!
Working overseas is to be recommended for those that feel the pull… it’s not for everybody and the reality can be very different to the dream but then the opportunities and rewards can also be so much more!
– Dr Katrin Jahn, DrMedVet, CertVA, MANZCVS, MRCVS
