VN August 2023

Augustus 2023 13 Female Vets in Practice It is awkward towrite about oneself.What do youwrite?Where do you begin? What do you include? What do you leave out? Our VetNews editor-in-chief, Andriette said, to write your CV, but as a story. My CV is busy, and I always have too much to say. I am therefore following the advice of a wise person who once told me that people can only retain three points per contact session. Here follow three bullets onmy life CV that popped up as I wrote this. 1. Being a woman and a veterinarian I have always wanted to be a vet ever since I can remember. I have photos of myself in the 1980s toddler fashion following dogs, holding chicks, carrying a bucket with a freshwater crab in it, and even holding a pig head. I have many questions I could ask my parents regarding these photos, but let’s rather let it slide. Being a vet has been my dream since the beginning. My mom in her wisdom realised that I thought vets were playing with animals all day and to ensure that I am not pursuing this career path under amassivemisperception, she arranged that I start holiday volunteering at the local vet when I was about 12 or 13 years old. She also admits that she did not see how a woman could chase after cattle or do the other gory things veterinarians do. Her plan backfired. As time went on several key people in my life suggested that I pursue another career. I was good at math and some guidance councillors recommended I pursue actuarial science. I opted for engineering. Thank goodness that did not pan out. In my first year studying for a BSc, my grandfather passed away and I had to take my grandmother’s dog to the vet to be sterilised before they could move in with us. I, to this day, recall opening the front door of the practice and smelling Hibiscrub. I had a moment of realisation that I am fooling myself. I want to be a vet and I am at least going to try and get into Onderstepoort. The rest is history, and I did become a vet. But I am really grateful that people didn’t manage to prevent me from following my dreams because I am female, oh yes, and for Hibiscrub. 2. Being a veterinarian and not in private practice Finding my spot in veterinary science took some time, several adventures and hits and misses. I was in private practice and within a few months of graduating, I realised that I was not happy. Because we studied for seven years, I stuck it out for almost 18 months. On the 16 th of December 2010, whilst lying on my stomach behind a cow, trying to push her prolapsed uterus back I decided something has got to give, figuratively speaking. Not sure what, but something. The next day a person from government found me and said I have to come to work back a bursary. Which I did. I loved government and I also had the opportunity to specialise as a pathologist. Students and lecturing them is also an amazing venture in itself. I amnow in industry and passionate about it and locuming as a histopathologist. Of all my adventures to date, my time in government is one I will cherish the most as it established a deep love for our country and its people, especially in the livestock sector. We are told that to be a success in veterinary science youmust work in private practice, own it or several practices, and if said practice(s) is in an affluent sub-burb even better. For the greater good of animals and their humans, I found a spot that I love, and it tookme working in four sectors of veterinary science before finding it. I love people and working with them. I don’t know what the future holds, but I know I will domy best to remain in veterinary science and keep working and adapting to keep it worthwhile and positive. 3. Being a veterinarian and a mom I became a mom last year. Due to the additional 5-years of studying, and my complete naivety when it comes to matters of the heart, I only got married at 34 and had my daughter at 38. What a life changer! Well, it is challenging to be aworkingmom, but I know these comments are nonsense. You do have a massive bag of guilt you carry around. You feel guilty when you areworking and not with your child.You feel guilty when you are with your child and not working and then somewhere amidst all this guilt, there is the guilt of not spending enough time with your spouse. And then mom brain/progesterone-induced brain fog is real. It is tough. However, it is the same for all workingmoms, regardless of their profession. I am 18 months into motherhood (perhaps I should give feedback again in a year or seven) it has gotten a bit easier, the guilt has not subsided, but I am focusing on quality time versus quantity of time with our daughter. My mom was one of the boomer working moms who faced a lot of challenges and judgement for “abandoning” her children according to the norms and standards of the era. She taught me that it is ok not to meet traditional gender role expectations and be a good mom. She gave me the opportunity to make sure that I know what I am doing and that I am doing it for the right reasons and to pursue my dreams with all my heart. Whether you choose to work or to stay at home, you should do what makes you happy and fills your tank. If you are happy and fulfilled, you can ensure that your children are happy and fulfilled. It does provide comfort to know that I do not have any resentment towards my mom for growing up in a home with a working mom, quite the contrary, I am quite proud of her. I hope that one day my daughter will also pursue her dreams and that I will allow her to do so. My personality is more work driven and that is ok. We do the best we can for our kids, and she is my biggest achievement. I hope to make her proud, raise her to be independent and see what she does one day to make and leave the world a better place. Happywomen’smonth towomenwho also happen to be veterinarians! v Dr Didi Claassen I have had some clients tell me that you cannot be a mother and a vet and be good at either of them. I loved it even more after my exposure to what they actually do. I told her that it was even more awesome than I thought and that they were like real doctors, but for animals. BUT, I have found that not all vets should be in private practice.