When I was in veterinary school, there was a group of us that would head down to the UC on Wednesday nights for trivia (I know, I know, we were nerds). Don’t worry, there was also beer involved … so it all balances out, I think? (Shout out to Trivia Guy, who is still at it by the way, in case anyone was wondering.)
What I remember the most (besides being absolutely miserable at trivia) is our team name: “The Vet Wives” — meant to lovingly pay ode to our significant others.
Much like the concept of the “work wife” no one understands a vet quite like their “vet wife.”
The term was meant to describe those that were with us through the grind — the incredibly difficult journey that was … Veterinary School.
Our vet wives knew, by simple osmosis, what “POD” stood for (Principles of Disease: an absolute insurmountable volume of material to learn in one semester) and where the stylohyoid bone is, who Staempfli was (one of our most memorable professors), and that “Jorkies often have Ceasars” (“Yorkies are prone to seizures” — as spoken with a heavy Italian accent by Dr. Poma our neurology professor).
Being a vet wife meant making meals for us when we were pulling our hair out, studying for endless all-nighters.
It meant quizzing us before major exams.
It meant having faith that we would not make a “fatal error” (aka – unsafe maneuver) during our large animal practical exam.
It meant attending the 4th year play and getting all the inside jokes.
Today being a vet wife looks a little different. It means splitting the daycare drop-off and pick-ups, it means listening to how long our day was, and cringing while we describe that “incredibly gross, but also so incredibly cool” surgery story at the dinner table. It means being someone to bounce new ideas for the practice off of, and motivating us to continue to grow.
It means helping us set personal and professional boundaries. (See this very relevant article on this topic: You’re Killing My Wife- and Here’s How to Stop It.)
And while they are a veterinary degree and veterinary license shy of being able to actually step into practice, they are so entwined in the inner workings of the profession that it seems sometimes like they nearly could.
Thank you to all the vet wives out there. Thank you to everyone who is close to a veterinarian or veterinary technician right now — parents, friends, siblings, spouses.
School was tough, practice is tough, but COVID has added some undue strain. You know this all too well. We appreciate you and all you do: keep us grounded, keep us humble, keep the optimism and the fun!
Seven signs you have a work spouse – CNN.com
You’re Killing My Wife- and Here’s How to Stop It (drandyroark.com)