Since 1982, the Dômes Pharma teams have been supporting the day-to-day practice of veterinary surgeons through comprehensive and unique ranges of therapeutic specialities, strong expertise and value-added services. The strength and uniqueness of Dômes Pharma lies in our desire to place the relationship at the heart of our concerns and to cultivate our positive impact in the service of our customers.
Through a series of portraits, Dômes Pharma introduces you to the men and women who have made it their mission to improve the health of our pets. To demonstrate this commitment to the profession, we have chosen to give them a voice and listen to them in order to understand them better. Being at their service means allowing them to give us their vision of the profession, what drives them and the challenges they have to overcome. Experienced is the word Dr Claire Baranger chose to describe her life as a vet. Discover her written testimonial and her video:
Now you can choose to work the way you want. I think it’s essential not to sacrifice your family, friends or hobbies for a job, even if you love it!
Dr Claire BARANGERPartner Veterinarian in Pontgibaud (63)
” What has marked me in my career and what I often tell trainees who are not yet at veterinary school is that throughout my schooling, I was told that I couldn’t be a vet, that I’d have to think about something else because I wasn’t one of the brightest and that maybe it wouldn’t be possible. But if you don’t give up on the idea that you have and don’t give up, even if other people think you can’t do it, it’s often still possible, and despite what some people say, it’s a profession that’s still very accessible because there are several possible routes to it.
I wanted to do this job from the age of 4 because I was already immersed in the animal world at the time with my grandparents who had farms on both sides, and today I couldn’t see myself doing anything else.
What I’d also like to say to students or future veterinary students is that today, you can practise this profession in any way you like, in the sense that you can choose the pace of your work and keep some time for yourself if you feel like it. What’s more, the veterinary profession covers a wide range of fields, so everyone can find something that really interests them. So it’s important for students to do as many placements and work placements as they can to see that there are many different ways of working and that they can find something that suits them.
What has changed a lot in the veterinary profession in the 15 years I’ve been practising is the pace at which each vet works. There’s a whole generation of old vets who’ve retired who worked very hard, and to replace them, we needed a lot more vets. That’s why we’ve been constantly understaffed ever since. Every vet wants to work fewer hours, preserve his or her own health, and maintain quality of work and quality of life. A lot of vets are overwhelmed by patients, can’t cope any more and are feeling really unwell.
The aspect of the job that I didn’t appreciate before becoming a vet is the importance of the relationship with owners. It’s a bit confusing when you’re starting out. You have to learn to listen to them, put yourself in their shoes and understand what’s at stake and what they expect from you. But I have to admit that today, that’s what I like best about my job.
There are also more difficult things, of course, in this job, particularly the fact that we are very often confronted with death, almost every day, and I don’t think you ever get used to that. And it’s all the harder because you’ve built up such strong relationships with the owners.
In my opinion, to be a vet, you have to be versatile and know how to adapt to any situation, but above all, as well as loving animals, you have to love people. ”