Unless you're truly passionate about veterinary medicine and absolutely love the field, I’d recommend staying away from the Northern Utah location. I could list a hundred reasons why, but I'll stick to the main ones.
1. Constant Changes in Leadership
I worked here for three years, and during that time, the management team changed every few months. This created a lot of inconsistency—leadership, employee concerns, questions, and opportunities for growth were constantly forgotten or pushed aside because the company couldn't find reliable leaders. That alone speaks to how draining the work environment is.
2. No Real Opportunities for Growth
If you're looking to grow in your career, this isn't the place for you. Whether it's a company-wide issue or just this location, I don't know—but they do not prioritize employee development. When I started, I had just earned my associate degree in veterinary medicine and was planning to continue on the path to becoming a vet. I worked hard and did everything I could to advance. When I moved into a technician role, I quickly realized it wasn’t what I had hoped. I stepped down to a receptionist position thinking I could pursue a leadership path instead—biggest mistake for my personal growth. Despite my degree and experience, I felt like just another number. At one point, a hospital director told me flat out that there was no future for me there and that if I wanted more, I should look elsewhere.
3. Toxic Work Environment
The overall environment was the most toxic workplace experience I've ever had. It’s tough to explain because, honestly, most of the doctors were amazing, and I loved the core team I worked with. But some employees brought a lot of unnecessary drama (which you’ll find anywhere), and the lack of organization made it even worse. The company wanted me to stay in my lane and do the bare minimum, which isn’t how I operate. I like to learn and grow, but they didn’t want that—they wanted compliance, not ambition. Between the disorganization, lack of leadership, no growth, and being treated like just another body in the building, it was hard to stay motivated.
4. The Job Itself
On top of the toxic environment, I genuinely hated the job. Clients in an animal ER can be extremely difficult—mean, even. If you think you’ve dealt with bad customer service before, animal ER clients take it to another level. As a technician, I loved the medical side of things, but I don’t do well with micromanagement, and that’s unfortunately a huge part of this job. As a receptionist, it was even worse. The role was mind-numbing—answering phones, checking people in, and taking payments. Despite my medical knowledge, I couldn’t actually help clients or even guide them properly. All I could say was, “I can’t help you; you need to come in.” I wasn’t allowed to go above and beyond because of company policies.
Dealing with emergencies was emotionally exhausting. It’s tough to handle multiple euthanasias and traumatic situations, only to turn around and get screamed at (sometimes even assaulted) by a client. It takes a toll, and at the end of the day, I became I completely different person from this job.. and not in a good way.
Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this location if you're looking to gain experience with animals or just looking for something new. If anything, it might make you second-guess your career path in the field—just like it did for me (I will never again work in a vet clinic) However, if you truly love vet med and are willing to overlook the toxic environment, you might have a better experience than I did.
