................................................................................................................................ What do you think about your boss?

hat do new graduates really think about their boss and their working conditions? A

new survey has shed some light on this important question.

Key points to arise from the survey of 154 recent graduates who attended AVA New Graduate Dinners in SA, Victoria, NSW and Oueensland were:

The first-job. About a third of the respondents were offered their first job during final year and another third within a month of conscientious job-search. The rest found the job between two and six months after graduation. The pay. More than half were paid at the AVA minimum or a bit less (58%). Just over half (57%) received after-hours bonuses. Sixty per cent agreed or strongly agreed that “Given my level of responsibility and hours of duty, my remuneration is low”. More than two thirds (70%) agreed that “I earn more than I cost my employer”. Stress and SUPPOK. To more than halE the veterinary work is a source of seri- ous and regular stress. Only 27% felt that they had access to appropriate help to deal with work-related stress. The good news for bosses was that 62% agreed that “My boss has been very supportive”. A quarter of fresh graduates felt that they have been discriminated against because of their gender.

- the reward of successll thera- py/happy clients - independent work , diagnostic treatment/plan leading to a success - providing cost effective service - working in a supportive environ- ment, helping animals - surgery/dificult consult with a successfd result.

The aspects of professional work which gave them least satisfaction were:

ungratell clients with ridicu- lous expectations and no money

bad debtors employers who do not share the

workload, especially after hours dissatisfied client interaction, by

lack of communication skds making mistakes doing routine

procedures due to lack of experience constant after hours and insuffi-

cient remuneration arrogant bosses and associates bad employer blaming the new

graduate. The following comment made by one

of the recent graduates at the end of the survey highlights the fact that besides very supportive bosses there are also a few bad ones.

‘RVA guidelines for employment of vets are not enough. I have very poor working conditions. My boss has a very high turnover of new graduates and

every second night on duty and an abu- sive boss! Great! I’m all for a union rep- resenting us - we need protection in our first couple of years as vets”.

It appears there is still some work to be done.

Two questionnaires were used for the survey. The first attracted responses from 104 vets who attended new graduate dinners in SA, Victoria, NSW and Queensland. The second attracted 50 responses from graduates at dinners in Queensland and NSW The question- naires were cornoiled bv Drs Trevor ” 1

Only 2 1 Yo felt that “veterinarians are well equipped to practise veterinary science”.

Aspects of professional work which

doesn’t give a damn about us. We need to be protected from people like my boss. Our practice is a drug supermarket - send in your list, no consult needed. (1 get) no sick leave, no after-hours Pay,

Heath and Tracey Bradley. Because of your feedback, the Graduate Support Advisory Group (GSAG) is already working on numerous mexures to help young graduates and their employers. gave them most satisfaction were:

e Australian College of Veterinary T Scientists is seeking nominations for the College Prize, the Ian Clunies Ross Memorial Award and the Kesteven Medal.

Nominations dose on December 31, 1996.

The College Prize is awarded to a vet- erinarian who makes an outstanding practical contribution to veterinary sci- ence or practice in Australia or New Zealand, without the support of an acad- emic environment, and to whom finance and hcilities are very limited, preferably

during the preceding five years. The suc- cessll candidate will have worked main- ly in practice as a clinician, as an official veterinarian or in the area of applied research, rather than as an academic or in basic research.

The Clunies Ross Award has high aca- demic or research accomplishment as its primary requisite, and is to be awarded to a veterinarian making an outstanding contribution to veterinary science in Australia or New Zealand, especially dur- ing the preceding five years.

The Kesteven Medal is sponsored joint-

ly by the College and the Australian Veterinary Association to recognise the work of the late Dr KVL Kesteven OBE and is awarded to Australian veterinarians who have made distinguished contribu- tions to international veterinary science in the fields of technical aid or scientific assistance to developing countries.

Nominations including a curriculum vitae and statements supporting the nom- inees contributions should be addressed to the Executive Oficer, Australian College of Veterinary Scientists, PO Box 34, Indooroopilly, Qld, 4068.

Aust Kt/ Vol. 74, No 5, November 1996 403