Can’t find a job as a new graduate veterinarian, struggling mentally

Hi all,

I am a new graduate veterinarian (a couple Saturdays ago).

I have been looking for clinics in the DC area as my boyfriend lives here and has to stay there for family medical reasons. We were long distance for the entirety of vet school and only saw each other maybe once or twice a year which was hard on both of us.

I can’t find any jobs in the area where I can see small animal and exotics. I’ve tried talking to corporations, privately owned hospitals, etc. I have one offer seeing exotics/wildlife but it is north of Baltimore so for my boyfriend with no car I would basically be moving by myself and we still wouldn’t see each other often/still be long distance for another 1-2 years at least. My ideal would be in northern Virginia as it wouldn’t be far from my own family and friends but would still be close to DC.

I feel like my options are either A: give up on exotics and just do small animal or B: accept the offer I have and accept being long distance for another likely 2 years. Both options are deeply upsetting, and I’ve become depressed at a time when I feel like things should be exciting. It’s hard seeing my classmates posting about getting to move home to be with family, friends etc while I feel like it will be another few years by myself in another new location.

Exotics and wildlife are my main passions and most of my clinical year was geared towards that. The idea of not doing any of it anymore is upsetting. But the idea of also moving again to another new location (I was in a distributive model and moved for my entire clinical year) and being by myself away from my own family, friends and boyfriend is also very hard for me.