|
Toa Payoh
Vets Clinical Research
Making veterinary surgery alive
to a veterinary student studying in Australia
using real case studies and pictures |
An independent veterinarian
Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow), MRCVS
Date:
03 June, 2010 |
 toapayohvets.com
Be Kind To Pets
Veterinary Education
Project 2010-0129 |
REPLY TO AN EXPATRIATE
VETERINARIAN WANTING TO WORK IN SINGAPORE
An independent contractor as a veterinarian means he
does what he wants and just uses the facilities of
service providers like veterinary surgeries. I hope you
understand the concept and business model. It is lots of
risks for you. But you cannot have the cake and eat it!
That is why I advise you (for your own good) to be an
employee first if you really want to make your fortune
in Singapore. There is no short cut to success as you
will know by now. My real estate company,
asiahomes.com
started with zero income for around one year as I had to
build it up. Same applies to
toapayohvets.com.
Vets are not supposed to advertise their presence in
newspapers etc. So, it was tough, unless the vet is
proactive giving seminars and doing charity.
I find employment agreements not good once the trust is
gone as the employee sabotage begins since the employee
cannot get out of employment. I think you need to write
a business plan first. Ensure that your financial
savings to last you at least one year as you will be an
independent contractor.
Other things like accommodation can be found when you
are here. An HDB apartment will suit your budget for at
least the first year. Rental of whole 2-bedroom HDB
apartment is around $1,500 - $2,000 per month. A car is
essential if you want to do big house-call vet business.
Taxis are not convenient. There is the car cooperative
rentals. Wessex Estate houses are usually full as
Caucasian expats love them.
Please note that I do NOT get involved in car purchases
for independent contractors. In life, you need to do a
business plan (income and expenses especially) even if
you have lots of money. Otherwise the money just goes
down the drain within one year. I know of rich and
influential people who want to "invest" in veterinary
facilities. For example, they provide land and buildings
in Myanmar and I provide the rest. But I don't know
them. So, I avoid them.
 As for you, you need to think and think what you want to
do in Singapore as you have to leave the comfort of your
home to venture overseas to sell your services.
I met a young English vet who took over a practice from
a German vet in
Siem Reap. After 2 years, she gave up as business was
not to her expectations. I visited her
when during my travel to Siem Reap in January 2010.
I thought there would be expatriate vets in Siem Reap
and she was the only one. She was very frank with me about the business
of veterinary medicine in Siem Reap. The difficulty in
getting veterinary drugs and the culture of the locals.
She decided to go back to England and my visit was her
last day of practice. I learnt
more from her failures and my other business failures. I
can tell you it is very painful. Very costly and
involved loss of huge amounts of monies.
So, I don't want you to suffer in Singapore if you are
not into risk taking. Costs of accommodation, cars and
other matters - if you earn money and have customers
through referrals and excellent service and perform
correct diagnoses - they are small change.
Best wishes
Dr Sing Kong Yuen |
|
BE
KIND TO OLDER DOGS & CATS ---
GET TUMOURS REMOVED EARLY ---
WHEN THEY ARE SMALLER. More case studies, goto:
Cats or
Dogs |
|
|
To make
an appointment: e-mail
judy@toapayohvets.com
tel: +65 9668-6469, 6254-3326 |
toapayohvets.com
Be Kind To Pets
Veterinary Education
Project 2010-0129 |
|
|
 Toa
Payoh Vets
Clinical Research
|
|
|
Copyright ©
Asiahomes Internet
All rights reserved. Revised: June 03, 2010
Toa Payoh Vets
| |
