Goldilocks and the Veterinary ProfessionJune 15, 2015Originally published in the June 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News Do you recall “The Story of the Three Bears”? In it, Goldilocks tested the bears’ bowls of porridge; one was too hot, one too cold and one just right. This is much like the state of veterinary practice today as we debate whether we have too many, too few or just the right number of veterinarians. I facilitated a panel discussion on concerns about the future of our profession during the CVC East convention in Washington, D.C. in April. The event was supported by The VIN Foundation with the Society for Veterinary Medical Ethics (www.svme.org). Participating in the day-long program were Dr. Dennis McCurnin; Mark Cushing, J.D., of Animal Advocacy Group; Dr. Paul Pion, co-founder of Veterinary Information Network (VIN); and Dr. Tony Bartels, MBA, who with his veterinarian wife have about $450,000.00 of student debt. Dr. McCurnin began by describing how our profession crept into its situation with statistics that show veterinary medical education is in a potential bubble. He pointed out that two new veterinary schools are operational this year and two more are planned in the near future, and noted that more foreign schools are being …
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It's Time to Have the Pet Food DiscussionJune 12, 2015Originally published in the June 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News. Like this article? Then subscribe today! I wrote a blog post several weeks ago on the subject of veterinary nutrition for pets. Not one to mince words, I made clear that I’ve become disillusioned by the state of veterinary science and education in the U.S. Citing our profession’s lack of independence from corporate influence as our foremost downfall, I argued that “Big Pet Food” has surpassed all other industry subcategories in this regard. It has effectively usurped our role as the scientific font on the subject in ways no pharmaceutical empire has ever achieved. But here’s the thing: The pet food industry hasn’t been content to simply take over the way others have done, appealing to our rapacious thirst for retail sales. Instead, it has done so in ways no pharmaceutical empire has ever achieved — from the inside out … one endowed chair at a time. What’s more, this Achilles’ heel is becoming increasingly apparent to stakeholders outside our profession, too. We may know lots about nutrition at the theoretical level, they say, but when it comes right down to it, most veterinarians don’t know …
The reality behind fake and counterfeit medicinesJune 12, 2015The matter of “fake” medicines has been gaining much media attention of late.1 This publicity followed the release of a special issue of the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene dated April 20, 2015, which included 17 articles describing the damage that falsified and substandard medicines are doing around the world.
Confusing Credentials and DefinitionsMay 11, 2015Originally published in the April 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News What do the terms “chiropractor,” “nurse,” “physical therapist” and “osteopath” all have in common? Other than all these words referring to human healthcare providers, they are all considered “protected” titles by their profession, at least in the United States. What this means is that those who claim to practice techniques such as chiropractic, nursing, physical therapy and osteopathy should hold a license in that field. Nonetheless, mistakes happen. A few years ago, the president of the American Chiropractic Association told a reporter for a national news outlet “a chiropractic treatment plan may include physical therapy.” This drew an icy response from the director of public and media relations at the American Physical Therapy Association, or APTA.[i] “’Physical therapy’ is not a generic term,” he said. “It describes only those services provided by a licensed physical therapist. Chiropractors may provide some of the same treatment modalities as physical therapists, but they should portray their services as chiropractic and not as ‘physical therapy.’” Along similar lines, it would seem prudent for veterinarians and veterinary technicians who perform techniques such as therapeutic exercise, ultrasound therapy and functional restoration to …
My Top 10 Regrets After 20 Years In PracticeMay 1, 2015Originally published in the April 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News This May, my 1995 colleagues and I celebrate 20 years of degree-wielding, oath-toting veterinary professional wonderfulness. We have survived. And we are all awesomer for it. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have any regrets. We all have regrets. Those who say they don’t are either inhuman or belong to the category of people who find it emotionally expedient to ignore certain words’ definitions. For my part, I relish regrets –– well, sort of. Ruminating over life’s disappointments and missed chances may not be fun, but it sure does make the future run a whole lot more smoothly –– that is, if you do it right. With that last bit in mind I offer you here a rundown of my top 10 biggest regrets. No. 1. Not undertaking an internship Sure, I made do as a trialed-by-fire newbie. But it wasn’t always pretty. Mentorship via technician (no matter how experienced) simply isn’t appropriate –– much less in an ER setting with no veterinary ground control for guidance. There’s no doubt my transition into private practice would have gone more smoothly had I either. But there’s more to this issue …
Free & Fair Competition?April 17, 2015Originally published in the March 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News? Not a subscriber? Subscribe today! I became a practice owner last October. As I’ve confessed on this back page before, I came to this decision only reluctantly, knowing as I did that practice ownership would demand a considerable lifestyle change –– temporarily, at least. Several months in I’m finally starting to feel the ground back under my feet. That’s in no small part because I made the considered decision to take on my practice manager as a business partner. After all the you-this-me-that back-and-forthing and the stressful sign-on-the-dotted line, not to mention the drain on every last bit of financial reserve I held dear, I can finally say it’s the one decision that's kept me halfway sane over the past 10 months. Indeed, her unwavering awesomeness probably explains why I did a double-take when at a recent party a colleague inquired whether I had concerns about “getting into bed” with a non-veterinarian. I could have done without the unwelcome insinuation that there’s something dirty about co-owning a practice with someone who doesn’t possess a veterinary degree. But what really impressed me was that the legality or …
The Biggest Winners and Losers of 2014March 6, 2015Originally published in the January 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News Dear colleagues, we are gathered here today to bid farewell to yet another banner year of paddling about in this fish pond we call the veterinary profession. And what a year it was! As you look around the room, you’ll see plenty of clients, friends, co-workers, classmates, competitors, mentors, instructors, researchers, drug reps, supply vendors, pharma execs, industry leaders and maybe even journalists who have influenced your professional lives over these past 12 months. While the memory of most may bring a tear of remembrance to your eye or a broad smile of appreciation to your lips, some are more likely to elicit a sigh or a scowl as you recall their missteps—political, practical, scientific, economic, ethical or otherwise. To be sure, every year has its host of winners and losers, most of whom we’d rather ignore, so intent on treading pond water as we are. But as I scan the room from atop the bully-est pulpit my 4-inch heels will afford, I find it difficult to withhold my own assessment of the landscape (no surprise there). To that end, here’s my take on the best and worst of …
Open Letter to AVMA Board Chairman Chip Price and Responses, March 2015 LettersMarch 2, 2015Should the Council on Education remain the accrediting body for U.S. veterinary colleges? Should the council still accredit foreign schools? What role should the American Veterinary Medical Association continue to play in the council’s work? Do conflicts of interest exist? These are some of the questions at the root of a raging debate in the veterinary community. Veterinary Practice News presents an open letter from four noted veterinary professionals to AVMA board of directors chairman Chip Price along with responses from Dr. Price and from Western and Lincoln Memorial universities, which the open letter references. Open letter to AVMA board chairman Chip Price Dear Dr. Price, Our profession, concerned about the proliferation and accreditation of veterinary schools that fail to meet Council on Education (COE) standards, has turned a critical eye on the AVMA’s leadership, its culture, judgment, vision for the future and capacity to lead. Membership approval of AVMA policies, procedures, decisions and philosophy can no longer be taken for granted. We hope, therefore, that you will consider using the precious commodity of time left in your tenure as AVMA board chairman to begin a process that will result in a more transparent, responsive, inclusive and accountable …
How to Fall in Love with Veterinary Medicine in 2015January 8, 2015Ready to start 2015 with renewed love and enthusiasm for our wonderful profession? Here are three simple suggestions that can change your outlook and improve your daily life. 1. Create a Networking Group Pick three or four like-minded colleagues and create a small networking-group, where topics can be discussed freely. The farther apart the practices are, the more you will feel like sharing “sensitive” information. You can meet in person or virtually. You can meet monthly or quarterly, and you can stay in touch between meetings via phone or email for urgent matters. Items to discuss include: Medical topics, for example a puzzling case. Management questions, including HR, productivity and health insurance. Current articles – this could morph into a journal club, which is a fantastic way to stay on top of current literature (our secret cameras showed us your piles of unread journals…) Financial topics, such as loans, associate compensation and retirement. Philosophical questions: Should we have a mission statement? How do you find time to exercise? What is the meaning of veterinary life? 2. Visit 4 Vet Hospitals Plan on spending a day at four other hospitals this year—one per quarter. Again, in order to have a more …
Suicide Solution? How Silence Is Killing Us SoftlyNovember 24, 2014Originally published in the November 2014 issue of Veterinary Practice News When discussing severe mental health issues, a veterinary friend of mine likes to say there’s almost no problem so grave he couldn’t outrun it. Suicide is fundamentally incomprehensible to people like him, as it is for the preponderance of humanity. Why would anyone elect a permanent solution to a temporary problem? This constitutional aversion stands to reason, of course. Self-preservation is not just a normal instinctual response but a biological imperative, too. How else do we expect to succeed as a species? Nonetheless, there’s a significant minority among us who’ve had cause to think about ending our own lives. Psychiatric diagnoses of mood, anxiety and personality disorders, among others, can occasion suicidal ideation and lead to the profound, almost physical, sensation of hopelessness typical of those who elect it. It’s common enough. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention counts suicide as the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S., about 12 deaths in 100,000. Which is not surprising, really. We all know people kill themselves every day; every 13 minutes, to be precise. It becomes more alarming, however, when these casualties hit closer to home. Hence, …
