One Veterinarian's Adventures in TurkeyMay 19, 2015Originally published in the February 2015 issue of Veterinary Practice News Istanbul is an unusual and exotic city. The metropolis stretches over two continents, 3 percent of it in Europe and 97 percent in Asia. I was fortunate enough to lecture at the First International Veterinary Conference in Istanbul. During the trip, I also traveled to Bursa, the former capital of the Ottoman Empire, located four hours South of Istanbul. I was also able to visit with several colleagues in private practice, a rescue organizations and veterinary schools. Here are photos and impressions I brought back from this amazing trip. Click on an image to learn more.
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Who in Your Practice has Experienced Compassion Fatigue, Burnout or Depression?May 13, 2015It must have been about 7 years into owning my mixed practice when a nagging tension gained enough steam to demand my attention. The practice was healthy and growing. I’d gained some respect in the community. And I worked every day with a well-trained staff that was loyal to the practice and to me. During those same years, our family had grown, and now there were three beautiful children who needed and deserved their daddy’s attention. Although she was (and is) incredibly capable, I didn’t want my wife to have all the fun of raising our kids. Plus, like everyone else, there were other worthy interests outside of veterinary medicine competing for some of my time, too. Although it may not have been accurate, it seemed to me that all the vets I knew worked at least 80 hours a week and owned great practices. I can clearly remember when I realized that a decision had to be made. I had to answer the question, “Is veterinary medicine a means to an end, or is it an end to a means?” For me, it was the former. Looking back, I’m convinced that facing that question honestly and becoming comfortable with …
What You Need to Know About Retention RequestsMay 7, 2015“Retention Requests” is usually a slick way of saying “raises and bonuses.” But that’s not entirely true. You need to determine what it takes to make you want to stay in a certain job. If you want/need to make more money, then you’re willing to ask for a raise or consider getting a new job that pays more. In order to “retain” you, the practice needs to decide if they want to honor your raise request. But there can also be other factors, such as benefits, hours, shift, position, etc. During your career in veterinary medicine, your needs and desires may change. Here are some of the requests you might want to make: Hours Perhaps you hired in part-time, and that was sufficient for a certain time period, but now you really need a full-time position. Does your current practice have an opening? Or do they need to know you will begin looking for a full-time position elsewhere? Always give them the opportunity to consider your request before you jump ship, unless you know you’re leaving for other reasons as well. Shift Back when you were in school or your kids were young, the overnight or late-day shift might have …
5 Pets Celebrating Star Wars DayMay 4, 2015How are you and your clinic celebrating Star Wars Day? Here's some cute pets celebrating May 4th, Star Wars Day. May the 4th be with you! May the forth be with your maytheforcebewithyou #munfordanimal #veterinary #veterinarian A photo posted by Munford Animal Hospital (@munfordanimalhospital) on May 4, 2015 at 10:28am PDT May the fourth... And all that. A photo posted by Kevin (@brbkevin) on May 4, 2015 at 10:06am PDT
5 Times the Vet Medicine Struggle Got a Little Too RealApril 28, 20151) There's always that one phone call. Veterinarians don't know it all but what they know, they know it dam well. #CSUF #PreVet #Vet #Med #VetMed #Veterinarian #AnimalLovers #Love #Passion #Determination A photo posted by @csufprevetclub on Apr 27, 2015 at 12:40pm PDT 2) Your friends just don't understand. Haha my life! #vetmed #vets #yyc #cowtown #sotrue ???????? A photo posted by whieldon93 (@whieldon93) on Apr 28, 2015 at 6:56am PDT 3) It's probably too late to change your life goals. Life of a vet student A photo …
10 Ways to Become a Great Practice OwnerApril 23, 2015People do not work for a company, they work for a boss. Are you the kind of boss that people want to work for? If you own a veterinary practice, then it is essential for you to hire and maintain a great team of people; people who will want to work for you now and in the future. Here are 10 ways to become a great practice owner: Share your Passion, Hopes and Dreams for the Practice: This could be a written mission or vision statement, or it could simply be the verbal message that you consistently share with the team. Regardless, your team needs to know why you became a veterinarian, and what you hope to accomplish by owning a practice. What were your dreams when you opened the practice, and have they changed? What do you hope for the future of the practice and your part in the profession? The only way your team can share your dream is if they know what it is … so share that dream. Be the Moral Compass: You may have a code of ethics or values written up, or you may simply live the type of professional life that you feel is appropriate. …
10 Ways to Become a Great Associate VeterinarianApril 15, 2015Perhaps you just graduated from veterinary school … congrats! You now have DVM (or VMD) behind your name, and you are ready to jump right in and help a practice take care of their clients and patients. Or perhaps you graduated a while ago, and while you have no interest in owning a practice at this time, you do want to have a pleasant working environment, which you may or may not have at this time. Here are some ways to become a great associate veterinarian, for everyone’s benefit. School of Hard Knocks: If you did just graduate veterinary school, you are likely anxious to share what you have learned with the boss, and the team. Slow down, and realize that you are now just a freshman in the School of Hard Knocks, the ultimate reality of working in a practice, and in this particular practice. You have learned a lot, but you still have a lot to learn, and often it isn’t about the medicine. Keep reading… Technicians Can Teach: There is absolutely no doubt about it: When it comes to the duties of patient care, there will be technicians that know more than you do, especially if they have been working in the practice …
How to Negotiate for What You Want in Your Veterinary JobApril 9, 2015Once you have a job interview, you may want to dive right in to the details to see if this is the job you want and if you can get what you deserve in terms of pay and benefits. Yet while you may be tempted to start negotiations during the personal interview, it is probably best to wait, particularly if they indicate that there will be another step after this face-to-face interview. Gather all the information you need during the interview regarding wages and benefits, and go home and consider what you have acquired. Compare the wages and benefits to what you have now and what you hope for in the future. Keep in mind that if the wage is lower, but the benefits are better, this could still be a great move. Consider the work environment, as well, including the location (how long of a commute), facility (is it old and falling apart), equipment (do they have all the equipment you would like to use), people (you’ve already met front office and management, at least, and perhaps during a tour you met more of the team) and your gut instinct during this visit. Then be ready to negotiate if …
5 Photos of Vet School Study BuddiesApril 1, 2015When it's time to study, who better to study with then the pet who inspired you to go to vet school? Like this dog, who is eager that you learn all about veterinary medicine. My study buddy <3 #dog #study #vetschool #pitbull #pitbullsofinstagram #instadogs #batears #budapest #love A photo posted by Camilla Hövik (@camillaizabell) on Mar 30, 2015 at 12:21pm PDT This puppy may be a little lost reading the course material, but he'll encourage you to keep reading! "I have no idea what I'm reading dad" @dachshundsofinstagram #dachshund #featuremydoxie #doxieoftheday #doxie #sausagedog #instadog #instagay #cute #study #mac #apple #instadaily #igers #dog #vetschool A photo posted by Dan Mack (@dan_mack_) on Mar 30, 2015 at 8:18pm PDT There's nothing like coffee and a cat while studying.
The Funniest Client ExpressionsApril 1, 2015In honor of April Fool’s Day, we share a few wacky client expressions, either heard personally or kindly shared by colleagues and technicians. This is in no way meant to make fun of our beloved clients. OK, maybe just a little. If we were to enter their professional world, we also would butcher expressions and misunderstand their explanations. Feel free to share expressions you’ve heard after reading! General Pet Care “My male puppy was just neutralized.” “Are you going to seduce my dog to clean his teeth?” “My dog needs his distemperment shot for his bad behavior.” “My dog needs his Bordello vaccine.” A classic: “My dog was spayded.” “No need to give my puppy a wormer, he was already wormed.” “My vet found the tumor by palpitation of his belly.” New dog breeds: Rockweiler, Am Stat. “I feed him Euba-Kanuba.” Surgery Department A client who felt the need to insist that he was an engineer: “My dog has a prenatal hernia and hip diphtheria.” (Translation: a perineal hernia and hip dysplasia.) After discussing removing an ununited anconeal process from a shepherd’s elbow: “Can it be done with minimally evasive surgery?” Me: “Please don’t forget to fast your dog after …
