Handling unrealistic client demandsApril 19, 2023It’s impressive, really, the extent to which we can unwittingly create client monsters by actually upping the quality of our care.
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How to spot burnout before you crashMarch 23, 2023The new year has come and gone, and if you are like most of us, you did not have much time to stop and ponder the subtle mysteries of your life’s evolution. Self-exploration is neither fun nor otherwise immediately rewarding for most of us.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveIs it time for the U.S. to go Dutch?March 16, 2023By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBAAs veterinary professionals, we’re on the front lines of this debate. We know exactly how certain physical traits translate physiology to pathology. Of course, it is not just the brachycephalics. We see the influence of breed-related genetic disease multiple times every single day, often many times per patient. We see it so often that, like frogs in a pot, we have become mostly inured to it.
The relief industry's Golden AgeMarch 9, 2023Any veterinarian seeking relief work need only respond to a few ads for part- or full-time work and offer their services.
VPN Plus+ Exclusive'Radical transparency' in vet med: embracing a new era of closeness with clientsFebruary 15, 2023By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBAInstead of becoming correspondingly friendly, open, candid, and clear, we have erected barriers to these. Artfully constructed, tech-centric walls may well suit the science, but I would argue they ill-become most modern client-patient relationships.
A lighthearted take on our traitsJanuary 24, 2023Though veterinarians often differ dramatically in their heritage and ethnicity—and culture certainly varies across specialties and subspecialties—personalities differ less so in certain areas.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveOur tacit pact with the purebred pet industryDecember 28, 2022By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBAAs one of our path professors used to say, “If you want to start a successful practice, try befriending some boxer and Shar-pei breeders.” Although I date myself with this reference to currently less fashionable breeds (today we might rely more on our über allergy-prone doodles and everything-prone Frenchies), the core truth remains: We rely on our purebreds for profitability.
My canine patient ate a grape—now what?December 23, 2022Despite our new suspicions, the scant, published evidence does not yet definitively identify the toxic principle, much less how many grapes or raisins it takes to get to the center of the Tootsie Pop. That means I am stuck in the unenviable position of treating every single patient/event on a worst-case basis, right?
Career clash: Should you stay or should you go?December 6, 2022They say the grass is no greener on the other side. Alas, sometimes they’re wrong. There are plenty of reasons why seeking a position elsewhere is the better option. For example, when you find yourself uninspired by your profession, dreading your days, and/or generally behaving like the disgruntled, unsatisfactory employee you know you are not meant to be.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveThe clash of commerce and cultureNovember 10, 2022By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBAThe culture of veterinary medicine has changed dramatically over the past 20 years. While the dedication displayed by veterinary school applicants seeking entry to programs seems not to have diminished, the emerging work ethos is arguably less enthusiastic than it once was. This shift in mentality, should you subscribe to this assessment, is often explained in terms of the dueling axioms describing our younger workforce’s approach to work-life balance: “working to live” rather than “living to work.”
