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.
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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.”
Get a hobby for a better work-life balanceOctober 20, 2022It seems everyone picked up some new hobbies over the pandemic. Everyone, that is, except veterinary professionals.
Boost your income without losing your mindSeptember 29, 2022As veterinary professionals, we are fortunate enough to work in an industry that currently offers plenty of opportunity for upward mobility. While getting ahead may mean significant change for some of us (a geographic move, a change in employer, new hours, or even heading back to the classroom), veterinary medicine currently remains in the spotlight as an industry with an upward trend.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveBeing down a team member doesn't have to be a recipe for disasterSeptember 15, 2022By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBAWhen faced with a similar (albeit less dramatic) associate shortage in the past, I have made do by restructuring basic operations, leaning on my team’s most experienced members to take over tasks formerly deemed “vet-only” areas. Here’s how I approached it, broadly...
Why every vet needs a psychotherapistAugust 12, 2022Psychotherapy, also referred to as talk therapy, is among the most underrated, and, sadly, underutilized healthcare services on offer. Not only is it widely denigrated as a service intended for exclusive use by the feeble-brained, socially maladjusted, or mentally disturbed, it can be surprisingly tough to access through traditional healthcare channels.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveVeterinary medicine is losing its personal touch August 12, 2022By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBAFor me, it is that personal connection that matters most because, without it, I might as well be an accountant, or some other brand of desk jockey. The way I see it, if I’m not invested in my patient and their people, I would not be as motivated to be kind, compassionate, thorough, and diligent.
New tricks for an old dog's vet ownerAugust 4, 2022When you’re a sensitive veterinarian who is especially enamored over her extremely geriatric pet, you risk seeing every patient through the private lens of your impending loss. Older patients appear more endearing, end-of-life conversations become more emotionally relevant, and the stakes at work seem higher overall.
VPN Plus+ ExclusiveA perspective against private equityJuly 7, 2022By Patty Khuly, VMD, MBABy the end of this column, I hope to explain the essence of private equity investing well enough to show there is nothing defensible (or even capitalist) about it. Even if you are one of the few fortunate veterinary practice owners likely to benefit enormously from it—trust me, there is nothing to love beyond what it does for your personal bank account. (I begrudge you not one penny of it. You have earned it!)
Colleague confessions and the lies we tellJuly 1, 2022The lies we, as veterinarians, tell in our professional lives are in no way unique to us or to our own practice.
