Recently, I was at a conference and two different people introduced themselves to me as a reader of the newsletter and the parent of a vet professional. Apparently, there is a not-insignificant percentage of you who get this email not because you are in practice, but because you wish to understand the world that someone… Read More
Why Do You Want to be AVMA President?
Dr. Jen Quammen joins The Cone of Shame Podcast to discuss her candidacy for AVMA President-Elect and why she’s stepping up to lead the profession. In this episode, she and Dr. Andy Roark explore what it takes to run for AVMA leadership, the changes she hopes to bring—like expanding membership to include credentialed veterinary technicians—and… Read More
How Are You Labeling Yourself?
A note for anyone trying to figure out who they are or who they want to be. The world tells us we should label ourselves. We should self-identify. It’s not good enough or useful enough to simply show up as a “human being”, or even as a “veterinarian.” We should let people know we are… Read More
Happy Hour at the Nursing Home
This is a note for anyone who has recently been informed that they are no longer young. It has recently been brought to my attention that I am no longer young. Apparently, calling people on the phone without texting them first is a thing that only old people do now. And, well, that’s how I… Read More
Lessons Learned Teaching Vets Dentistry
Dr. Donnell Hanson joins The Cone of Shame Podcast to share her passion for helping veterinarians overcome their fear of dentistry through her unique training center, The Four Legged Tooth Fairy. In this episode, Dr. Hanson and Dr. Andy Roark explore why dentistry can be such a source of stress for veterinarians, the most common… Read More
I Was Wrong About What Matters
A note for those who are trying to figure out what matters in life Last year, I was wrong about what matters in life. Over the last ten years or so, it has become more and more clear to me that success is driven not by the grand gestures that we make, but by the… Read More