With trembling hands and red eyes, the veterinarian looked at me pleadingly. “I have 12 pets I never even meant to have. There are IV bags that just stay hung up in my bathroom. I work all day, and then I go home and take care of animals I took in because clients couldn’t pay… Read More
You Don’t Have to See All the Pets
One of my most crushing failures as a vet came one Friday when I was scheduled to work at a tiny satellite clinic with only a single young veterinary technician. It was my first year in practice and I dreamed of being a great doctor to patients, a great champion for staff, and a great… Read More
You’ve Earned the Right to Be Proud
Think for a moment about the nastiest client you have in your practice. The one who has made you and others in your clinic feel awful in every way possible. What did that person do or say? How long have you remembered it? Now, think about your favorite pet owner. The one who brightens your… Read More
Need to Vent? Are You Sure?
“This is a safe space, right? Great. Let me tell you how awful yesterday and my boss and my techs and my job and my clients and the other vets and my kids’ school and our government are. Then I’ll feel better.” You’ve heard something like this before. You’ve probably said something like this before… Read More
“Can I Pick Your Brain?” – Surviving Holiday Parties
“Hey, remember me? We met at the swimming pool last summer. Can I ask you a question about my cat?” If you are in veterinary medicine, you’ve been on the receiving end of this conversation. I don’t care if you work exclusively on fixing the practice air conditioner… if people know you have been inside… Read More
This Stuff Freaks Me Out, Too
Last year, I started a veterinary conference for butt-kicking, positive-vibe-creating, happiness-in-vet-practice-finding veterinary business nerds. So far, we’ve had two of these conferences and the third is coming up fast. Before each one of these events, I have gotten similar messages from people who are about to attend. Essentially, they say: “Don’t tell anyone, but I’m… Read More