Dr. Chad R. Brown, DVM (Purdue), executive director of the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center at Iowa State University, joins Dr. Andy Roark to tackle a gut-punch truth in veterinary medicine: good decisions do not always equal good outcomes, and outcome-based judgment can be brutal on clinicians. They unpack how hindsight bias and outcome bias trick us into “judging our past self with our future self’s information,” rewarding lucky medicine and fueling shame after tough cases. Chad argues for de-emphasizing outcomes and emphasizing decision-making processes we can control, like communication, diagnostics, anesthesia monitoring, and checklists, especially when training students, interns, and residents. They also discuss how outcome fixation can break good clinicians through overcorrection or apathy, and how focusing on process can reduce burnout and support spectrum-of-care thinking.
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ABOUT OUR GUEST
Dr. Chad R. Brown is a veterinarian, educator, academic hospital leader, and writer. He grew up on a beef cattle farm in West Virginia, earned his DVM from Purdue University, and spent many years in private practice, including owning a mixed-animal veterinary practice. Earlier in his career, he also built and operated an e-commerce business, an experience that influenced how he thinks about systems, service, accountability, and execution.
He later moved into higher education and academic leadership, helping launch an AVMA-accredited veterinary technology program and directing veterinary nursing education at Purdue University. He now serves as Executive Director of Hospital Operations and Clinical Associate Professor at Iowa State University’s Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center.
Chad brings experience from private practice, business, education, and hospital operations to questions about leadership, performance, and assessment. He also writes at chadrbrown.com about work, money, health, leadership, and the broader questions that shape a well-lived life.
