Not everything we do has to last forever. I recently sat with a crying practice manager. She works at a small clinic with a single veterinarian who is the longtime clinic owner. He’s relatively young, has young children, and is dying of a terminal illness. My heart broke for her. She has been lining up… Read More
Perspective
Eventually, the Numbers Have to Work
I was talking to a 4th-year veterinary student recently, and he was telling me about the starting salaries his friends were signing on for with their first jobs. Figures in the $150,000 range were not uncommon. [I’ve heard anecdotally about salaries hitting $200,000 for new grads in some metropolitan areas]. This may not sound like… Read More
The Olympics are Good for Vet Medicine
I don’t fall in love with the Olympics every four years because the games showcase famous athletes at the height of their careers. I swoon for the regular folks who step forward out of obscurity and shine. It’s the people who could live in our neighborhoods, shop next to us in the grocery store, and… Read More
The Seduction of Punishment in Animal Training
Veterinary behaviorist Dr. Christopher Pachel joins the podcast to discuss the contentious debate over punishment in animal training. On this week’s episode of the Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Dr. Pachel dive into the controversy surrounding positive reinforcement versus aversive methods. Dr. Pachel breaks down the science behind training techniques, discussing… Read More
Did You Realize Life Required This Much Engagement? I Didn’t.
I don’t know where I got the idea that the point of younger life was to set yourself up so that older life ran on autopilot, but I was pretty sure this was how things worked. It’s not that I didn’t think life would be challenging after the age of 40. It’s just that I… Read More
When Will We Be Happy Enough?
Josh Vaisman joins Dr. Andy Roark on the Cone of Shame Veterinary Podcast to explore the nuanced concept of happiness in the workplace. They delve into the realistic expectations of happiness at work, especially in demanding environments like veterinary practices. Josh emphasizes the balance between striving for employee happiness and acknowledging the inherent challenges of… Read More