Podcast A Vet: Stories, Support & Community From Leaders In The Veterinary Field

In this episode, we jump back into the large animal world with DVM, large animal surgeon and lab research developer, Jeremiah Easley. After trying to rebel against his father's career of equine medicine, Jeremiah found his way back to his passion and has since found a thriving home in surgery and the development of medical devices.

Today Jeremiah is here to relive the knowledge and wisdom he has gained over his career and dive into the exciting world of research and development on the medical side of things. We take a look into the highs and lows of equine surgery, how to find a job that you are excited about, the importance of finding growth in the passion to learn, and much more.

Join us as we reflect back on the crucial moments of life where things worked out just right, and the importance of making a difference in both human and animal lives through continuous growth and the pursuit of knowledge.

How did your upbringing impact your decision to become a veterinary professional? Share with us in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

• Explore cutting edge research developments and how they came to be
• The importance of keeping your options open and going against the grain
• Discover the many facets and positions available in veterinary medicine
• Examining the things that happen at a young age that affect how you grow up
• Putting a face to the world of surgery, medical research, and development

Quotes

"I kinda tried everything under the sun to find out what else I wanted to do and it eventually came back to veterinary medicine." (19:11)

"Always my focus was surgery, and just kind of how I ended up there, I don't know if I cared what path I took, as long as I was going to be doing that I think I was going to be happy." (27:50)

"I kind of went into that job, 'I want to run this lab'. It may not have worked out that way, or it may have been something where I didn't like it or whatever, but I certainly wanted to go into it saying 'I think this will be something I can make a go at and love', and I think its worked out really well." (37:19)

"It didn't take long for me to fall in love with it, and certainly I love it now just by the fact that I run the day today, it's really what I'm passionate about." (45:32)

"You can do anything as a veterinarian, there are so many things that are possible out there." (46:38)

Links

PAV 040: Jennifer Hatzel

Enjoying these stories? Consider supporting Podcast A Vet on Patreon & check out our awesome patron-only perk

Find the full show notes here

Keep up with everything Podcast A Vet

Follow Podcast A Vet on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Join our free community of dedicated vet professionals looking to improve their practices and lives in our free Facebook community!

We'd love it (and you) if you would take 1 minute and leave us a review on iTunes!

A prominent figure in the vet world and advocate for veterinary people, Dr. Kimberly Pope-Robinson is a voice for wellness and sustainable happiness in the veterinary world. With a career spanning over 20 years, Kim has dabbled in both large and small animal practice before finding a home in the pharmaceutical industry.

Today Kim is getting real about anxiety, depression, and the importance of cultivating the ability to deal with all of the emotions that come with a full life. Despite her predisposition to look on the negative side, Kim makes an effort every day to retrain her brain and focus on the positive. If you take away one thing from this episode, it should be that you are normal, you are not broken and you are not alone.

By working to walk away from the 'name, blame and judge' and towards the 'recognize, embrace and connect', Kim can help you recognize your sinkers and ballons and stay connected to everything around you. The information you learn on this episode will provide strategies to help you learn from the burns of life instead of letting them overwhelm you.

Are you ready to burn through instead of burn out? Share what you related to the most in Kim's story in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

• The importance of dwelling on happy memories instead of the loss
• Finding what you need internally instead of relying on others to give it to you
• How to follow your unique path by recognizing your triggers and staying connected
• Ways to leverage self-forgiveness as the foundation for career longevity
• Recognizing your emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual balloons and sinkers

Quotes

"I learned to recognize that I have anxiety, recognize that I have fear, recognize that I am scared because I don't have control over something. And then I embrace it instead of fighting it." (7:55)

"I think I've learned a lot about life as a veterinarian, I've learned a lot about death from being a veterinarian, and it's not that I'm okay with it and I just want it to come, but I've accepted it because I see it and I have to support it." (15:28)

"You are normal and you are not broken and you are not alone and I see you." (22:20)

"I can't expect someone to give me what I need to hear, I need to give it to myself." (33:01)

"I was getting so many requests to be out there helping that I couldn't do my job and those requests together. So I had to make a decision. And the decision was to walk away from financial security and dive in and start this movement." (36:08)

Links

The Unspoken Life by Kimberly Pope-Robinson

The Unspoken Life Coloring Book

1 Life Connected Movement

1 Life Connected Blog

The 1 Life Connected Commitment

Enjoying these stories? Consider supporting Podcast A Vet on Patreon & check out our awesome patron-only perk

Find the full show notes here

Keep up with everything Podcast A Vet

Follow Podcast A Vet on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Join our free community of dedicated vet professionals looking to improve their practices and lives in our free Facebook community!

We'd love it (and you) if you would take 1 minute and leave us a review on iTunes!

Dr. Erik Hofmeister, DVM, DACVVA, DECVAA, MA, MS, has more letters behind his name than in it, but remains humble and focused on how hard someone works over their grades. Currently a Professor of Veterinary Anesthesia at Auburn University, Erik knows a lot about the powers of determination and perseverance.

A 'highschool dropout' turned academic, Erik has helped many people get into internships, residencies, and faculty positions, and chooses to look at the way someone recovers over how they fail. A believer in finding many different paths to happiness, Erik is here today to dive in-depth into the world of anesthesia, academics, and more to help you optimize your life.

If you are able to dedicate yourself to a skill, you can learn how to thrive in veterinary medicine. Erik finds beauty in going unnoticed, loves to encourage people to follow multiple paths, and ultimately works to find happiness and fulfillment for all those he works with.

Are you ready to work hard, enjoy the process and be a reasonable freaking human being? Share what you found the most interesting about Erik's take on academia in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

• Exploring the demand for anesthesiologists in private practice and academia
• Why the anesthesiologist should be the calmest person in the room
• Finding freedom in autonomy and a results-oriented work environment
• The importance of being just a reasonable freaking human being
• How to deal with your income in the right way to reach financial independence

Quotes

"My wife says its somewhat disingenuous for me to say I am a high school dropout because I left to go to college early." (24:30)

"Its really looking at what is your output rather than your butt in a chair for a certain number of hours a day. Because of the studies on American productivity and how much time we waste during the day." (33:34)

"I enjoy not having the responsibilities of department share… it's really nice just to have my time when I am off clinics. Like I said earlier, to have the autonomy to just be doing what I am doing. I get to read more, and I get to work on my research projects and all those other things I couldn't do as easily as an administrator." (43:58)

"Just be a reasonable freaking human being, doesn't seem like hard criteria, doesn't seem like a high level, but just be a reasonable freaking human being and so many things are better." (55:20)

Links

The Vetducator Blog

PAV 032: Jon Congdon

Mr. Money Mustache Blog

Mint.com

Enjoying these stories? Consider supporting Podcast A Vet on Patreon & check out our awesome patron-only perk

Find the full show notes here

Keep up with everything Podcast A Vet

Follow Podcast A Vet on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Join our free community of dedicated vet professionals looking to improve their practices and lives in our free Facebook community!

We'd love it (and you) if you would take 1 minute and leave us a review on iTunes!

Our community recently lost a great friend and a true veterinary icon, Kim Ellis. Kim impacted so many in such a positive way, from her 32 year-long career as a CVT and equine nurse, to her passion for teaching students, her previous episode on PAV, and the words and actions of compassion she extended on a daily basis.

Please join us as we revisit Kim's previous episode and find new inspiration in her message and strength. Learn about Kim's fixation for draft horses and promoting the term 'equine nurse', the importance of never being satisfied, and why you need to stop and smell the roses before life forces you too.

Kim was an open book who was dedicated to spreading the message of being kind to yourself, persevering through the bad times, and making as many memories as possible. Kim held the true secrets to longevity and connectivity and embraced the lessons cancer taught her. Someone who touched the lives of everyone she met, Kim will be greatly missed and her words of wisdom will continue to live on through this podcast and all of our listeners.

Are you ready to lean into the collar and join the fight to stop breast cancer? Donate to the link below and share how Kim or her message impacted your life in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

• Lessons after diagnosis and words of advice to others struggling with cancer
• The importance of advocating for yourself in the veterinary tech field
• Why you should be embracing meditation throughout your career
• How to find a better balance in life and take time for yourself and the people you love
• Discover the secret to marriage longevity and finding the right person

Quotes

"You just lean into the collar and go. And that is the way I have been through anything I do in this life, is just lean into that collar and go." (14:33)

"It has never crossed my mind, since the day I was diagnosed, of 'why? Why me?' Never. I've always said 'why not me?'. If this cancer will allow me to take 10 children's cancer away; if you lined up 10 kids in front of me and said 'she's gonna take your cancer for you?'. Let me have it." (18:13)

"Don't be satisfied, keep branching out and become specialized, that is the only way you are going to get out of that $15-$16 an hour." (40:00)

"I just everyday found excitement in learning something and knew that I was in the right place because I wanted to teach. And I kept myself learning something or developing something or creating something, just go, just kept myself going. I never settled, I just wanted to keep expanding." (46:14)

"I'm still learning, every day I'm learning, but I'm learning to take care of me." (53:27)

"Make memories and be kind to yourself, that's my tag line. You have to be kind to yourself first before you can be kind to other people. And that is where I have learned to take anything negative and to find the positive." (55:01)

"It took cancer for me to get like this, unfortunately. So that's why my message is out there, to start now before something like this makes you start thinking that way." (55:46)

Links

PAV 045: Kim Ellis

Donate to the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation

AAEVT

Calm App

Enjoying these stories? Consider supporting Podcast A Vet on Patreon & check out our awesome patron-only perk

Find the full show notes here

Keep up with everything Podcast A Vet

Follow Podcast A Vet on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Join our free community of dedicated vet professionals looking to improve their practices and lives in our free Facebook community!

We'd love it (and you) if you would take 1 minute and leave us a review on iTunes!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work on the national level, providing insight into animal disease emergencies and potential outbreaks? Alex Turner, DVM, went from skiing on an Olympic course, to equine ambulatory practice, to the USDA, and has loads of stories to go with his experiences.

Having just returned home from a 23-day 'deployment' with the Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Alex is part of an emergency response team that helps keep all of us safe. Today he shares his stories from the equine world and emergency scene, why he stands by his controversial Harry Potter opinions, and much more.

Being open to new opportunities has been the key to Alex's success and he is here to shed some light on the importance of mentorship, following your dreams, and asking for help when you feel trapped.

Have you ever dreamed of protecting plants and animals from potential disease outbreaks? Share what you found the most interesting about Alex's field in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

• Learn what is involved during an organized group response to a disease outbreak
• Repetitive 'gold stars' to look out for on your final exam and in real-life practice
• Understanding how diseases impact multiple aspects of the agriculture industry
• Dive into the realities of animal disease emergency response and equine medicine
• Organizational tips to help manage your stresses and be okay with the unexpected

Quotes

"There are diseases like this that affect both small and large animals, but the first line is the veterinarian. So its that red light goes off, and the great next call is to your local state veterinarians office." (15:20)

"In hindsight looking at it, my parents said 'we're gonna put him in this so he can get this horseback riding thing out of his system and move on'. And that was in 1985 so, not quite out of my system yet!" (21:14)

"It is amazing to see something you have worked on, and helped an athlete to do their job at the highest level it is done." (39:15)

"When opportunity knocks, don't just ignore it and send it to voicemail. Sometimes listen, that really helped me out." (52:03)

Links

PAV 045: Kim Ellis

Enjoying these stories? Consider supporting Podcast A Vet on Patreon & check out our awesome patron-only perk

Find the full show notes here

Keep up with everything Podcast A Vet

Follow Podcast A Vet on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Join our free community of dedicated vet professionals looking to improve their practices and lives in our free Facebook community!

We'd love it (and you) if you would take 1 minute and leave us a review on iTunes!

Lauren Smith, DVM, is a small animal veterinarian from New York who has taken her passion for vet med to the depths of the internet writing various blogs for sites such as Dr. Andy Roark, and her own site, The Vetitude. Now in the process of transitioning from clinic work to her own relief business, Lauren is here to talk about everything from entrepreneurship to empathy and how to deal with haters in your comments section.

A self-described ambivert who found a safe haven in academics, Lauren has a wide range of stories and life experience to share with you today. Learn how ROSS University of Vet School helped equip her to deal with what life and the Universe throw at you, ways to work through the anxiety that may be stopping you from achieving your dream, and how to have more empathy and less compassion fatigue with your peers and clients.

If you struggle to understand things from a clients perspective, want to increase your charisma in the exam room, or are having a hard time narrowing in on the core values you need in a workplace, Lauren is here to help guide you in the right direction.

Are you ready to build up your empathy muscle and come to terms with the reality that nobody is perfect? Share what you learned most from Lauren's perspective in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

• Tools to understand a clients perspective in a non-judgemental and empathetic way
• How to have more empathy for yourself, your teammates and your clients
• What to do when a client asks you what you would do in their position
• Understanding how the way you dress can convey power and charisma
• Fostering open communication through self-care and identifying your core values

Quotes

"I definitely like the puzzle of putting together the diagnostics and figuring out what is going on with animals. Dealing with a complex DKA or an IMHA, I'm really in my element with those." (19:33)

"More than anything, those core values, finding a place that matches your core values is going to be the most important thing in finding a job where you are happy. Because if you are surrounded by people who are doing things that don't fit your value set, you are never going to be happy." (27:03)

"We need to have more empathy for ourselves, for our teammates and for our clients. And I think those are the three things I really try to emphasize in what I try to tackle with the vetitude." (33:58)

"Empathy is a self-renewing resource, the more we practice it the more we have. And actually the less compassion fatigue we get because we are building up that empathy muscle." (37:43)

Links

The Vetitude Website

The Vetitude Instagram

The Vetitude Facebook

Lauren Smith DVM Website

Dr. Andy Roark Website

The Real Reason Your Wait At The Vet's Office Is So Long by Lauren Smith

These Are My Thoughts When I Lose A Patient by Lauren Smith

Thank You for Not Judging Me by Lauren Smith

Enjoying these stories? Consider supporting Podcast A Vet on Patreon & check out our awesome patron-only perk

Find the full show notes here

Keep up with everything Podcast A Vet

Follow Podcast A Vet on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Join our free community of dedicated vet professionals looking to improve their practices and lives in our free Facebook community!

We'd love it (and you) if you would take 1 minute and leave us a review on iTunes!

On our first international podcast, Natalia Strokowska joins us from Poland to shed some light on the similarities and differences between the veterinary profession in America and Poland. DVM, MRCVS, entrepreneur, medical English teacher, and avid traveler, Natalia discusses everything from the clubbing culture, travel to five different continents helping animals, the importance of mental health, and much more.

Join us for a look into the stereotypes, limitations, and advantages of becoming a vet in Poland and England, why Natalia uses her modeling career as a platform on Instagram to discuss larger issues such as depression, and how she balances running a business, being a local vet and being an entrepreneur teaching others.

Natalia believes that you can find your motivation from your inner child and use that to get closer to your passion, whatever that may be. Learn what motivates the millennial generation, how to survive burnout, the challenges of surviving a winter in Poland and why everyone should dance a little bit more.

Do you resonate with Natalia's strong desire to succeed? Share what resonated with you most about her veterinary school experience and beyond in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

• Understanding the impact of the Berlin wall and clubbing culture in Poland
• Analyzing the urgent need for psychological health help in veterinary school
• Exposing the global problems with the gender gap in veterinary medicine
• How to use social media platforms to engage your audience and share your insight
• Addressing the double standard of online sexuality in a public service position

Quotes

"With my strong will to help the world to be a better place, and the helper that is deep inside of me that would like to just help the animals in need. Within the 2 or 3 days, I was [at veterinary school] the whole vision of how my life would look like was starting to be formed." (16:24)

"If someone was to ask me if I would like to work as a vet in America, of course, I would love to. But this complete lack of work-life balance scares me." (30:45)

"I told myself that one day I was going to research students and vets and show the world what really happens, and I am really proud that we did it." (48:28)

"We need to fail for a moment just to be stronger." (1:16:57)

Links

Follow Natalia on Instagram

Furry Vets Website

Veterinary English Website

Vet No Limits Website

Natalia Strokowska TEDxWarsaw

Miss Honey Dijon on YouTube

Enjoying these stories? Consider supporting Podcast A Vet on Patreon & check out our awesome patron-only perk

Find the full show notes here

Keep up with everything Podcast A Vet

Follow Podcast A Vet on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Join our free community of dedicated vet professionals looking to improve their practices and lives in our free Facebook community!

We'd love it (and you) if you would take 1 minute and leave us a review on iTunes!

Today we are flipping the script on your host, Dr. John Arnold, and giving him his chance in the hot seat. Want to know how Dr. John met his wife, where he wishes he was living, and why he chose to become a general practitioner? All this and more is answered today as we dive deep inside what makes Podcast A Vet tick.

Going back to the beginning of Dr. John's veterinary career we are discussing everything from the importance of mentorship to learning who you should be giving your attention too, and ways to become a master in the art of recovery. And as a bonus, hear John's rendition of The Safety Dance in our question lightning round!

If you want to get to know your host better, or are looking for advice when it comes to any part of the veterinary field and life, this episode is for you. Get ready to be inspired by Dr. John and prior guests, as we review the struggles of achieving your dreams and the reasons why it is all worth it.

Do you have a question that you want to ask Dr. John? Share it with us in the comments on the episode page!

In This Episode

• Understanding the intimidations and decisions of practice ownership
• How to deal with the pressure between balancing career and home life
• Common threads found among the superheroes in the veterinary world
• Playing an active role in someone else's passion to provide mentorship
• Steps to harness family and community as the driving forces in your life

Quotes

"As far as mentorship, I think it boils down to playing an active role and just stoking someone's passion a little bit." (6:43)

"Looking back, she was more important than the 'where'. And that's really cheesy but it's true." (19:10)

"If you can picture a bagel or a donut, that inner circle is kind of the people you should be spending the most time with and sacrificing the least for, and I had it backward for a long time because I didn't want to let anybody down." (29:05)

"Wherever your tribe is, hold onto them. They not only bring you a lot of joy but they bail you out when things get bad." (36:08)

"I need to thank you guys, listeners, because you have impacted me in so many ways. And made me a better doctor, a better father, and a better human in general." (38:24)

Links

PAV 052: Kelsey Cates

PAV 051: Kelsey Cates

PAV 016: Zach Lake

Enjoying these stories? Consider supporting Podcast A Vet on Patreon & check out our awesome patron-only perk

Find the full show notes here

Keep up with everything Podcast A Vet

Follow Podcast A Vet on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Join our free community of dedicated vet professionals looking to improve their practices and lives in our free Facebook community!

We'd love it (and you) if you would take 1 minute and leave us a review on iTunes!

Continuing on with Brownen Foster on this Part 2 episode, we are getting to some audience questions and learning what exactly goes on in the background that fosters Bronwen's compassionate and calming presence. Catch up on Part 1 of our conversation.

A relief vet and acupuncturist, Bronwen has started living life by her own rules and has found peace by focusing on the positives. Today Bronwen encourages us to reach out, find a team and gain some perspective on your options. Learn how to become okay with not being perfect, ways to set boundaries and expectations within the clinic, and discover when you need to swallow your pride and ask for help.

A guiding light on this confusing path, Bronwen knows what it's like to hate your job and provides great tools to help you gain the experiences you desire and create the habits you deserve.

What do you admire most about Bronwen's attitude and passion for true happiness? Share with us in the comments section.

In This Episode

• What to do when you are feeling insecure in your job
• Cues to help set specific boundaries without being rude
• The importance of getting out of your comfort zone during vet school
• How to gain self-awareness and tap into your inner balance
• Steps to foster your ability to deal with life's difficulties

Quotes

"Reach out and ask another opinion, shutting down the ego a little bit and putting on your 'I'm open to learning' face, and just being open to getting others opinions and being okay that that person figured it out. And being gracious for that, because you know it's going to come back." (4:51)

"Take control of your rooms for sure and what people are telling you." (14:07)

"It's quality, right? It's about connecting quickly with that person so that they trust you, and then getting your stuff done. Whenever you do that it always ends up positive." (17:37)

"It's not about the grades, try and learn what you can and experience what you can. It really gets hard in vet school because it's so competitive, and that kind of breeds perfectionism, so be the one person that doesn't want to be a perfectionist." (22:16)

"If I want to do something and maybe I don't have all the money, I still do it and it works out. You know the law of attraction, and doing enough of that to where it just starts flowing, you just allow it to flow." (35:43)

Links

PAV 073: Bronwen Foster Part 1

PAV 001: Bronwen Foster

Enjoying these stories? Consider supporting Podcast A Vet on Patreon & check out our awesome patron-only perk

Find the full show notes here

Keep up with everything Podcast A Vet

Follow Podcast A Vet on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Join our free community of dedicated vet professionals looking to improve their practices and lives in our free Facebook community!

We'd love it (and you) if you would take 1 minute and leave us a review on iTunes!

Brennan Pitard is back for round two of this Financial Wellness Series to share more from his unique perspective as both a veterinarian and banker. Brennan is passionate about helping people buy into or take over a veterinary practice to live their dream as an owner and is sharing tips and strategies to help you realize that dream as well if you so choose.

Whether you want to know what you should be doing to own a practice in five years, think that your student debt will hold you back from your dream of practice ownership, or are ready to take steps starting today to achieve your dream, Brennan is here to answer your questions and set your mind at ease. Learn why Brennan doesn't even blink at $200,000 in debt, how to stop your debt from holding you back from pursuing your goals, and why he believes in getting the whole story behind the person to help them establish confidence.

If you are thinking about taking the leap and buying into a practice, Brennan wants to provide you the tools to make your mark on the veterinary ownership world, however that looks for you. With the right lender, the ownership process can be an exciting journey full of support.

Do you dream of one day taking the leap and diving into the ownership pool? Share what excites you most about ownership in the comments on the episode page.

In This Episode

• What you can be doing to avoid loan red flags and attract lending investors
• Ways to take on more responsibility as an associate hoping to become an owner
• How to make sense of the salary to debt ratio to lower your monthly debt burden
• Steps you should be taking every day to stop limiting your own potential
• Why you should stop letting the excuse of student debt hold you back from your goals

Quotes

"Once they talk to somebody and establish some confidence that they can do it, it is like a lightbulb moment. And from that point, they move forward with unparalleled intensity to get to their dream." (3:44)

"Getting to know you on a personal level as a veterinarian, your management experience, is probably the most crucial thing." (8:13)

"I'm very involved, I'm sorry any clients out there if I annoy you, but I like to know what's going on!" (11:54)

"Owning your own and running a business like you want to be run and putting your hard work and sweat equity into something, its a big deal to people." (22:57)

"Networking and surrounding yourself with a good group of likeminded people is crucial to success, you can't do it alone." (26:11)

Links

Contact Brennan at [email protected]

FFB Veterinary Loans Homepage

First Financial Bank Website

Blue Heron Consulting Website

PAV 056: Sam Romano

Enjoying these stories? Consider supporting Podcast A Vet on Patreon & check out our awesome patron-only perk

Find the full show notes here

Keep up with everything Podcast A Vet

Follow Podcast A Vet on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Join our free community of dedicated vet professionals looking to improve their practices and lives in our free Facebook community!

We'd love it (and you) if you would take 1 minute and leave us a review on iTunes!