In this engaging and eye-opening episode of ReadyVetGo, Dr. Dani Rabwin sits down with Dr. Chelsea Fishenfeld—an ambulatory equine veterinarian in California—to talk mentorship, emergency medicine in the field, and what it really takes to survive (and thrive) in modern equine practice.

Chelsea shares what drew her to horses at age four, why she chose an intensive mentorship/internship after graduating from WesternU (Class of 2022), and how equine medicine is facing a sustainability crossroads—especially when vets are expected to do dentistry all day and colics all night.

This conversation is packed with real-world perspective on internships, teamwork across large groups, building confidence in high-stakes scenarios, and the communication skills that can make or break client trust.

📌 What You’ll Learn:

• Why many equine vets benefit from doing an internship (especially for emergencies)
• What’s broken in the equine emergency model—and what could fix it
• How mentorship and collaboration keep practitioners (and horses) safer
• How to teach clients in real time so they understand the value of care
• A “mistake/complication” story that highlights why communication is everything
• How to coach students out of freeze mode and into confidence
• What grit really means in equine medicine (and why attrition is high)

🎬 Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro: Meet Dr. Chelsea Fishenfeld (equine ambulatory in CA)

01:10 – “Horse vet since age 4”: barns, riding, tech life, and the long road to DVM

03:05 – WesternU 2022 grad: why she chose an intensive mentorship/internship

05:05 – Inside the equine hospital model: specialists at your fingertips

07:10 – Equine emergency reality: why the current system isn’t sustainable

10:05 – The fix: shifts, haul-in emergencies, and collaborative coverage

12:05 – Finding mentors: choosing people, not “assigned” relationships

14:10 – Teaching and leadership: students, pre-vets, and full-circle moments

17:10 – Should you go equine? The honest talk: lifestyle, safety, grit, and burnout

20:10 – Client education in real time: narrating colics, tubes, and “showing the value”

23:10 – Mistakes/complications: when teeth fracture—and how communication saves trust

26:10 – Where communication is learned: mentors, life experience, and repetition

28:30 – Mentorship in action: letting students do the thing (and why it matters)

31:20 – “Freeze mode” is real: building reps, confidence, and capability

👇 QUESTION FOR YOU: What’s one skill you wish you got more reps on before you were alone in practice?

Season 1 Ep 19

✅ If this helped, like, subscribe, and share with a vet student or new grad who needs it today.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

📲 Follow: @readyvetgo_

📧 Contact: [email protected]

#ReadyVetGo #VeterinaryMedicine #EquineVet #EquineMedicine #VetMentorship #VetInternship #NewGradVet #ClientCommunication #AmbulatoryVet #LargeAnimalVet

Is practice culture your biggest career risk—or your superpower? Are “lazy new grads” a myth masking broken systems?

Host Dr. Dani Rabwin is joined by Dr. G (Gershon Alaluf) for a candid, high-energy conversation on building psychologically safe teams, real mentorship, and simple habits that make clinics fun, resilient, and effective for early-career veterinarians.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why culture is the practice: daily behaviors beat policies every time
• Psychological safety: how to create space to speak up, debrief, and learn fast
• The fear → worry loop: stopping post-op rumination with structured debriefs
• Money clarity: production, basic P&L, and fair compensation conversations
• Mentorship that works: modeling mistakes, role clarity, and paid trainer roles
• Corporate vs. private: incentives, signing-bonus traps, and fit checks
• Soft skills that cost $0: communication, feedback, and “make it fun” rituals
• GP-led CE + realistic job previews: preparing grads for real-world medicine

Who this is for

• Early-career veterinarians and interns
• Veterinary students and VBMA leaders
• Practice owners, medical directors, and managers
• Corporate/regional leaders shaping new-grad programs
• RVTs/tech leads building training tracks

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro — why culture determines your landing as a new grad

03:12 “Culture is the practice”: behaviors, not binders

07:38 Money matters: production, P&L, and transparent goals

12:04 Psychological safety: speaking up without getting burned

16:41 Fear vs. worry: debriefs that prevent 2 a.m. spirals

21:05 Mentorship that sticks: modeling mistakes & paid trainer roles

26:22 Corporate vs. private: incentives, fit, signing-bonus cautions

31:48 The “lazy new grad” myth: expectations, reps, confidence

36:30 Phone-a-specialist: consult culture and referral relationships

41:07 Leadership styles: servant & transformational in the clinic

45:20 Action playbook: day-one moves to lift culture (anyone can do)

Resources mentioned

• Culture & debrief checklists (psychological safety prompts)
• New-grad mentorship outline (skills, soft skills, debrief cadence)
• GP-led CE initiatives + realistic job preview resources

Ready Vet Go — because mentorship matters, and vets shouldn’t have to go it alone.

Follow: @readyvetgo_

Contact: [email protected]

#practiceculture #mentorship #psychologicalsafety #vetmed #ReadyVetGo

In this energizing and real episode of ReadyVetGo, Dr. Dani Rabwin sits down with Dr. Jake Rastas—a new grad veterinarian, rotating intern at the University of Georgia, and ultra marathon runner—for a conversation about mentorship, confidence, and mental resilience in early-career veterinary medicine.

From Division I football to vet school to internship life, Jake shares how mentors shaped his path, how to stay competitive without becoming toxic, and why you don’t need confidence before doing something hard—confidence often comes after you do it. If you’re a vet student, new grad, or intern trying to build your skills while managing pressure, this one will hit home.

📌 What You’ll Learn:

• Mentorship that actually changes your career (and the “pay it forward” culture of vet med)
• How to build confidence after the hard thing—not before
• Ultra marathon mindset: “This is what hard feels like”
• Healthy competition without rooting for others to fail
• Time management during internship + intense training schedules
• Learning procedures for the first time: readiness, reality, and resources

🎬 Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro: Dani + Jake (new grad, UGA rotating intern, ultra runner)

01:30 – Jake’s path: D1 football → vet school → internship

04:10 – Mentors who changed everything (and why “pay it forward” matters)

07:05 – Competitive drive without becoming toxic

10:20 – “This is what hard feels like”: ultra running as mental training

13:40 – Confidence isn’t the prerequisite—action is

16:05 – Internship time management + training while exhausted

19:10 – First-time procedures: resources, prep, and staying safe

22:30 – Handling pressure, feedback, and the learning curve

25:40 – What Jake wants new grads to hear right now

👇 QUESTION FOR YOU: What’s one hard thing you’re leaning into right now in vet school, internship, or practice?

Season 1 Ep18

✅ If this helped, like, subscribe, and share with a vet student or new grad who needs it today.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

📲 Follow: @readyvetgo_

📧 Contact: [email protected]

#ReadyVetGo #VeterinaryMedicine #VetMentorship #NewGradVet #VetInternship #VetStudent #UltraMarathonRunner #Confidence #MentalResilience

Are we training vets to lead—or to chase grades? How do we build grit without burning out?

Host Dr. Dani Rabwin sits down with Dr. Peter Weinstein for an energizing deep dive into leadership, resilience, and bringing the fun back to vet med—without skipping the hard stuff. Perfect for new grads, students, and anyone building healthy, high-trust hospital cultures.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The origin story of a “leadership guru”: lifelong follower → practice owner → MBA → mentor
• Why fear kills growth—and practical ways to reframe risk while staying safe/ethical
• Grit vs. burnout: modeling mistakes, normalizing failure, and building psychological safety
• Pass/Fail & PBL: how assessment models shape collaboration, confidence, and readiness
• Communication > memorization: how to find answers fast and build client trust
• Why 3+ DVM teams accelerate learning and reduce stress
• Servant leadership: bottom-up culture, listening first, empowering teams
• “Fun injectors” that boost morale without lowering clinical standards

Who this is for

• Early-career veterinarians & interns
• Veterinary students (any year, any track)
• Mentors, medical directors, practice owners
• Hospital managers & team leads building resilient cultures
• Faculty/curriculum designers exploring PBL & pass/fail

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro — leadership, grit & bringing the fun back

03:14 Follower → leader: ownership, MBA, mindset shifts

08:52 Fear vs. growth: safe steps to try procedures and learn in public

13:40 Modeling mistakes: the mentorship exercise that unlocks grit

18:05 Pass/Fail & PBL: teamwork over perfectionism

23:47 Communication as a clinical skill: trust, clarity, outcomes

28:21 Multi-doctor advantage: daily consults, faster learning, less stress

33:09 Culture design: servant leadership + bottom-up ideas

38:12 Make it fun: low-lift rituals that raise morale

42:30 Action list for new grads: day-one leadership moves

Resources mentioned

• Leadership onboarding programs at vet schools
• Organized vet medicine pathways: local VMA, CVMA/SAVMA, VetPartners
• Ready Vet Go mentorship packs, small-group role-play & skills training

Ready Vet Go — because mentorship matters, and vets shouldn’t have to go it alone.

Follow: @readyvetgo_

Contact: [email protected]

#leadership #grit #communication #vetmed #ReadyVetGo

In this inspiring and practical episode of ReadyVetGo, Dr. Dani Rabwin sits down with Noah Gershoni (he/him), a final-year veterinary student at the University of Arizona, to talk mentorship, networking with authenticity, and how to get the most out of clinical rotations—especially in a distributive model program.

Noah shares his non-traditional path to vet school (community college prereqs, years working in ER), how meaningful connections opened doors like Venom Week, and why collaboration beats competition in veterinary medicine. They also dig into the realities of rotating through different clinics and states, the hidden challenge of housing logistics, and how to learn from every mentor and team—without coming off combative.

📌 What You’ll Learn:

• How to network without being transactional (and actually maintain connections)
• Community college to vet school: confidence, resilience, and belonging
• Why UA’s culture (no grades + group-based learning) builds collaboration
• Distributive clinical year: real-world medicine, pros/cons, and logistics
• Why general practice can do more than people think (and why it matters for access)
• Mentorship on short rotations: how to ask questions well and respect time
• Two must-use rotation tips: “keep the technicians happy” + find value in everything

🎬 Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro + pronouns: Noah (he/him) + Dani (she/her)

01:44 – How they met: conference lunch line + service dog networking

03:00 – ReadyVetGo networking night: “bring as many as you can” (20 students show up)

04:39 – Networking that isn’t transactional: curiosity, real connection, follow-through

06:35 – Non-traditional path: community college prereqs (no “traditional college” route)

09:33 – Working in ER for 5 years: learning fast, growing responsibility

10:42 – Falling for surgery: mixed animal + OR confidence

11:35 – Why University of Arizona: Venom Week + meeting faculty through networking

13:41 – Personal statement: vulnerability, first-gen story, resilience, family pride

16:43 – UA culture: no GPAs/grades + group-based learning = collaboration over competition

21:29 – Clinical year (distributive model): rotating clinics/states + real-world medicine

22:18 – The tough part: housing/logistics + advocating for classmates

25:23 – General practice “can do it”: accessibility, internal medicine in GP, specialization trend

28:15 – Mentorship nuance: asking questions vs respecting time (the “dance”)

30:07 – Evidence-based vs “old school”: how to ask “why” without being combative

32:53 – Tip #1: keep technicians happy (donuts + teach-back + teamwork)

34:23 – Tip #2: find value in everything (even “how not to do it”) + don’t take it personally

👇 QUESTION FOR YOU: What’s one mentoring tip you wish you learned earlier in vet school or practice?

Season 1 Ep 18

✅ If this helped, like, subscribe, and share with a vet student or new grad who needs it today.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

📲 Follow: @readyvetgo_

📧 Contact: [email protected]

#ReadyVetGo #VeterinaryMedicine #VetMentorship #VetStudent #ClinicalRotations #Networking #NewGradVet #GeneralPractice #VetSchool #DistributiveModel

How do we keep great technicians in vet med—and build mentorship that actually lasts? What can veterinarians learn from RVTs about communication, culture, and training?

Host Dr. Dani Rabwin sits down with Phil Snow, RVT—military veteran turned RVT, educator, and co-founder of an alternate-route vet tech school—for a candid conversation about career pathways, mentorship, VTS specialization, the mid-level debate, and avoiding (and owning) mistakes.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Military → medicine: leadership lessons and entering vet med via the kennel
• Tech → teacher → school founder: building an alternate-route RVT program in SoCal
• Vet–tech partnership: case discussions, med checks, and speaking up effectively
• Mentorship models that work: compensation, growth, and the “training RVT” role
• Career ladders beyond the clinic: VTS, insurance, reps, teaching, research, public sector
• Burnout reality (often 7–10 years) and practical retention strategies
• Alternate-route vs AVMA programs: who each path serves and why
• Mid-level practitioner debate: opportunities, risks, and accountability
• Owning mistakes: the “wrong-leg shave” story and building better safeguards

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro — Phil Snow, RVT: why techs matter

3:18 Kennel → assistant → mentors paying for school

07:42 - RVT to educator: guest lectures to full-time teaching

11:05 - Building an alternate-route tech school (SoCal campuses)

15:10 - Military lessons: discipline, responsibility, leadership

18:44 - Vet–tech communication: raising concerns without conflict

23:02 - Mentorship models: training techs, compensation, “training RVT” role

27:36 - Career ladders: VTS, insurance, rep roles, teaching, public sector

32:15 - Alternate-route vs AVMA degrees: who each serves, VTNE destination

36:48 - Mid-level practitioner debate: promise, pitfalls, accountability

41:30 - Owning mistakes: wrong-leg prep + better checklists

45:05 - What’s next: accreditation goals, keeping talent in vet med

Resources mentioned

• OC Veterinary Assistant School (alternate-route RVT training)
• California Registered Veterinary Technicians Association (advocacy & policy)
• VTS pathways (ECC, Anesthesia, Dentistry, and more)

Ready Vet Go — because mentorship matters, and vets shouldn’t have to go it alone.

Follow: @readyvetgo_

Contact: [email protected]

#readyvetgo #RVT #veterinarymentorship #vetmed #veterinarypodcast

How do you build real confidence when your first job is solo ER overnights? Can open, transparent care and shared decision-making transform client trust?

Host Dr. Dani Rabwin is joined by Dr. Morgan Stoddard, DVM (UIUC ’20) for a fast, practical deep dive into ER mentorship, communication that lowers stress, and leadership that leads with love.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why structured ER mentorship matters—especially on solo overnights
• Client language that lowers the load: “I’m the recommender; you’re the decider”
• Trust-builders you can use immediately (narrate-the-exam, in-room X-rays/laptop, let clients listen)
• How to bring “open ER” transparency to any clinic—no remodel required
• Mistakes & recoveries: dystocia hemorrhage stabilization + when to phone a mentor
• Owning outcomes: communicating clearly after a “negative explore” following prior R&A
• Feedback that helps: lead with love, tailor delivery, and use a “wins box”
• Confidence scripts for “You look so young!” and curbside → face-to-face transitions
• Burnout to fit: when to pivot and how to find the right mentorship structure

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro: Dr. Morgan Stoddard—ER path, UIUC ’20, why confidence is built (not born)

03:02 – First job reality: solo overnights during curbside and the hidden upsides

03:02 - Solo overnights during curbside: reality + hidden upsides

07:18 -Scripts that save you: recommender/decider + looking things up gracefully

11:06 - Shared decisions, not sales: reducing moral weight

15:20 - Open ER transparency: narrate-the-exam, X-rays in-room, stethoscope listening

20:44 - Case lessons: dystocia hemorrhage & phone-a-mentor

26:03 - “Negative explore” after prior R&A: owning outcomes + next steps

31:12 - Leading with love: feedback, safety, and the wins box

36:25 - Curbside → face-to-face: age comments + clinical presence 41:10

Resources mentioned

• Sample “recommender/decider” scripts (ER & GP)
• Narrate-the-exam + transparency checklist
• Tough-case debrief template (+ wins box idea)

Ready Vet Go — because mentorship matters, and vets shouldn’t have to go it alone.

Follow: @readyvetgo_

Contact: [email protected]

#ERveterinary #mentorship #communication #vetmed #ReadyVetGo

This one’s a game-changer. In Part 2 of his Ready Vet Go interview, Dr. Gersh Alaluf (Dr. G) takes a hard look at who we’re accepting into veterinary school — and what that means for the future of our profession.

🔥 Are we selecting for IQ over EQ? 🔥 Are perfectionists more prone to burnout in vet med?

🔥 Are schools doing enough to prepare students emotionally for real-world practice?

Joined by host Dr. Dani Rabwin, Dr. G unpacks how admissions criteria, mentorship gaps, and emotional blind spots are fueling stress, imposter syndrome, and attrition among new grads. He shares real stories of mentorship done right, burnout avoided, and moments that almost broke him — and why communication, empathy, and community are the true skills that will save the profession.

🧠 In This Episode:

• The theory that sparked Dr. G’s doctoral research: Attraction–Selection–Attrition (ASA)
• Why Ready Vet Go bridges the gap between what vet school teaches and what vet med requires
• Real-life board complaint stories — and how emotional intelligence helps prevent them
• How mentors can pick up the phone for their mentees in moments of crisis
• What to say when things go wrong (and how to say “I’m sorry” without accepting blame)
• The 3-part burnout triad — and how to break it
• Condolence card wins, thank-you boxes, and how to hold on to why you started this journey

Whether you’re a vet student, new grad, mentor, or practice leader, this conversation is a roadmap to sustainability, self-worth, and staying power in veterinary medicine.

ep. 10

#ReadyVetGo #VetAdmissions #VeterinaryBurnout #EmotionalIntelligence #VetMentorship #VetSchool #VeterinaryEducation #EarlyCareerVet #MentorshipMatters #EQinVetMed #VeterinaryPodcast #VetMentalHealth #LeadershipInVetMed

This is the Ready Vet Go episode you didn’t know you needed.

Veterinarian, entrepreneur, mentor, and doctoral candidate Dr. Gersh Alaluf (Dr. G) joins Dr. Dani Rabwin to unpack the raw, unfiltered truth behind veterinary mentorship, leadership, ownership, and emotional intelligence.

💥 What happens when the corporate machine makes you question your entire identity?

💥 How do you go from kennel kid to practice owner — and still feel like you don’t belong?

💥 Why is emotional intelligence the most overlooked skill in veterinary education today?

💥 What does real mentorship look like — and why are so many vets getting it wrong?

Dr. G shares his journey from humble beginnings to owning multiple practices to being pushed out by a corporation that misunderstood him — and how that sent him on a mission to understand what makes this profession tick (and break).

🎓 Now a doctoral candidate in business researching early-career veterinary stress, Dr. G offers wisdom, wit, and unwavering honesty on what it takes to survive and thrive in vet med today.

🧠 Topics Covered

• The real ROI of mentorship: stories that changed his life
• Why early-career vets aren’t failing — the system is
• Emotional intelligence as a teachable skill (and why it’s missing from vet school)
• Leadership lessons from the exam room and the boardroom
• What to watch for when choosing your first job
• Why mentorship needs structure — not just “I’m here if you need me”
• The truth about burnout, corporate buyouts, and imposter syndrome

This episode is a must-listen for early-career veterinarians, practice owners, and vet students who want to build a career that’s sustainable, joyful, and real.

ep. 9

#ReadyVetGo #DrG #VeterinaryMentorship #VetBurnout #VetOwnership #EmotionalIntelligence #VeterinaryLeadership #EarlyCareerVet #VetMedRealTalk #VetStudentLife #VeterinaryPodcast #VetMentalHealth #EmpathyInVetMed #VetLife

Veterinary school graduate Dr. Alex Elizas shares a powerful and candid journey from feeling unprepared, overwhelmed, and nearly quitting veterinary medicine to discovering strength, resilience, and career-saving mentorship.

Facing difficult mentors, surgical nightmares, and professional isolation, Alex reveals how joining Ready Vet Go transformed her confidence, practice, and future.

This honest discussion is a must-watch for vet students, early-career veterinarians, and anyone navigating mentorship challenges in veterinary medicine. Dr. Alex Elizas opens up about the harsh realities faced by new vets, the critical role of mentorship, and how Ready Vet Go saved her veterinary career.

ep. 8

#petmed #vet #ReadyVetGo