The Uncharted Veterinary Podcast

This week on the podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss are tackling a mailbag letter from a soon to be veterinary technician. Our soon to be tech is about to begin their program externship experiences and is looking for a little guidance on how to choose a practice that feels like the right fit for them. They are asking themselves (and us) “How do I know if it’s a place I should stay away from?”. They shared that they have procedures/processes that feel ethically right and wrong to them to help guide the medicine they are looking for. And they want to know what kind of signposts they can use to help guide the “soft” stuff - whether people in the clinic actually like each other. Or whether they love or hate their jobs. How to tell a toxic environment from a good one and most importantly - how do I decide what feels like a good fit for me? Whether you are facing an externship or just looking for your next position, Dr. Roark and Stephanie share some of their favourite bits of perspective on interviewing as well as choosing a position. Let’s get into this…

Links:

Upcoming events: https://unchartedvet.com/upcoming-events/

Personal Branding w/Dr. Andy Roark: https://unchartedvet.com/personal-branding/

April Uncharted Veterinary Conference: https://unchartedvet.com/uvvc2021/

All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet

Got a question for the mailbag? Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

This week on the podcast, Dr. Roark and Stephanie tackle an email from the mailbag. We received a note from a multi-site Medical Director who is feeling very frustrated with the way that their practice managers are running team meetings. Meetings happen once a month and seem to have become a two hour laundry list of things to lecture at the team about, sometimes the same topics over and over. Our medical director is wishing that the meetings would become something that the team not only wants to have but look forward to leading! Let’s get into this.

Links:

Upcoming events: https://unchartedvet.com/upcoming-events/

The Uncharted Conference in April is our flagship event. In celebration of 5 years serving the veterinary profession, we have shifted the focus of this conference inward. You’re not looking to grow your business outwardly – you’re looking for ways to build resiliency and reignite your love for your career. During this 3-day adventure in beautiful Greenville, South Carolina, you’ll be discussing topics like hiring for culture, creating the story that becomes your path, and building smoother, more simple ways to practice. This event is open to members only. Registration for this conference closes on April 1, 2022. DO NOT MISS OUT - Snag your spot today. https://unchartedvet.com/uvvc2021/

All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet

Got a question for the mailbag? Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

This week’s episode is brought to you, ad free, by our sponsor - Pets Best Pet Health Insurance. This week on the podcast, Dr. Roark and Stephanie have the pleasure of spending some time with their friend, Dr. Peter Weinstein. Our conversation takes a winding path through some timely and relevant topics in veterinary medicine - There is a lot of chatter about money right now in veterinary medicine, in a variety of contexts. We wanted to talk today about where we are when it comes to pet owners paying for services, how to get access to services for more clients and how we communicate with clients about pricing and any financial concerns they have. All of these things are tied to the level of care and service we provide to our patients. Let’s get into this...

This week on the podcast, Dr. Roark and Stephanie tackle a topic from the mailbag. We received an email from Dr. It’s Not the End of the World. They are struggling with a CSR on the team who seems to catastrophize everything. Every client they speak with seems to be upset about something and yet when the team jumps in to help, the clients seem to simply be in need of help with something. Dr. It’s Not The End of the World wants to know - Isn’t helping clients why we are here? And how do we help this person learn to empathize with clients and de-escalate the client's stress instead of adding their own anxiety to the situation? Let’s get into this...

Links:

Upcoming events: https://unchartedvet.com/upcoming-events/

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER - DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO LEARN HOW TO HAVE FUN AND PLAY WITH YOUR TEAM!

You don’t want to miss this. Jenn Galvin, practice manager, practice owner and game playing aficionado, is leading a workshop on how to engage and have fun with our teams. In a time when clinics are struggling with turnover, burnout and disengagement, it is time to create a plan that will help you lean in to the individuals who make up your team and get some tools that can help you work on keeping them happy! Sunday Dec 12 from 4-6pm ET/1-3pm PT, Jenn will lead us in discussion and brainstorming on

What employee engagement means for your individual practice

Simple ways to measure engagement

How to work through what to do with engagement results to create a response plan that matters

Ideas for how to reward the team in ways that will result in a more happy and efficient team.

$99 Registration fee (Free for Uncharted members)

Register here: https://unchartedvet.com/product/its-all-fun-and-games/

All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet

Got a question for the mailbag? Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

This week on the podcast, Dr. Roark and Stephanie tackle a letter from the mailbag. We received a note from a veterinary technician who is feeling very frustrated with the language that our industry is using to describe ourselves and communicate the pain and frustration we are all experiencing, outwardly to the rest of the world. This technician feels like they see conversations happening where we vetmed people say “This is a field meant for broken people” and they disagree. Andy and I are in their camp and want to talk about it, so… Let’s get into this.

Links:

This episode contains discussion topics (mental health, suicide crisis) that may be triggering. If you or someone you know are struggling with mental health, there are ways for you to get help.

National Suicide Hotline (United States)

https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/1-800-273-8255

International Suicide Hotlines (Outside US)

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/suicide/suicide-prevention-hotlines-resources-worldwide

Upcoming events: https://unchartedvet.com/upcoming-events/

Don’t miss an awesome new workshop coming in December. Jenn Galvin, practice manager, practice owner and game playing aficionado, is leading a workshop on how to engage and have fun with our teams. In a time when clinics are struggling with turnover, burnout and disengagement, it is time to create a plan that will help you lean in to the individuals who make up your team and get some tools that can help you work on keeping them happy! Sunday Dec 12 from 4-6pm ET/1-3pm PT, Jenn will lead us in discussion and brainstorming on

What employee engagement means for your individual practice

Simple ways to measure engagement

How to work through what to do with engagement results to create a response plan that matters

Ideas for how to reward the team in ways that will result in a more happy and efficient team.

$99 Registration fee (Free for Uncharted members)

Register here: https://unchartedvet.com/product/its-all-fun-and-games/

All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet

Got a question for the mailbag? Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

This week on the podcast, Dr. Roark and Stephanie tackle a letter from the mailbag. A practice owner wrote in, feeling very frustrated by an associate doctor on their team who is struggling significantly with self confidence and their belief in themselves as a good doctor. It seems like any time someone on the team asks questions about a patient’s care or double checks a drug dose or asks to look at x-rays and discuss what the doctor is seeing, Dr. Sensitive takes those as personal affronts and explodes in anger or tears. They feel like the team doesn’t trust them and doesn't act like they believe they are a good doctor. Our practice owner is wondering what to do since it feels like a lot of is being blown out of proportion and aren’t things they themselves would be fussed over. Let’s get into this...

Links:

Upcoming events: https://unchartedvet.com/upcoming-events/

Don’t miss an awesome new workshop coming in December. Jenn Galvin, practice manager, practice owner and game playing aficionado, is leading a workshop on how to engage and have fun with our teams. In a time when clinics are struggling with turnover, burnout and disengagement, it is time to create a plan that will help you lean in to the individuals who make up your team and get some tools that can help you work on keeping them happy! Sunday Dec 12 from 4-6pm ET/1-3pm PT, Jenn will lead us in discussion and brainstorming on

What employee engagement means for your individual practice

Simple ways to measure engagement

How to work through what to do with engagement results to create a response plan that matters

Ideas for how to reward the team in ways that will result in a more happy and efficient team.

$99 Registration fee (Free for Uncharted members)

Register here: https://unchartedvet.com/product/its-all-fun-and-games/

All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet

Got a question for the mailbag? Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

"This week on the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and practice management goddess Stephanie Goss celebrate 100 episodes by wildly disagreeing on what to do when a scathing review comes in on the weekend. This is a really fun episode, not just because the advice is candid and the discussion real, but because you get to see how Andy and Stephanie really work in their own team, and how they collaborate to get to the best outcome. Check it out!"

This week on the podcast, Dr. Roark and Stephanie tackle a series of questions posed by a Practice Manager. The manager is wondering how to get the team to take accountability and problem solve BEFORE they panic.

Let’s get into this...

Links:

Upcoming events: https://unchartedvet.com/upcoming-events/

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER - This Sunday, Stephanie is leading a workshop on Communication - Communication Foundations - A Little Less (Ineffective) Conversation, A Lot More Action! You can find common ground with anyone, anywhere, at any time whether the communication is personal or professional, it just takes a strong foundation. We are going to nerd out and learn how to recognize the stories we make up in our heads and hear through the communication noise. We will also talk about how to take some of the stress and anxiety out of hard conversations with 8 key elements that you can take back to your practice to build a team filled with strong, effective communicators.

November 7 from 4 – 6 PM ET | 1 – 3 PM PT

Registration is $99 (Free for Uncharted Members).

All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet

Got a question for the mailbag? Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag

HOF Episode 113

This week on the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Practice Management Goddess Stephanie Goss go to the mailbag:

“We are short staffed and getting shorter by the minute. Where do you find good people? We need to hire at least 1 person in every role. Our morale is at an all time low and people are burnt out. We need to save the ship before it goes down.”

AND

“Alrighty!! I’m in a pickle! I canNOT seem to get Veterinary Technician applicants. I have posted on Indeed, Facebook and LinkdIn. We are so short staffed and it’s starting to take its toll on everyone. How do I find a Vet Tech worth hiring?!”

Let’s get into this episode!

Links:

Upcoming events: unchartedvet.com/upcoming-events/

All Links: linktr.ee/UnchartedVet

This week on the podcast, Dr. Roark and Stephanie tackle a topic they were discussing with a colleague recently. This colleague is in a position where they bought a practice a few years ago that came with a handful of toxic team members. Those people have self ejected or been weeded out and the team has been working in synergy for some time. However the last few months, the griping and the passive aggressive comments have snuck in. People are eye rolling at each other and biting each other's heads off over little things. This practice owner is feeling defeated and is also determined to get their positive culture back and hold the team accountable. Since everyone is involved, they are planning a team meeting to discuss. The practice owner wanted to know a few things about how best to set it up - they asked some great specific questions:

Do I bring up specific examples of things people have done/have been doing?

How hard do I come down on them for future incidents?

How do I get them to correct their behavior and be accountable for their actions, without driving them out?

Let’s get into this...

Links:

Upcoming events: https://unchartedvet.com/upcoming-events/

LAST CHANCE!!! Registration is closing TODAY (Oct 20, 2021) for the October Uncharted Veterinary Culture Conference. This is your absolute last chance to come join us and work intentionally on your practice instead of in it: https://unchartedvet.com/uvc-culture/

This is the workshop Stephanie was talking about:

Communication Foundations - A Little Less (Ineffective) Conversation, A Lot More Action! You can find common ground with anyone, anywhere, at any time whether the communication is personal or professional, it just takes a strong foundation. We are going to nerd out and learn how to recognize the stories we make up in our heads and hear through the communication noise. We will also talk about how to take some of the stress and anxiety out of hard conversations with 8 key elements that you can take back to your practice to build a team filled with strong, effective communicators.

November 7 from 4 – 6 PM ET | 1 – 3 PM PT

Registration is $99 (Free for Uncharted Members).

All Links: https://linktr.ee/UnchartedVet

Got a question for the mailbag? Submit it here: unchartedvet.com/mailbag