The Vet Vault: Veterinary Career, Clinical Skills & Wellbeing

The Vet Vault: Veterinary Career, Clinical Skills & Wellbeing

By Dr. Hubert HiemstraScience
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The Vet Vault: Veterinary Career, Clinical Skills & Wellbeing episodes

  • 146: Your Veterinary Sixth Sense: How It Works, And How to Teach It. With Dr Annie Wayne

    Ever had a case where you just knew what was wrong before you even touched the patient - but if someone asked you HOW you know, you couldn’t explain it? 

    That almost mystical “sixth sense” we develop in practice - that’s exactly what this episode is about.

    Our guest is Dr Annie Wayne - a criticalist, educator, and learning strategist—who’s been exploring naturalistic decision making: the cognitive model that explains how experts think in real-time, and how to pass that intuition on.

    We talk about what separates expert intuition from novice reasoning, how to break down unconscious diagnostic processes, and how the right kind of mentorship can accelerate the path to expertise. Annie also shares her research on parenting and vet careers, challenging the stigma around pregnancy and parenthood during training.

    Here’s what you’ll learn:

    • What “naturalistic decision making” really means (and why it feels like a sixth sense)
    • How experienced vets spot subtle signs that others miss
    • How to externalise your gut feeling so younger vets can learn from it
    • Real-world strategies for mentorship and better clinical teaching
    • How to avoid the traps of lazy “shortcut” thinking
    • How this framework builds confidence and reduces stress in new grads
    • Annie’s personal take on parenting through training—and how to smash the stigma around pregnancy in vet careers

    This isn’t just about clinical decision-making - it’s about how we teach, how we lead, and how we support each other in a demanding profession.


    Lift your clinical game with our RACE approved clinical podcasts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vvn.supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  for more clinical confidence and better patient outcomes, or check out our Advanced Surgery Podcast at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠cutabove.supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

    Get case support from our team of specialists in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Specialist Support Space⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    ⁠Subscribe to our weekly newsletter⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for Hubert's favourite clinical and non-clinical learnings from the week.

    Join us in person for our epic adventure CE events at ⁠⁠⁠Vets On Tour⁠⁠⁠. (Next up: Japan snow conference!) 


    Topics and Time Stamps

    04:53 What is Naturalistic Decision-Making?

    08:36 Expert vs Novice Thinking: Why Mentorship Matters

    15:55 Risks of Shortcut Thinking and Balancing with Algorithms

    19:11 Speeding Up Expertise: Can We Teach "Sixth Sense" Thinking?

    22:47 Mentorship Models: Building Skills and Confidence

    34:45 Can AI Help Naturalistic Thinking?

    37:20 Parenthood and Veterinary Careers: Breaking Stigma and Building Support



    1 hr
  • #145: Working in Australia: The Essential Roadmap for International Vets. WIth Dr Natalia Gomez

    Thinking of trading grey skies for the Australian sun – stethoscope in hand?
    Moving to Australia as a vet can change your life, but here’s the truth: it’s not a straight road. Between visa hurdles, the dreaded AVE exams, and adjusting to a new culture (gotta love the Aussie slang!), the journey demands grit, strategy, and support.

    In this episode, we talk to Dr. Natalia Gomez , Colombian-born vet and co-founder of Brainy Bilby, a platform dedicated to helping foreign-trained vets prepare for the AVE, about the tips, pitfalls, and success stories learnt from her own her journey, and from the other overseas-trained vets she’s coached through the AVE.


    Here’s what you’ll learn:

    • Why Australia is one of the most in-demand vet destinations – and how to make it work for you
    • The step-by-step roadmap to your veterinary licence (no fluff, just facts)
    • AVE decoded: costs, structure, study tips & mistakes to avoid
    • What it’s really like working under supervision (and finding supportive employers)
    • The practical exam explained: sheep tipping, cow pregnancy tests, and more
    • Surviving the financial and emotional rollercoaster – without burning out
    • How to adapt to Aussie culture, slang, and workplace quirks
    • Life on the other side: what makes it all worth it


    🎧 Listen now and start mapping your own Aussie vet journey.

    Lift your clinical game with our RACE approved clinical podcasts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vvn.supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  for more clinical confidence and better patient outcomes, or check out our Advanced Surgery Podcast at ⁠⁠⁠⁠cutabove.supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

    Get case support from our team of specialists in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠Specialist Support Space⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    ⁠Subscribe to our weekly newsletter⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠for Hubert's favourite clinical and non-clinical learnings from the week.

    Join us in person for our epic adventure CE events at ⁠⁠Vets On Tour⁠⁠. (Next up: Japan snow conference!) 


    Episode timestamps:

    04:32 Why Australia? The Allure for Vets

    10:04 The Australian Veterinary Examination (AVE)

    16:31 Navigating the English Test and Paperwork

    26:35 The Cost and Commitment of the AVE

    29:05 Working Under Supervision

    36:58 Preparing for the Practical Exam

    44:43 Cultural and Language Barriers

    53 min
  • #144: Stop Fighting Your Software: Tech Tools That Actually Help Veterinarians. With Dr Caleb Frankel

    You can think of a bunch of things that make your working day (and career!) as a veterinarian more frustrating than you’d like it to be, right? But have you ever considered the role of the software that you use in how frazzled you feel at the end of the day?

    And beyond the pure frustration of ‘too many clicks’ and that spinning wheel of doom when you have ten other things to do - have you considered how the very software that feels like it's holding you back could actually help solve some of the systemic challenges that feel like they’re just baked into the vet profession, like low clinical confidence, medical errors, and even burnout?

    In this conversation, we speak to emergency vet and tech entrepreneur ⁠Dr Caleb Frankel⁠ , founder of ⁠Instinct Science⁠, about what’s broken in vet tech, what good software should actually do, and why the future of practice might depend on getting this right.

    In this episode:

    • Why building good vet software is so damn hard (and how to spot the tools worth your trust)
    • What to look for (and avoid!) when choosing new software for your clinic
    • Reducing the trauma of introducing a new tech tool to the team (yes, even the dreaded PIMS change!)
    • How software design impacts clinical confidence, patient safety, and mental health  
    • AI in clinical decision-making - why it’s more than just a productivity tool 
    • Must-have tech tools for 2025 (that aren’t just another app) 

    If you’ve ever felt like your tools are working against you, this is the conversation that might just change the way you practice—for good.


    Lift your clinical game with our RACE approved clinical podcasts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠vvn.supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠  for more clinical confidence and better patient outcomes, or check out our Advanced Surgery Podcast at ⁠⁠⁠cutabove.supercast.com⁠⁠⁠. 

    Get case support from our team of specialists in our ⁠⁠⁠Specialist Support Space⁠⁠⁠.

    ⁠Subscribe to our weekly newsletter⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠for Hubert's favourite clinical and non-clinical learnings from the week.

    Join us in person for our epic adventure CE events at ⁠Vets On Tour⁠. (Next up: Japan snow conference!) 


    Episode topics and timestamps: 05:55 Why veterinary software is so challenging

    11:15 What to look for (and avoid!) in veterinary software

    14:26 Cloud vs server-based software?

    34:08 Unexpected ways where tech can help with the main challenges in veterinary medicine

    37:07 AI in veterinary medicine

    48:09 Must-have tech tools for 2025

    55:14 Advice for new graduates


    We love to hear from you. If you have a question for us or you’d like to give us some feedback please get in touch via our contact form at ⁠⁠thevetvault.com⁠⁠, or catch up with us on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠.

    And if you like what you hear, please share the love by clicking on the share button wherever you’re listening and sending a link to someone who you think should hear this. 


    1 hr
  • 🔓Clinical: Feline Anaemia: What You’ve Been Missing — with Dr Rachel Korman

    I’m never excited when I diagnose a cat with anaemia: vague signs, confusing diagnostics, and what feels like a not-so-great prognoses. But are they really that hopeless?

    In this episode, feline medicine specialist Dr Rachel Korman joins us demystify the anaemic cat and offer a clear, practical diagnostic framework that will give you more confidence and better outcomes the next time you see a cat with a low PCV.

    Some highlights from this conversation:

    • A step-by-step approach to categorising anaemia.
    • Regenerative vs. non-regenerative: what it actually means in cats, and how to interpret the data.
    • Why IMHA in cats doesn’t look like IMHA in dogs — and how to recognise it.
    • Haemoplasma infections (like Mycoplasma):  When to treat, how to treat, PCR testing, and what the results really tell you.
    • Age-specific differentials: what to prioritise in young vs. older cats.
    • Supportive care: what works, what’s myth.
    • Prognosis pitfalls: why PCV alone doesn’t predict survival.


    This episode will help you approach feline anaemia with more clarity, structure, and - dare we say - optimism.

    💡 Proudly supported by Vetnostics Pathology: Australia's largest network of veterinary pathologists and internal medicine consultants. Learn how Vetnostics can support your work-up of complex anaemia cases with comprehensive PCR panels and diagnostic expertise.

    🎧 Want more clinical deep dives? Subscribe at vvn.supercast.com for 600+ episodes covering small animal medicine, surgery and ECC. 

    Upcoming conferences that I’m excited to attend:

    • Vets On Tour snow conferences (https://vetsontour.com) in Wānaka, NZ (August ’250), and Nozawa Onsen, Japan (Feb ’26)
    • ANZCVS Science Week, 24-25 July 2025. https://vetscienceweek.com.au
    • ⁠IVECCS 2025⁠, San Diego, September 4-8


    Get help with your tricky cases in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Specialist Support Space.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    V⁠⁠isit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thevetvault.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for show notes and resources related to this episode.

    ⁠Subscribe to our weekly newsletter⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠for Hubert's favourite clinical and non-clinical learnings from the week.


    Episode Topics and Timestamps05:14 – Categorising anaemia06:00 – Regenerative vs. non-regenerative07:42 – Haemolytic anaemias in cats17:17 – Clinical signs and first tests18:43 – PCV/TP interpretation27:48 – Common causes by age31:38 – Mycoplasma diagnosis and treatment35:04 – Recognising haemolysis39:38 – PCR and anaemia panels48:53 – Bone marrow biopsy tips54:52 – Supportive treatments


    1 hr 4 min
  • Sneak Peek: Our New Podcast for Practice Owners. With Dr Sam Bowden

    🎙️ Introducing the Veterinary Business Accelerator, our new podcast for veterinary practice owners who want more than just survival - they want to own the practice they dreamed of when they first decided to start a practice - a place that gives them joy and freedom, and where other vets like to work. 

    In this brand-new series, vet business coach, author, and former Vet Vault guest Dr. Sam Bowden shares the mindset, strategies, and systems he’s used to help hundreds of practice owners transform their clinics into what he calls “abundant practices” - workplaces that are profitable, sustainable, and deeply rewarding.


    In Episode 1: Why Even Start a Vet Practice?, we ask the question: Wouldn’t it be easier to just get a job? 

    When you’re in the thick of it all, it feels that way, doesn’t it?

    Especially when you’re knee-deep in payroll, staff issues, client complaints, and wondering if you’ll ever take a proper holiday again.

    In this kickoff episode we start with the question every practice owner should revisit regularly: Why are you in business?

    Dr Sam Bowden breaks down why most owners start with good intentions: better medicine, a better team, better money - but end up overworked, underpaid, and out of joy. And why the fix begins with something deceptively simple: clarity on that why.

    Sam outlines his framework for what he calls an “abundant practice” - the five pillars that any vet business needs to get right if it’s going to support the life you want. And yes, that includes permission to take a holiday.

    What You’ll Learn:

    • The real reasons vets start practices (hint: it’s not just the money)
    • Why good intentions often lead to overwhelm
    • The 5 pillars of Sam’s Abundant Practice Model: time, team, clients, finances, fulfillment
    • How a low financial drive hurts the profession—and your personal life
    • Common mindset traps (and how to replace guilt with growth)
    • The power of shifting from “either/or” to “yes/and” thinking
    • Why clarity is the foundation for fun, freedom, and financial success


    If this episode was made just for you, and you’d like to hear more, you can find our other episodes here. 


    41 min
  • #143: How to Talk Money Without the Cringe: The Mindset Shift Every Vet Needs. With Dr Bing Zhu


    What’s your least favourite part of being a vet?

    Is it talking about money?


    In this episode, we take on one of the most emotionally charged parts of veterinary life: discussing high-cost treatments with clients.

    Our guest is Dr. Bing Zhu, a Small Animal Medicine Specialist from SASH, who’s had these conversations more times than she can count, and she shares her hard-earned wisdom on how to approach these conversations with empathy, clarity, and confidence.

    Here’s what we unpack:

    • The emotional and ethical weight vets carry when finances and medicine collide
    • Dr. Zhu’s step-by-step approach to setting expectations and guiding tough decisions
    • Why separating your ego from the medical outcome can save your sanity
    • The cultural mindset shift the profession needs around money conversations
    • How to anchor your boundaries in your core values


    Dr. Zhu shares transformative personal stories, communication strategies, and mindset shifts that will help you communicate more clearly, protect your mental health, and better serve your clients and their pets.

    Whether you’re still at uni, starting out, or have been in practice for decades, this episode will change the way you handle financial conversations—forever.

    Ready to rethink “the money talk”? Hit play now.


    Upcoming conferences that I’m excited to attend:

    • Vets On Tour snow conferences in Wānaka, NZ (August ’250), and Nozawa Onsen, Japan (Feb ’26)
    • ANZCVS Science Week, 24-25 July 2025
    • IVECCS 2025, San Diego, September 4-8


    Join our community of Vet Vault Nerds to lift your clinical game and get your groove back with our up-to-date, easy-to-consume clinical episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vvn.supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Get help with your tricky cases in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Specialist Support Space.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    V⁠⁠isit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thevetvault.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for show notes and resources related to this episode.

    ⁠Subscribe to our weekly newsletter⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠for Hubert's favourite clinical and non-clinical learnings from the week.


    Episode Topics and Timestamps

    01:45 Presenting the Large Estimate: How Does it Make You Feel?

    06:04 The Turning Point: It's Not Your Fault

    10:46 Practical Advice For Handling High Cost Estimates

    31:04 Stop Avoiding Referral Because You Think You're Saving Your Client Money

    36:25 Why Competence Makes Talking Money Easier

    38:16 The Cultural Shift Vets Should Make

    44:55 Setting Boundaries and Work-Life Balance

    55:39 Dr Bing's Podcast Recommendations

    56:19 The Pass Along Question

    1 hr 1 min
  • #142: Thinking About Telemedicine? Here’s What Veterinarians Need to Know. With Dr Shadi Ireifej

    Telemedicine.

    What’s your gut reaction when you hear that term?Maybe you think it was just a clever COVID workaround, or second-rate substitute for a “real” vet visit.

    Or maybe you’re a bit curious about what it’s like to work in telemedicine— but you’re worried it’ll be boring. Or worse: that you’ll spend your days diagnosing lizards over Zoom.

    Whatever you think— chances are, you’re wrong.  But don’t worry. This episode will change that. We go deep on the real-world pros and cons of telemedicine, from two key angles:

     For curious vets:

    • What’s it really like to work in telemedicine?
    • Is it fulfilling?
    • How will I cope with all the tricky questions (and species?!)
    • Is the pay good?
    • Can you get into trouble for giving remote advice?

    For clinic owners:

    • How do you integrate telemedicine into your practice?
    • What are the practical hurdles?
    • What’s worked (and what hasn’t) from someone who’s built a global platform from scratch?

     

    Our guest is Dr. Shadi Ireifej, a board-certified surgeon, tech entrepreneur, and co-founder of VetTriage, a global teletriage platform.

    This one made me rethink what “good vet work” really means. I think it’ll do the same for you.


    Join us on the slopes of New Zealand for our winter CPD adventure with Vets On Tour Wānaka 25. 

     Lift your clinical game with our RACE approved clinical podcasts at ⁠⁠⁠vvn.supercast.com⁠⁠⁠  for more clinical confidence and better patient outcomes, or check out our Advanced Surgery Podcast at ⁠⁠cutabove.supercast.com⁠⁠. 

    Get case support from our team of specialists in our ⁠⁠Specialist Support Space⁠⁠.⁠

    Subscribe to our weekly newsletter⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠for Hubert's favourite clinical and non-clinical learnings from the week.

    Topics and Time Stamps

    01:43 So you think you want to work in telemedicine?

    04:20 Common concerns about telehealth work

    06:11 Will I get sued for giving the wrong advice?

    10:37  Vets on Tour: Upcoming Events

    15:55  Income and Work Hours in Telemedicine

    18:35 Will I have to give advice for all sorts of weird animals?21:29 Unexpected Joys of Telehealth

    23:44  Future of Telehealth and Technology

    29:21  Challenges and Lessons in Telehealth for Practice Owners

    36:33 What about the technology?


    We love to hear from you. If you have a question for us or you’d like to give us some feedback please get in touch via our contact form at ⁠thevetvault.com⁠, or catch up with us on ⁠Instagram⁠. And if you like what you hear, please share the love by clicking on the share button wherever you’re listening and sending a link to someone who you think should hear this. 

    45 min
  • #141: From FOMO to Pro: How I Use AI in the Clinic (And How You Can Too). With Dr Hubert Hiemstra

    In this solo episode Hugh tackles a bold idea: if you're not currently using AI in your clinical veterinary work, you may be falling behind. And if/when artificial intelligence gets to the point where it reliably has access to all the most up to date information for managing your patients, will you be negligent if you DON’T use it? 

    Hubert shares how artificial intelligence is quietly but powerfully reshaping veterinary practice. He paints a vivid picture of an AI-powered clinic, shows you practical tools you can start using immediately, and challenges you to rethink the future of your role as a vet.

    What you'll discover:

    • A demo showing how to use ChatGPT for clinical reasoning, how to build your own custom AI assistants, and how to set up a personal knowledge library with free tools like Google's NotebookLM.
    • How to spot and handle AI hallucinations — and why your human skills like empathy and ethical judgment are still your unique superpowers.
    • The business opportunities of AI for your practice, and why clinics that embrace AI may thrive while others struggle.
    • How AI could reshape veterinary education and open doors to a more sustainable, fulfilling career.


    Hubert doesn’t just speculate — he shows you how AI can work in clinics today, and how you can lead instead of lagging behind.

    Tune in if you're ready to future-proof your practice, sharpen your skills, and unlock a better way to be a vet.


    Try out our AI Blood Gas Assistant

    Join us at Vets on Tour Wānaka, NZ, for the most fun CE event you’ll attend this year. 
    Join our community of Vet Vault Nerds to lift your clinical game and get your groove back with our up-to-date, easy-to-consume clinical episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vvn.supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Get help with your tricky cases in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Specialist Support Space.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    V⁠⁠isit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thevetvault.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for show notes and resources related to this episode.

    ⁠Subscribe to our weekly newsletter⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠for Hubert's favourite clinical and non-clinical learnings from the week.


    Topics and time stamps

    03:08 What could the future of clinical practice look like with AI?

    12:48 Can I trust it? What does the data say?

    18:22 Where does Ai get its information from?

    25:20 How I use it: Using 'general' models for clinical decision making

    33:29 Building your own Ai tools

    34:06 Google Notebook LM

    40:58 MyGPT - your own assistant

    54:49 What might the role of the future veterinarian look like?


    1 hr 4 min
  • #140: Science vs Profit: Navigating Medicine, Money, and Morals. With Dr Brennen McKenzie

    Join us for the Vet Vault's own conference in the snow: ⁠⁠Vets On Tour Wānaka⁠⁠, New Zealand, 10-15 August 2025!


    Have you ever felt pressured, as a vet, to do more 'stuff' - diagnostics, procedures, and sell more, even when you can’t quite see the clinical justification for it?

    In this episode we welcome Dr. Brennen McKenzie-veterinarian, researcher, creator of the SkeptVet blog, author of Placebos for Pets? The Truth About Alternative Medicine in Animals, and all-round lover of science-based thinking. And who better to help us draw the line between solid science and revenue-driven decision making than someone who is known for their scepticism? Dr. McKenzie brings real-world wisdom and refreshing honesty to the debate. Together we explore the often-unspoken pressures of profit-driven care, commission-based pay, and what happens when business incentives conflict with good science. Brennen shares lessons from two decades in practice  on how to use Spectrum of care reasoning to make clinical decisions that respect science, client resources, and the needs of your employer.

    A must-listen for any vet who’s ever questioned the system—and their place in it.

    Find out more about Brennen's current work in longevity at loyal.com.

    Join our community of Vet Vault Nerds to lift your clinical game and get your groove back with our up-to-date, easy-to-consume clinical episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vvn.supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Get help with your tricky cases in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Specialist Support Space.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    V⁠⁠isit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thevetvault.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for show notes and resources related to this episode.⁠

    Subscribe to our weekly newsletter⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠for Hubert's favourite clinical and non-clinical learnings from the week.


    Episode Topics and Timestamps

    08:11 The Shift to Profit Driven Veterinary Practice

    09:46 A Guide to Evidence-Based Decision Making

    12:00 Client Communication and Financial Constraints

    17:31 Spectrum of Care: A New Approach

    32:15 Overdiagnosis and Screening: A Critical Look

    39:09 Cognitive Psychology in Veterinary Decision Making

    42:45 The Power of Checklists in Medical Practice

    43:18 Balancing Autonomy and Systematic Decision Making

    45:52 Clinical Audits: Improving Practice Through Data

    48:36 Intuitive vs. Algorithmic Thinking in Veterinary Medicine

    51:37 The Pitfalls of Anecdotal Evidence in Veterinary Practice

    01:07:40 Communicating with Clients About Unproven Therapies

    01:18:17 Pass Along Question and The One Bit of Advice

    1 hr 22 min
  • #139: Stop The Overwhelm: Veterinary Productivity Secrets from the Getting Things Done Master. With David Allen

    Veterinary practice can be unpredictable, exhausting, and full of interruptions - not that conducive to getting things done, right? But what if you could handle it all with mind-like-water calm?

    In this episode I pick the brain of productivity legend David Allen, creator of Getting Things Done (GTD), to show you exactly how. This isn’t about squeezing more into your day — it’s about cutting mental clutter, regaining focus, and feeling in control, even when it all hits the fan.You'll learn simple, actionable GTD strategies that busy vets can use today:

    Master the 5 GTD steps for veterinary practice:

    • Capture: Never lose track of to-dos in a busy clinic again
    • Clarify: Break down complex patient tasks into clear next steps
    • Organise: Build bulletproof systems your whole team can trust
    • Reflect: Create powerful review routines for team rounds and personal clarity
    • Engage: Focus on what matters, when it matters

    Beat interruptions without losing your mind

    • Why task-switching drains your brain — and what to do instead.
    • The simple tools that keep you sane and focused.
    • How to ‘park’ distractions and re-engage fast.

    Transform team rounds and communication

    • The secret to closing open loops (and reducing anxiety for everyone)
    • How structured reflection makes complex caseloads manageable
    • Balancing roles and flexibility for smooth team dynamics


    Join us for Vets On Tour Wānaka, New Zealand, 10-15 August 2025. Limited Early Bird Tickets on sale now. 

    Join our community of Vet Vault Nerds to lift your clinical game and get your groove back with our up-to-date, easy-to-consume clinical episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vvn.supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Get help with your tricky cases in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Specialist Support Space.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    V⁠⁠isit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thevetvault.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for show notes and resources related to this episode.⁠

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    Topics and Timestamps

    03:09 Mind Like Water: The Key to Clarity

    05:15 Challenges in Veterinary Productivity

    20:33 Practical Tips for Capturing Tasks

    28:58 Managing Multiple Projects and Tasks

    29:26 The Importance of Knowing the Next Step

    30:14 Dealing with Task Shifting and Interruptions

    32:25 Organizing Physical and Mental Spaces

    35:43 Team Dynamics and Productivity

    38:02 Effective Rounds42:20 Balancing Defined Roles and Flexibility

    47:35 Book recommendations 

    48:49 Pass along question

    55 min

About The Vet Vault: Veterinary Career, Clinical Skills & Wellbeing

From the publisher's feed

The Vet Vault is a veterinary podcast for vets and vet students covering career growth, clinical medicine, leadership, and mental health and wellbeing across the veterinary profession. Vet life can…

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