VIN Foundation: Veterinary Pulse

Dr. Philip Richmond vulnerably shares his journey with alcohol substance abuse, and how he takes lessons learned to help colleagues through vital peer support. He shares the importance of clear communication, the needed ongoing effort to work on ourselves, assuming good intent, and the power of positive emotions. This episode digs deep with heart touching stories and an empathic approaches to well being in the veterinary profession. As Philip shares in the podcast one of his favorite quotes: “Be curious, not judgemental” - Walt Whitman

*Trigger warning* hey all, a quick heads up that some of the content in today’s episode may include a trigger as it relates to alcohol and substance abuse disorder, childhood trauma, and suicidal ideations.

GUEST BIO:

Philip Richmond, DVM, CAPP, CPHSA, CPPC, CCFP 

Dr. Richmond is the Chief Medical & Wellbeing Officer for Veterinary United and the Founder of Flourishing Phoenix Veterinary Consultants. He is an advocate for positive culture and individual, team and organizational psychological health, safety, and wellbeing in veterinary workplaces.

Dr. Richmond both leads and is involved in state, national and international projects for the advancement of workplace wellbeing and culture in veterinary medicine. He currently serves as the chair for both the Florida Veterinary Medical Association’s Outreach and Professional Wellbeing Committees and is a member/advisor for several national committees and boards for workplace suicide prevention and veterinary wellbeing, including those sponsored by the CDC/NIOSH, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, AAHA, Fear Free, MentorVet and Appalachian State University.

Dr. Richmond is a speaker and published writer, a frequent veterinary podcast guest, and holds multiple certifications in the fields of applied positive psychology, appreciative inquiry, workplace wellbeing, psychological health & safety, trauma-informed workplaces, resilience training, behavior change, and suicide prevention. He was awarded the FVMA Gold Star for service in 2019 and FVMA Veterinarian of the Year in 2021.

LINKS AND INFORMATION:

• About Dr. Philip Richmond: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drphilrichmond/

You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

If you like this podcast, we would appreciate it if you follow and share. As always, we welcome feedback. If you have an idea for a podcast episode, we’d love to hear it!

Dr. Lance Roasa shares best practices for contract negotiations based on his almost 10 years of experience helping veterinary colleagues. He covers everything from what to look for in a colleague’s first employment contract, to advice on how to renegotiate a current contract, and what colleagues need to know who are looking to get out of a contract. Learn what BATNA means, the important aspects of knowing how to quantify your value, a helpful resource available on negotiation, and his desire to shed more light on equal pay. 

GUEST BIO:

Dr. Lance Roasa

Lance Roasa, DVM, MS, JD is a 2008 graduate of Texas A&M where he was the first student to undertake a 4th year business-track, spending the majority of his clinical training in veterinary business and industry. In 2016 He completed a law degree from the University of Nebraska and his training was centered on the law of small business, taxation and the law of veterinary medicine. 

LINKS AND INFORMATION:

• Drip.vet contract negotiation course: https://dripvet1.teachable.com/p/art-science-of-negotiation?coupon_code=STUDENT100&product_id=963735

You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

If you like this podcast, we would appreciate it if you follow and share. As always, we welcome feedback. If you have an idea for a podcast episode, we’d love to hear it!

Dr. Marie Holowaychuk chats with VIN Foundation Executive Director Jordan benShea about how growing up a child of veterinarians fueled her passion for the profession. From leaving her home country of Canada to practice in the US, and her vulnerable sharing about when she knew her dream job was no longer the right fit, Dr. Holowaychuk shares her story of finding a passion for mental wellness and helping colleagues. 

*TRIGGER WARNING* Some of the content in this episode may include triggers for mental health topics. As a reminder, if you are a veterinary student or veterinarian, the VIN Foundation’s confidential peer-to-peer support group Vets4Vets® is here for you, at no cost, please know, you are not alone. Text (530) 601-2133 or visit the Vets4Vets® website to learn more at https://vinfoundation.org/v4v.

GUEST BIO:

Dr. Marie Holowaychuk

Dr. Marie Holowaychuk is a board-certified small animal emergency and critical care specialist and passionate advocate for veterinary team wellbeing. As a yoga and meditation teacher and wellness coach, she facilitates workshops and retreats for veterinary clinics and organizations and offers individual and group coaching and online programs for veterinary team members. She recently launched a new website (www.revivingvetmed.com) containing wellness resources for veterinary professionals and is the host of the Reviving Vet Med podcast, which offers practical tools and easily applicable tips for burnout prevention and workplace wellbeing.

LINKS AND INFORMATION:

VIN Foundation Vets4Vets®: https://vinfoundation.org/v4v

Dr. Sophia Yin Memorial Fund: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/dr-sophia-yin-memorial-fund/

Dr. Marie Holowaychuk website: https://marieholowaychuk.com/

Listen in as student debt expert and Board Member Dr. Tony Bartels and the newest student debt team member Dr. Rebecca Mears chat with Executive Director Jordan benShea in this next installment of our Student Debt Series. 

In this episode we cover the following nine topics:

1. Latest announcement on Jan 10th

As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.  

GUEST BIO:

Dr. Rebecca Mears

Rebecca Mears, DVM is from Lexington, KY, where she completed her BS at University of Kentucky. She is a graduate of University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine. While in vet school, she served as the National Business Certificate Director for the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA) and as a board member for Vets for Pets and People. During this time she took an active role in wellbeing awareness and access within the veterinary community. Rebecca then worked as an equine general practitioner and is an active AAEP member. In her time away from veterinary medicine, she can be found hiking, baking, and hosting impromptu dance parties. She is passionate about giving back to the profession and improving the lives of veterinarians, pre-vet and vet students. 

LINKS AND INFORMATION:

• VIN Foundation Student Debt Center: https://vinfoundation.org/studentdebtcenter

VIN Foundation Blog Recent Student Debt Blog posts: 

• A ‘new’ income-driven repayment plan?: https://vinfoundation.org/a-new-income-driven-repayment-plan/ 

Email VIN Foundation: [email protected]

You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter.

If you like this podcast, we would appreciate it if you follow and share. As always, we welcome feedback. If you have an idea for a podcast episode, we’d love to hear it! Reach out to [email protected].

Listen in as Executive Director Jordan benShea chats with student debt expert and Board Member Dr. Tony Bartels and the newest student debt team member Dr. Rebecca Mears in this next installment of our Student Debt Series. 

In this episode we’re covering the following six topics:

1. Latest news for current veterinary school students 

As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.  

GUEST BIO:

Dr. Rebecca Mears

Rebecca Mears, DVM is from Lexington, KY, where she completed her BS at University of Kentucky. She is a graduate of University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine. While in vet school, she served as the National Business Certificate Director for the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA) and as a board member for Vets for Pets and People. During this time she took an active role in wellbeing awareness and access within the veterinary community. Rebecca then worked as an equine general practitioner and is an active AAEP member. In her time away from veterinary medicine, she can be found hiking, baking, and hosting impromptu dance parties. She is passionate about giving back to the profession and improving the lives of veterinarians, pre-vet and vet students. 

LINKS AND INFORMATION:

• VIN Foundation Student Debt Center: https://vinfoundation.org/studentdebtcenter

Email VIN Foundation: [email protected]

Get updates to stay tuned for the VIN Foundation webinars on student debt. 

You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter.

If you like this podcast, we would appreciate it if you follow and share. As always, we welcome feedback. If you have an idea for a podcast episode, we’d love to hear it!

Listen in as Executive Director Jordan benShea chats with student debt expert and Board Member Dr. Tony Bartels and the newest student debt team member Dr. Rebecca Mears in this next installment of our Student Debt Series. 

In this episode we’re discussing the latest news of student loans and covering these four topics:

1. Student Debt Relief Application/Status

As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.  

GUEST BIO:

Dr. Rebecca Mears

Rebecca Mears, DVM is from Lexington, KY, where she completed her BS at University of Kentucky. She is a graduate of University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine. While in vet school, she served as the National Business Certificate Director for the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA) and as a board member for Vets for Pets and People. During this time she took an active role in wellbeing awareness and access within the veterinary community. Rebecca then worked as an equine general practitioner and has been an active AAEP member. In her time away from veterinary medicine, she can be found hiking, baking, and hosting impromptu dance parties. She is passionate about giving back to the profession and improving the lives of veterinarians, pre-vet and vet students. 

LINKS AND INFORMATION:

VIN Foundation Student Debt Center: https://vinfoundation.org/studentdebtcenter

Check your current student loan servicers and other loan details -- VIN Foundation My Student Loans tool: http://www.vinfoundation.org/mystudentloans

VIN Foundation WikiDebt: https://vinfoundation.org/wikidebt

VIN Foundation Webinars: https://vinfoundation.org/resources/webinars/

VIN Foundation Blog posts: 

• Common Student Loan Consolidation Questions and Answers: https://vinfoundation.org/fed-student-loan-consolidation-faqs-questions-answers-considerations/

Personalized student loan Help from VIN and VIN Foundation: https://vinfoundation.org/veterinary-student-loan-debt-help/ 

StudentAid.gov: https://studentaid.gov/

Student Debt Relief Application: https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief/application 

Student Debt Relief Information: https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief-announcement/one-time-cancellation 

Department of Education press release: https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/department-education-announces-actions-fix-longstanding-failures-student-loan-programs 

StudentAid.gov https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/idr-account-adjustment

Federal Student Loan Servicers: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/servicers

StudentAid PSLF: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service

Stay up to date with VIN Foundation updates: https://vinfoundation.org/updates/

Email VIN Foundation: [email protected]

Get updates to stay tuned for the VIN Foundation webinars on student debt. 

You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

If you like this podcast, we would appreciate it if you follow and share. As always, we welcome feedback. If you have an idea for a podcast episode, we’d love to hear it!

Dr. Lynn Hendrix shares her veterinary path, from an endearing childhood story with a horse, to practicing emergency medicine, and finding hope and passion for palliative care through complicated personal grief. This conversation offers insight and education around end of life care, and for all of us who love our animals, want the best for them, and are eager to learn how to be more observant of their needs. 

*TRIGGER WARNING* Some of the content in this episode may include triggers for topics including pregnancy and person loss. As a reminder, if you are a veterinary student or veterinarian, the VIN Foundation’s confidential peer-to-peer support group vets4vets® is here for you, at no cost, please know, you are not alone. Call (530) 601-2133 or visit the website to schedule a confidential Vets4Vets® session https://vinfoundation.org/resources/vets4vets/.

GUEST BIO:

Dr. Lynn Hendrix

Dr Lynn Hendrix has worked and been on the cutting edge of the animal hospice and veterinary palliative medicine field.  She is a certified Hospice and Palliative veterinarian, and Founder/owner of Beloved Pet Mobile Vet. She was a co-author on the 2013 IAAHPC guidelines for best practices in animal hospice and palliative care. She is founder of the Facebook group, the Veterinarian Palliative Medicine group, and the founding consultant for the Hospice and Palliative medicine folder on VIN.   She has also founded the World Veterinary Palliative Medicine Organization in 2018, though it has been on hiatus since 2020 due to covid. Dr. Hendrix has an upcoming book, Animal Hospice and Palliative Medicine for the House Call Veterinarian. Just recently, she started giving End of Life rounds at UC Davis.

LINKS AND INFORMATION:

VIN Foundation Vets4Vets®: https://vinfoundation.org/v4v

Animal Hospice and Palliative Medicine for the House Call Veterinarian: 

• USA: https://www.us.elsevierhealth.com/animal-hospice-and-palliative-medicine-for-the-house-call-veterinarian-9780323567985.html

Social links:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_palliative_vet/

You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

If you like this podcast, we would appreciate it if you follow and share. As always, we welcome feedback. If you have an idea for a podcast episode, we’d love to hear it!

Listen in as Executive Director Jordan benShea chats with student debt expert and VIN Foundation Board Member Dr. Tony Bartels about the latest big news. Tony covers what we know now about the student debt relief program, and what questions we still need answered. Tony also discusses what you should do now before the payment pause extension expires after December 31, 2022, and shares his thoughts on the new income-driven repayment plan.

As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.  

GUEST BIO:Dr. Tony Bartels

LINKS AND INFORMATION:

• Department of Education press release: https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-announces-final-student-loan-pause-extension-through-december-31-and-targeted-debt-cancellation-smooth-transition-repayment

You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

If you like this podcast, we would appreciate it if you follow and share. As always, we welcome feedback. If you have an idea for a podcast episode, we’d love to hear it!

Listen in as Executive Director Jordan benShea chats with student debt expert and Board Member Dr. Tony Bartels and the newest student debt team member Dr. Rebecca Mears in this next installment of our Student Debt Series. 

In this episode we’re discussing the latest news about student loan forgiveness from the Department of Education. Is this a time machine for loan forgiveness? What should borrowers know now and if colleagues have been making payments can they get a refund? Find out what you need to do if you federally held loans versus commercially held loans and where to go for updates. 

As always, we want to hear from YOU. Please share your thoughts by sending an email or joining the conversation.  

GUEST BIO:

Dr. Rebecca Mears

Rebecca Mears, DVM grew up in Delaware before moving to Lexington, KY, where she completed her BS at University of Kentucky. She is a graduate of University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine. While in vet school, she served as the National Business Certificate Director for the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA) and as a board member for Vets for Pets and People. During this time she took an active role in wellbeing awareness and access within the veterinary community. Rebecca then worked as an equine general practitioner and has been an active AAEP member. In her time away from veterinary medicine, she can be found hiking, baking, and hosting impromptu dance parties. She is passionate about giving back to the profession and improving the lives of veterinarians, pre-vet and vet students. She is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to do so as a member of the VIN Foundation student debt team and Rising Leaders Committee lead.

LINKS AND INFORMATION:

• Department of Education press release: https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/department-education-announces-actions-fix-longstanding-failures-student-loan-programs 

If you like this podcast, we would appreciate it if you follow and share. As always, we welcome feedback. If you have an idea for a podcast episode, we’d love to hear it!

Listen in as VIN Foundation Executive Director Jordan benShea has a conversation with Dr. Bree Montana and Dr. Jose Pla in the next episode of the podcast series, The Future’s So Bright, the ins and outs of selling a veterinary practice. Jose takes us through the important aspects of sharing the story of your practice. What financial documents do you need? Do you need your tax records? And how important is production? What are minority partnerships? He also does a deep dive into the below five big categories of what needs to be considered when you are getting ready to sell your practice:

Top 5 categories to have when considering selling your veterinary practice:

1. Lease information

Most importantly, we want to hear from YOU our listeners, to know what topics YOU want to hear about from experts. Please email us to share your thoughts: [email protected].

GUEST BIOS:

Dr. Bree Montana

Dr. Jose Pla

Dr. Pla obtained his DVM degree from Cornell University in 1995 and his MBA from Rutgers University in 2018. As a practicing veterinarian he has a special interest in feline medicine, behavior, nutrition and gastrointestinal diseases. As a businessman he has been the owner or co-owner of five veterinary practices and a  founding partner of Companion Animal Practices North America. Since obtaining his MBA, Dr. Pla shifted his focus to entrepreneurial ventures, practice management education and private practice transition consulting. He is an avid sailor, scuba diver and wanna-be photographer. Activities he shares with his wife and two sons. 

LINKS AND INFORMATION:

• Veterinary Pulse Podcast on VIN: https://vinfoundation.org/podcast_v

You may learn more about the VIN Foundation, on the website, or join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

If you like this podcast, we would appreciate it if you follow and share. As always, we welcome feedback. If you have an idea for a podcast episode, we’d love to hear it!