Our guest on this week’s episode of My Veterinary Life Podcast is Dr. Rena Carlson, the immediate past president of the AVMA. Dr. Carlson shares her unexpected journey to AVMA leadership, emphasizing the importance of seizing opportunities and the support she received along the way. She discusses the roles of president-elect and immediate past president, and the different ways to balance personal and professional life. The conversation highlights the collaborative nature of the veterinary commun...
Jul 11, 2024•32 min
Our guest on this week’s episode of My Veterinary Life Podcast is Dr. Mo Miller, a recent graduate veterinarian at a small animal hospital in Chicago. Dr. Miller shares their journey to becoming a veterinarian, highlighting their early passion for animal care and some of the speedbumps encountered along the way. They discuss their involvement with the Pride Veterinary Medical Community and their commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion within the profession. Dr. Miller offers advice to LG...
Jul 04, 2024•27 min
In this episode of the My Veterinary Life podcast, Dr. Julie Cappel shares her multifaceted career journey, from practicing veterinary medicine with small animals, avians, and exotics to becoming a life coach. She recounts her early inspiration from a sixth-grade teacher and her path to practice ownership, where she learned valuable leadership skills and the importance of aligning with one's ethics. Dr. Cappel also discusses her experience of being fired from her first job, which, despite being ...
Jun 27, 2024•30 min
This is our final installment of our three-part mini-series highlighting topics that will be covered in AVMA's Journey for Teams Educational Sharpenings. In this episode, we are focusing on how to be an upstander and stay interviews. We are joined by Dr. Latonia Craig, AVMA’s Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer and Dr. Jen Brandt, AVMA’s Director of Member Wellbeing and Diversity Initiatives. They discuss the significance of being an upstander in the workplace, the implementation of s...
Jun 20, 2024•29 min
This is part two of our three-part mini-series, where we are focusing on Educational Sharpenings, a new program within AVMA's Journey for Teams. To share information on these topics, we are joined by Dr. Latonia Craig, AVMA’s Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer and Dr. Jen Brandt, AVMA’s Director of Member Wellbeing and Diversity Initiatives. We focus today on the topics of Perspective Taking and "What if I Say the Wrong Thing?" The conversation touches on the importance of these skil...
Jun 13, 2024•30 min
We are kicking off a three-part mini-series focusing on Educational Sharpenings, a new program within AVMA's Journey for Teams. To share information on these topics, we are joined by Dr. Latonia Craig, AVMA’s Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer and Dr. Jen Brandt, AVMA’s Director of Member Wellbeing and Diversity Initiatives. The program offers free modules to help veterinary teams understand and apply diversity, equity, and inclusion principles. It includes videos, essays, and worksh...
Jun 06, 2024•23 min
Our guest on this episode of My Veterinary Life Podcast is Dr. Mike Adkesson, President and CEO of Brookfield Zoo. Dr. Adkesson recounts his journey from a young zoo volunteer to a zoo veterinarian and eventually to his current executive role. He shares insights into the challenges and rewards of zoo medicine, emphasizing the importance of conservation and education. The episode also explores Brookfield Zoo's upcoming centennial and its plans for immersive animal habitats and conservation effort...
May 30, 2024•28 min
Our guest on this episode of My Veterinary Life Podcast is Dr. Chrissie Schneider. Dr. Schneider shares her transition from an equine medicine internship to her residency at Ohio State and then her transition to industry as a Senior Equine Professional Clinical Services Veterinarian with Merck Animal Health. She discusses the importance of understanding both animal care and client interactions, her path to becoming board-certified in equine practice, and her involvement in mentorship and sustain...
May 23, 2024•29 min
Our guest on this week’s episode of My Veterinary Life Podcast is Dr. Manuela Suarez. Dr. Suarez graduated from veterinary school in Argentina and practiced there for several years. Recently, she relocated to New York and is currently working on her certification to practice in the United States. Dr. Suarez shares her educational background, the transition to the U.S., and the ins and outs of the U.S. certification process. She emphasizes the importance of community support and offers advice to ...
May 16, 2024•27 min
In this episode of My Veterinary Life Podcast, co-hosts Drs. Marci Kirk and Annie Chavent discuss the advantages of pursuing advanced education opportunities. Dr. Chavent shares her experience and motivation for obtaining her MBA as well as the benefits she is already seeing from earning this degree. They also explore how an MBA can enhance career prospects in veterinary practice and delve into the considerations for selecting a program. Dr. Kirk shares about her recent experience at the Disney ...
May 09, 2024•34 min
In this episode of My Veterinary Life Podcast, we are joined by Dr. Emily Nutt, an area clinical lead at IndeVets. Dr. Nutt shares her career journey from an equine intern to a small animal emergency vet, and now to a leader in veterinary relief organization. She discusses the benefits of relief practice, such as flexibility and the chance to impact various hospitals. Dr. Nutt also talks about the importance of mentorship, building relationships, and the support her team provides to independent ...
May 02, 2024•26 min
In this episode of My Veterinary Life Podcast, Dr. Marci Kirk talks with Sarah Parsons, a licensed veterinary technician with a popular social media presence. They discuss Sarah's journey in veterinary medicine, her approach to creating positive and relatable content, and her methods for dealing with difficult situations in the clinic with compassion and empathy. Sarah shares her experiences with failure and resilience, particularly regarding her initial failure to pass the veterinary technician...
Apr 25, 2024•31 min
In this episode of My Veterinary Life Podcast, we are joined by Dr. Karisa Tang. Dr. Tang is the Vice President of Animal Health at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, IL. Dr. Tang discusses her path to veterinary medicine, her current role, and the joys and challenges of working with aquatic animals, including incredible stories about Baluga Whales and a heartwarming story about rescuing a baby sea otter. She offers advice to vet students interested in exotic animal medicine, emphasizing perseverance de...
Apr 18, 2024•24 min
In this episode of the My Veterinary Life podcast, we chat with Kyle Barron, a second-year vet student at Purdue University. Kyle discusses his early interest in veterinary medicine, his educational background in anthropology and biology, and how these disciplines intersect with his veterinary pursuits. He shares insights into vet school life, his leadership roles with SAVMA, and his efforts to enhance student communication, including starting a TikTok page and a podcast. Kyle also offers advice...
Apr 11, 2024•23 min
In this episode of My Veterinary Life Podcast, we are chatting with Dr. Sandra Faeh, AVMA President Elect and Chief Veterinary Officer at NVA. Throughout the conversation Dr. Sandra Faeh discusses her path in veterinary medicine, her leadership roles, and her advocacy for mentorship and professional development. We explore the challenges and responsibilities of veterinary leadership, emphasizing the importance of listening to diverse voices in the field. Dr. Faeh also shares her dedication to en...
Apr 04, 2024•26 min
In this episode of "My Veterinary Life," co-hosts Dr. Marci Kirk and Dr. Annie Chavent chat with guest Dr. Erin Casey about her path to veterinary medicine and her role on the AVMA Board of Directors. They delve into the duties of board members, the significance of mentorship, and the push for inclusive leadership. Dr. Casey shares her experiences from the AVMA Future Leaders Programs to AVMA Committees and House of delegates. They also discuss the travel and time commitments involved in various...
Mar 28, 2024•26 min
In this episode of My Veterinary Life Podcast we are joined by AVMA’s very own Dr. Kevin Dajka and Amanda Fark. They are here to discuss a new resource for AVMA’s Veterinary Career Center, AVMA’s JobFIT. Throughout the episode you will hear real time exploration of the tool's features, which help veterinarians find jobs that align with their personal and professional priorities, such as cost of living and location. In additional to learning how to navigate this new resource, the AVMA’s career se...
Mar 21, 2024•28 min
In this episode of My Veterinary Life Podcast, co-hosts Drs. Annie Chavent and Marci Kirk interview Dr. Ricky Walther, a 2020 UC Davis graduate. Dr. Walther is currently the Chief Medical Officer at Pawlicy Advisor, a pet insurance marketplace. They discuss Dr. Walther's lifelong interest in veterinary medicine, his leadership roles during vet school, and his transition into the profession during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Walther shares his journey from aspiring small animal veterinarian to exp...
Mar 14, 2024•31 min
Our guest on this week’s episode of My Veterinary Life Podcast is Dr. Wesley Clendinen, a recent veterinary graduate and new practice owner. Dr. Clendinen shares his transition from wildlife science to veterinary medicine, his proactive steps toward owning a practice within five years of graduation, and the importance of mentorship and networking. He discusses the financial and managerial challenges of practice ownership, the need for clear goal-setting, and balancing work with family life. It’s...
Mar 07, 2024•30 min
In this episode of My Veterinary Life Podcast, Dr. Lindsey Hornickel discusses the importance of advocacy in the veterinary field. She shares how her career journey led her to advocacy work and stresses the impact of legislation on veterinary practice. Dr. Hornickel shares different ways to become involved including, AVMA's Congressional Advocacy Network, the Legislative Fly-In event, which help veterinarians engage with policy makers and their staff and signing of for the advocacy newsletter. S...
Feb 29, 2024•26 min
In this podcast episode, co-hosts Drs. Annie Chavent and Dr. Marci Kirk interview Dr. Christine Heinz-Loomer, a senior global strategic marketing lead at IDEXX. Dr. Heinz-Loomer discusses her career journey from being a small animal associate veterinarian and the transition to industry. She emphasizes the importance of exploring various opportunities within the veterinary profession and shares her experience transitioning into a full-time role at Elanco after her working towards her MBA. It’s a ...
Feb 22, 2024•33 min
Our guest on this week’s episode of My Veterinary Life Podcast is Dr. Brett Shorenstein, co-founder of Veterinary Innovative Partners. Dr. Schottenstein discusses his transition from investment banking to veterinary medicine, emphasizing the importance of following your passion. He also shares his journey of purchasing a clinic and establishing Veterinary Innovative Partners, which aims to provide corporate benefits while preserving a small business feel and ensuring the wellbeing of veterinary ...
Feb 15, 2024•30 min
In this episode of "My Veterinary Life Podcast, we are joined by Drs. Elizabeth Chosa and Laurie Fonken to discuss the Veterinary Hope Foundation. This non-profit organization is dedicated to fostering the mental health and well-being of veterinary professionals. Their mission is to create safe spaces for learning, healing, and growth within the veterinary community, with a profound focus on instilling hope. To deliver on this mission, the Veterinary Hope Foundation offers free support groups le...
Feb 08, 2024•35 min
In this podcast episode, Dr. Rebekah Mack, a specialist in small animal internal medicine, shares her journey into veterinary medicine, overcoming discouragement from a teacher and discovering her passion for the field. She emphasizes the importance of hard work, kindness, and empathy in the profession. She also discusses moving from a private referral practice to corporate work and medical education. It’s a wonderful journey, and we can’t wait to see what is next for Dr. Mack. Remember we want ...
Feb 01, 2024•31 min
In the final installment of New Year, New Ideas our focus is on finances. We are joined by Tom Seeko and CJ Burnett of Florida Veterinary Advisors and the Smarter Vet Financial Podcast. They share how to make finances approachable so you can avoid ‘ostrich syndrome’ and take small steps to improve your financial wellbeing. At the heart of this conversation is approaching everything with curiosity and understanding your why. There is a lot to learn in this episode, and we are excited to share it ...
Jan 25, 2024•28 min
We continue our series of New Year, New Ideas with MentorVet Connect. Today we are joined by Dr. Addie Reinhard, MentorVet Founder and CEO and Scott MacKenzie, AVMA Director of Membership to talk about this initiative. Throughout the conversation, we highlight the importance of mentorship in combating burnout and improving wellbeing in the veterinary field and its value at all career stages. MentorVet Connect is an evidence-based platform that pairs mentors with mentees, offering training and fl...
Jan 18, 2024•27 min
In the second installment of New Year New Ideas, co-hosts Drs. Annie Chavent and Marci Kirk talk are joined by two very special guests, Drs. Jenna Donaldson and Callie Fogle. The focus of the conversation today is about innovative on-call solutions in equine veterinary practice. Dr. Donaldson, founder of Trillium Equine Veterinary Services, shares her experience with a subscription model for her practice, which offers flexibility and emergency coverage. Dr. Fogle, a clinical professor at NC Stat...
Jan 11, 2024•35 min
In our first installment of New Year New Ideas, co-hosts Dr. Marci Kirk and Dr. Annie Chavent discuss the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in veterinary medicine with guest Dr. Latonia Craig, AVMA's Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer. Dr. Craig shares examples of the impact DEI can have on everyday life as well as patient care. She also introduces Journey for Teams, an educational program designed to enhance DEI knowledge and competencies within veterinary teams. ...
Jan 04, 2024•25 min
In this episode of "My Veterinary Life," Dr. Annie Chavent interviews Dr. Kim Yore, a small animal internist and medical affairs specialist at IDEXX. Dr. Yore shares her journey in veterinary medicine, from her early passion for horse care to her service in the US Army Veterinary Corps. She discusses the challenges and rewards of her career, including her time in Japan and Korea, and her transition into the industry. Dr. Yore emphasizes the importance of mentorship, problem-solving, and continuo...
Dec 28, 2023•31 min
Welcome to this week’s episode of My Veterinary Life Podcast. We are joined by returning guest, Dr. Kara Escutia. Dr. Escutia is a Trust Veterinarian with AVMA’s PLIT and today our focus is on introducing the concept of spectrum of care from a liability lens. We discuss the definition and how to approach this in the clinical setting with clients and work with their individual circumstances. Dr. Escutia shares great tips and pulls it all together with helpful examples. It’s a fun, informative con...
Dec 21, 2023•21 min
