Veterinary Viewfinder Podcast - podcast cover

Veterinary Viewfinder Podcast

Dr. Ernie Ward & Beckie Mossor, RVTfacebook.com
Weekly podcast dedicated to "tackling the toughest topics in veterinary medicine." Hosted by veterinarian Dr. Ernie Ward and registered veterinary technician Beckie Mossor. Candid, irreverent, provocative, educational, and occasionally funny conversations about issues that impact the veterinary profession. Non-stop since 2016.
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Episodes

What Pet Owners are Talking About - Steve Dale

Steve Dale from WGN Radio and Steve Dale Pet World (SteveDalePetWorld.com) joins hosts Dr. Ernie Ward, Dr. Cyndie Courtney, and Beckie Mossor, RVT to discuss what pet owners are asking him on his popular radio show, social media and blog. We tackle pet behavior, food questions (including what people are saying about raw and BARF diets), vaccinations, and cost of veterinary care. Join the discussion on Facebook.com/VeterinaryViewfinder and Twitter.com/VetViewfinder.

May 24, 201732 min

Real Vet Techs Talk Troubles & Triumphs

This week Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, visit the 2017 North Carolina Veterinary Technician Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina to talk with veterinary technicians about the profession. Co-host Dr. Cyndie Courtney joins the conversation about practice challenges vet techs face, the biggest surprises they found after graduation, what large animal and equine veterinary nurses would like their small animal colleagues to know, and what advice they’d give to their younger selves. Join the ...

May 10, 201730 min

Finding Your Dream Job with Heather Prendergast

How can you find your dream veterinary job? What are employers looking for in job applicants? How can practice owners and managers find the best team members? Practice manager Heather Prendergast joins Drs. Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney with Beckie Mossor, RVT to reveal secrets to finding, getting, and keeping the best jobs! Resumes, interviews, trends, and social media searches are just a few of the topics covered this week. Join the conversation on Facebook/Veterinary Viewfinder and Twitter @...

May 03, 201730 min

Vet Med in UK, Middle East & Hungary w/ Dr. Mark Hedberg

We go global this week with a look at veterinary practice in the U.K., Saudi Arabia and the Middle East and Hungary. Special guest veterinarian Dr. Mark Hedberg joins Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie, Mossor, RVT for a look at some of the differences in veterinary clinics with a vet who has practiced around the world. Why are vets called "surgeons" in the U.K.? What is it like to practice in the Middle East? Why are Hungarian vet clinics closed most of the day? How can you become a globe-trotting veter...

Apr 26, 201733 min

Veterinarians in Pop Culture: Good or Bad?

Reality TV veterinarians are everywhere these days. But how "real" are these "reality" vets? Are they good or bad for the profession? How are television and online videos affecting standards of care, costs, and public perception of veterinary medicine and surgery? Veterinarians Ernie Ward & Cyndie Courtney with Beckie Mossor, RVT tackle TV vets and more on this episode. Join the conversation on Facebook/VeterinaryViewfinder and Twitter @VetViewfinder.

Apr 19, 201730 min

Are Veterinary Professionals Lousy Patients?

Do veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and veterinary staff make good patients? Do we know too much, ask too many questions, demand too many answers of our own doctors and nurses? Veterinarians Ernie Ward & Cyndie Courtney along with veterinary technician Beckie Mossor dissect our own human health care experiences and share how we treat MD's and RN's when they turn to us for care. What do we love, and hate, about visiting our own physicians? How can veterinarians learn from the good, and ...

Apr 12, 201728 min

THE THINGS WE CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IN VETERINARY PRACTICE

What are the things you need to survive your busy days in veterinary practice? What rituals, superstitions, quirks and oddities do your doctors and team members have? What are the best pens, shoes, and scrubs? Veterinarians Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney with registered veterinary technician Beckie Mossor dish on daily dilemmas, their craziest superstitions, what items go missing most often in our clinics, and so much more in this hilarious and revealing episode. Join the conversation on Faceboo...

Apr 07, 201728 min

Global Pet Expo 2017 - The Cool, Zany, and Just Plain Head Scratching

Veterinarian Dr. Ernie Ward visits the 2017 Global Pet Expo sponsored by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) in sunny Orlando, Florida. Co-hosts Dr. Cyndie Courtney and Beckie Mossor, RVT inquire about the latest products and highlights of the convention. Neon cat litter, new OTC dewormers, a world of tech and trends, and the world's first (and only?) birdy bra are just of few of the topics in this week's podcast. Join the conversation on Facebook at Veterinary Viewfinder and on Twitter...

Mar 29, 201728 min

What We Wished We had Learned in School

It's a hard knocks life. In this episode, veterinarians Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney along with registered veterinary technician Beckie Mossor share some of the hard lessons they wished they'd teach in school. At least you'll have the chance to learn these oftentimes painful lessons from the comfort of your listening device... Join us at Facebook/Veterinary Viewfinder and Twitter @VetViewfinder.

Mar 22, 201731 min

Pet Loss, Grief, & Our Own Stories

Veterinarian and co-host Dr. Ernie Ward, fresh from the loss of his beloved 15-year old dog, Sandy, shares his story with Dr. Cyndie Courtney and Beckie Mossor, RVT in this special episode. The team discusses the grieving process, how we help our clients, team members, and colleagues cope with euthanasia and losing a dog, cat, horse, hamster, or other animals. They also talk about why grieving for a pet is so intense, the importance of corpse viewing, whether or not other pets should witness or ...

Mar 15, 201734 min

Live from WVC 2017 in Las Vegas

This week Beckie Mossor, RVT reports from the 2017 Western Veterinary Conference (WVC) in sunny Las Vegas, Nevada. Drs. Ernie Ward & Cyndie Courtney inquire about the world's second largest conference, buzz and busts, Elvis sightings, why isn't anyone posting on social media, where are the best spots to nurse an infant and dine (not necessarily at the same time, bonus points if possible), and so much more in this week's decidedly Vegas episode. Join the conversation on Facebook/Veterinary Vi...

Mar 08, 201725 min

THE HUGE PROBLEM OF PET OBESITY - 2016 U.S. PET OBESITY SURVEY RESULTS & CONTROVERSIES

Pet obesity in the U.S. continued to steadily increase last year, affecting nearly 59% of cats and 54% of dogs, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP). During their ninth annual survey, APOP also found pet owners and veterinary professionals disagreed on key pet food issues such as the benefits of corn and grains, value of raw and organic diets, and the best sources of pet nutritional advice. Veterinarian and APOP founder Ernie Ward, Dr. Cyndie Courtney, and Beckie Mossor...

Mar 01, 201729 min

Girls Rule The Vet World - Facing Gender Issues in the Veterinary Profession

Host veterinarians Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney along with registered veterinary technician Beckie Mossor ponder gender inequality in the veterinary profession. Today an estimated 70% of veterinarians and 95% of support staff are females. Is this too much? Why has this occurred? Why are women veterinarians and medical doctors paid less than their male counterparts? What about maternity and paternity pay? Do pet owners have more confidence in male veterinarians? Why are strong female leaders vi...

Feb 22, 201733 min

Love In The Veterinary Profession - Our Spouses Tell All

This week our hosts are joined by their spouses for a special romantic Valentine's Day edition. Dr. Ernie Ward and his wife, Laura, talk with Dr. Cyndie Courtney and her husband, Mike, along with Beckie Mossor, RVT and her hubby, Timmy. The trio dish on how they met, the perils of dating a veterinary professional, the best bits and grossest stories, and advice for keeping romance alive while caring for animals. Share your love stories with us at Facebook/Veterinary Viewfinder and on Twitter @Vet...

Feb 14, 201732 min

Live from The North American Veterinary Conference: The Good, Bad, and BIG

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward & Beckie Mossor, RVT report live from The North American Veterinary Conference (NAVC) in Orlando, Florida while host Dr. Cyndie Courtney is stuck in Kansas. Topics include the name change to VMX, long walks, Robin Roberts and Darius Rucker, hot topics, tattoos, emerging trends, controversies and confusions and... NO (real) STARBUCKS! Will our hosts survive and remain (somewhat) coherent?

Feb 08, 201727 min

Continuing Education: Where, How, Who Goes, & Who Pays For It?

Veterinarians Ernie Ward & Cyndie Courtney with veterinary technician Beckie Mossor ask, "Are we getting the best CE for our bucks?" Which is better, in-person or online CE? Who pays for it? How do you get time off for CE? What's the best conference swag & what's your favorite 2016 CE lesson? Tell us thoughts at Facebook.com/VeterinaryViewfinder & @VetViewfinder

Feb 01, 201724 min

Lack of Diversity in the Veterinary Profession - What Can We Do?

Veterinarians Ernie Ward & Cyndie Courtney with registered veterinary technician Beckie Mossor ask, "Is the veterinary profession the least diverse on the planet?" What are some of the current challenges to diversity in the veterinary healthcare fields, how can we encourage more diverse student populations, and how can we prepare veterinarians for the future? We'd like to hear your thoughts! Facebook/VeterinaryViewfinder and @VetViewfinder

Jan 25, 201728 min

Practice What You Preach - How Well Do Veterinary Providers Care For Their Own Pets?

Veterinarians Drs. Ernie Ward & Cyndie Courtney with veterinary technician Beckie Mossor explore whether or not veterinary healthcare teams provide the same level of pet care they ask of their clients? What if a team member disagrees with a clinic's or veterinarian's recommendations or protocol? These questions along with each host's biggest struggle of caring for their own pets.

Jan 18, 201728 min

Do You Really Want To Be A Veterinarian? Staggering Student Debt, Supply & Demand, Future Woes, & Why We'd Do It Again

Veterinarians Ernie Ward & Cyndie Courtney with veterinary technician Beckie Mossor confront whether pursuing a degree in veterinary healthcare is a good or bad idea; how staggering student debt impacts our profession both financially & emotionally; potential solutions for excessive debt, escalating college tuition, and imbalanced veterinary supply & demand. The hosts share why they joined the veterinary profession and offer some of their best personal advice.

Jan 11, 201727 min

#FutureVetMed - Telemedicine, Apps, In-Home Care, & Will You Have a Job in 5 Years?

This week host veterinarians Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney with veterinary technician Beckie Mossor peer into their crystal food bowls to predict the future of veterinary medicine. The trio review the controversies, benefits, and risks of telemedicine and virtual pet care, what apps they like and use, how in-home care (mobile or housecall veterinarians and technicians) may evolve, and their dreams for the future. Share your thoughts and predictions on Facebook Veterinary Viewfinder and @VetView...

Jan 05, 201728 min

Reflections, Controversies, Advances, & Lessons for the Veterinary Profession from 2016

Veterinarians Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney with veterinary technician Beckie Mosser rewind the year in veterinary medicine. The vet who shot the cat with an arrow, advances in dermatology, changes in the profession, the relevancy of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), and "do-over's" are part of this week's episode. Join the conversation on Facebook at Veterinary Viewfinder and tweet us @VetViewfinder - Happy New Year!

Dec 28, 201626 min

Boundaries and Blunders with Client Relationships

Host veterinarians Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney along with veterinary technician Beckie Mossor explore the dangers and dilemmas as well as the benefits and blessings of veterinary client relationships. The trio talk about setting personal and professional boundaries, what to do when a client oversteps and intrudes, and strategies to deal with tweets and texts after hours. Continue the conversation with us on Twitter @VetViewfinder and Facebook/VeterinaryViewfinder. Happy holidays!

Dec 21, 201629 min

Money Matters - Our Agonizing Relationship with Money

Veterinarians Ernie Ward & Cyndie Courtney with veterinary technician Beckie Mossor tackle the topic of tension between veterinary professionals and profits. We discuss the emotional toll finances take on the veterinary team, how pet insurance can help pets & vets, wellness plans, & things that made us grateful last week. Join the conversation on Facebook/VeterinaryViewfinder and Twitter @VetViewfinder

Dec 14, 201627 min

Opioids, Drug Abuse, and the Veterinary Profession

Veterinarians Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney along with veterinary technician Beckie Mossor discuss the role and responsibility of veterinarians in the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP), substance abuse within the veterinary profession, solutions and advice for dealing with the current heroin and drug epidemic, as well as their weekly Pet Peeves.

Dec 07, 201626 min
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