The Veterinary Project Podcast

In this edition of The Veterinary Project Podcast we're sitting down with the President of Mosaic Veterinary Partners and former CEO of Moore Equine Veterinary Centre, Dr. Greg Andrews. Dr. Greg Andrews is an equine veterinarian who has practiced in Southern Alberta for 35 years. Until recently he was the CEO of Moore Equine Veterinary Centre, the largest equine practice in Canada. He is currently the president of Mosaic Veterinary Partners, a mixed animal group of practices and chairs the Board of Directors of Inova Partners, a successful veterinary software company that services complex veterinary practices worldwide. He has been the President of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association and the Western Canadian Association of Equine Practitioners. Additionally he has served on the advisory boards of the University of Calgary School of Veterinary Medicine and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon. In our wide-ranging conversation, Dr. Andrews and us dive into: Greg's start in mixed animal practice before moving to the racetrack Evolution into building and owning the largest Canadian Equine practice Moore with his partners The challenges and long hours involved in building a business State of veterinary medicine in 2020 Changing roles in veterinary medicine Greg's hot-take on work-life balance Involvement in veterinary medicine technology companies Greg currently resides in Ta Ta creek, British Columbia with his wife Gail where he pursues outdoor activities and competition while enjoying his grandchildren and continued business pursuits. Thank you to Dr. Andrews for joining us on the show. If you liked the show and want to stay in the know, please subscribe to the podcast on the listening platform of your choosing! Want to join our community of like-minded Veterinary Professionals? Send us an email at theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com and we'll get you connected to our private Veterinary Project Facebook group. Any questions, comments, feedback, or requests for guests can also be sent to theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Thank you for listening and we look forward to seeing you next Wednesday for another episode of The Veterinary Project Podcast! - Jonathan Leicht, DVM and Michael Bugg, DVM

Why not have your cake and eat it too?   That’s exactly what Dr. Sarah Bater has done with her veterinary career! Combining her love of clinical practice and her desire for continual learning and a deeper understanding, Sarah splits her time between clinical practice and teaching veterinary students. Sarah was born and raised in Saskatoon, SK, and is one of four children (and a real group of over-achievers).  After completing an honours degree in Biochemistry at the U of S, Sarah moved to Toronto, ON to pursue a Ph.D. in Neuroscience (specifically understanding and researching treatments for spinal cord injuries). After 5.5 years in the big city, Sarah decided it was time to move home.  She did a brief post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Saskatchewan, before she was accept to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and graduated in 2017. Sarah works part-time in small animal clinical practice, and part-time at WCVM teaching in the first year curriculum. Sarah sees companion animals and exotic pets in clinical practice; however, her true love in veterinary medicine is surgery.  She does not love managing cats with endocrine diseases. Sarah is married to her husband, Daniel, and has 2 step-children.  Daniel and Sarah are expecting their first child together in February 2021. Whenever Sarah is not working, she can be found spending time with her kids outside, baking, training for a triathlon, or at the lake! The multi-faceted Veterinarian, Professor, and Mother has certainly carved out a unique path in Veterinary Medicine, and among many interesting places our conversation dives into: Sarah's path to becoming a veterinarian The Job Juggle of hybrid careers (teaching as a professor and practicing in clinics) Euthanasia and the soft skills required to be sharp in this area Thank you to Dr. Sarah Bater for taking the time to share her insights on the show! To connect with Sarah you can do so via e-mail to sarah.bater@usask.ca If you liked the show and want to stay in the know, please subscribe to the podcast on the listening platform of your choosing! Want to join our community of like-minded Veterinary Professionals? Send us an email at theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com and we'll get you connected to our private Veterinary Project Facebook group. Any questions, comments, feedback, or requests for guests can also be sent to theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Thank you for listening and we look forward to seeing you next Wednesday for another episode of The Veterinary Project Podcast! - Jonathan Leicht, DVM and Michael Bugg, DVM

Dr. Lauren Adelman earned her veterinary degree from the University of Calgary in 2012 where she was part of the inaugural class.  Following graduation, she completed a small animal rotating internship at VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital followed by a one year specialty internship in emergency and critical care at North Carolina State University. Dr. Adelman then moved to Knoxville where she completed a three year small animal internal medicine residency at the University of Tennessee. She achieved diplomate status in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialty of Small Animal Internal Medicine in 2017.  Dr. Adelman is currently practicing at Canada West Veterinary Specialists in Vancouver, BC., where her particular areas of interest include gastroenterology, nephrology and urology, and infectious disease. She is trained to perform a variety of state of the art minimally-invasive procedures. Our conversation includes: Working through the rejection of not matching on her first internship residency What life is like completing a residency What Lauren does as an Internal Medicine Specialist Discussion on how Dr. Adelman completes minimally invasive procedures The struggles of achieving work/life balance How she's handled how emotionally exhausting the profession can be How she's managing working with difficult pet owners Dealing with COVID-19, maintaining sanity and how Lauren think's specialty medicine may change as a result We are very happy to have Dr. Lauren Adelman join The Veterinary Project Podcast for this enjoyable, educational conversation. If you liked the show and want to stay in the know, please subscribe to the podcast on the listening platform of your choosing! Want to join our community of like-minded Veterinary Professionals? Send us an email at theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com and we'll get you connected to our private Veterinary Project Facebook group. Any questions, comments, feedback, or requests for guests can also be sent to theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Thank you for listening and we look forward to seeing you next Wednesday for another episode of The Veterinary Project Podcast! - Jonathan Leicht, DVM and Michael Bugg, DVM

In this weeks episode, Kate Simon, RVT, VTS (ECC) shares her journey from being fired at her first job to completing her VTS in 2017 becoming one of the top .1% educated technologists in North America. Kate leads a team of passionate individuals, helps guide the veterinary profession as a member of multiple veterinary councils and is not afraid to share her opinions on how veterinary technologists need to play a larger role in the future of the veterinary industry. In our conversation we cover: How she worked through tough times early in her career including being laid off and getting bullied at work Working as a Veterinary Technician in emergency care Transitioning into management roles out of clinic necessity and making the adjustment A spicy back and forth conversation to the elements that are continuing to change veterinary medicine for technologists What does it mean to be a VTS Technologist, and why should Veterinarians want them in their practices Discussing the "shortage" of Vet Techs and how to improve it Advocating for Veterinary Technologists and their role in animal care Kate is currently one of the Alberta representatives to the RVTTC and is an RVT on ABVMA Council. She has a passion to elevate and promote the profession by supporting and instilling confidence in new graduates and people returning to the field. Thank you Kate for taking the time to speak with us, the Veterinary Project community thanks you too.  If you liked the show and want to stay in the know, please subscribe to the podcast on the listening platform of your choosing! Want to join our community of like-minded Veterinary Professionals? Send us an email at theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com and we'll get you connected to our private Veterinary Project Facebook group. Any questions, comments, feedback, or requests for guests can also be sent to theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Thank you for listening and we look forward to seeing you next Wednesday for another episode of The Veterinary Project Podcast! - Jonathan Leicht, DVM and Michael Bugg, DVM

Welcome to this edition of The Veterinary Project Podcast with Dr. Tannetje Crocker. Dr. Crocker is a 2009 graduate from the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine.  Upon graduation, she completed an equine focused internship in Southern California., then she worked as a solo equine ambulatory practitioner for three years before transitioning to small animal medicine. She currently practices in Grapevine, Texas at Northwest Animal Hospital and the Animal Emergency Hospital of North Texas. She is passionate about mentorship and empowering both veterinary students and young veterinarians to embrace the profession and find joy and success. In our wide-ranging conversation with Doctor Crocker, we discuss: How the seasons of life have an effect on career Her journey from equine only over to small animal and the factors that influenced this decision Having an identity in veterinary medicine The importance of support systems and mentorship How Dr. Crocker practices living intentionally Life doesn't need to have a how-to guide - avoid the need to know every step! We also go off on a couple of interesting and informative tangents around social media and running a practice with the principals of training your clients well! Thank you to Tannetje for taking the time to join us on the show.  If you'd like to connect with Dr. Crocker, you find her online at: www.drcrockerpetvet.com And on Instagram @dr.tannetje.crocker If you liked the show and want to stay in the know, please subscribe to the podcast on the listening platform of your choosing! Want to join our community of like-minded Veterinary Professionals? Send us an email at theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com and we'll get you connected to our private Veterinary Project Facebook group. Any questions, comments, feedback, or requests for guests can also be sent to theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Thank you for listening and we look forward to seeing you next Wednesday for another episode of The Veterinary Project Podcast! - Jonathan Leicht, DVM and Michael Bugg, DVM

This week we are excited to have another expert join us on the Veterinary Project Podcast: Vicki Pollard. Vicki Pollard is an Architect and Partner at Animal Arts and brings us a unique conversation discussing her career as both an award winning  architect and certified veterinary technician. Vicki and the team at Animal Arts specialize in veterinary hospital design, from small general practices to large specialty and emergency facilities, and her experience provided her the ability to co-author her book, the " Practical Guide to Veterinary Hospital Design".  Vicki lives in Colorado with a small menagerie that includes her husband, three children, their dog, a bearded dragon, and two beta fish.     In this wide ranging conversation we discuss : Vicki's unique career path Following her passion into the veterinary field What architectural design looks like in 2020 within the context of the Covid Pandemic and the changing needs of veterinary spaces This is a fun conversation that will be sure to engage you, make you think about your own career and widen your view on what's possible.   If you've interested in connect with Vicki you can do so through e-mail to:  Vicki@animalarts.com And you can check out Animal Arts online at:  www.animalarts.com Thank you again to Vicki for taking the time to come on the show! If you liked the show and want to stay in the know, please subscribe to the podcast on the listening platform of your choosing! Want to join our community of like-minded Veterinary Professionals? Send us an email at theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com and we'll get you connected to our private Veterinary Project Facebook group. Any questions, comments, feedback, or requests for guests can also be sent to theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Thank you for listening and we look forward to seeing you next Wednesday for another episode of The Veterinary Project Podcast! - Jonathan Leicht, DVM and Michael Bugg, DVM

Ostriches, volunteering in Africa, giving birth on the way to open a new vet clinic, and pizza for breakfast! This conversation has a little bit of everything!  Dr. Elaine Klemmensen takes us on her journey of almost 30 years in the veterinary profession. Stepping into fear along the way, Elaine and her husband Rob got intentional about the life they wanted to create. Driven by their vision, Elaine shares many of her stories and struggles as she learned to lead in veterinary medicine. After graduating from WCVM in 1991, Elaine’s adventures in veterinary medicine have included associate, practice owner, locum and volunteer with eight organizations in seven different countries. Passionate about leadership, development, and workplace culture, she recently embarked on her latest adventure, founding Evolve Leadership Coaching and Consulting where she is determined to help veterinary leaders discover the “secret sauce” that will move their team from surviving to thriving. In our energetic conversation with Elaine we talk about: The struggles of learning without intentional mentorship The importance of a "learning from mistake" mentality Creating a practice where people love coming to work every day Finding people that share your vision, and why shared values matter most Creating space for reflection Navigating the waters of selling a practice in a small town Elaine's "Secret Sauce" for leadership and management The Impact Round Thank you to Elaine for carving out some time to share her experience and wisdom on our show! If you liked the show and want to stay in the know, please subscribe to the podcast on the listening platform of your choosing! Want to join our community of like-minded Veterinary Professionals? Send us an email at theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com and we'll get you connected to our private Veterinary Project Facebook group. Any questions, comments, feedback, or requests for guests can also be sent to theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Thank you for listening and we look forward to seeing you next Wednesday for another episode of The Veterinary Project Podcast! - Jonathan Leicht, DVM and Michael Bugg, DVM

Welcome to part II of our two-part deep dive interview with Dr. Devin Nobert. If you haven't listened to part I of the interview we highly recommend listening to that episode before completing this one, as it will provide context for the remainder of our conversation here. In Part II,  our conversation moves more towards Devin's healing process through the many challenges he has faced. We also touch on the mental attitude required to handle adversity, to overcome obstacles, and to use vulnerability and truth to move through the many emotions faced when going to tough battles in life. Devin's story is a truly amazing one and we're incredibly grateful for having him share his story with the Veterinary Project Community.  Devin's Bio: Dr. Devin Nobert was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. He obtained a B.A. in Psychology at the University of Calgary before deciding to shift course and pursue a career in Veterinary Medicine. In 2004 he moved to Saskatoon with his high school sweet heart wife, a 1 year old daughter and a Bichon Shih-Tzu in tow and started vet school at the WCVM. After a major road bump during second year vet school forced him to put his schooling on hold for a full year, he returned to his studies and graduated with a DVM in 2009. Devin joined the Fish Creek 24 Emergency Pet Hospital family early on as a student in 2006. He was hired as an emergency vet right after graduation in 2009. He has continued to face multiple health related “road bumps” but he has also managed to become both a partner and manager at this exceptionally busy and successful emergency hospital as well as their sister clinic, Little Creek Vet Clinic. He currently practices primary vet medicine part-time at Little Creek. Outside of vet medicine he is a full time dad to 3 kids, including 2 teenagers. And finally, he is a pinball wizard, golf junkie and music fanatic, and loves to combine either of these passions with travel! If you liked the show and want to stay in the know, please subscribe to the podcast on the listening platform of your choosing! Want to join our community of like-minded Veterinary Professionals? Send us an email at theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com and we'll get you connected to our private Veterinary Project Facebook group. Any questions, comments, feedback, or requests for guests can also be sent to theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Thank you for listening and we look forward to seeing you next Wednesday for another episode of The Veterinary Project Podcast! - Jonathan Leicht, DVM and Michael Bugg, DVM

Welcome to this week's edition of The Veterinary Project Podcast! This episode is part I of a 2-part deep dive interview with Dr. Devin Nobert. Dr. Devin Nobert was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. He obtained a B.A. in Psychology at the University of Calgary before deciding to shift course and pursue a career in Veterinary Medicine.  In 2004 he moved to Saskatoon with his high school sweet heart wife, a 1 year old daughter and a Bichon Shih-Tzu in tow and started vet school at the WCVM. After a major road bump during second year vet school forced him to put his schooling on hold for a full year, he returned to his studies and graduated with a DVM in 2009.  Devin joined the Fish Creek 24 Emergency Pet Hospital family early on as a student in 2006. He was hired as an emergency vet right after graduation in 2009. He has continued to face multiple health related “road bumps” but he has also managed to become both a partner and manager at this exceptionally busy and successful emergency hospital as well as their sister clinic, Little Creek Vet Clinic.  He currently practices primary vet medicine part-time at Little Creek. Outside of vet medicine he is a full time dad to 3 kids, including 2 teenagers. And finally, he is a pinball wizard, golf junkie and music fanatic, and loves to combine either of these passions with travel! If you liked the show and want to stay in the know, please subscribe to the podcast on the listening platform of your choosing! Want to join our community of like-minded Veterinary Professionals? Send us an email at theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com and we'll get you connected to our private Veterinary Project Facebook group. Any questions, comments, feedback, or requests for guests can also be sent to theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Thank you for listening and we look forward to seeing you next Wednesday for another episode of The Veterinary Project Podcast!  - Jonathan Leicht, DVM and Michael Bugg, DVM

If you've ever wanted to hear about a veterinarian that has experienced adversity within her family and career, consciously decided to take charge of her life and is succeeding in 2020 then this is the episode for you! This week we have a great conversation lined up with Dr. Jennifer Koehl! Dr. Jennifer Koehl is a 2008 graduate from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. She practiced small animal medicine outside of Philadelphia as an associate veterinarian for 4 years before beginning a combination of part-time and relief work. In 2017, she began teaching Biology and Human Physiology labs as Adjunct Faculty for Penn State University’s Commonwealth campus.  In 2019, Jennifer was offered a full-time faculty appointment,  serving as an Instructor of Biology. In this episode we talk through the progression of her career starting in 2008 at the height of the financial recession, her and her husband making the difficult choice to move away from friends and family, Jen deciding to steer her career in the path that she wanted to as opposed to settling and playing the victim. We finish off with a deep discussion on her side project as the creator and administrator of a Facebook Group called DVMoms: GAIN, a private page for veterinary mothers in government, academic, industry, and non-clinical positions. The page serves as a discussion board as well as a location for non-traditional veterinary job postings. You're in for a ride with this episode that is full of jewels, specific takeaways and actions for anyone that may be looking for something different in their veterinary career. If you liked the show and want to stay in the know, please subscribe to the podcast on the listening platform of your choosing! Want to join our community of like-minded Veterinary Professionals? Send us an email at theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com and we'll get you connected to our private Veterinary Project Facebook group.  Any questions, comments, feedback, or requests for guests can also be sent to theveterinaryprojectpodcast@gmail.com. Thank you for listening and we look forward to seeing you next Wednesday for another episode of The Veterinary Project Podcast! - Jonathan Leicht, DVM and Michael Bugg, DVM