It's election time here in the United States and millions of individuals are voting, an action that drives change. Do actions really make change happen? What can you do if you're not in a leadership position to impact change in your hospital? Let's talk about action to make change in the veterinary profession.

Is veterinary medicine ready for a new vet tech position? Is the current state of our profession ready with all the tools and resources needed for it to be successful. In this episode I talk about what a mid-level practitioner is and my thoughts on whether our career house is ready for a new guest. 

We often think about toxic traits like gossiping, bullying, and negativity. What about those on our team that are carrying around hidden toxic traits that may not be as obvious? Maybe you have one of these traits and are contributing to a less ideal workplace. Let's dive into 4 of the less known toxic traits. 

Failure sucks. It doesn't feel good and in 2024 I have failed to complete most of my goals I set out to do. What is failure, how is it defined and how can we move past it when we do fail?

Do only the wealthy have good mental health or access to better resources? I created this podcast after a post on my facebook page sparked conversation around this topic.  I did a deep dive into research and share my thoughts along with the data of mental health, money and happiness.

Mentoring another individual can seem time consuming and too much responsibility. Many individuals back away from it because of that reason, but without knowing it most people are mentoring others every day. This podcast reviews what mentoring is and formal versus informal programs. You are likely a mentor to someone and you don't even realize it.

Veterinary technicians do not want to become veterinarians.  Every vet tech is tired of being asked "when are you going to vet school?" Never. We need doctors to support us, allow us to perform our job the fullest ability, and not live in fear we are trying to be veterinarians. Let's talk about supporting the vet tech profession instead of fighting it.

Delegation is not just about freeing up more time for yourself. It's about growing others!  Stop being afraid to delegate. You're not only holding yourself back, but you are stifling others as well!

The amputation of tails and ears are still fairly common in the United States. In most every other country in the world these practices do not occur or have been banned. What is docking and cropping and why is it still being done with such regularity here in the United States?  Are there any benefits? How often do injuries of tails and ears actually occur? 

Don't judge the title alone. Instead, listen to the podcast in which I spent months pulling together data and studies to educate individuals on this topic. 

Yes, veterinary medicine costs a lot of money if you want the best care for your pets. However, compared to human healthcare it's a fraction of the cost. If you own a pet you must listen to this podcast as you will gain insight and an understanding into the cost of veterinary medicine and how you can help you and your pet.  If you work in vet medicine this podcast is also for you to help change the narrative that is hurting the profession.

How is the bar set in your hospital? Are you setting expectations too low where your superstar performers are sliding down to meet the low expectations? Is the level of expectations the same for all team members? Too often leaders start to move the bar of expectations lower to meet the poor performance of those on the team. When low expectations are set for some team members, this will eventually cause all team members to come down to the low bar.