My Veterinary Life

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...

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 unde...

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 Broo...

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, he...

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...

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 th...

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...

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...

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....

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 en...

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 t...

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 Comm...

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 li...

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...

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 challeng...

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 v...

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...

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...

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 insti...

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 educat...

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...

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. Mento...

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 p...

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,...

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 transitio...