My Veterinary Life

This month, we’re featuring a new series called, “We Don’t Talk About…,” exploring some often-undiscussed challenges in vet med. We’ll be discussing topics such as not passing NAVLE on the first round, board complaints, and the actual root causes of Imposter Syndrome. The goal of these conversations is to reduce the stigma around these experiences and to share resources for listeners who may find...

This month, we’re featuring a new series called, “We Don’t Talk About…,” exploring some often-undiscussed challenges in vet med. We’ll be discussing topics such as board complaints, leaving an internship, and the actual root causes of Imposter Syndrome. The goal of these conversations is to reduce the stigma around these experiences and to share resources for listeners who may find themselves goin...

This month, we’re featuring a new series called, “We Don’t Talk About…,” exploring some often-undiscussed challenges in vet med. We’ll be discussing topics such as not passing NAVLE on the first round, leaving an internship, and the actual root causes of Imposter Syndrome. The goal of these conversations is to reduce the stigma around these experiences and to share resources for listeners who may...

This month, we’re featuring a new series called, “We Don’t Talk About…,” exploring some often-undiscussed challenges in vet med. We’ll be discussing topics such as not passing NAVLE on the first round, leaving an internship, and the actual root causes of Imposter Syndrome. The goal of these conversations is to reduce the stigma around these experiences and to share resources for listeners who may...

Our guest on this week’s episode of My Veterinary Life Podcast is Dr. Chris Doherty, the Assistant Director for Strategic Business Research and Outreach at the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Dr. Doherty shares his journey from small animal private practice to a focus on veterinary economics and business. He discusses the differences between veterinary education in Canada and the U...

Out guest on this week’s episode of My Veterinary Life Podcast is Raven Washington, a veterinary student at Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. Raven shares her journey into veterinary medicine, overcoming a fear of animals and discovering her passion for animal welfare during college. She discusses her transformative experiences at the Veterinary Leadership Experience (VLE) and her...

Our guest on this week’s episode of My Veterinary Life Podcast is Dr. Jessi Farris, Vice President of Campus Relations and Clinical Recruiting at Heartland Veterinary Partners. Dr. Farris shares her journey from aspiring shark veterinarian to small animal general practice, and eventually pursuing an MBA. She emphasizes the importance of networking, intentional career decisions, and a growth mindse...

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...

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 c...

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 ethic...

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 Initia...

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...