The Veterinary Culture Lab

In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Andi and Josh explore what actually makes people stay in veterinary workplaces during difficult times—and why communication may be one of the most powerful retention tools we have. Grounded in research on positive communication and The Great Resignation , this conversation unpacks how transparency, flexibility, support, and trust shape the way veteri...

In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Andi and Josh explore a hopeful but important question: what if veterinary medicine already has many of the ingredients needed for people and teams to thrive? Grounded in research on meaningful work, burnout, resilience, leadership, and workplace wellbeing, this conversation challenges the idea that vet med is fundamentally broken. Instead, the episo...

In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Andi and Josh explore a question that hits a nerve for many veterinary professionals: why does feedback so often feel threatening instead of helpful? Grounded in brand-new veterinary research on psychological safety, communication quality, and turnover intention, this episode unpacks how the way feedback is delivered can shape trust, team culture, an...

This episode is best experienced IN FULL!!  We recorded this live in Zimbabwe during the THRIVE veterinary wellbeing retreat—and the video version brings it all to life. From wildlife encounters to breathtaking landscapes and powerful human moments, you can watch the full experience unfold on YouTube here . In this special episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Andi records live from Zimbabwe dur...

In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Andi and Josh explore the role of interpersonal curiosity—and why it might be one of the most underrated skills in veterinary medicine today. Grounded in research on resilience in veterinary students, this conversation unpacks how curiosity shows up in the way we interpret stress, respond to challenges, and connect with the people around us. Because...

In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Andi and Josh take on one of the most talked-about concepts in veterinary medicine: work-life balance. Truth is that most practices already have work-life balance policies. PTO exists. Sick days exist. Flexibility exists. And yet - burnout persists. So, what is actually going on? Grounded in science, this episode explores a powerful and often overloo...

In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Andi and Josh take on one of the most common and emotionally charged narratives in veterinary medicine: “Younger generations just do not want to work.” Rather than reinforcing stereotypes or dismissing frustration, this conversation turns to the research. Grounded in a 2016 cross-temporal meta-analysis by Jean Twenge and colleagues, the episode explo...

In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Andi and Josh explore a powerful idea: every veterinary clinic is performing a play—whether it realizes it or not. The stage is your hospital. The cast is your team. The script? That is your culture. Grounded in the evidence-based framework from Organizational Culture in Action by Gerald Driskill and Julian Mirivel, this episode unpacks how workplace...

In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Andi and Josh take on one of the most talked-about—and most misunderstood—topics in veterinary medicine: burnout. Rather than adding to the noise, this conversation brings clarity by grounding the discussion in science and centering the experience of veterinary technicians and nurses. Grounded in a 2025 Delphi study led by Angela Chapman and colleagu...

In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Andi and Josh explore why some veterinary teams feel energized, supportive, and fully engaged - while others feel stuck just going through the motions. The difference is not talent, workload, or motivation. It is how people support one another at work. Grounded in a large meta-analysis on interpersonal support and self-determination theory, this conv...

In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Andi and Josh dig into what really sits behind so-called “unicorn clinics”—and it turns out it is not luck, perks, or fairy dust. It is communication. Grounded in a 2012 study by communication scholars Paul Madlock and Melanie Booth-Butterfield, this conversation explores relational maintenance : the everyday communication behaviors coworkers use to...

In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Andi and Josh dig into one of the simplest—yet most underestimated—forces shaping veterinary culture: the experience of feeling genuinely heard at work. Grounded in a massive meta-analytic review on perceived listening, they unpack how the quality of our listening predicts our workplace wellbeing. The punchline? Listening may be one of the most power...

Care Flows Forward: How Supporting Your Team Elevates Patient Care in Vet Med In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Andi and Josh explore a simple but powerful truth: teams do not feel your intentions — they feel your behaviors. Using a human healthcare study on manager caring and patient experience, they dig into how presence, visibility, and small supportive actions ripple outward to s...

In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Andi and Josh return for Part 2 of their conversation on coaching communication—this time turning insight into action. Building on the science from The Effectiveness of Workplace Coaching: A Meta-Analysis of Contemporary Psychologically Informed Coaching Approaches (2021), this episode explores how curiosity comes to life through Sir John Whitmore’s...

In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Andi and Josh explore what coaching really means in veterinary medicine—and why curiosity might be the most powerful tool we have to strengthen culture. Grounded in a 2021 meta-analysis of workplace coaching, this conversation unpacks how three evidence-based approaches—GROW, Positive Psychology Coaching, and Cognitive Behavioral Coaching—can help ve...

In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Andi and Josh dive into groundbreaking new research from their friend Dr. Zach Mercurio—research that pinpoints exactly how leaders can help veterinary teams experience more meaningful work. Grounded in a 2024 study on purposeful leadership , this conversation uncovers six specific, learnable leadership practices that boost energy, reduce burnout, an...

In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Andi and Josh explore the power of resilience—not just as a personal trait, but as a skill we can teach, build, and share. Grounded in a 2017 study by Jenny Moffett and David Bartram, this conversation uncovers what happens when veterinary students receive formal resilience education early in their careers—and what it means for the rest of us who nev...

The Vet Med Circus: Why Collaboration Is the Star of the Show In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Josh and Andi explore one of the most powerful—but often overlooked—drivers of high-functioning veterinary teams: positive communication that fuels real collaboration. Grounded in a 2024 study on veterinary team communication, they break down 15 specific behaviors that can either build, or...

Seen, Valued, Energized: How Micro-Connections Build Thriving Veterinary Teams In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Andi and Josh dive into one of their favorite culture renovation tools: high-quality connections (or as we like to say, micro-connections that pack a punch). Inspired by the stories of MVP Joey Votto and NBA star Steph Curry, and grounded in the research of organizational...

In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Josh and Andi explore the power of communication in shaping how a workplace feels and why that feeling matters more than we think. Drawing on new research from the University of Michigan, the conversation dives into how intentional leadership communication transformed workplace climate, decreased burnout, and boosted engagement - all during a time of...

North of Neutral: why positive psychology matters in vet med In this first episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , hosts Andi and Josh go deep on the science that underpins everything they do at Flourish: positive psychology. What is positive psychology—really? And what isn’t it? Spoiler: it is not toxic positivity, it is not ignoring suffering, and it is definitely not “just think happy thoughts....

In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Josh and Andi explore a surprising twist on workplace drama—one that could actually improve veterinary wellbeing. Spoiler: it is not the gossip-filled kind of drama, but the science-backed DRAMMA model, a powerful framework built on six core psychological needs that support human flourishing at work. Grounded in recovery science and positive psycholo...

In this episode of The Veterinary Culture Lab , Andi and Josh unpack the myth that success in veterinary medicine is all about grit and hustle—and offer a compelling alternative backed by research. Grounded in leadership science and workplace psychology, this episode explores new findings from the Thriving at Work: 2023 Leadership Development Survey and connects them to veterinary teams through th...