Veterinary Voices

One small word - four different situations when you probably don't even realise you're using it + examples of how to swap to a statement more empowering and powerful (without being bossy or aggressive). A world first (as far as we can tell) initiative from VetStaff - we're looking for pilot veterinary clinics to be part of our Beta Launch.  You don't have to be an existing VetS...

Pressure is not Stress - Nick Petrie - Presenter at the NZVA 2022 Conference - VBB session Nicholas Petrie What "human rumination" is. Julie shares one of the ways she gets out of downward rumination spirals when she recognises them playing out in her life. Nick Petrie's White Paper - Pressure is Not Stress - 4 steps to be resilient in disruptive times Dr Jane Ough - Companion Anima...

VETERINARY CLINIC SALARY DATA Dr Mark Hosking , CEO of Franklin Vets, is a member of the NZVAs Veterinary Business Branch – the VBB.    At the recent NZVA Conference he introduced BBVet, an Australian company which runs a series of surveys tailored to the New Zealand veterinary profession.  Clinics that contribute to the data, will have access to high quality benchmarking information to be able to...

Dr Jane Ough is a Senior Companion Animal Veterinarian at South Wairarapa Veterinary Services.    Dr Jane’s time and pathway to the veterinarian she is today is quite different from the usual career path of veterinarians.   She’s from the BVSc Massey class of 1982.    Today, Dr Jane enjoys orthopaedic surgery especially mending broken farm dogs.  Dr Ough became concerned about climate change when...

The third and final episode with Iain McLachlan – CEO of the New Zealand Veterinary Council. We talk about: the veterinary shortage,  the nursing shortage,  why the NZ VC doesn’t include two of the world’s top 10 veterinary science universities in its List of Recognised Institutions,  when it's going to update that list of Recognised Institutions,  what clinics can do if they absolutely canno...

The second of three episodes with Iain McLachlan – CEO of the New Zealand Veterinary Council. We talk about: the veterinary shortage,  the nursing shortage,  why the NZ VC doesn’t include two of the world’s top 10 veterinary science universities in its List of Recognised Institutions,  when it's going to update that list of Recognised Institutions,  what clinics can do if they absolutely cann...

Today we start the first of three episodes where Iain McLachlan – CEO of the New Zealand Veterinary Council – and I, talk about the veterinary shortage, the nursing shortage, why the NZ VC doesn’t include two of the world’s top 10 veterinary science universities in its List of Recognised Institutions, when is it going to update that list of Recognised Institutions, what clinics can do if they abso...

Part 2 of the "Qs to A recruitment agencies before working with them" series. This episode specifically for the vet clinic - the HR manager, the Practice Manager, Lead Veterinarian or Veterinary Nurse who's charged with "recruitment" inside a vet clinic. In this episode Julie South of VetStaff details the questions you need to ask and the answers you need to listen out for...

Not all recruitment agencies are created equal.   Some recruitment agencies use the "spray and pray" method.   They'll get a job-seeker's CV, then spray it all over town (to their database) and leave it to the employer - the vet clinic - to do contact the CV owner, set up the interview, interview, and negotiate direct. Recruitment agencies that do this could be breaching the NZ...

This is part 2 of a 2 part series with Dr Ashley O'Driscoll, DVM, BSc. Dr O’Driscoll has worked in several New Zealand veterinary clinics – on both Islands - as a pet and farm animal veterinarian since moving here in 2010.  As you’ll pick up, Dr O’Driscoll has a strong interest in animal welfare – she started the Waikato’s first home euthanasia referral service for dogs in the Waikato – as we...

Dr O’Driscoll has worked in several New Zealand veterinary clinics – on both Islands - as a pet and farm animal veterinarian since moving here in 2010.  As you’ll pick up, Dr O’Driscoll has a strong interest in animal welfare – she started the Waikato’s first home euthanasia referral service for dogs in the Waikato – as well as working for MPI and the SPCA in animal welfare.  As well as being a la...

This VetStaff survey was run over four weeks - promoted via FB, Insta, LI and this podcast. Respondents were guaranteed anonymity.   However, if they wanted their clinic to go in the draw to win lunch they needed to complete contact info so we could organise the delivery if their name was pulled out of the hat. Fifteen respondents chose to remain totally anonymous.   Random lucky dip draw from all...

VetStaff does more than flick job seekers' CV onto vet clinics like their competitors - who then leave the job seeker to negotiate everything for themselves.   VetStaff helps clinics with reputation misinformation - for example the false rumour of CCTVs in restrooms! Case Study #1 6-month new grad looking for her second job VetStaff were given five days to organise a job interview in four day...

If you’re a recent or new vet science graduate of Massey University then regardless of where you’re working in New Zealand, you’ve probably heard of, or met, Krispin as he’s been quite involved with Massey’s MMI for vet students over the years.   MMI is part of the Massey BVSc pre-selection programme – they’re the 8 Multi Mini Interviews potential vet science students go through.    Krispin’s been...

Dr Karli Houston is a marathon running, fundraising, companion animal veterinarian.   Karli was born in the US to two kiwi parents.  Karli has a raft of qualifications behind her … she studied biology and theatre arts at the Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania, then Human Nutrition at the University of Maryland before moving to Palmerston North and to complete her Bachelor of Veterinary Science at...

Being interviewed for your first job straight out of vet school and university isn’t the same as being interviewed for your second or third job.    Here’re 11 questions for new grads to ask at your first job interview and for clinics to think about when they’re interviewing new grads.   These 11 questions apply pretty equally to vets, nurses and techs. Get yourself an agent to represent you Someon...

At job interviewers, hiring managers / interviewers usually ask "do you have any questions you'd like to ask?". Many people mumble something like "you've answered all my questions" [which may be true] or "no - no questions". Here are 15 questions across three top level subjects to help job-seekers level out the balance of interviewing "power" that...

When someone asks you to “tell me about a time when …..” this is where the STAR methodology kicks in.    S ituation T ask A ction R esult Everyone dreads the "tell me about a time when you................." type interview questions because they usually don't know how to answer and/or aren't sure what the interviewer is looking for. This episode answers both of those questions a...

9 behaviour focussed job interview questions that job seekers roll their eyes at, and interviewers feel they must ask.   One vet told me a couple of years’ back that she declined a job because she didn’t like the soft and fluffy questions “someone from HR” asked her.  In the vet’s opinion the questions she was asked did nothing to prove or disprove she was a good vet.  Which is a fair comment. How...

Veterinarian Dr Helen Beattie on: life after Chief Veterinary Officer at the New Zealand Veterinary Association   Veterinarians for Animal Welfare Aotearoa - VAWA some of the amazing opportunities Helen experienced as CVO NZVA some more of the amazing people Helen worked with as CVO NZVA what's next and where to from here Part 3 of the three part series getting to know Dr Helen Beattie now th...

Veterinarian Dr Helen Beattie on: Conflict, Tension & Moral Distress Books Helen's reading and recommends Inspiration & aspirational parenting + a bit of philosophical discussion Part 2 of a multi-part series getting to know Dr Helen Beattie before she became known to New Zealand's veterinarians in her role as Chief Veterinary Officer at the New Zealand Veterinary Association. Pa...

Dr Helen Beattie grew up on a South Island Central High Country station before going to Massey University.   Her veterinary career started off in a mixed animal clinic in North Otago. Helen’s OE included working on the UKs foot and mouth response in the UK.  From there she came home to Godzone and bought a companion animal clinic in Dunedin. From clinic ownership Helen ventured into teaching vet n...

This week we’re looking at what vet clinics need to do to navigate Phase 2 of Omicron, what payment options you have for employees who get sick and then a lesson I had last week which, as Shania Twain would say – didn’t impress me much! At 11:59pm on Tuesday 15 February NZ officially moved into Phase 2 of the Omicron Response framework. In short, this means that positive cases need to self-isolate...

How  NZ vet clinics and overseas qualified vets are impacted  In real terms, what difference does this make?   In some cases, it’s going to make a HUGE difference, in others, not-so much. What was MIQ – which those clinics fortunate enough to have vets enter NZ over the last 18 months or so – had the pleasure – she says, in air quotes, of footing the bill for that – well that’s still going to happ...

So far, we’ve looked at the cost of employee turnover – episode 64 – how to lower the cost of churn – employee turnover by starting an Employee Retention Investment Fund at your clinic. Last week we looked at the 5-P questions – Pride + Place + Possibility + Permanency + Propel   Today we’re looking at the next series of seven survey questions - in line with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs - you...