Lately, we’ve been hearing stories of veterinary practice managers and owners making departing staff feel guilty for finding a better job. After a team member puts in their notice, they then face a barrage of guilt-inducing blame and judgment, further eroding their self confidence and assertiveness. But it doesn’t end there.

Hosts Beckie Mossor, RVT and Dr. Ernie Ward also share their concerns about the rapidly approaching holiday season and the impact "holiday time off" may have on our already overwhelmed teams' morale, productivity, and patient care. Ho, ho, hold on for this one, Viewfinders!

This week our hosts discuss the importance of respectfully and professionally handling an employee leaving their job for another, and why exit interviews may, “help you save the rest,” as Dr. Ward puts it.

The pair also tackle the topic of holiday time off and each share real-time vacation dilemmas they are hearing from veterinary colleagues around the country. Beckie advises, “Get ahead of your holiday planning now!” We explain…

Viewfinders, once again we cover A LOT of territory in this half-hour conversation. Share your thoughts by email or direct message!

Burnout affects every veterinary professional, regardless of where they work, what they do, or how old or educated they are. This week we’re thrilled to share the mic with Dr. Ivan Zak as he shares insights from his recent veterinary burnout research.

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT are joined by Dr. Ivan “Zak” Zakharenkov, a veterinarian who recently conducted his MBA dissertation on “Veterinary Burnout.” Dr. Zak reviews the difference between burnout, compassion fatigue, depression and other psychological challenges faced by all veterinary professionals.

The trio tackle the differences between staff burnout in independent versus corporate veterinary clinics, which age groups are more likely to experience burnout, and why veterinary technicians may face additional risks. How to recognize burnout both in yourself and your colleagues is also a highlight of the conversation.

Several solutions are discussed in addition to how better “lean management” principles can help your team avoid burnout and achieve harmony.

Viewfinders, this is an important conversation to have as we enter a new year - and new decade. How are you handling burnout in your clinic? Have you experienced burnout or have your colleagues? Share your thoughts and experiences with us on our social media channels.

This week we’re celebrating FOUR YEARS and 208 EPISODES of the Veterinary Viewfinder Podcast!

Thank you for your loyal listening, sharing with colleagues, and being the best bunch of friends we could hope for!

We take a brief stroll down memory lane this week and share the many reasons why we still love talking with you (and each other!) each week for the past four years.

We then discuss the tremendous amount of feedback we received from last week’s podcast, “The Rise of Veterinary Influencers: Controversies and Opportunities.” You definitely want to hear this!

We also share our tips for surviving the “pandemic holidays,” why Beckie calls it the “Pan-damnit!” and how to remain positive despite the many challenges this year poses. Dr. Ward once again reminds us, “Tilt toward optimism” by using his simple gratitude practice.

Beckie gives us an update on the Veterinary Industry Giving Tree and Dr. Ward reveals how their 25th Annual Calabash Community Christmas Tree Lighting and Parade will go on this year…with quite a creative twist!

Viewfinders, we hope you enjoy this wide-ranging celebration episode. We really appreciate everyone who reached out and gave us feedback on last week’s episode. We definitely hit a professional pain point that needs more attention!

We hope you have a wonderful - and safe - Thanksgiving holiday! Can’t wait to talk to you next week!

Are you a veterinary influencer? Do you aspire to be called “an influencer?” If so, you may want to talk to Beckie first!

This week co-hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT tackle the rise of veterinary influencers. The duo discuss the controversies and opportunities of being a social media influencer, and their concerns over certain types of “veterinary influence.” Viewfinders, buckle up. This episode might get bumpy!

Beckie shares her concerns that some popular veterinarian influencers may be “driving a wedge” between veterinary professionals and pet parents. Dr. Ward muses that some veterinarians may be posting unprofessional or inappropriate content in an attempt to get more “likes.” Both hosts lament the promotion of uncredentialed, unlicensed, self-proclaimed pet experts to large veterinary CE keynote speakers. Told you it might be bumpy.

Viewfinders, this is an especially tough topic that deserves our profession’s attention. What do you think about the rise of veterinary and pet influencers? What are your suggestions for making sure we’re educating the pet loving public in a professional and responsible manner?

As people begin to return to work and resume the “new normal” of daily life, many veterinary professionals worry if we are communicating adequately with millions of new “pandemic pet parents.”

This week, hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT tackle the topics of how to ensure pet parents don’t miss essential veterinary care and services, socialization and training tips, and how to stay connected with your team during these stressful times.

The pair share stories from veterinary clinics around the country (good and not so good), offer advice on conducting online puppy socialization classes, tips for hosting Pandemic Pet Parent live webinars and “pawty’s,” and why you should offer dog training programs during this time.

The hosts also discuss the importance of paying close attention to the emotions of your team during the recovery period. Dr. Ward shares a recent story of the disconnect between a veterinary practice owner’s cheerful assessment of team morale and the harsh reality presented by the Practice Manager. Beckie provides guidance on creating a workplace where staff members can feel safe discussing their true feelings and concerns.

This is a wide-ranging an inspirational conversation packed with practical advice for any general veterinary practice.

With the 2018 Super Bowl this weekend, we decided to take a deep dive into what makes the best veterinary teams successful. Hosts Drs. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT review some of the common characteristics of the best teams, how to integrate new employees into your clinic team, what are some of the pitfalls of overstepping professional or personal boundaries in the workplace, and more. Learn what "Book Clubs and Bars" have to do with establishing appropriate professional relationships in your clinics. The trio offer advice on what to do with a toxic team member, Dr. Ward shares his love for personality testing his staff, and why written job descriptions, evaluations, mission statements, and appointment scripts are incredibly important for success. This wide-ranging conversation is sure to inspire you to make your team ready for the Big Game... and beyond!

The primary objective of medicine should be preventing disease. If that’s true, why do so many veterinary (and human) healthcare professionals find it challenging to talk to clients about preventive care? This week host veterinarians Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney along with registered veterinary technician Beckie Mossor explore the challenges, myths, and strategies for veterinary preventive care. Dog and cat nutrition, vaccines, parasiticides, oral health and dentistry, and senior pet care are just some of the topics the trio converse about in this week’s podcast. 

Being a veterinary client or patient in the human healthcare system can, well, suck! Why is client and patient service often underwhelming, rushed, and, insensitive in the medical professions? Hosts Drs. Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney along with registered veterinary technician Beckie Mossor share some of their most terrible medical appointment stories, common mistakes made in veterinary client service, and tips for making your team better. In this week's episode you'll also learn why Dr. Ward started giving money to his clients over 20 years ago and how any team can change their mindset with a few simple mental tricks. Join the conversation and share your thoughts on Facebook/VeterinaryViewfinder and Twitter @VetViewfinder.

Do veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and veterinary staff make good patients? Do we know too much, ask too many questions, demand too many answers of our own doctors and nurses? Veterinarians Ernie Ward & Cyndie Courtney along with veterinary technician Beckie Mossor dissect our own human health care experiences and share how we treat MD's and RN's when they turn to us for care. What do we love, and hate, about visiting our own physicians? How can veterinarians learn from the good, and bad, of the human health care system?

Pet obesity in the U.S. continued to steadily increase last year, affecting nearly 59% of cats and 54% of dogs, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP). During their ninth annual survey, APOP also found pet owners and veterinary professionals disagreed on key pet food issues such as the benefits of corn and grains, value of raw and organic diets, and the best sources of pet nutritional advice. Veterinarian and APOP founder Ernie Ward, Dr. Cyndie Courtney, and Beckie Mossor, RVT talk about these issues and more this week! Follow us on Facebook at Veterinary Viewfinder or Twitter @VetViewfinder