Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, MPA, RVT, have co-hosted their award-winning weekly veterinary podcast since 2016.
Each week, they “tackle the toughest topics in veterinary medicine,” highlighting controversial issues and trending news, introducing veterinary key opinion leaders and provocateurs, and offering solutions to the myriad challenges facing the veterinary profession.
Latest Podcast
Latest Podcast Episodes - Click to Listen
Fun with Feline Expert Dr. Susan Little
Dr. Susan Little is widely known and incredibly respected in the feline veterinary world. This week Dr. Ernie ward and registered veterinary technician Beckie Mossor sit down with Dr. Little and explore how she became a veterinarian, her unlikely journey to feline expert, her favorite tips and tricks for practicing feline medicine, and a genuinely good conversation about the trio's shared love of the veterinary profession. Whether you're a feline fanatic or lover of all animals, this episode will warm your heart and inspire your week!
Podcast: Does It Suck to be a Veterinary Client?
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.
Podcast: Why Mentoring Matters in the Veterinary Profession
Chances are, you’ve got plenty of people to thank for helping you attain the goal of working in the veterinary profession. Host veterinarians, Drs. Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney, along with registered veterinary technician, Beckie Mossor, share the tales of who mentored them, what mentoring means to them, and how you can become an effective mentor in your clinic. Dr. Ward frankly discusses why many veterinary clinics don’t hire high school students or participate in veterinary school externship programs. The panel shares the ways mentoring has positively impacted their lives and how to find — and become — the best mentor. Finally, the trio ask if virtual or online mentorship counts? What role does social media, internet, books, podcasts, and more play in shaping and developing our careers and professional lives?
Podcast: People Pleasing Problems and Imposter Syndrome in the Veterinary Profession
You know the saying, “You can’t please everybody?” Well, it’s true. Unfortunately, most veterinary healthcare professionals are pleasers by nature and try to please everybody all of the time, resulting in big problems. This week, host veterinarians Dr. Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney along with registered veterinary technician, Beckie Mossor, talk with Dr. Cherie Buisson about Imposter Syndrome in the veterinary profession. What exactly is “Imposter Syndrome,” how can you tell if you have it, simple steps to overcome it, and how to help those experiencing Imposter Syndrome in your clinic. The quartet also explores the problems with trying to please everybody - colleagues, bosses, and clients - and how to take, and give, constructive feedback. Join the conversation and share your thoughts on Facebook/VeterinaryViewfinder and Twitter @VetViewfinder.
Podcast: Ethical Dilemmas and Awkward Requests in Veterinary Practice
What do you do when you’re asked to do something unethical, immoral, illegal, or just plain weird in veterinary practice? What if it’s your boss, manager, or co-worker who asks you to do — or don’t do — something that makes you uncomfortable? Hosts Drs. Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney with registered veterinary technician Beckie Mossor tackle the tough topic of responding to these challenging scenarios in this week’s podcast.
Podcast: Dealing with Veterinary Medical Mistakes
Medical mistakes are estimated to result in over 250,000 human deaths in the U.S. each year. What about in veterinary medicine? What types of medical mistakes do we commonly encounter in our animal patients? What are steps we can do prevent medical mistakes and how should a veterinary clinic team respond when mistakes are made? Host veterinarians Drs. Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney along with registered veterinary technician Beckie Mossor discuss real-world problems, their experiences, and offer suggestions and advice on avoiding medical mistakes in your clinic. Dr. Ward also shares a unique program from Australia to help you reduce medical errors.
Podcast: Non-Veterinary Pet Professionals: Enemies or Allies?
This week our hosts discuss how should veterinary professionals work with other pet care providers? Drs. Ernie Ward and Cyndie Courtney along with registered veterinary technician Beckie Mossor contemplate the roles and responsibilities veterinarians and veterinary technicians have when referring to pet care individuals such as trainers, groomers, pet sitters, and boarding facilities. What should the veterinary profession do about unlicensed, non-credentialed, uneducated individuals offering advice on animal care? How can we determine which non-veterinary providers are safe for our patients and clients? How can we foster collaboration between veterinary professionals and everyone else? As Dr. Ward states, “This is an incredibly important topic that touches us all.”
Podcast: Veterinary Clinic Disaster Preparedness Tips from ASPCA
This week host veterinarian Dr. Ernie Ward and veterinary technician Beckie Mossor are talking disaster preparedness for veterinary teams with ASPCA official Gina Manke. Learn how Gina got started with the ASPCA, what the top deployments are for ASPCA teams and volunteers, and how you can help in this week's podcast.
Podcast: 2017 AVMA Conference Attendee Interviews - (Special Edition!)
This is a special edition of the Veterinary Viewfinder. If you haven’t listened to episode 035, 2017 AVMA Conference podcast, please check it out to provide context for these unedited attendee interviews. Co-host Dr. Cyndie Courtney interviews several attendees of the 2017 American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. Dr. Courtney explores what attendees like or dislike about the AVMA an organized veterinary medicine, what their personal involvement is, and how to encourage veterinarians to become engaged in their profession. These three group discussions with experienced and new veterinarians and veterinary medical school students provide interesting insights into the topics on the minds of our colleagues. Join the conversation and share your thoughts on Facebook/VeterinaryViewfinder and Twitter @VetViewfinder.
Podcast: Overcoming Pet Cancer with @DrSueCancerVet
This week we talk about cancer in pets with veterinary oncologist Dr. Sue Ettinger. Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward & Beckie Mossor, RVT are rejoined with Dr. Cyndie Courtney after her maternity leave. This episode focuses on how the veterinary team should approach cancer, the best ways to share a cancer diagnosis with pet owners, why Dr. Ward believes being non-judgmental is key to successful outcomes and emotional well-being of our staff, the role of veterinary technicians in helping cancer patients, and many more important topics concerning cancer.
Podcast: Workplace Warfare with Debbie Boone CVPM
Find out why Dr. Ward says, "You do not cure cancer by watching it grow."
Does your front staff fight your back? Do your technicians battle your receptionists? Does everyone combat the boss or manager? According to host veterinarian Dr. Ernie Ward, workplace warfare affects nearly every veterinary practice around the world. Team disharmony negatively impacts patient care and productivity. This week Dr. Ward and co-host veterinary technician/nurse are joined by practice consultant and Certified Veterinary Practice Manager, Debbie Boone to discuss how you can overcome workplace tension and stress. A wide-ranging conversation covering common causes of conflict, how your attitude contributes or lessens tension, and simple steps anyone can take to better enjoy their work.
Podcast: Veterinary Euthanasia, Hospice, and more with Dr. Dani McVety
This week host veterinarian Dr. Ernie Ward and veterinary technician Beckie Mossor have a deep conversation on euthanasia, veterinary hospice, compassion fatigue and more with Dr. Dani McVety. Dr. McVety is co-founder of Lap of Love, an in-home veterinary euthanasia and hospice care service. We discuss why Dr. McVety chose to pursue a career in veterinary euthanasia and hospice, best practices for in-home euthanasia, and how any veterinary team member can help provide a more comfortable euthanasia experience for pet owners. This is a wide-ranging conversation concerning what Dr. Ward calls, "Our most important procedure." Join the conversation on Facebook and @VetViewfinder
It’s the time of year when veterinary clinics revisit their staff policies, but how do you implement them without creating chaos or resentment? In this week’s episode of “The Veterinary Viewfinder,” Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mosser, MPA, RVT, dive into the challenges of rolling out new rules, such as sick leave policies, PTO usage, and vacation time, in a way that ensures fairness and team cohesion.
The co-hosts explore common pitfalls in policy implementation, such as reactionary rule-making after isolated incidents such as “sick-outs” and chronic absenteeism, and explain why sudden, poorly communicated policy changes can erode trust. They also discuss the importance of balancing structure with empathy and emphasize collaborative approaches to decision-making that involve the entire team.
The episode also unpacks why policies requiring sick employees to provide doctor’s notes can send a harmful message of distrust and why flexible, inclusive guidelines create a healthier workplace culture. Dr. Ward and Beckie share real-world stories of successful—and unsuccessful—policy rollouts, offering actionable tips to help veterinary managers make thoughtful, equitable decisions.
If you’re a practice owner, manager, or team member, tune in to learn how to create policies that support your team while keeping your clinic running smoothly. Let’s make 2024 the year of fair, effective policies in veterinary medicine!