The Weekly Evolution
Your weekly dose of realness and inspo in vet med

On Monday we’ll officially enter into a new season: fall. Fall is a time for letting go, inner reflection, and gratitude. We can align with fall's energy by focusing on grounding activities in nature or with loved ones, eating and drinking things that are warmed and spiced, and practicing mindfulness. It’s the perfect time to pull out your DREAMS Journal and start that morning routine.

Things We’re Saying Goodbye to in Veterinary Medicine

This past Sunday we posted about Things We're Saying Goodbye to in Vet Med. Hundreds of vet professionals engaged & chimed in.

Here’s a few things shared:

• Talking sh*t about clients
• 12+ hour shifts with no lunch break
• Telling younger generations not to become a vet
• Fear of negotiating for your worth
• Leadership that says “well that’s how it’s always been done”
• Apologizing for charging fairly for our services
• Not asking for help when we lose our spark
• Wearing exhaustion like a badge of honor
• Letting imposter syndrome keep us small
• Thinking clinical skills are all that matters
• Using more restraint than what’s needed handling patients
• Staying late writing medical records

Does this resonate with you? The culture in vet med often pushes us to work harder, care more, and basically sacrifice ourselves in the name of the job. But guess what? That culture is broken, and it’s time we fix it.

Let’s be real: working in vet med is hard. If you’re feeling like you’re running on fumes, you’re not alone. 

A recent AVMA study cited “Serious psychological distress was more common among veterinarians than in the general population. Veterinarians on average were more likely to score higher in neuroticism than nonveterinarians, and neuroticism was a predictor of low well-being, poor mental health, and burnout. Work-life balance, an effective coping mechanism for stress, and working in a positive clinic culture were among the significant factors that predicted good well-being and mental health and reduced burnout.”

The good news? You don’t have to live in that constant state of “Ugh, I can’t keep doing this.” Breaking the burnout cycle is totally possible if you’re willing to make a few shifts.

Read more on our blog Breaking the Burnout Cycle: Simple Strategies for Thriving in Vet Med.

What’s New on the Pod?

We released a new podcast  episode yesterday with Dr. Jamie Perkins, who leads the enormously impactful DVMoms group. This community was started by two exhausted veterinarian moms as a Facebook group, and has now grown to over 30,000 members. There's often over 200 posts a day! In October, they're hosting an in-person conference in New Orleans.

🎧You can also listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts