My Veterinary Life

Our guest for this episode is Lowell Midla, VMD, MS, a Cattle Technical Services Veterinarian at Merck Animal Health. Growing up on a cattle farm we hear how he wanted to be a scientist, engineer, and a vet to solve infectious bovine kerato-conjunctivitis. From joining a mixed animal practice out of vet school to learning thru emergencies, and ultimately being prepared for opportunities, we hear how vet med is like Forest Gump’s box of chocolates. He is definitely someone we want to stand within 6 feet of to just listen, and we finally learned the true meaning of VMD!Remember we want to hear from you! Please be sure to subscribe to our feed on Apple Podcasts and leave us a ratings and review. You can contact us at MVLPodcast@avma.orgFollow us on social media @AVMAVets #MyVetLife #MVLPodcast

Our guest this episode is the one and only Dr. Andy Roark. He is a practicing veterinarian, international speaker, author, media personality, the founder of the Uncharted Veterinary Conference, and was the VBMA National President. We talk about how following a girl to the labs at the National Institute of Health and volunteering at the zoo leads to a Vet degree and working on a snake farm during grad school. We speak about sharing content on social media, mentoring, taking the initiative, and most importantly - communicating what you need to grow. We also learn the importance of social events and casual meetups at conferences. Remember we want to hear from you! Please be sure to subscribe to our feed on Apple Podcasts and leave us a ratings and review. You can also contact us at MVLPodcast@avma.orgYou can also follow us on social media @AVMAVets #MyVetLife #MVLPodcast

Dr. Jeff Olivarez returns to the podcast to give us his dos and don’ts of internship. Now an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Agricultural Animal Medicine and Surgery Department at Washington State University, he talks about being involved in SAVMA and realizing his love for students as a driving force for pursuing an internship. We learn great life lessons about comparisons, finding a broad-based support system, and how splitting your pants on the first day can lead to something great. Remember we want to hear from you! Please be sure to subscribe to our feed on Apple Podcasts and leave us a ratings and review. You can also contact us at MVLPodcast@avma.orgYou can also follow us on social media @AVMAVets #MyVetLife #MVLPodcast

Matt Asciutto, DVM is our guest, and we learn so much from him! He is an ER overnight relief vet, a dad, a podcast host, a songwriter, and an author. According to Matt, he did not follow the ‘normal’ route into vet school but instead followed a girl after trading improv lessons for vet care. We cover everything from parenthood, daycare guilt, writing a song about metronidazole, and inspiring others who are not traditionally interested in vet med. His tales from the cage side leave us with such hope for the endless possibilities of our profession! Remember we want to hear from you! Please be sure to subscribe to our feed on Apple Podcasts and leave us a ratings and review. You can also contact us at MVLPodcast@avma.orgYou can also follow us on social media @AVMAVets #MyVetLife #MVLPodcast

Wrapping up our internship series with deep diving into the lab animal specialty. Our guest, Jessica Plunkard, DVM, MPH, did her Lab Animal Residency at Johns Hopkins University. We hear how she became interested in lab animal before starting vet school and we learn about the match process and most importantly, the early deadlines. From managing colony health to facilities to staff, residency gives a lot of hands-on experience, especially when you start overseeing cases in the 2nd month! We discuss the smaller specialty with a tight-knit group and pranking with a whoopie cushion and a camera!Remember we want to hear from you! Please be sure to subscribe to our feed on Apple Podcasts and leave us a ratings and review. You can also contact us at MVLPodcast@avma.orgYou can also follow us on social media @AVMAVets #MyVetLife #MVLPodcast

Continuing our internship series, this episode we talk about all things zoo medicine internship and residency with Dr. Rachel Tuner and Dr. Liandrie Swanepoel. From bears to alligators, lions, and rabbits, our guests have seen it all! Dr. Turner is an associate veterinarian at the Birmingham Zoo, and she tells is about both her internships and her 3-year zoo med residency at the University of Florida. While Dr. Swanepoel talks about her hybrid internship at the University of Tennessee. We discuss these highly competitive internships, residency vs. internships, being fluid and flexible, and thriving with new challenges daily. We end the episode with some great advice about not getting a match, not comparing paths, and hanging on to your sense of wonder. Remember we want to hear from you! Please be sure to subscribe to our feed on Apple Podcasts and leave us a ratings and review. You can also contact us at MVLPodcast@avma.orgYou can also follow us on social media @AVMAVets #MyVetLife #MVLPodcast

As we continue in our internship series, our guest for this episode is Dr. Shireen Zolghadri and she shares her experience pursuing an equine internship. We start with her background growing up in Georgia with no animals in the house. During high school we hear how she shadowed in an ER Vet on Sundays. Wanting to stay involved, Dr. Zolghardi shares how she made it a point to join a variety of clubs and be a contributing member, including becoming the Treasurer of the Student Chapter of AAEP (SCAAEP) and Marketing Director of the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA). We compare internships to house shopping and dive into the application process. We talk about the challenges she faced in different states of her career- from vet student to newly graduated doctor to clinician and learning to be on call. Remember we want to hear from you! Please be sure to subscribe to our feed on Apple Podcasts and leave us a ratings and review. You can also contact us at MVLPodcast@avma.orgYou can also follow us on

We are kicking off a new series, all about internships. Dr. Emily Tincher is the current Sr. Director of Pet Health at Nationwide Pet and our first guest of this series! We dive into all things internship related as she talks about the decision to take a year to invest in herself and do the internship, her priorities/criteria for matching. We discuss the ranking and matching process and how to negotiate the internship. We talk about the big 3 things to know before getting started and so much more! Remember we want to hear from you! Please be sure to subscribe to our feed on Apple Podcasts and leave us a ratings and review. You can also contact us at MVLPodcast@avma.orgYou can also follow us on social media @AVMAVets #MyVetLife #MVLPodcast

This week’s episode of My Veterinary Life Podcasts features two very special guests. We are joined by Drs. Megan Skeffington and Christy Michael to talk about Artificial Intelligence. They both have the opportunity to follow this passion with their work at IDEXX. It is a great conversation focused on what artificial intelligence is and is not, opportunities to utilize AI in veterinary medicine and so much more. It’s a fun, informative conversation that you won’t want to miss!Remember we want to hear from you! Please be sure to subscribe to our feed on Apple Podcasts and leave us a ratings and review. You can also contact us at MVLPodcast@avma.org You can also follow us on social media @AVMAVets #MyVetLife #MVLPodcast

Buckle in as we chase passions with Beth Venit, VMD, MPH, DACVPM! As a late bloomer, we hear how she tried it all from park ranger, marine biologist, to veterinarian. She discusses her difficult decision to leave the ER practice she loved for a lifestyle shift, which led to an exploration of public policy work as a AAAS Fellow and at the US Department of State. Seeking new professional growth, she is now the Chief Veterinary Officer of the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB). As we say in the episode, we could all use a “little Beth” in our pocket, as she is enthusiastic about the many ways she can support other veterinarians in this role! Remember we want to hear from you! Please be sure to subscribe to our feed on Apple Podcasts and leave us a ratings and review. You can also contact us at MVLPodcast@avma.org You can also follow us on social media @AVMAVets #MyVetLife #MVLPodcast

Cathy Santos, a student at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, is our guest for this episode. We refer to her as “our Cathy” as she is a student extern with the membership division for the AVMA. She tells us the story of being saved by a terrier and how it has led her to become a veterinarian. She discusses being empowered to try new things during convention week, imposter syndrome, and the interworking’s of the AVMA. From social networking, making personal connections, giving lectures, our Cathy has experienced just a few of the endless opportunities available. We are so excited to share this conversation with you. Remember we want to hear from you! Please be sure to subscribe to our feed on Apple Podcasts and leave us a ratings and review. You can also contact us at MVLPodcast@avma.orgYou can also follow us on social media @AVMAVets #MyVetLife #MVLPodcast

Our guest for this episode is one of the keynote speakers at the 2023 AVMA Convention. Mariana Atencio is a Peabody award-winning journalist, best-selling author, motivational speaker, and television host. She recaps her keynote speech and encourages us to walk in our power. We learn that there are parallels across all professions about thinking on your feet, being authentic and flipping the script. Be sure to stay tuned through the end to catch our surprise guest during the interview! We are so excited to share this conversation with you. Remember we want to hear from you! Please be sure to subscribe to our feed on Apple Podcasts and leave us a ratings and review. You can also contact us at MVLPodcast@avma.orgYou can also follow us on social media @AVMAVets #MyVetLife #MVLPodcastYou can learn more about Mariana and her book at https://mariana-atencio.com/

Our special guest for this episode is Dr. Caleb Frankel, Founder/CEO of Instinct Science, ER Veterinarian, and Author/Speaker. We hear how he became passionate about emergency and critical care and how that led to an intense interest with the state of technology in vet med. From dumpster diving in the middle of the night to having a start-up in his basement, this episode addresses challenges and follows passions. Remember we want to hear from you! Please be sure to subscribe to our feed on Apple Podcasts and leave us a ratings and review. You can also contact us at MVLPodcast@avma.orgYou can also follow us on social media @AVMAVets #MyVetLife #MVLPodcast

This is our quarterly vet debt session and our guest is Dr. Elaina Petrone, DVM and owner at Long Branch Animal Hospital. As a graduate from the University of Pennsylvania in 2014, she is not shy about her debt. We hear how she accidentally started planning out the repayment road on a group date and now has an annual wellness exam for debt to help stay on track. We hear how important it was important to her to build wealth while also paying on student loans. Please remember: this is Dr. Petrone's individual story, not personalized financial advice. Remember we want to hear from you! Please be sure to subscribe to our feed on Apple Podcasts and leave us a ratings and review. You can also contact us at MVLPodcast@avma.orgYou can also follow us on social media @AVMAVets #MyVetLife #MVLPodcast

In this episode we talk to Dr. Elliot Garber. He is a Veterinarian, entrepreneur, author, public health practitioner, and Army officer. A Tuft's graduate with MPH and DVM, he was the recipient of received an Army scholarship so we talk about that experience and what life was like right after graduation. He discusses writing a novel, selling 2 businesses, and keeping a healthy appetite for risk. We hear how commenting on Facebook posts can lead to new connections and new business ideas. He gives great advice about keeping his options open and setting yourself up for success! We are so excited to share his journey with you. Remember we want to hear from you! Please be sure to subscribe to our feed on Apple Podcasts and leave us a ratings and review. You can also contact us at MVLPodcast@avma.orgYou can also follow us on social media @AVMAVets #MyVetLife #MVLPodcast

Our guest for this episode is Theo Berlanga, current veterinarian student at the University of Illinois. We hear their moving story and all the ways to actively get involved with diversity, equity, and inclusion. Theo disucsses the importantance of sharing stories and making connections as well as the difference between malice and ignorance. We hope this episode inspires you as much as it inspires us! Remember we want to hear from you! Please be sure to subscribe to our feed on Apple Podcasts and leave us a ratings and review. You can also contact us at MVLPodcast@avma.orgYou can also follow us on social media @AVMAVets #MyVetLife #MVLPodcast

Claire Simeone, DVM, marine mammal veterinarian and founder of Sea Change Health is our guest for this episode. She recalls her childhood with supportive parents who watched TV with 6 mice-- yes six as an experiment! She tells us her fears of the emergency room and how she became involved in TED Talks. Climate change is a passion of hers, and we talk about each animal playing their role in our climate. She ends by giving us great advice about trying to save the world. We hope you will share your snake stories with us after enjoying this episode! Remember we want to hear from you! Please be sure to subscribe to our feed on Apple Podcasts and leave us a ratings and review. You can also contact us at MVLPodcast@avma.orgYou can also follow us on social media @AVMAVets #MyVetLife #MVLPodcastYou can find Dr. Simeone's Ted Talk here: https://www.ted.com/talks/dr_claire_simeone_how_medicine_holds_keys_for_conservation?language=en

Our special guest for this episode is Dani Rabwin, DVM, the Founder/CEO of Ready, Vet, Go! We find out how she juggles clinical medicine, emergency medicine, and starting her mentorship company during the pandemic. We focus on the human side of vet med and how making connections and teaching tools can lead to a long, satisfying career. We wrap up with Dr. Rabwin sharing some brilliant advice that we hope will stay with you!Remember we want to hear from you! Please be sure to subscribe to our feed on Apple Podcasts and leave us a ratings and review. You can also contact us at MVLPodcast@avma.orgYou can also follow us on social media @AVMAVets #MyVetLife #MVLPodcast

This episode we bring you some heavyweight guests: Latonia Craig, Ed.D. Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer at the AVMA, Brigette Dean-Hines, DVM, Kentucky State VMA President, Rebecca Stinson, DVM, AVMA Trust Student Services Manager, and Jennifer Quammen, DVM, AVMA Vice President. We learn about their outreach trip to Central High Magnet Career Academy in Louisville, KY where Muhammad Ali, the original heavyweight, graduated. Central High has a large pre-veterinary sciences program, and we find out how our guests connected with the next generation by exposing, educating, and providing opportunities for access into vet med. From the one-on-one interactions to carnival-like games about palpating large animals, we learn about the students' experience and the impressive questions they posed along the way. This episode has it all. We hope the conversation will inspire you to do something similar in your community. There are wonderful ideas sprinkled throughout our conversaiton to get you started! Rem

Dr. Annie Chavent, DVM, MBA, gets put in the hot seat as a guest along with Dr. Lauren Rowe, DVM. We dive deep into their roles as Assistant Directors at the AVMA. We find out how they landed their roles at the AVMA and how they have transitioned from all online during COVID now to in-person school visits. We discuss clinical skills translating to the office, like triaging and effective communication. We hope you fall for this episode like the snow fell at the 2023 SAVMA Symposium! Remember we want to hear from you! Please be sure to subscribe to our feed on Apple Podcasts and leave us a ratings and review. You can also contact us at MVLPodcast@avma.orgYou can also follow us on social media @AVMAVets #MyVetLife #MVLPodcast