Veterinary Book Review - Business Basics for Veterinarians

The title says it all. This book introduces basic business concepts and illustrates with veterinary examples that make them easy to understand.  The visual aids within the book are particularly helpful at illustrating more complicated concepts.

Each chapter covers a fundamental topic from basic leadership, accounting, marketing, operations and finance.

This book is clearly intended for any veterinarian or veterinary student, not just those interested in practice management or ownership. 

Each topic covered can either boost a veterinarian’s personal financial or leadership skills or help them better understand clients’ and practice owners’ motivations.

For those who *do* want to develop business expertise, this book provides a good foundation to build upon.

I would recommend this very readable book to any veterinarian who wants to increase their basic business literacy.

You can find this book here. 

If you enjoy this book, a good follow up read would be The Personal MBAby Josh Kaufman

Practice Like the Best

Practice Like the Best

Last year Veterinary Team Brief asked me to write a set of articles about how veterinarians can adapt some of the best practices of companies like the Mayo Clinic, Starbucks, Apple, and Southwest, to their clinics.

I learned so much while writing these. The most fascinating part was how the Mayo Clinic emphasizes practicing medicine and making medical decisions as a team.

You can find the articles in the May/June issue of Veterinary Team Brief and here online.

Daring to Change the World

Is "Vet Changes World" too daring a blog name?

At first I thought so. Thoughts like "How much of a difference will I really make?" and "What if I don't change things fast enough?" kept pestering me.

Ages ago, as an undergraduate in college at William and Mary, I majored in business as well as biology. At first, business (marketing specifically) was a back-up major in case my veterinary dreams fell through. However, it quickly became clear that the business skills I was learning would make me a much better veterinarian.

Every day, pets live and die based on the cost of treatment and a vet's advice. Vets who communicate well and who are cost efficient save pets' lives.

Vets that have *key business skills* save pets' lives.

When I realized this, I realized I could change the world. If I could teach other veterinarians these same skills, just think of how many pets we could help!

Through the rest of college and veterinary school I realized there were even more ways that veterinarians help change the world. We are shoulders to cry on, protectors of the food supply, and sentinels for new diseases. These discoveries made me feel even more empowered to make a difference.

If I'm so determined to use what I know for good, what's the hang-up on my blog name?

Finally I had to ask myself, "Am I daring enough to declare my intent to change the world and brave enough to let others call me out on it if I don't?"

Turns out that I am.

Hold me to it.