What the F**K Is This VetMed?

Book excerpt: The mythos of being a veterinarian is that you love all pets, and are so compassionate and empathetic that you would never let any animal suffer, and that you are endlessly available for pets and clients (at no personal cost). And, when the day is over, the mythos also says that a veterinarian then goes home, leaves work at work, and has a great personal life. They are an amazing parent, spouse, friend, son, or daughter. In short, the mythos is that we are supposed to easily juggle the roles of life and never skip a beat. I am pulling that myth out of the dark and into the light, where we can all see its dysfunction. It is an impossible standard and an unrealistic expectation, and many veterinarians are drowning in it! I know I was drowning. Trying to be everything to everyone, and never taking a moment to recognize what it was doing to me. The reality? Each day dawns to a schedule jammed full of appointments, emotional decisions, high-stakes moments, responsibilities to coworkers and business decisions (which somehow are never supposed to be emotionally absorbed or impact you personally). In this book, I offer friendly, hands-on, simple, and practical advice about how to recognize your power and then to harness it to build confidence and gain control of your life and career. This book is meant to prompt conversation about things we take for granted, to help build skills, and to offer perspective on stress management and the soft skills necessary to manage your day.