Mental Health Matters: Positive Practices To Support Yourself and Your Staff
1.0 CE Credit Hour / Veterinarians & Veterinary Technicians
Overview:
This program covers targeted positive practices and ways of working that support mental health in veterinarians. During this RACE-approved course, veterinarians, veterinary practice managers and those seeking a career in veterinary medicine will view data around mental health challenges in the profession, learn about effective policies, practices and changes that can help reduce stress and burnout, foster a more positive veterinary workplace experience, contribute to emotional wellbeing and ultimately, support career longevity for veterinary professionals.
Nearly every veterinarian has grappled with exhaustion, stress, or near-burnout at some point in their career. One out of 6 veterinarians have considered suicide, according to studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many veterinarians have lost friends in this profession to suicide; this needs to change. Healthy pets need healthy advocates and resilient veterinarians are better equipped to handle the daily demands of work, emergencies, and balancing self- and family care. However, resiliency does not mean sacrificing your mental health and wellbeing for your profession. It means changing the profession from the inside, so we can care for ourselves while providing amazing veterinary medical care.
As someone who hires, advocates for, and mentors veterinarians, Dr. Whitney Miller, DVM, MBA, DACVPM, Chief Veterinarian at Petco, advises doctors on healthy practice management and what to look for in a potential employer that will support their overall wellbeing, not just their career ambitions. Additional stories from veterinarians in the trenches will be shared.
During this course and conversation with Dr. Adam Christman, Dr. Miller will discuss how these core changes to “veterinary business as usual” can contribute to improved mental health for doctors and veterinary hospital staff. They will examine the impact of:
- Veterinary-Client-Pet Relationships
- Mental health benefits such as free access to licensed therapists
- Noncompete Contracts
- Diversity & Inclusivity
- Autonomous Medicine
- Continuous Learning
- Manageable Caseloads
- A Strong Peer Support Network
- Doctor-Directed Career Growth Paths
- Quota-driven Sales Pressure
- More
Learning Objectives:
- Understand key factors in veterinary practice management that can contribute to greater overall mental wellbeing, resilience and longevity for doctors and hospital teams.
- Learn to recognize important phrases and terms when evaluating job offers to make better-informed decisions that will support their emotional, as well as financial, wellbeing.
- Assess career opportunities and offers from veterinary practices.
- Learn how to advocate for their health and wellbeing.
Dr. Whitney Miller, DVM, MBA, DACVPM, Chief Veterinarian at Petco
Fueled by her passion for making a positive impact in pets’ lives, Dr. Whitney Miller (she/her/hers) serves as Petco’s Chief Veterinarian. In that role, she is the lead veterinary subject matter expert advising Petco as a health & wellness company and overseeing the company’s standards of excellence in animal care and welfare; provides strategic direction and medical management for Petco’s growth in veterinary services; and provides cross-functional support across the company to marketing, communications, legal, merchandising, pet services and more. Dr. Miller leads the Petco medical team, which supports over 200 full-service hospitals and mobile vaccination clinics operating in over 1,000 Petco Pet Care Centers nationwide. In addition, Dr. Miller is a member of the Petco Pet Wellness Council (PPWC), an independent coalition of leading experts in veterinary science and animal care that serve as an external source of unbiased advice and counsel to Petco on a range of topics across the pet care industry. The PPWC also guides the development and aggregation of credible pet care science to educate professionals and all who care about pets.
Over the course of her veterinary career, Dr. Miller has spent time in emergency and general companion animal veterinary practice, worked in pharmacovigilance reporting for Zoetis and spent time in federal government relations for the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), advocating on animal welfare issues. Dr. Miller received her DVM and MBA degrees from Colorado State University and has been board certified in preventive medicine since 2018. Dr. Miller continues to practice companion animal medicine every chance she gets.
Moderator: Fred Wininger, VMD, MS, DACVIM (Neurology)
Fred Wininger, VMD, MS, DACVIM (Neurology), originally from New Jersey, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania College of Veterinary Medicine. After completing a small animal rotating internship at the University of Georgia, he finished his neurology/neurosurgery residency at Washington State University. There he developed a love for neuroimaging and the development of a novel neuronavigation device. After joining the faculty at the University of Missouri, he applied these interests to develop therapies for both animals and children with the rare neurodegenerative disorder known as Batten disease (neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis) and was awarded the young investigator award by the Batten Disease Support & Research Association for his work. He then moved to St Louis, Missouri, where he practiced for several years and developed the first hybrid private practice/academic neurology residency program, which continues today. He currently practices at Charlotte Animal Referral & Emergency in North Carolina. In addition to his clinical and teaching responsibilities, Wininger owns and operates 3D Veterinary Printing, LLC, which creates anatomic models and customized surgical tools to aid veterinary surgeons and neurosurgeons around the world. He also is the founding treasurer of the Veterinary Neurosurgical Society, an active member of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, and adjunct professor for the University of Missouri. In his spare time, Wininger enjoys scuba diving, endurance sports, and exploring new places through their food.
This program has been approved for 1.0 hour of continuing education credit in jurisdictions that recognize RACE approval.
This activity is sponsored by Petco and Vetco Total Care.
