Your Veterinary Voice, Episode 18: Connecting with Bash Halow

When we here at dvm360 reimagined the former CVC as Fetch dvm360 conference, we established a set of four guiding principles that we stand for in proving innovative adult education to veterinary professionals: Nurture, Inspire, Connect and Equip. We want attendees to feel nurtured during this time off from practice, inspired to make changes in their lives for the better, connected to other professionals from all over the country at the conference, and equipped to go home and start improving things.

When we set out to meet up with veterinary experts we thought exemplified each of these pillars, we immediately thought of Fetch dvm360 speaker (and previous Your Veterinary Voice guest) Bash Halow, LVT, CVPM, to talk about how his sessions relate to the Inspire pillar. But in typical Halow fashion, he immediately threw us a curveball.

"I think I'm gonna change to Connect," he said.

So, just like that we were talking about the idea of connecting.

And when Halow explains why this pillar resonates with him, it makes sense. His interest isn't only in connecting with attendees (who also connect with each other), but in connecting large, seemingly abstract ideas to everyday practice. That's because the same wasn't done for him early in his career.

Need more Bash Halow? Click through.

Your Veterinary Voice episode 7: Meet Bash Halow, LVT, CVPM.

Coffee on the Couch: A conversation with Bash Halow, LVT, CVPM.

Think of change as a jingle in your pocket: How veterinary professionals can benefit from embracing the new.

"When I had an opportunity to teach, I was trying to find a more colloquial, familiar way to bring these concepts to attendees in a way that they could understand," he says. "So I'm continually looking for ways to wake people up and make them realize that even in their small practice, the things we're talking about are very much applicable to them."

This is where we begin our discussion.

Focusing on the key takeaway

As his ideas of what it means to lead a classroom have changed, so has Halow's concept of driving the message home. To that end, Halow doesn't dispatch attendees with lofty action plans. He focuses on the key takeaway: "I don't send them home with a long list. I want to send them home with an 'aha!' moment."

Jump to 4:46 to hear how this makes the message more permanent.

Tooting our own horn?

OK, honestly, if you're listening to this podcast, we didn't just bring Bash Halow in and bribe him to praise our new way of doing things at Fetch dvm360. But, hot off of some inspired sessions in Virginia Beach, that's just what he did.

Jump to 8:23 to get his glowing takes on the Fetch attendee journal and real-time polling as used during sessions.

Great teachers learn from their students

One more thought on connecting: Halow shared a story of how, during a lecture about firing, the audience turned the tables on him, offering real-world advice on how they would've handled his hypothetical problem employee.

"Those attendees walked me through the reasons why I should've terminated that individual," he says. "It turned into this forum of learning. And it was great."

You can click to 10:19 to hear about the teacher becoming the student.

You. Can. Do. This!

At Fetch dvm360 conference, we're the support system you need. With every conference this year, we intend to nurture your mind (meaning quality CE for days) while also encouraging you to take stock of your physical and emotional health. Register now.