I don’t take a direct path to anything. While others think the best path is a straight line, I tend to roll down the hill, uncontrolled, skillfully dodging (or crashing through) obstacles in my way. Like a cat, I always land on my feet, ready to take the next steps down whichever path I choose. Most people look at an alternative path as a disadvantage, but I have learned to embrace it as my greatest advantage. Others see impossibility where I see opportunity.

My path to veterinary school was less like a road and more like a pinball game, with me as the star ball. No one was sure where I would end up, or if I would make it anywhere at all. A path that takes most students 26 to 28 years has taken me 32, in part due to all the detours I took along the way. But those detours afforded me experience that cannot be taught in the most prestigious classroom: lessons in flexibility, initiative and the courage and creativity to look at things from an unorthodox perspective.

Naturally, it was with particular excitement and joy that I looked toward veterinary school graduation, the affirmation that despite all the trips and train wrecks, and all the people along the way who said I couldn’t or never would, that 

. Little did I know that getting hooded by my dear mentors in front of loving family and friends was not meant to be.

Watching the news, hearing about friends sick and dying, I was absolutely repulsed at myself for allowing something as superficial as walking across a stage distract me from the threat faced by loved ones on the East Coast and across the globe. If anyone could deal with the anticlimax of having my grand ceremony replaced by a PowerPoint presentation, it should have been me.

But as much as I tried to push it out of my head, as much as I continued to do what I could to offer support in this unprecedented time of need, the thought persisted. Our last days on the clinic floors, rotations that we spent the better part of a year trying to organize, and chances to mentor the class of 2021 as they navigated their first steps on the clinic floor have been replaced by online learning. After a year of being out of the classroom setting, learning to live and blossom as practicing clinicians, we now find ourselves again among the flashing lights and ringing bells as we get smacked unexpectedly from place to place, free-falling to the next unknown, unsure where we will end up. It’s easy to get caught up in that narrative, and not so easy to decide not to be the ball, to take the impossible hand that we have been dealt and see opportunity.

Everyone leaves vet school being told that they can shape the world, change the profession and forge the way, leaving footsteps for future generations to follow. Never before has this opportunity been so immediate as it has with us, the class of 2020. We stand in a doorway about to enter a world upside down. Every hour of veterinary experience, every class attempting to teach us how to interact with clients and advocate for the best interests of their pets reads like some archaic tome.

speeding downhill, not really knowing what is ahead and forced to decide whether to keep dodging (or crashing through) our obstacles and adapting to the unexpected twists and turns in our path. It is no longer enough to work hard, no longer enough to have the skills and knowledge to understand the inner workings of our patients and why they are coming to us. We now need the creativity to figure out new ways to approach old problems and create a new normal. We need the flexibility to keep trying when those ideas fail and, more than ever, we need to be prepared to deal with and respond to the mounting anti-intellectual dialog that undermines our work and compromises the global population.

Whether we aim to become clinicians, to protect the world’s food source or enter into research developing new and effective viral surveillance methods so that we may be better prepared to deal with the next spillover event, we are essential. This time, albeit sad and disappointing, is one of the most exciting times to be a veterinarian. I for one am ready for that downhill tumble. I hope that you will all join me, and perhaps even pick me up when I fall. The people who went from being our competition in the application pool to our peers in school will now need to be the rocks that support us as we all navigate this new world together.

Yes, it is awful that we were denied the opportunity to celebrate our achievements in the face of a one-micron microbe. But rather than dwell on what we can’t change, let’s instead focus on celebrating our achievement and demonstrating the unique qualifications that enable us to meet the demands of this changing world. We are the most equipped to not only educate and advocate for, but to protect from the ongoing threat of zoonosis, this world, our loved ones and the amazing creatures that we have devoted our lives to serving.

As someone who has not taken a single direct path to anything, I look forward to the future, to discovering the wonder, excitement and fun of redefining convention and creating a better and safer world in the process.

Dr. Eisenmann earned his DVM from Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine last month.

Articles


On the precipice of graduation, one new veterinarian chooses to look boldly toward the future rather than dwell on what he has missed.


An open letter to my fellow 2020 graduates 

In the first confirmed pet dog case in the U.S., a German shepherd in New York State has tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, according to 

 released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL).

In late April, we reported that a pug in North Carolina 

 for the virus as part of a Duke University surveillance study, but confirmatory testing by the NVSL in late May was unable to verify infection in that dog. “No virus was isolated and there was no evidence of an immune response using the available test,” said NVLS spokesperson Lyndsay Cole in a statement from the agency.

In the current case, one of the German shepherd’s owners had tested positive for COVID-19 and another person in the home had symptoms consistent with the virus prior to the dog showing mild respiratory signs. A second dog in the household has shown no signs of illness, but antibody testing does suggest exposure to the virus, according to the USDA. The affected dog is expected to make a full recovery.

SARS-CoV-2 infections have been reported in a handful of animals worldwide, mostly those that have been in close contact with a person who was sick with COVID-19, like the 

. State and local animal health and public health officials are working with the USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to decide when and how animals should be tested for SARS-CoV-2. The USDA says it is posting all NVSL-confirmed animal cases 

“We are still learning about SARS-CoV-2 in animals, but there is currently no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading the virus,” the USDA statement reads.

Testing by the USDA confirms that this the first case of the virus in a pet dog in the U.S.

New York dog tests positive for SARS-CoV-2, but pet cases remain rare

Do you want want your practice to remain resilient during these unprecented times? The Uncharted Veterinary Virtual Conference, which will be held June 11-14, was created to do just that and more. This program is designed for people who have a basic understanding of marketing and want to to learn new and advanced strategies to strengthen their practice.

Workshops average less than 25 individuals per session, and each attendee has multiple opportunities to attend workshops. This virtual learning environment also allows for one-on-one learning and advanced education. 

"We have practice management sessions covering everything from practice finance in the age of COVID, to effective public speaking to motivate teams, to building a practice in a recession. We will have networking sessions, our virtual banquet and even our signature Choose Your Own Adventure (CYOA) Sessions," says Uncharted Veterinary Community founder Andy Roark, DVM, MS.

For more information and to register for this event, go 

An immersive, online workshop and discussion-driven marketing and strategy event designed to help you thrive during these unprecedented times in veterinary medicine.

Uncharted Veterinary Virtual Conference: Learn how to recession proof your veterinary practice

For Stéphie-Anne Dulièpre, a recent graduate from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and community outreach chair of the 

Multicultural Veterinary Medical Association

, the journey to becoming a veterinarian, while rewarding at times, was met with some serious challenges.

"In terms of my experience coming in [to veterinary school], I think of it as being both a racial and cultural minority, and I was hit with that from the get-go."

Dr. Dulièpre, a first-generation Haitian-American, was born in Queens, NY and moved to Haiti when she was 3 months old. She lived there until she was 11, then moved back to New York. She always had a love for animals but never dreamed of becoming veterinarian. In fact, up until age 17, she strongly considered becoming an architect. But after some serious soul searching, she realized that her passion was right under her nose. 

"Subconsiously, I think I always wanted to work with animals. I just didn't know what that looked like," she says, adding that just six years ago she learned that her uncle in Haiti was a veterinarian.

Growing up around animals in her family home in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Dr. Dulièpre was always responsible for taking care of the turtle doves, chickens, goats and other animals. Her family pets were dogs, but she was also known for trying to rescue stray cats in the community.

Fast forward several years: All the stars have aligned, she was accepted into veterinary school and today Dr. Duliepre works as a public health veterinarian with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In the video below, Dr. Duliepre shares some of the obstacles she faced as a minority in a predominately white veterinary school. 

Videos

Brand new veterinarian Dr. Stéphie-Anne Dulièpre shares some of the challenges she faced as one of very few people of color at her veterinary school.

The veterinary school experience of a first-generation Haitian-American 

The Pride Veterinary Medical Community (PrideVMC) announced this week the winners of its two new student awards, the Student Diversity Bonus Award and the Student Intersectionality Award—both sponsored by Merck Animal Health.

Jessica Rutten, a student at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, received the Diversity Bonus Award and Kaitlin Brown, a student at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, received the Student Intersectionality Award.

Brown and Rutten were selected because of their “commitment to diversity and inclusion, the professionalism of their award applications, and the creativity and innovation evident in their application essays,” according to an organizational release.

Each will receive a $4,000 scholarship on behalf of Merck Animal Health.

Student Diversity Bonus Award Recipient: Jessica Rutten

, in which author Scott E. Page highlights some of the key benefits of all forms of diversity, including improved decision making, increased creativity and less job turnover.

For Rutten, this achievement highlights two of her passions, LGBTQ+ pride, and diversity and inclusion. “Receiving this award has me feeling both honored and proud to be an active participant at the intersection of veterinary medicine and the LGBTQ+ community,” says Rutten.

Student Intersectionality Award Recipient: Kaitlin Brown

Intersectionality is “the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group,” according to the release.

Acknowledging this oppression can help enhance efforts to stop discrimination and promote equality. "Winning this award means so much to me …Thank you so much to PrideVMC for sponsoring a scholarship that promotes diversity and intersectionality within the veterinary community,” says Brown.

Scott Bormann, senior vice president of Merck Animal Health in North America, says the organization is very proud of its role in furthering diversity within the veterinary community. “The profession is only as strong and diverse as its members, and these two recipients showcase the profession’s strength, innovation and bright future,” he says.

The organization recently created two new scholarships to recognize students dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion within the profession.

PrideVMC announces student award winners

It’s no secret that boarding facilities are a growing trend in the veterinary market. Higher-end pet resorts are being franchised all across America. And with more and more pet owners requiring “supervised” boarding with medical attention for their pets, providing facilities that meet those needs without sacrificing the “camp” or “spa” feel can provide additional avenues of income.

The increased traffic from these services can bring potential new clientele not only for boarding but also for routine annual care and other future medical needs. From luxury boarding to doggy daycare, these services can help increase earnings in a new or existing practice. And thoughtful design work can generate a number of ways to provide housing options that double as marketing tools.

Just a few luxury accommodations can go a long way in marketing what your practice offers. Advertising these suites can leave the impression with potential clients that your facility is a step above the competition and provides top-quality care for their loved ones. Even if those clients choose not to pay the additional cost for a suite, they may decide to board their pet through the other housing options at your facility because they feel that you will go above and beyond in the service you provide.

Along with offering luxury suite accommodations, the use of glass run gates rather than “bars” in your standard housing will portray a higher-end atmosphere. And removing the feel of “doggy jail” can be done at nearly the same cost. Likewise, incorporating different-sized enclosures will allow for broader coverage of patients’ needs.

The use of brightly colored housing units also gives a nonclinical feel that will resonate with pet owners. Most of the run manufacturers in the industry provide side panel options that come in a variety of fun colors.

Another benefit to using a pre-manufactured dividing panel rather than a site-built wall such as concrete block is the amount of space you will save. Over a stretch of six runs you may be able to recapture enough space to include a full additional run, which will increase your potential revenue by 15%. With the ever-increasing costs of construction, getting the most out of every square foot is important.

Providing play yards can be an important step as well. Even a small enclosed area tells clients that playtime is available for their loved ones and that they won’t be cooped up all day. Both exterior and interior play areas need special attention in their design to deal with odor and drainage, but they can offer year-round amenities that separate your practice from your competitors.

Since joining BDA Architecture in 1999, Dave Gasser has specialized his architectural degree in the design of animal care facilities. Now a partner in the firm, Dave has completed over 100 animal care facilities in the past 20 years, with several receiving hospital design awards.


If you’re considering adding boarding facilities in your veterinary practice, here are some tips for improving accommodations while also marketing your services.
