Career Development

Your client says, "You care more about my money than you do about my pet." How do you respond?

This veterinarian's passion for practice-and helicopters-lets him fill a unique niche.

Have you or are you successfully managing this balancing act? Share your strategies, struggles, and triumphs here.

Back in the trenches, I've realized that often we're worth more than we think. Don't undervalue your skills; the truth is that most people couldn't do your job.

Equine InFocus 2006 promo

Maintaining some semblance of your current lifestyle in retirement doesn't have to be a "pie in the sky" idea-if you plan ahead. (Hey, 30-somethings: We're talking to you!)

Lose your co-workers? goodwill--and their respect--with these simple steps.

You cover a lot of ground everyday, leaping personal and professional hurdles. Balance and practice will help you tread diverse terrain and become more than a well-rounded doctor-you'll be a well-rounded person.

My manager and associate order equine products through my veterinary practice. Is this legal, since I don't treat horses?

Agree on the basic care you want to deliver at your veterinary hospital. Write it down. And get all your team members heading in the same direction.

Learning to take the hard hits with poise and professionalism will make you a better doctor. So when the ugliest parts of your job throw a punch-jab combination, roll with it.

Difficult clients do your practice more harm than good by damaging team morale and causing conflict. Figure out who they are, and let them go.

From divorce to debt, everyone deals with personal issues?and you may feel you shoulder too big a burden. Use these strategies to manage tough situations when they spill into the workplace.

A relief career takes you from place to place, giving you the opportunity to experience practice in a different way. Yet this lifestyle isn't for everyone. Find out what skills and strategies will make this a successful career path for you.

Conflict closed this practice's doors for good. Don't suffer the same fate.

Try these strategies to beat back burnout and stay jazzed about your work.

If your team members aren't feeling satisfied with their jobs, find out what's wrong?and find a fix.

We're taking our practices to the next level by introducing quality control protocols. Better control means better results, which gives us the foundation we need to be more than just a good hospital; we want to be great.

Encinitas, Calif. — Communication with staff is the key to a hospital's success, Dr. Michele Drake says.

It can be helpful for you to spend time in each type of practice before making your decision.

Don't let those New Year's goals slip away. Act now.

Give your team the freedom to make the practice shine.

After the storm

As the captain of your practice, it's your job to set the course and take advantage of the wind, urging the ship toward your destination. But you can't maneuver this behemoth alone. You need a crew. When they're truly onboard, your team members will have one eye on the horizon and another peeled for potential problems, and they'll help keep the practice on course.

A veterinarian I don't know that well offered me an opportunity to work for a clinic she's purchasing, promising that if we're compatible, she'll allow me to buy in. How do I formalize our agreement?

How do I know how much I need to save for retirement?

You can enhance your professional career every time you step up to the lectern—provided you've mastered the all-important basics of public speaking.

Prescribing the medicine is easier than taking it, but if you want to uphold your standard of care, you need to ditch your excuses.