Roles

Under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA), you must treat maternity leave the same way you do any other temporary medical leave—if you meet the following FMLA requirements:

The greatest motivation you can offer is something new and challenging to complete. So give your team members jobs that are just beyond their comfort zone, and they'll enjoy a sense of accomplishment when they complete the difficult new task.

Law firm Childress Duffy Goldblatt is considering a class action lawsuit related to over-vaccination of pets.

When you use the title your boss earned, you build respect for your team, increase your authority with clients, and lay the groundwork for a more professional workplace. And that's just for starters

A stray dog in a small Alabama town found a home and a calling visiting nursing homes with a young veterinarian.

On the Job: Pam Weakly, practice manager at Dickman Road Veterinary Clinic in Battle Creek, Mich.

When you're faced with a co-worker who's acting like a demon, these strategies will help.

The practice owner won't invest in a piece of new equipment that I think we really need. How can I convince her to buy?

Gina Toman, a Firstline Editorial Advisory Board member and a veterinary assistant at Seaside Animal Care in Calabash, N.C., says that when you do a good job passing the client off to the receptionist after the appointment, you help prevent missed charges and improve the client's experience.

Florie is a 4-year-old, spayed female Labrador-shepherd crossbred dog. Until six months ago, Florie's medical history was unremarkable. At that time, she was diagnosed with a bacterial urinary tract infection (UTI) based on the presence of hematuria and pollakiuria; she received 500 mg cephalexin orally once daily by the referring veterinarian for five days.

This new publication is brought to you from the editors of Veterinary Economics, the magazine that veterinarians turn to for the information and inspiration they need to create successful practices and coach successful teams. But Firstline is designed just for you.

Freeze! I mean everyone. Now meet. Sound impossible? The team at Metzger Animal Hospital in State College, Pa., manages it twice a day. Here's how it works: Everyone meets at 8:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. in front of the dry erase board.

Picture this: You're explaining why Baxter needs heartworm preventives when the tinny sound of Beethoven's 5th erupts from inside your client's purse.

The doctor uses me as a receptionist, although I'm a registered veterinary technician. What should I do?

Whether you answer the phone twice a day or twice a minute, these tips will help you handle a range of calls with finesse and keep conflict with clients to a minimum.

Here's a quick snapshot of what we've learned about your career, pay, responsibilities, and feelings about veterinary practice.

Use these quick strategies to make your days go more smoothly.

Anyone who's managed inventory knows it's tough to find the right balance of products without storing too much-or too little. These tips take the ache out of tracking, ordering, and stocking.

My doctor doesn't like to change. How can I make him more open to new ideas and approaches?

Don't settle for just-OK visits anymore. Use these service strategies to take your team's performance up a notch

Feel that pinch in your back? Or maybe your wrists ache. Perhaps you've got a chronic case of phone neck—that permanent crick from bracing the phone with your neck while you scribble a message about Fifi's chronic diarrhea for the doctor. Use these tips to ease the strain:

Last week a client brought in a very sick pet and refused to treat it because of the cost. This makes me furious. What can I do?

Whose directions should I follow when the doctors disagree?

The owner of my practice makes rude remarks about women's work abilities. Should I confront the doctor about his sexist comments?

Take a look at the issues team members say bother them most. Then think about what you could do to make their professional lives easier. They'll pay you back-promise! (Attention associates: Boss driving your crazy? We've got ideas for you, too.)

Increased educational costs have new graduates struggling with more debt than ever before. Yet most feel confident they can carry the weight.

Where you choose to live affects your career opportunities, your personal happiness, and even the health of the patients you see. Does your city rank among the best?

Data shows that if your clients arrive during a busy time, their average wait for check-in and check-out can hit 21 to 29 minutes during a 42- to 49-minute visit. That's almost half their time at the practice.

Step one: Weigh the benefits and decide whether you're interested in ownership. Step two: Start developing critical leadership skills.

Almost 90 percent of you are are at work. Maybe it's time to buck the trend.