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This week's episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, presented by dvm360, welcomes special guest Alexa Romano, DVM, to discuss navigating what it was like entering veterinary medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as her passions within the industry. Host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, and Romano also take a deep dive into her new business venture, Cool Beans Coffee Company, and what it is like to work as a veterinarian while also having a business on the side outside of the industry.

Below is a partial transcript, edited lightly for clarity.

Adam Christman, DVM, MBA: What do you think of the profession [and] where it is now? What are some things that you're seeing that we could do better? What are your thoughts?

Alexa Romano, DVM: That's a tough one. I shadowed and "teched" before I went to vet school, so I got to see [experience vet medicine before] COVID-19.... I don't know what changed it, but I think work-life balance and setting boundaries [are things] people are getting better at, but I also think it's something that not all clients are used to.... So, I feel like that's been the hardest thing.

The old-school vets would stay all night, tell you to come in, [and] give you their personal phone numbers, and I think [that's] shifted a lot. I think that's something that, in vet school, they're...making [work-life balance and mental health] more known, which is great. But I think that it's getting people used to that, too.

Christman: I think it's great that this newer generation of veterinarians knows how to do work-life balance. If I had to tell the younger Adam Christman, I'd be like, "What were you thinking?" ...I find that [with] the new graduates, they work smarter in the sense that they know how to be more efficient.

I think their communication skills are outstanding. Their ability to relay to the pet owner...[is] just incredible. And to your point, I think a lot of the new graduates, too, have worked as technicians, so they have [an] appreciation for all aspects within the field of vet med.