• DVM360_Conference_Charlotte,NC_banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Conference Coverage
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Politics
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Hospital Design
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Conference Listing
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
CE Requirements by State
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Mind Over Miller: Lessons taughtand learnedfrom interns

September 30, 2015
Robert M. Miller, DVM

Interns may come to you to continue their education, but they can also teach you a thing or two, in practice and in friendship.

When our group practice had grown to three doctors, we began an annual internship program, which went on for 15 years. We deliberately sought out interns from many different schools. They learned a lot from us, but we also learned from them. Without exception, every intern we had gave us a technique we were unfamiliar with. Sometimes it was a concept or medication used at their schools. One intern modernized our bookkeeping system. Another designed the multispecies logo that decorated our doors.

Several of these interns were graduates of European schools. I've had contact with each one of them ever since they interned in our practice, and all of them have had successful careers.

I commented to Sabina, who interned with us from Germany, several years ago how gratified I was that all of our foreign interns have been so successful. She answered, “Don't you think that European graduates who sought an internship in a big, mixed animal practice in the United States have some special qualities?”

Sabina's father and brother were veterinarians in Germany. Her dad was not pleased that she had chosen to intern in America. He told her “I've seen so many American movies and TV shows, and I follow the news. I see so much violence. I fear that I may never see you again.”

Late in her internship, Sabina was riding with me on my large animal calls when we passed a client's heard of longhorn cattle. “Oh,” she said. “I should take some photos to take home.” 

So I stopped. She crawled through the fence with her camera, wearing the cowboy hat she had purchased early in her visit. “Let me take the picture of you with the cattle behind you,” I said, and handed her a lariat. She posed with it and I took the picture over the fence.

Her dad wrote to her after he received the photo: “I am afraid for your life! You are in the Wild West. Be careful!”

Speaking of the Wild West, Paramount Studios had a western town movie set where countless western movies had been made a few miles from town. I received a call to treat a horse there, accompanied by Karl, an intern from Sweden. When we arrived I went to see the horse while Karl excitedly took pictures of the main street with its saloons, barbershop, sheriff's office and blacksmith shop.

Afterward, Karl asked, “Why are there no people in the town?” I explained that it was because they weren't filming a movie at the time. Realization flooded his face. It wasn't a real town.

Advertisement

Cecile was a young lady from Spain. In addition to the time she spent in our practice, she followed me around the world as I did horsemanship seminars in Hawaii, the contiguous states and Europe.

Four years after she graduated, I said to my wife, “Do you think she'll ever practice?”

“I don't think so,” Debby replied. “I think she'll get married, raise a family and not go into a demanding equine practice.”

I agreed.

We couldn't have been more wrong. Cecile did get married (to a farrier). The last time I saw her in the United States was at an American Association of Equine Practitioners convention. She bought a portable x-ray machine, an endoscope, and all kinds of medical equipment. She did raise a family, but she also built a very successful equine practice within sight of her alma mater, The Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona. She and her family, including her parents, have become good friends and we have visited them in Europe. 

Robert M. Miller, DVM, is an author and a cartoonist, speaker and Veterinary Medicine Practitioner Advisory Board member. His thoughts in "Mind Over Miller" are drawn from 32 years as a mixed-animal practitioner. Visit his website at robertmmiller.com.

Related Content:

Clinical
A practical approach to a fever of unknown origin
A practical approach to a fever of unknown origin
Tips and tricks for diagnosing canine osteoarthritis early
Tips and tricks for diagnosing canine osteoarthritis early
Performing surgery on dogs with GDV
Performing surgery on dogs with GDV

Advertisement

Latest News

3 Must-reads from Fetch Charlotte 2023

A practical approach to a fever of unknown origin

Bridge Club aims to bring groomers and veterinarians together

ABVS approves full recognition for shelter medicine practice

View More Latest News
Advertisement