Dr. Morris Samson has worked with thousands of patients, caregivers, and fellow Veterinarians, in Canada, the United States and in Israel. As a result of his mentorship and guidance in helping other Veterinarians to balance the logistics of running a business with the practice of medicine, he is also widely respected by his colleagues. With over four decades of experience in Veterinary medicine, Dr. Samson is also an advocate for his colleagues by helping them cope with the often unfair demands placed on them.
“Being a Veterinarian takes its tolls on human lives,” Dr. Samson observes. The demands of a stress-filled career full of legal landmines coupled with the stress of caring for animals who are sick or dying has put many Veterinarians at risk for depression. According to Dr. Samson, among medical professionals, Veterinarians have a high suicide rate.
In fact, Results from the first mental health survey of U.S. veterinarians show that they are more likely to suffer from psychiatric disorders, experience bouts of depression, and have suicidal thoughts compared with the U.S. adult population. Nearly one in 10 U.S. veterinarians might experience serious psychological distress, and more than one in six might have contemplated suicide since graduation.*
More than a mentor, Dr. Samson has been serving as a peer counselor to his fellow Veterinarians. Outspoken and passionate about his field of medicine, Dr. Samson is exploring ways to help Veterinarians by changing an industry that is increasingly being hamstrung by a corporate mentality. He notes that the Veterinarian Schools
Dr. Morris Samson
Advocate for Veterinarians