VETERINARIAN ’ S PERSPECTIVE
Deep Dives into Research May Prove Original Hypothesis Wrong
But that doesn ’ t mean the study results don ’ t have valuable information
By Melissa Bain , DVM , DACVB , M . S ., DACAW Professor , Clinical Animal Behavior University of California School of Veterinary Medicine
The past 20 months have been the most marathon-like sprint that many of us have encountered , and it ’ s exacted a toll . I think I ’ m not alone in saying enough is enough , and that I need to return to what brings me joy at work . Spoiler alert – it is not emails ! What gets me excited about work boils down to three things : teaching students and residents , interacting with my clients and patients , and writing . It ’ s hard to focus on these while I ’ m pulled to do an online training module , wait in line for COVID-19 testing , fill out yet another survey , or submit foreign-to-me paperwork because we ’ re short-staffed . I fully understand that these are necessary parts of my employment , but they leave me with less time to prioritize the rest .
I believe that most of us have come to terms with the current “ normal ,” along with the added stressors and work that come with it . So , with that in mind , I ’ ve tried to set more boundaries in order to bring back my joy , by focusing on my top three things of teaching , clinics and research , and writing . The one action that covers all three is setting aside time to read all of the new and interesting research out there . The information available to us is exploding , and it is exciting to be at a point in my career to be able to relish this , after a 20-month semi-hiatus with my reptilian brain taking over . It ’ s even more exciting when I can share this information with students , residents , and clients .
26 Building Better Trainers Through Education Photo : Shutterstock