Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Ready Vet Go

In this thoughtful, honest, and deeply relatable episode of Ready Vet Go, Dr. Dani Rabwin sits down with early-career veterinarian Quinn Bauer, DVM, to talk about the real transition from vet school to practice, what mentorship actually looks like on the ground, and how culture, autonomy, and community shape whether a new grad thrives—or burns out. 🩺✨

Quinn shares her unique path into veterinary medicine, starting with a rare high school pre-vet program, early hands-on exposure, and a vet school experience that blended gold-standard education with a growing curiosity for wildlife, exotics, and conservation. Together, they unpack the pressure of NAVLE, the loneliness of vet school, using social media to build real connection, and how choosing the right first job can make all the difference. 🤝🐾

📌 What You’ll Learn:

How early hands-on exposure can clarify whether vet med is truly for you 🐾

Why culture matters more than perks when choosing your first job 🏥

Using recruiters strategically without losing autonomy 🗂️

What mentorship looks like when it supports and gives freedom 🤝

Transitioning from gold-standard vet school medicine to real-world GP 🔧

Learning spectrum of care without guilt or shame 💛

Advocating for better medicine (like dental radiographs) as a new grad 🦷

How being a pet owner builds empathy and trust with clients 🐶

Using social media to reduce isolation and build community 📱

🎬 Timestamps:

01:40 – Connecting through TikTok and building new-grad community 📱

04:30 – High school pre-vet program: knowing early if vet med is right for you 🐾

09:10 – Vet school at Midwestern: hands-on learning from day one 🏫

13:40 – Discovering wildlife, exotics, and conservation medicine 🦒

18:30 – South Africa and Phoenix Zoo experiences 🌍

24:10 – NAVLE reality: endurance, mindset, and self-care 🧠

30:20 – Job searching as a new grad: waiting, fear, and culture fit 🏥

35:30 – Using a recruiter intentionally (and why it helped) 📋

40:10 – What mentorship really means: support without control 🤝 4

5:40 – Bringing new medicine into an “old-school” clinic 🦷

51:20 – Spectrum of care: navigating real-world limitations with clients 💛

56:30 – Being a pet owner and practicing with empathy 🐕

01:01:40 – Social media as connection, not comparison 📱

01:06:30 – Wrap-up: confidence, culture, and finding your footing

👇 QUESTION FOR YOU: What mattered most to you when choosing your first job—or what do you wish you had prioritized?

Season 1 • Episode 23

✅ If this episode resonated, share it with a vet student or new grad who’s navigating the leap from school to practice.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms

📲 Follow: @readyvetgo_

📧 Contact: info@pacificlensstudios.com

#ReadyVetGo #VeterinaryMedicine #VetMentorship #NewGradVet #VetSchoolReality #VetLife #SpectrumOfCare #VetCommunity

In this engaging and laugh-out-loud (but deeply meaningful) episode of ReadyVetGo, Dr. Dani Rabwin sits down with her friend and beloved Ready Vet Go mentor Jeff Klemens, DVM to talk mentorship, relief practice, real-world “cowboy medicine,” and what it actually takes to build a sustainable career in veterinary medicine. 🩺✨

Jeff shares how a sixth-grade classroom visit with a lovebird sparked his path into vet med, what it was like not getting into vet school the first time, and how early mentorship shaped him long before he even had words for it. They also dive into learning medicine without perfect tools, building a full-time relief career from scratch (before apps existed), and why honesty with clients is non-negotiable when mistakes happen. 🤝🎲🍺

📌 What You’ll Learn:

• How mentorship can shape you before you even realize it 🤝
• Not getting into vet school the first time—and why it’s normal 📨
• Practicing without “perfect” tools (and still doing good medicine) 🔧🩺
• Why “give bowel a chance” is a real clinical philosophy 🌀
• Relief practice: freedom, burnout protection, and building your own schedule 🗓️
• A memorable mistake story (ITP misdiagnosis → pneumonia) and how to own it 😬🐱
• Why client communication determines whether mistakes become disasters 🗣️💛
• The importance of hobbies, joy, and life outside vet med 🎲🍺🐉

🎬 Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro: Meet Dr. Jeff Clemen 01:10 – Sixth grade spark: the lovebird that changed everything 🐦

03:40 – Kennel kid to clinic assistant: mentorship before he knew it 🤝

06:40 – Not getting into vet school the first time 📨

09:40 – What he did differently before reapplying

12:30 – Vet school realities: species overload + “city mouse” perspective 🐾

16:10 – Dentistry ambitions + doing extractions without the right tools 🦷

21:30 – “Cowboy medicine”: learning to treat without perfect conditions 🔧

25:30 – Give bowel a chance: the golf ball dachshund story 🌀

30:10 – Becoming a Ready Vet Go mentor + helping rural new grads

34:10 – Life outside vet med: board games, craft beer, and Gen Con 🎲🍺

40:20 – Why full-time relief: burnout, nights, and sustainability 🗓️

45:10 – Building Reliable Relief Services before apps existed ✉️

52:10 – Mistake story: sticky platelets, ITP diagnosis, and pneumonia 😬🐱

56:40 – The hard part: owning the mistake and talking to the client 🗣️

59:10 – Wrap-up + why mentors love Ready Vet Go 💛

👇 QUESTION FOR YOU: What’s one mistake that taught you more than any success?

Season 1 • Episode 22

✅ If this helped, subscribe and share with a vet student or new grad who needs it today.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

📲 Follow: @readyvetgo_

📧 Contact: info@pacificlensstudios.com

#ReadyVetGo #VeterinaryMedicine #VetMentorship #ReliefVet #NewGradVet #VetLife #ClientCommunication #VeterinaryMistakes

In this engaging and eye-opening episode of ReadyVetGo, Dr. Dani Rabwin sits down with Dr. Adam Gassel, DVM, DACVS—a board-certified veterinary surgeon—to talk mentorship, surgical training, and what it really takes to build confidence in practice (especially when mistakes happen). 🩺💪

Adam shares how he went from pre-med at UCI to taking a “gap year” as a vet tech in Sherman Oaks, falling in love with veterinary medicine, and eventually training through Purdue, internship, and a surgery residency at the University of Tennessee. Along the way, he breaks down how mentorship actually works in the real world—how taking initiative attracts great mentors, why internship structure matters, and how to create training environments where interns learn to be doctors (not just coverage). 🤝🏥

This conversation is packed with real-world perspective on specialty culture, building strong internship programs, empowering new grads to do more surgery safely, and the communication skills that protect client trust when something goes wrong. 🗣️✨

📌 What You’ll Learn:

• Why surgery wasn’t the original plan—and how mentorship shaped the path 🤝
• The training roadmap: vet school → internship → residency → specialty practice 🎓
• What mentors look for (initiative, preparation, follow-through) ✅
• How to build an internship program that actually trains doctors 🏥
• Why confidence comes after you do the thing (not before) 💪
• When referral makes sense—and when GPs can absolutely do the surgery 🩺
• Corporate ownership + transparency in specialty medicine 🧩
• A powerful “walk of shame” mistake story—and how honest communication saves trust 😬🗣️

🎬 Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro: Meet Dr. Adam Gassel (board-certified veterinary surgeon)

01:10 – UCI pre-med → vet tech “gap year” → falling in love with vet med

03:10 – Pierce College + first clinic job in Sherman Oaks

04:45 – Purdue vet school → back to Southern California

06:00 – Rotating internship + specialty internship (Animal Specialty Group)

07:20 – Choosing surgery: how mentorship guided the decision

09:00 – Taking initiative: reading cases, writing up reports, earning opportunities ✅

10:30 – Spouse support + kids during residency (real life during training) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

12:10 – First job as a surgeon: still needing mentorship after residency 🤝

13:40 – Culture without ego: learning both ways in specialty practice

15:10 – Internship programs: what was broken and how he rebuilt it 🏥

17:10 – Letting interns be doctors (not just coverage) + why it pays off

19:10 – New grads + surgery fear: how reps build confidence 💪

21:00 – Corporate ownership + transparency in vet med 🧩

22:30 – Mistake story: misplaced screw + the “walk of shame” 😬

24:40 – Preventing board complaints: ownership, documentation, and communication 🗣️

👇 QUESTION FOR YOU: What’s one procedure you wish you got more reps on before you were alone in practice? 💛

Season 1 Ep 21

✅ If this helped, like, subscribe, and share with a vet student or new grad who needs it today.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

📲 Follow: @readyvetgo_

📧 Contact: info@pacificlensstudios.com

#ReadyVetGo #VeterinaryMedicine #VetMentorship #VeterinarySurgery #DACVS #VetInternship #NewGradVet #ClientCommunication #VetResidency #EarlyCareerVet

Can vets and vet techs boost outcomes through true co-mentorship? How do you enter an established team with confidence—not ego?

Host Dr. Dani Rabwin is joined by the Vet Tech Nerd Party crew—Mallory (RVT), Julia (RVT), and Jen (RVT)—for a lively collaboration on two-way mentorship, clinic culture, communication, and staying in love with vet med (with a side of gallows humor and beef-jerky straws).

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Two-way mentorship: how vets and RVTs upskill each other and speed case flow
• Day-one trust builders: narrate-the-exam, show X-rays in-room, let clients listen with your stethoscope
• How to enter an established culture: confidence vs. arrogance when you’re the new doc
• Burnout buffers: debriefs after hard cases, “wins boxes,” and knowing your love language at work
• Teaching the next wave: externships, realistic expectations, celebrating first sticks (not shaming misses)
• Mistakes happen: owning negative explores and math slips—and how leadership should respond
• Species/setting pivots: HQHVSN, ECC, marine mammal, equine—what transfers and what doesn’t
• Tech-to-tech mentorship: why “Ready Tech Go?” matters, too

Who this is for

• RVTs/technicians and assistants
• Early-career veterinarians and interns
• Veterinary students and externs
• Practice owners, medical directors, and managers
• Shelter medicine and HQHVSN teams
• Equine/mixed practitioners exploring sustainability

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro & collab — Vet Tech Nerd Party × Ready Vet Go (Mallory, Julia, Jen)

03:10 Vet–tech partnership: why two-way mentorship beats hierarchy

07:20 Scripts & trust: narrate-the-exam, show the images, let them listen

11:05 Entering existing teams: confidence, not ego (respect RVT expertise)

15:40 Burnout is real: debriefs, wins boxes, and love languages at work

21:10 Mistakes we lived through: dose decimals, negative explores, honest resets

28:30 Teaching moments: first jug sticks + safe learning spaces 33:55 Species pivots: ECC → marine mammals → equine (mobile realities & safety)

41:20 Culture over credentials: joy, humor, and excited educators

49:05 What’s next: Ready Vet Go + the case for Ready Tech Go

Resources mentioned

• Externship & new-grad mentorship checklists
• Client-communication scripts (narrate-the-exam, recommender/decider)
• Debrief template + “wins box” how-to

Ready Vet Go — because mentorship matters, and vets shouldn’t have to go it alone.

Follow: @readyvetgo_

Contact: info@pacificlensstudios.com

#vettech #mentorship #VetMed #ReadyVetGo

In this engaging and heartfelt episode of ReadyVetGo, Dr. Dani Rabwin sits down with Dr. Ally Williams, DVM to talk mentorship, early-career confidence, and what it really looks like to start veterinary practice while becoming a new mom. 👩‍⚕️👶🩺

Ally shares her non-linear path into veterinary medicine—from growing up with livestock, living in a girls’ home, and nearly choosing a different career, to Ross Vet Prep, transferring schools, and navigating vet school with a newborn. Along the way, she opens up about how mentorship, collaboration, and honest communication shaped her confidence as a brand-new veterinarian. 🤝✨

This conversation is packed with real-world perspective on choosing the right first job, building trust with clients when complications happen, leaning into discomfort (in practice and on social media), and why being valued as a person—not just a producer—is essential for a sustainable veterinary career. 💛

📌 What You’ll Learn:

• A non-traditional path into vet med—and why it still leads to success 🛤️
• The impact of early mentorship (and chosen mentors) 🤝
• Ross Vet Prep: what it is and who it’s for 🎓
• Vet school with a newborn: support, flexibility, and resilience 👶
• What to look for in a first job (culture, teamwork, real mentorship) 🏥
• A real dental complication—and how communication preserved client trust 🦷🗣️
• Why asking for help is a strength, not a weakness 📞
• Social media, vulnerability, and leaning into discomfort 📱
• Small daily habits that support confidence and longevity 💪

🎬 Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro: Meet Dr. Ally Williams

01:20 – Early inspiration: dogs, livestock, and a life-changing mentor

04:10 – Living in a girls’ home + finding support through vet med

06:40 – Switching majors, academic struggles, and taking time off

09:15 – Ross Vet Prep: what it is and why it mattered

12:40 – Vet school + pregnancy + becoming a new mom 👶

16:10 – Faculty support and bringing a baby to class

19:00 – Career goals shifting after graduation

21:30 – Finding the right first job: culture over production

24:45 – Dental complication as a new grad (and calling for help) 🦷 2

9:20 – Client communication, honesty, and building trust 🗣️

33:30 – Social media, discomfort, and inspiring others 📱

38:10 – Surgery confidence, small wins, and daily habits that matter

41:45 – Final reflections + encouragement for new grads

👇 QUESTION FOR YOU: What’s one small habit or support that’s helped you feel more confident in practice? 💛

Season 1 · Episode 20

✅ If this helped, like, subscribe, and share with a vet student or new grad who needs it today.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

📲 Follow: @readyvetgo_

📧 Contact: info@pacificlensstudios.com

#ReadyVetGo #VeterinaryMedicine #NewGradVet #VetMentorship #VetMom #WorkLifeBalance #ClientCommunication #EarlyCareerVet #WomenInVetMed

How do you turn years on the clinic floor into confidence in the OR—and in the exam room? Can problem-based learning and shelter spay/neuter rotations build better communicators?

Host Dr. Dani Rabwin is joined by Amber Elalem (WesternU CVM, 3rd-year vet student) for a candid conversation on PBL, supportive surgical teaching, communication under pressure, debt mindset, social media responsibility, and the mentorship new grads actually need.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Clinic-to-classroom: how kennel tech → practice manager shaped Amber’s vet-school path
• PBL at WesternU: better recall, faster clinical reasoning, learning through real cases
• Shelter spay/neuter rotations: a preceptor model that reduces fear and builds skill
• Communication wins: reflective listening, narrating care, and euthanasia empathy
• Shared decision-making vs “gold standard”: aligning what’s best for pet and client
• Debt reality (~$350k): negotiating first jobs and weighing specialty tradeoffs
• Social media with a license at stake: boundaries, disclaimers, privacy, safety
• Mentorship that works: “cheerleading + bumpers,” not hand-holding
• How to be a proactive mentee: set goals, share feedback preferences, ask for cases

Who this is for

• Veterinary students and pre-vets (especially PBL-curious)
• Early-career veterinarians & interns
• Practice owners/medical directors building real mentorship
• Shelter med & HQHVSN teams
• Anyone refining client communication under stress

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro — kennel tech → PM → WesternU 3rd-year 02:45 Why WesternU & how PBL works (and sticks)

06:58 Shelter spay/neuter rotation + fear-reducing teaching 10:35 Confidence in surgery: “cheerleader with check-ins,” not hovering

13:22 Rotations ahead + communication gains

16:40 Social media: documenting the journey with responsibility

20:18 Debt mindset (~$350k): medicine first, negotiating, specialty/urgent-care paths

24:05 Shared decisions: best for pet + client (not just “gold standard”)

27:30 Language that helps: reflective listening, narrate-the-exam, euthanasia empathy

31:12 Online risks & boundaries: disclaimers, privacy, safety

34:40 Mentorship that works: confidence, bumpers, timely feedback

38:05 Be a proactive mentee: goals, feedback cadence, case mix

41:10 What’s next: behavior interest vs ER/urgent care—and keeping the joy

Resources mentioned

• New-grad mentorship “bumpers” checklist (goals, feedback prefs, case targets)
• Debrief template for tough cases

Ready Vet Go — because mentorship matters, and vets shouldn’t have to go it alone.

Follow: @readyvetgo_

Contact: info@pacificlensstudios.com

#vetstudent #PBL #spayneuter #mentorship #communication #ReadyVetGo

In this engaging and eye-opening episode of ReadyVetGo, Dr. Dani Rabwin sits down with Dr. Chelsea Fishenfeld—an ambulatory equine veterinarian in California—to talk mentorship, emergency medicine in the field, and what it really takes to survive (and thrive) in modern equine practice.

Chelsea shares what drew her to horses at age four, why she chose an intensive mentorship/internship after graduating from WesternU (Class of 2022), and how equine medicine is facing a sustainability crossroads—especially when vets are expected to do dentistry all day and colics all night.

This conversation is packed with real-world perspective on internships, teamwork across large groups, building confidence in high-stakes scenarios, and the communication skills that can make or break client trust.

📌 What You’ll Learn:

• Why many equine vets benefit from doing an internship (especially for emergencies)
• What’s broken in the equine emergency model—and what could fix it
• How mentorship and collaboration keep practitioners (and horses) safer
• How to teach clients in real time so they understand the value of care
• A “mistake/complication” story that highlights why communication is everything
• How to coach students out of freeze mode and into confidence
• What grit really means in equine medicine (and why attrition is high)

🎬 Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro: Meet Dr. Chelsea Fishenfeld (equine ambulatory in CA)

01:10 – “Horse vet since age 4”: barns, riding, tech life, and the long road to DVM

03:05 – WesternU 2022 grad: why she chose an intensive mentorship/internship

05:05 – Inside the equine hospital model: specialists at your fingertips

07:10 – Equine emergency reality: why the current system isn’t sustainable

10:05 – The fix: shifts, haul-in emergencies, and collaborative coverage

12:05 – Finding mentors: choosing people, not “assigned” relationships

14:10 – Teaching and leadership: students, pre-vets, and full-circle moments

17:10 – Should you go equine? The honest talk: lifestyle, safety, grit, and burnout

20:10 – Client education in real time: narrating colics, tubes, and “showing the value”

23:10 – Mistakes/complications: when teeth fracture—and how communication saves trust

26:10 – Where communication is learned: mentors, life experience, and repetition

28:30 – Mentorship in action: letting students do the thing (and why it matters)

31:20 – “Freeze mode” is real: building reps, confidence, and capability

👇 QUESTION FOR YOU: What’s one skill you wish you got more reps on before you were alone in practice?

Season 1 Ep 19

✅ If this helped, like, subscribe, and share with a vet student or new grad who needs it today.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

📲 Follow: @readyvetgo_

📧 Contact: info@pacificlensstudios.com

#ReadyVetGo #VeterinaryMedicine #EquineVet #EquineMedicine #VetMentorship #VetInternship #NewGradVet #ClientCommunication #AmbulatoryVet #LargeAnimalVet

Is practice culture your biggest career risk—or your superpower? Are “lazy new grads” a myth masking broken systems?

Host Dr. Dani Rabwin is joined by Dr. G (Gershon Alaluf) for a candid, high-energy conversation on building psychologically safe teams, real mentorship, and simple habits that make clinics fun, resilient, and effective for early-career veterinarians.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why culture is the practice: daily behaviors beat policies every time
• Psychological safety: how to create space to speak up, debrief, and learn fast
• The fear → worry loop: stopping post-op rumination with structured debriefs
• Money clarity: production, basic P&L, and fair compensation conversations
• Mentorship that works: modeling mistakes, role clarity, and paid trainer roles
• Corporate vs. private: incentives, signing-bonus traps, and fit checks
• Soft skills that cost $0: communication, feedback, and “make it fun” rituals
• GP-led CE + realistic job previews: preparing grads for real-world medicine

Who this is for

• Early-career veterinarians and interns
• Veterinary students and VBMA leaders
• Practice owners, medical directors, and managers
• Corporate/regional leaders shaping new-grad programs
• RVTs/tech leads building training tracks

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro — why culture determines your landing as a new grad

03:12 “Culture is the practice”: behaviors, not binders

07:38 Money matters: production, P&L, and transparent goals

12:04 Psychological safety: speaking up without getting burned

16:41 Fear vs. worry: debriefs that prevent 2 a.m. spirals

21:05 Mentorship that sticks: modeling mistakes & paid trainer roles

26:22 Corporate vs. private: incentives, fit, signing-bonus cautions

31:48 The “lazy new grad” myth: expectations, reps, confidence

36:30 Phone-a-specialist: consult culture and referral relationships

41:07 Leadership styles: servant & transformational in the clinic

45:20 Action playbook: day-one moves to lift culture (anyone can do)

Resources mentioned

• Culture & debrief checklists (psychological safety prompts)
• New-grad mentorship outline (skills, soft skills, debrief cadence)
• GP-led CE initiatives + realistic job preview resources

Ready Vet Go — because mentorship matters, and vets shouldn’t have to go it alone.

Follow: @readyvetgo_

Contact: info@pacificlensstudios.com

#practiceculture #mentorship #psychologicalsafety #vetmed #ReadyVetGo

In this energizing and real episode of ReadyVetGo, Dr. Dani Rabwin sits down with Dr. Jake Rastas—a new grad veterinarian, rotating intern at the University of Georgia, and ultra marathon runner—for a conversation about mentorship, confidence, and mental resilience in early-career veterinary medicine.

From Division I football to vet school to internship life, Jake shares how mentors shaped his path, how to stay competitive without becoming toxic, and why you don’t need confidence before doing something hard—confidence often comes after you do it. If you’re a vet student, new grad, or intern trying to build your skills while managing pressure, this one will hit home.

📌 What You’ll Learn:

• Mentorship that actually changes your career (and the “pay it forward” culture of vet med)
• How to build confidence after the hard thing—not before
• Ultra marathon mindset: “This is what hard feels like”
• Healthy competition without rooting for others to fail
• Time management during internship + intense training schedules
• Learning procedures for the first time: readiness, reality, and resources

🎬 Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro: Dani + Jake (new grad, UGA rotating intern, ultra runner)

01:30 – Jake’s path: D1 football → vet school → internship

04:10 – Mentors who changed everything (and why “pay it forward” matters)

07:05 – Competitive drive without becoming toxic

10:20 – “This is what hard feels like”: ultra running as mental training

13:40 – Confidence isn’t the prerequisite—action is

16:05 – Internship time management + training while exhausted

19:10 – First-time procedures: resources, prep, and staying safe

22:30 – Handling pressure, feedback, and the learning curve

25:40 – What Jake wants new grads to hear right now

👇 QUESTION FOR YOU: What’s one hard thing you’re leaning into right now in vet school, internship, or practice?

Season 1 Ep18

✅ If this helped, like, subscribe, and share with a vet student or new grad who needs it today.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

📲 Follow: @readyvetgo_

📧 Contact: info@pacificlensstudios.com

#ReadyVetGo #VeterinaryMedicine #VetMentorship #NewGradVet #VetInternship #VetStudent #UltraMarathonRunner #Confidence #MentalResilience

Are we training vets to lead—or to chase grades? How do we build grit without burning out?

Host Dr. Dani Rabwin sits down with Dr. Peter Weinstein for an energizing deep dive into leadership, resilience, and bringing the fun back to vet med—without skipping the hard stuff. Perfect for new grads, students, and anyone building healthy, high-trust hospital cultures.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The origin story of a “leadership guru”: lifelong follower → practice owner → MBA → mentor
• Why fear kills growth—and practical ways to reframe risk while staying safe/ethical
• Grit vs. burnout: modeling mistakes, normalizing failure, and building psychological safety
• Pass/Fail & PBL: how assessment models shape collaboration, confidence, and readiness
• Communication > memorization: how to find answers fast and build client trust
• Why 3+ DVM teams accelerate learning and reduce stress
• Servant leadership: bottom-up culture, listening first, empowering teams
• “Fun injectors” that boost morale without lowering clinical standards

Who this is for

• Early-career veterinarians & interns
• Veterinary students (any year, any track)
• Mentors, medical directors, practice owners
• Hospital managers & team leads building resilient cultures
• Faculty/curriculum designers exploring PBL & pass/fail

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro — leadership, grit & bringing the fun back

03:14 Follower → leader: ownership, MBA, mindset shifts

08:52 Fear vs. growth: safe steps to try procedures and learn in public

13:40 Modeling mistakes: the mentorship exercise that unlocks grit

18:05 Pass/Fail & PBL: teamwork over perfectionism

23:47 Communication as a clinical skill: trust, clarity, outcomes

28:21 Multi-doctor advantage: daily consults, faster learning, less stress

33:09 Culture design: servant leadership + bottom-up ideas

38:12 Make it fun: low-lift rituals that raise morale

42:30 Action list for new grads: day-one leadership moves

Resources mentioned

• Leadership onboarding programs at vet schools
• Organized vet medicine pathways: local VMA, CVMA/SAVMA, VetPartners
• Ready Vet Go mentorship packs, small-group role-play & skills training

Ready Vet Go — because mentorship matters, and vets shouldn’t have to go it alone.

Follow: @readyvetgo_

Contact: info@pacificlensstudios.com

#leadership #grit #communication #vetmed #ReadyVetGo

In this inspiring and practical episode of ReadyVetGo, Dr. Dani Rabwin sits down with Noah Gershoni (he/him), a final-year veterinary student at the University of Arizona, to talk mentorship, networking with authenticity, and how to get the most out of clinical rotations—especially in a distributive model program.

Noah shares his non-traditional path to vet school (community college prereqs, years working in ER), how meaningful connections opened doors like Venom Week, and why collaboration beats competition in veterinary medicine. They also dig into the realities of rotating through different clinics and states, the hidden challenge of housing logistics, and how to learn from every mentor and team—without coming off combative.

📌 What You’ll Learn:

• How to network without being transactional (and actually maintain connections)
• Community college to vet school: confidence, resilience, and belonging
• Why UA’s culture (no grades + group-based learning) builds collaboration
• Distributive clinical year: real-world medicine, pros/cons, and logistics
• Why general practice can do more than people think (and why it matters for access)
• Mentorship on short rotations: how to ask questions well and respect time
• Two must-use rotation tips: “keep the technicians happy” + find value in everything

🎬 Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro + pronouns: Noah (he/him) + Dani (she/her)

01:44 – How they met: conference lunch line + service dog networking

03:00 – ReadyVetGo networking night: “bring as many as you can” (20 students show up)

04:39 – Networking that isn’t transactional: curiosity, real connection, follow-through

06:35 – Non-traditional path: community college prereqs (no “traditional college” route)

09:33 – Working in ER for 5 years: learning fast, growing responsibility

10:42 – Falling for surgery: mixed animal + OR confidence

11:35 – Why University of Arizona: Venom Week + meeting faculty through networking

13:41 – Personal statement: vulnerability, first-gen story, resilience, family pride

16:43 – UA culture: no GPAs/grades + group-based learning = collaboration over competition

21:29 – Clinical year (distributive model): rotating clinics/states + real-world medicine

22:18 – The tough part: housing/logistics + advocating for classmates

25:23 – General practice “can do it”: accessibility, internal medicine in GP, specialization trend

28:15 – Mentorship nuance: asking questions vs respecting time (the “dance”)

30:07 – Evidence-based vs “old school”: how to ask “why” without being combative

32:53 – Tip #1: keep technicians happy (donuts + teach-back + teamwork)

34:23 – Tip #2: find value in everything (even “how not to do it”) + don’t take it personally

👇 QUESTION FOR YOU: What’s one mentoring tip you wish you learned earlier in vet school or practice?

Season 1 Ep 18

✅ If this helped, like, subscribe, and share with a vet student or new grad who needs it today.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.

📲 Follow: @readyvetgo_

📧 Contact: info@pacificlensstudios.com

#ReadyVetGo #VeterinaryMedicine #VetMentorship #VetStudent #ClinicalRotations #Networking #NewGradVet #GeneralPractice #VetSchool #DistributiveModel

How do we keep great technicians in vet med—and build mentorship that actually lasts? What can veterinarians learn from RVTs about communication, culture, and training?

Host Dr. Dani Rabwin sits down with Phil Snow, RVT—military veteran turned RVT, educator, and co-founder of an alternate-route vet tech school—for a candid conversation about career pathways, mentorship, VTS specialization, the mid-level debate, and avoiding (and owning) mistakes.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Military → medicine: leadership lessons and entering vet med via the kennel
• Tech → teacher → school founder: building an alternate-route RVT program in SoCal
• Vet–tech partnership: case discussions, med checks, and speaking up effectively
• Mentorship models that work: compensation, growth, and the “training RVT” role
• Career ladders beyond the clinic: VTS, insurance, reps, teaching, research, public sector
• Burnout reality (often 7–10 years) and practical retention strategies
• Alternate-route vs AVMA programs: who each path serves and why
• Mid-level practitioner debate: opportunities, risks, and accountability
• Owning mistakes: the “wrong-leg shave” story and building better safeguards

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro — Phil Snow, RVT: why techs matter

3:18 Kennel → assistant → mentors paying for school

07:42 - RVT to educator: guest lectures to full-time teaching

11:05 - Building an alternate-route tech school (SoCal campuses)

15:10 - Military lessons: discipline, responsibility, leadership

18:44 - Vet–tech communication: raising concerns without conflict

23:02 - Mentorship models: training techs, compensation, “training RVT” role

27:36 - Career ladders: VTS, insurance, rep roles, teaching, public sector

32:15 - Alternate-route vs AVMA degrees: who each serves, VTNE destination

36:48 - Mid-level practitioner debate: promise, pitfalls, accountability

41:30 - Owning mistakes: wrong-leg prep + better checklists

45:05 - What’s next: accreditation goals, keeping talent in vet med

Resources mentioned

• OC Veterinary Assistant School (alternate-route RVT training)
• California Registered Veterinary Technicians Association (advocacy & policy)
• VTS pathways (ECC, Anesthesia, Dentistry, and more)

Ready Vet Go — because mentorship matters, and vets shouldn’t have to go it alone.

Follow: @readyvetgo_

Contact: info@pacificlensstudios.com

#readyvetgo #RVT #veterinarymentorship #vetmed #veterinarypodcast

How do you build real confidence when your first job is solo ER overnights? Can open, transparent care and shared decision-making transform client trust?

Host Dr. Dani Rabwin is joined by Dr. Morgan Stoddard, DVM (UIUC ’20) for a fast, practical deep dive into ER mentorship, communication that lowers stress, and leadership that leads with love.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why structured ER mentorship matters—especially on solo overnights
• Client language that lowers the load: “I’m the recommender; you’re the decider”
• Trust-builders you can use immediately (narrate-the-exam, in-room X-rays/laptop, let clients listen)
• How to bring “open ER” transparency to any clinic—no remodel required
• Mistakes & recoveries: dystocia hemorrhage stabilization + when to phone a mentor
• Owning outcomes: communicating clearly after a “negative explore” following prior R&A
• Feedback that helps: lead with love, tailor delivery, and use a “wins box”
• Confidence scripts for “You look so young!” and curbside → face-to-face transitions
• Burnout to fit: when to pivot and how to find the right mentorship structure

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro: Dr. Morgan Stoddard—ER path, UIUC ’20, why confidence is built (not born)

03:02 – First job reality: solo overnights during curbside and the hidden upsides

03:02 - Solo overnights during curbside: reality + hidden upsides

07:18 -Scripts that save you: recommender/decider + looking things up gracefully

11:06 - Shared decisions, not sales: reducing moral weight

15:20 - Open ER transparency: narrate-the-exam, X-rays in-room, stethoscope listening

20:44 - Case lessons: dystocia hemorrhage & phone-a-mentor

26:03 - “Negative explore” after prior R&A: owning outcomes + next steps

31:12 - Leading with love: feedback, safety, and the wins box

36:25 - Curbside → face-to-face: age comments + clinical presence 41:10

Resources mentioned

• Sample “recommender/decider” scripts (ER & GP)
• Narrate-the-exam + transparency checklist
• Tough-case debrief template (+ wins box idea)

Ready Vet Go — because mentorship matters, and vets shouldn’t have to go it alone.

Follow: @readyvetgo_

Contact: info@pacificlensstudios.com

#ERveterinary #mentorship #communication #vetmed #ReadyVetGo

This one’s a game-changer. In Part 2 of his Ready Vet Go interview, Dr. Gersh Alaluf (Dr. G) takes a hard look at who we’re accepting into veterinary school — and what that means for the future of our profession.

🔥 Are we selecting for IQ over EQ? 🔥 Are perfectionists more prone to burnout in vet med?

🔥 Are schools doing enough to prepare students emotionally for real-world practice?

Joined by host Dr. Dani Rabwin, Dr. G unpacks how admissions criteria, mentorship gaps, and emotional blind spots are fueling stress, imposter syndrome, and attrition among new grads. He shares real stories of mentorship done right, burnout avoided, and moments that almost broke him — and why communication, empathy, and community are the true skills that will save the profession.

🧠 In This Episode:

• The theory that sparked Dr. G’s doctoral research: Attraction–Selection–Attrition (ASA)
• Why Ready Vet Go bridges the gap between what vet school teaches and what vet med requires
• Real-life board complaint stories — and how emotional intelligence helps prevent them
• How mentors can pick up the phone for their mentees in moments of crisis
• What to say when things go wrong (and how to say “I’m sorry” without accepting blame)
• The 3-part burnout triad — and how to break it
• Condolence card wins, thank-you boxes, and how to hold on to why you started this journey

Whether you’re a vet student, new grad, mentor, or practice leader, this conversation is a roadmap to sustainability, self-worth, and staying power in veterinary medicine.

ep. 10

#ReadyVetGo #VetAdmissions #VeterinaryBurnout #EmotionalIntelligence #VetMentorship #VetSchool #VeterinaryEducation #EarlyCareerVet #MentorshipMatters #EQinVetMed #VeterinaryPodcast #VetMentalHealth #LeadershipInVetMed

This is the Ready Vet Go episode you didn’t know you needed.

Veterinarian, entrepreneur, mentor, and doctoral candidate Dr. Gersh Alaluf (Dr. G) joins Dr. Dani Rabwin to unpack the raw, unfiltered truth behind veterinary mentorship, leadership, ownership, and emotional intelligence.

💥 What happens when the corporate machine makes you question your entire identity?

💥 How do you go from kennel kid to practice owner — and still feel like you don’t belong?

💥 Why is emotional intelligence the most overlooked skill in veterinary education today?

💥 What does real mentorship look like — and why are so many vets getting it wrong?

Dr. G shares his journey from humble beginnings to owning multiple practices to being pushed out by a corporation that misunderstood him — and how that sent him on a mission to understand what makes this profession tick (and break).

🎓 Now a doctoral candidate in business researching early-career veterinary stress, Dr. G offers wisdom, wit, and unwavering honesty on what it takes to survive and thrive in vet med today.

🧠 Topics Covered

• The real ROI of mentorship: stories that changed his life
• Why early-career vets aren’t failing — the system is
• Emotional intelligence as a teachable skill (and why it’s missing from vet school)
• Leadership lessons from the exam room and the boardroom
• What to watch for when choosing your first job
• Why mentorship needs structure — not just “I’m here if you need me”
• The truth about burnout, corporate buyouts, and imposter syndrome

This episode is a must-listen for early-career veterinarians, practice owners, and vet students who want to build a career that’s sustainable, joyful, and real.

ep. 9

#ReadyVetGo #DrG #VeterinaryMentorship #VetBurnout #VetOwnership #EmotionalIntelligence #VeterinaryLeadership #EarlyCareerVet #VetMedRealTalk #VetStudentLife #VeterinaryPodcast #VetMentalHealth #EmpathyInVetMed #VetLife

Veterinary school graduate Dr. Alex Elizas shares a powerful and candid journey from feeling unprepared, overwhelmed, and nearly quitting veterinary medicine to discovering strength, resilience, and career-saving mentorship.

Facing difficult mentors, surgical nightmares, and professional isolation, Alex reveals how joining Ready Vet Go transformed her confidence, practice, and future.

This honest discussion is a must-watch for vet students, early-career veterinarians, and anyone navigating mentorship challenges in veterinary medicine. Dr. Alex Elizas opens up about the harsh realities faced by new vets, the critical role of mentorship, and how Ready Vet Go saved her veterinary career.

ep. 8

#petmed #vet #ReadyVetGo

In this powerful and refreshingly honest episode of Ready Vet Go, Dr. Dani sits down with Dr. Greg Gstrein—relief veterinarian, business owner, and all-around empathetic powerhouse.

💥 Rejected from vet school multiple times

💥 Learned the hard way how to trust his gut and survive critical mistakes

💥 Built his own relief business from scratch

💥 Mentors teams with compassion, leadership, and some serious X-ray teaching skills

Dr. G doesn’t just talk vet med—he lives it. From his beginnings as a zookeeper to navigating imposter syndrome, tax strategy, and client heartbreak, this episode is packed with wisdom for anyone in veterinary medicine.

📌 What You’ll Learn:

• Why not getting into vet school the first time can actually be a gift
• How early-career vets can survive mentorship gaps
• What relief veterinarians owe their clients and the team
• How to communicate through grief, mistakes, and misdiagnosis
• The power of shared decision-making and empathy in client care
• Business tips for starting your own relief practice
• Why pollinating practices with positivity matters

🐾 Whether you're a vet student, early-career DVM, or exploring relief work, Dr. Gestrin’s journey will resonate, inspire, and educate.

👉 Don't forget to subscribe, like, and share this episode if it speaks to you—or to someone you know who’s feeling alone in this profession.

ep. 7

#ReadyVetGo #ReliefVet #VeterinaryMentorship #VetSchoolJourney #VetLife #VetMedRealTalk #EarlyCareerVet #ImposterSyndrome #SharedDecisionMaking #VeterinaryPodcast #VeterinaryMedicine #VetMentalHealth #VeterinaryMistakes #MentorshipMatters

Welcome to Ready Vet Go, the podcast where we elevate veterinary mentorship one real conversation at a time.

In this powerful episode, Dr. Dani sits down with Dr. Tasha—emergency veterinarian, mentor, and mother—to talk about what it really takes to survive and thrive in veterinary medicine.

💥 From vomiting into a trash bag during her internship while pregnant...

💥 To discovering her passion for organized chaos in emergency vet med...

💥 To owning her mistakes, surviving imposter syndrome, and mentoring the next generation...

Dr. Tasha gets real about what it means to be a resilient, resourceful, and relatable veterinarian today.

Whether you're an early-career DVM, a vet student, or a seasoned pro wondering how to make this career sustainable—this episode is a masterclass in honesty, humility, and hope.

📌 Topics Covered:

• Emergency medicine vs. general practice
• Relief vet lifestyle (and the real challenges behind the glamor)
• Mistakes that changed her career—and why we need M&M Rounds in vet med
• How to ask for help and bounce ideas off colleagues
• In-home euthanasia and rediscovering purpose
• Mentoring with heart, even after burnout

🎧 Ready to feel seen, supported, and inspired? Press play.

👇 And don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode with a fellow vet who needs to hear it.

ep. 6

#ReadyVetGo #VeterinaryMentorship #EmergencyVet #ReliefVet #VetMedLife #VeterinaryMedicine #NewGradVet #VetMom #WomenInVetMed #ImposterSyndrome #MentorshipMatters #VeterinaryPodcast #VetStudentLife #RealTalkVetMed #VeterinaryStudent #VeterinarySchool

This episode of Ready Vet Go hits different. 🎙️

Veterinary student Garth turns the tables and puts podcast host Dr. Dani Rabwin in the hot seat to tackle some of the realest questions about veterinary mentorship, early-career stress, and what it actually means to be ready after vet school.

🔥 What does true mentorship look like—and how do you find it before you graduate?

🔥 What happens when mentorship is promised but never delivered?

🔥 How does Ready Vet Go actually support new grads, and why does it matter now more than ever?

🔥 Why are so many new grads leaving their first job within 12–18 months—and how do we stop it?

🔥 PLUS: Dr. Dani opens up about her own mistakes as a mentor, her biggest lessons learned, and the secret to feedback that doesn’t suck.

This is not your average episode. This is a call to action for every student and early-career veterinarian who’s navigating mentorship, burnout, feedback, and the fear of failure in vet med.

👣 Whether you’re applying for your first job or still in school, this episode gives you a roadmap for building confidence, finding your people, and creating longevity in the profession.

🧠 Topics Covered:

• Finding the right mentor as a student
• Being a strong mentee (and why that matters)
• Red flags in mentorship promises
• The hard truth about early-career attrition
• Creating psychological safety in feedback
• The value of community and shared experience
• How Ready Vet Go actually works—and how to ask your clinic to pay for it

🎓 Vet students, this one’s for you.

🐾 Early-career vets, you’ll feel seen.

💬 Practice owners, take notes.

ep. 5

#ReadyVetGo #VetMentorship #VeterinaryStudent #NewGradVet #VetSchoolLife #MentorshipMatters #VeterinaryPodcast #VetMedCommunity #VeterinaryWellness #EarlyCareerVet #FeedbackCulture #PsychologicalSafety #VeterinaryLeadership #DVM

What really keeps vet techs in the field for 20 years? What does true mentorship look like behind the scenes in vet med? And why are RVTs the unsung heroes of every successful veterinary practice?

In this powerful episode of Ready Vet Go, Dr. Danny Rabwin sits down with Mallory, a seasoned Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT), educator, and shelter volunteer, for a deeply honest conversation about the highs, lows, laughs, and lessons from two decades in veterinary medicine.

🎙️ Topics we cover:

• How to find your forever clinic (and why culture matters)
• The RVT’s role in mentorship & medical decision-making
• Teaching the next generation of vet techs
• Navigating transitions from tech to manager to educator
• Pet adoptions, shelter stories, and the truth about bringing work home

Whether you're a new vet, a student, a tech, or just someone who loves animals, this episode delivers real stories, expert advice, and relatable moments from the trenches of vet med.

🔥 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe — and share this with someone who’s thinking about entering veterinary medicine!

👇 Drop your questions or stories about mentorship in the comments!

ep. 4

#VeterinaryMedicine #VetTechLife #RVT #VetMentorship #ReadyVetGo #VeterinaryPodcast #VetMedSupport #VetStudents #AnimalHealth #VetClinicLife #ShelterMedicine #VetSchool #VetTechProblems #MentorshipMatters #ReadyVetGoPodcast

Step into the heart of Ready Vet Go as host Dr. Dani Rabwin honors the mentor who shaped his career, Dr. Mike “Buff” Buffum—veterinarian, Air Force officer, coal-miner-turned-animal-nutritionalist-turned-practice-owner, and tireless advocate for client-focused care.

In this emotionally rich episode, discover:

Mentor & Mentee Bond: How a chance meeting led to decades of shared wisdom—cowboy medicine, emergency shifts, and beyond.

Unconventional Journeys: Dr. Buff’s $10-bet GED-to-veterinary-degree story proves that opportunity favors the bold.

Building Culture: The secret behind a practice where associates thrive, clients feel heard, and teammates cover each other.

Hands-On Leadership: Why “staying involved” in daily clinic life is the most powerful management strategy.

Mentorship Pearls: Practical tips for mentors and mentees—set clear roles, share responsibility, follow up on cases, and always keep learning.

🔗 Quick Links

► Ready Vet Go Mentorship Program: readyvetgo.com/mentorship

► Email Us: info@readyvetgo.com

👍 Like, Share, and Subscribe to lift up the next generation of veterinarians.

💬 Comment Below: What’s the single best piece of advice you’ve received from a mentor?

⏱ Timestamps

0:00 Intro & Emotional Welcome

1:04 Dr. Buff’s Unlikely Vet School Bet ($10 Story)

6:00 From Navy Flight Decks to Emergency Clinics

12:19 Launching a Multi-Doctor Practice & Culture Creation

20:00 Empowering Associates & Distributed Responsibility

27:05 Investing in Ultrasound, Cytology & In-House Diagnostics

33:00 Community Engagement & Client-Centered Events

41:03 Formalizing Mentorship: Lessons for Mentors & Mentees

55:30 Final Pearls: Joy, Optimism & “Best Is Yet to Come”

ep. 3

#ReadyVetGo #VeterinaryMentorship #PracticeLeadership #VetMedLife #ClientFocusedCare #CareerJourney #VeterinaryMedicine #DVM #VeterinaryStudent

Ever wondered how a Pony Club rider becomes a globe-trotting veterinarian and mentor? 🐎✈️

In this candid Ready Vet Go episode, Dr. Dani Rabwin sits down with Dr. Natasha Lefkowitz to unpack her journey across continents, species, and career pivots:

🌱 Early Passion How Pony Club ignited a lifelong love of animal care

🎓 Vet School Adventures Drum circles in Santa Cruz, Himalayan yak research, and the power of initiative

🚚 Solo Practice Realities Triumphs, mishaps (yes, wrapping a truck around a barn counts!), and the cost of flying solo

🦍 Wild Pivot Three months tracking gorillas in West Africa—and discovering her next calling

🐶 Small Animal Shift Why small-animal medicine felt like “coming home,” and how to leverage your network

🤝 Mentorship Matters How reaching out, giving back, and building relationships fuels growth

Whether you’re a new-grad DVM, a seasoned veterinarian, or dreaming of a career U-turn, Dr. Natasha’s story proves your veterinary degree is a ticket to endless possibilities.

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 Intro & Pony Club Beginnings

02:17 Nepal Yak Research & Vet School Memories

07:25 Solo Practice Wins & Wrecks

16:17 Conservation Veterinary Pivot

23:20 Small Animal Clinic Switch

30:36 Mentorship & Paying It Forward

👍 Like if you believe veterinary mentorship changes lives!

💬 Comment your biggest “aha!” moment or share how mentorship shaped your career.

🔔 Subscribe for weekly insights, tips, and real-talk stories from top vets.

ep. 2

#ReadyVetGo #VeterinaryMentorship #VetLife #DrNatashaLefkowitz #NewGradVets #CareerPivot #ConservationVet #SmallAnimalMedicine #VetStories #MentorshipMatters

Discover how strategic mentorship, emotional intelligence, and shelter-medicine know-how can accelerate the success of early-career veterinarians.

In this Ready Vet Go Podcast conversation, host Dr. Danny Rabwin interviews Dr. “Hawk” Hawkins, Executive Director of the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association (SCVMA), about building sustainable veterinary careers, leading teams, and turning setbacks into growth opportunities.

🎯 What You’ll Learn

– Proven mentorship tactics new-grad veterinarians can apply today

– How shelter medicine experience sharpens clinical and leadership skills

– Emotional-intelligence tools for diffusing exam-room stress

– Inside look at organized veterinary medicine and advocacy work

– Leadership pearls for balancing multiple roles without burnout

⏱ Chapters

00:00 Intro & why EI matters in the exam room

01:44 Meet Dr. “Hawk” Hawkins – 25-year journey in vet med 05:55 From GP to shelter medicine: skills, surprises, rewards

13:08 Evolution of modern shelter practice & population medicine

19:09 Leadership path: SCVMA, CVMA & association “Kool-Aid”

24:55 Biggest clinical mistake, recovery, and growth lesson

31:22 Early-career leadership tips inside any clinic

37:20 Building community: why VMAs and networking matter

42:55 Quick-fire Q&A with Dr. Hawkins

45:46 Ready Vet Go remote mentorship – how it works & sign-up info

🔗 Resources & Links

– Learn more & join the Ready Vet Go mentorship community: https://readyvetgo.co

– Southern California VMA (SCVMA): https://scvma.org

💡 Subscribe Weekly episodes feature industry leaders, practice owners, and specialists who reveal the soft-skill strategies and clinical insights that vet school leaves out.

📣 Connect with Ready Vet Go

Instagram: @readyvetgo_

LinkedIn: Ready Vet Go

TikTok: @readyvetgo_

ep. 1

#VeterinaryMentorship #EarlyCareerVets #VetMedPodcast #DVM #dvmotivation #veterinarystudent #veterinarian #veterinarycareers