Vet Med

My body has always been my teacher—I had just been programmed not to listen for the first three decades.

It was my body that eventually gave me the wake-up call that I was burned out. I was exhausted despite healthy habits, experienced random crippling abdominal pain and severe heartburn, and had brain fog every afternoon.

I used to think, "Once my body is healed, everything will be better." Just like I used to think, "If I didn’t have to do this job that is making my life so stressful, everyt…

Recently I learned about the three fires in Buddhism that are said to be at the root of most human suffering:
🔥 Greed
🔥 Anger/Hate
🔥 Ignorance/Delusion

And I can’t stop thinking about how our world is on fire from these very things.

And the person running this country? He’s fanning the flames.

Let's pause for a moment—

what came up as you read that?

Did anger or blame bubble up? Maybe even a sense of powerlessness?

If so, that makes total sense. There are horrible, unjust things happen…

If you usually skip the well-being sessions at conferences because you already know what you should be doing—and it feels like it won’t matter when the vet med profession is the real issue… I get it.

That reaction is completely valid.

It’s frustrating when the advice is “do more yoga” or “take a vacation” or you even hear me talking about anti-anxiety tools when:

• You’re double-booked all day
• Clients accuse you of being in it for the money
• Leadership pressures you to hit numbers over provi…

I remember so many late nights as a vet student—exhausted, stressed out of my mind, desperately trying to cram just a little more information into my already tired brain.

I knew I had another eight hours of complex content to memorize the next day. I knew I had a week of exams looming over me.

And I knew—deep down—that I needed sleep.

And yet… the thought of allowing myself to give in to that desire to crawl into bed and close my eyes made me even more anxious.

I knew how important sleep was…

I completely understand why it's common to hear pet owners blamed for the high burnout and suicide rate in vet med.

Being told you're only in it for the money.

Wanting to help a pet but having your hands tied because the owner declines everything.

Being yelled at for just trying to do your job when you’ve already had one tough case after another that day.

Being expected to return calls immediately as if you don’t have a million other things calling your attention at once.

Having your morals…

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Show notes:

In this episode of 'Life Boost with Amelia,' Dr. Amelia invites Dr. Josh Rosen back for a detailed discussion on applying clinical empathy and communication skills in veterinary practice. They cover how to deliver bad news, manage euthanasia, handle imposter syndrome, navigate uncertainties in exams, and deal with difficult clients. Dr. Josh shares valuable strategies for maintaining professionalism and compassion…

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Show notes:

You know those people who stand out because they have a special energy to them and you feel better when you’re around them? They’re also the people who are resilient - they bounce back after hard days, and they seem to be living life to the fullest. They aren’t afraid to fail. Those people are breaking the norm and being a “unicorn”. 

Being a unicorn isn’t a destination or something you’re born with. It’s a daily …

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Show notes:

Dwight Eisenhower got it right when he said, "what is important is seldom urgent and what is urgent is seldom important". 

I connected with that on a deep level a few years ago when I was burned out and wishing decades of my life away.  I was dreaming of retirement because that's when I imagined I'd actually get to start living and enjoying my life. And I realized that I didn't want to keep doing that. I wanted to actua…

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This episode features a conversation with Dr. Josh Rosen, locum veterinarian and expert in veterinary clinical empathy. The discussion explores the importance of clinical empathy in veterinary practice, focusing on improving communication with pet parents to create a more inclusive, supportive, and sustainable veterinary field. Dr. Josh outlines key strategies for integrating empathy into day-to-day con…