In this episode of "So You're a Vet, Now What?" Dr. Moriah McCauley is joined by dear friend and fellow Royal Dick School of Veterinary Studies graduate, Dr. Dani Poll. Dr. Dani and Dr. Moriah both graduated in 2020, and their friendship has been a cornerstone as they have navigated the ups and downs of their veterinary careers. In this episode they relive the not-so-glory-days of vet school and their first year in practice, sharing everything they wish they’d known when they first graduated.
This episode is part one of a two-part series where Dr. Moriah and Dr. Dani dive deep into their experiences during vet school and their very first year in practice.
Dr. Dani grew up in northern Utah. She grew up on a farm which was part of her inspiration to pursue veterinary medicine. She completed her undergraduate degree at Utah State, and then attended veterinary school in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Dr. Dani took full advantage of living abroad and travelled as much as she could. She spent some time in South Africa working with wildlife, especially rhinos. She also spent some time rehabilitating and releasing sea turtles in the Maldives who had been victims of ghost nets. She has also participated in spay and neuter programs to help to decrease wild cat and dog populations.
After finishing vet school, she came back to Utah to work in a small animal general practice that focuses on teaching vet technicians as well as future and current vet students. It’s here she found a love for teaching and helping others grow. Dr. Dani also volunteers at her local shelter to help neuter animals before they are sent out for adoption. She takes vet students with her to help them build their surgical skills.
Dr. Dani recently left general practice and is doing relief work while she builds a new vet practice in her hometown. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her two dogs, Moose and Nala. She also enjoys playing piano, travelling to new places, and loving any animals she comes in contact with.
Episode Outline
00:00:48 - Vet School Memories
00:01:45 - Transition from Vet School to Practice
00:02:21 - Reflecting on the First Year
00:03:11 - Expectations vs. Reality
00:04:23 - Decision Fatigue and Imposter Syndrome
00:06:05 - Opening a Practice
00:07:38 - Vet School Preparation
00:09:25 - Real-World Challenges
00:11:18 - Mile Wide, Inch Deep Education
00:12:07 - Spectrum of Care and Communication Skills
00:13:00 - Are We Selecting the Right People for Vet School?
00:16:05 - Vet School Interview Process
00:21:00 - Trust and Performance in Vet Med
00:23:42 - Honesty with Clients
Episode Links
Learn more about Dr. Dani: https://www.loopabroad.com/faculty/danielle-poll-dvm/
Connect with Dr. Dani: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-poll-8b86a5159/
Follow Dr. Dani: https://www.instagram.com/poll_dani/
Mentioned in this episode:
So You're a Vet, Now What? - The Course
Are you a new or recent veterinary graduate? If so, Dr. Dave’s course, ‘So You’re a Vet… Now What?’ has been put together specifically for you. The course focuses on non-clinical skills. This is not as dull as it sounds. In fact, almost every career problem that people face is due to not having well-developed, non-clinical skills.
These are skills like client communication, so you have great relationships with clients. Emotional intelligence, so you've got great relationships with your teammates. Effective negotiation skills, so you can get paid what you are worth. Management of imposter syndrome, so you can have confidence in your abilities. And, how to build formidable resilience, so you can handle everything that comes your way.
These are not...
