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