Interviews Episodes

Send us a text Dr Francesca Brown is a veterinarian who graduated from Massey University’s class of 1998. Since graduating and gaining experience in clinical practice she moved to education and then leadership in Allied Veterinary Professional education, at both Otago Polytechnic, as the Head of the School of Veterinary Nursing and nationally as the Chair of the Educational Standards committee for Allied Veterinary Professionals. Over her career Dr Francesca’s seen first-hand, an...

Send us a text What is "constructive dismissal" - 101 employment law overview with Julie South. Dr Cath Watson - Chair of Healthy Pets NZ talks about ways supports can get involved in fundraising. Cath talks about "Dogs Day Out" and Kerikeri artist Tessa Smith. Julie South announces last week's leader board in the VetStaff annual "Love Your Vet Nurse" competition in honour of Vet Nurse Awareness Week 2022. Struggling to get results from your job advertisements? I...

Send us a text Part 2 of 3 chats Julie South had with Companion Animal Veterinarian and Chair of Healthy Pets New Zealand, Dr Cath Watson. This week Julie and Cath chat about some of the research that Healthy Pets NZ has undertaken. #LoveYourVetNurse annual competition in honour of Vet Nurse Awareness Week - Julie announces the leader board results after the first week of competition. It's the best competition VetStaff has ever run - the enthusiasm from clinics has been almost overwhelming...

Send us a text Dr Cath Watson, BVSc - Companion Animal Veterinarian - has worked in a range of practices, both in here in Godzone Aotearoa New Zealand and in the United Kingdom. She’s been a locum, an employee, and a business owner. Right now, Cath’s based in Central Otago but travels the country as a locum. The reason Cath and Julie South of VetStaff are talking today is because of Cath's involvement in Healthy Pets New Zealand – a really special New Zealand research charity.&nb...

Send us a text Pressure is not Stress - Nick Petrie - Presenter at the NZVA 2022 Conference - VBB session Nicholas Petrie What "human rumination" is. Julie shares one of the ways she gets out of downward rumination spirals when she recognises them playing out in her life. Nick Petrie's White Paper - Pressure is Not Stress - 4 steps to be resilient in disruptive times Dr Jane Ough - Companion Animal Veterinarian and Conservationist - part 3 of 3 VetStaffleading veterinary sector recruitme...

Send us a text VETERINARY CLINIC SALARY DATA Dr Mark Hosking, CEO of Franklin Vets, is a member of the NZVAs Veterinary Business Branch – the VBB. At the recent NZVA Conference he introduced BBVet, an Australian company which runs a series of surveys tailored to the New Zealand veterinary profession. Clinics that contribute to the data, will have access to high quality benchmarking information to be able to make meaningful decisions in their businesses. &nbsp...

Send us a text Dr Jane Ough is a Senior Companion Animal Veterinarian at South Wairarapa Veterinary Services. Dr Jane’s time and pathway to the veterinarian she is today is quite different from the usual career path of veterinarians. She’s from the BVSc Massey class of 1982. Today, Dr Jane enjoys orthopaedic surgery especially mending broken farm dogs. Dr Ough became concerned about climate change when her two daughters were children. She gained ...

Send us a text The third and final episode with Iain McLachlan – CEO of the New Zealand Veterinary Council. We talk about: the veterinary shortage, the nursing shortage, why the NZ VC doesn’t include two of the world’s top 10 veterinary science universities in its List of Recognised Institutions, when it's going to update that list of Recognised Institutions, what clinics can do if they absolutely cannot manage their after-hours obligations, and what “limited registr...

Send us a text The second of three episodes with Iain McLachlan – CEO of the New Zealand Veterinary Council. We talk about: the veterinary shortage, the nursing shortage, why the NZ VC doesn’t include two of the world’s top 10 veterinary science universities in its List of Recognised Institutions, when it's going to update that list of Recognised Institutions, what clinics can do if they absolutely cannot manage their after-hours obligations, and what “limited regist...

Send us a text Today we start the first of three episodes where Iain McLachlan – CEO of the New Zealand Veterinary Council – and I, talk about the veterinary shortage, the nursing shortage, why the NZ VC doesn’t include two of the world’s top 10 veterinary science universities in its List of Recognised Institutions, when is it going to update that list of Recognised Institutions, what clinics can do if they absolutely cannot manage their after-hours obligations, and what “limited registration...

Send us a text This is part 2 of a 2 part series with Dr Ashley O'Driscoll, DVM, BSc. Dr O’Driscoll has worked in several New Zealand veterinary clinics – on both Islands - as a pet and farm animal veterinarian since moving here in 2010. As you’ll pick up, Dr O’Driscoll has a strong interest in animal welfare – she started the Waikato’s first home euthanasia referral service for dogs in the Waikato – as well as working for MPI and the SPCA in animal welfare. As well as being a la...

Send us a text Dr O’Driscoll has worked in several New Zealand veterinary clinics – on both Islands - as a pet and farm animal veterinarian since moving here in 2010. As you’ll pick up, Dr O’Driscoll has a strong interest in animal welfare – she started the Waikato’s first home euthanasia referral service for dogs in the Waikato – as well as working for MPI and the SPCA in animal welfare. As well as being a large animal vet (she loooooves cows!), she’s also a Certified Body Condit...

Send us a text If you’re a recent or new vet science graduate of Massey University then regardless of where you’re working in New Zealand, you’ve probably heard of, or met, Krispin as he’s been quite involved with Massey’s MMI for vet students over the years. MMI is part of the Massey BVSc pre-selection programme – they’re the 8 Multi Mini Interviews potential vet science students go through. Krispin’s been on the panel where students get to go a round of 8 short, structu...

Send us a text Dr Karli Houston is a marathon running, fundraising, companion animal veterinarian. Karli was born in the US to two kiwi parents. Karli has a raft of qualifications behind her … she studied biology and theatre arts at the Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania, then Human Nutrition at the University of Maryland before moving to Palmerston North and to complete her Bachelor of Veterinary Science at Massey. Since graduating from Massey in 2012, Karli’s worked at Fr...

Send us a text Veterinarian Dr Helen Beattie on: life after Chief Veterinary Officer at the New Zealand Veterinary Association Veterinarians for Animal Welfare Aotearoa - VAWAsome of the amazing opportunities Helen experienced as CVO NZVAsome more of the amazing people Helen worked with as CVO NZVAwhat's next and where to from herePart 3 of the three part series getting to know Dr Helen Beattie now that she's no longer the Chief Veterinary Officer at the New Zealand Veterinary Associati...

Send us a text Veterinarian Dr Helen Beattie on: Conflict, Tension & Moral DistressBooks Helen's reading and recommendsInspiration & aspirational parenting+ a bit of philosophical discussionPart 2 of a multi-part series getting to know Dr Helen Beattie before she became known to New Zealand's veterinarians in her role as Chief Veterinary Officer at the New Zealand Veterinary Association. Part 1 - episode 069 - some career highs and lows Books Dr Helen Beattie is reading or has just ...

Send us a text Dr Helen Beattie grew up on a South Island Central High Country station before going to Massey University. Her veterinary career started off in a mixed animal clinic in North Otago. Helen’s OE included working on the UKs foot and mouth response in the UK. From there she came home to Godzone and bought a companion animal clinic in Dunedin. From clinic ownership Helen ventured into teaching vet nurses at Otago Polytechnic. Not standing still on the education f...

Send us a text Margie's dreams, aspirations and how vet clinics can pay their vet nurses more This is the second of two episodes where I catch up with Vet Nurse of the Year 2021 Margie Rutherford of The Strand Veterinarian in Auckland’s Parnell. If you haven’t listened to last week’s episode – number 63 – I highly recommend you go and listen to that show before you listen to this, as it gives context. Today, Margie shares some of her dreams and aspirations for vet nurses. She t...

Send us a text Vet Nurse Margie Rutherford's Visions for Veterinary Nursing in New Zealand Margie Rutherford, BSC, BVT - Vet Nurse of the Year 2021 Episode 1/2 where Vet Nurse Margie Rutherford and I chat about her visions for veterinary nursing in New Zealand. Margie was awarded the NZ Vet Nurse of the Year 2021 . She was one of 16 nominations for Vet Nurse of the Year. According to NZVNA President, Amy Ross, one of the things that really stood out to her in the...

Send us a text This is the fourth episode in the sustainability series and today we’re with Sophie Kennedy of The Strand Veterinarian in Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand. Sophie is the dedicated receptionist at The Strand Veterinarian who’s just recently been charged with the responsibility of project managing the clinic’s sustainability initiatives. As you’ll hear – unlike many clinics where reception duties form part of a vet nurse’s responsibilities, at The Strand Veterinarian, Sophie’s sole...

Send us a text In 2019, Zoetis NZ set up a new internal group to examine environmental, social and governance aspects of its business, with a focus on driving long term business sustainability. In practice, Large Animal Veterinarian Kristen Baxter’s responsibilities have been primarily focused on improving the environmental footprint and looking at all areas of the product life cycle - from packaging, to transport, and to then managing product waste. Wearing her sustainability hat...

Send us a text Dr Paulo Lencioni – a companion animal vet turned computer coder turned practising accountant specialising who now works with vet clinics to grow their practices answers the question “The impact of the pandemic – vet clinics are busier – but are we treating our patients better or worse?” If you haven’t listened to the first part yet, then I recommend you do because it gives context to today. We continue with the findings in the report commissioned by Profit Diagno...

Send us a text Veterinarian Dr Paolo Lencioni - co-author of September 2021 Vet Clinic Practice White Paper “The impact of the pandemic – vet clinics are busier – but are we treating our patients better or worse?” Today is part one of a two parts where I caught up with Dr Paulo Lencioni – a Companion Animal Veterinarian turned computer coder turned practising accountant specialising in vet clinic practices - mostly in Australasia but spanning a few global continents. If you’ve been listening...

Send us a text Sustainable Vet Clinic Practice - CeeJay Donovan of Massey Vets in Palmerston North - chats about her 6 in 6 - six easy to implement sustainable practices she implemented at Massey Vets in six months and the differences she noticed. For international listeners that’s the on-campus clinic of the Veterinary Science Faculty of New Zealand’s Massey University. CeeJay has a Bachelor of Veterinary Technology from Massey, a Certificate in Science and Technology from Massey as w...