Living and Working at Energy Vets Taranaki with Large Animal Veterinarian - Dr Michelle Gosling - 1029

Dr Michelle Gosling - Energy Vets, Taranaki - Episode 1029 - Veterinary Voices - real veterinary voices telling real veterinary stories - with Julie South

Host: Julie South [00:00:05]:

Welcome to Veterinary Voices—culture storytelling conversations that help vet clinics hire great people. I'm Julie South and this is Episode 1029.

Today we're continuing our Real Story series with Energy Vets in Taranaki. Taranaki is on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island.

Veterinary Voices is brought to you by VetClinicJobs, helping vet clinics tell their culture stories, not just post job ads.

Before we begin, a quick note. Energy Vets is currently recruiting for an experienced small animal veterinarian, someone ready to step up, co-lead, mentor and coach within the small animal team. You can find out more at vetclinicjobs.com/energyvets.

Host: Julie South [00:01:05]:

In this episode you'll hear from Dr Michelle Gosling, who joined Energy Vets back in 2013 as a new grad and never left.

Since then Michelle has grown into a senior large animal vet, a working parent, the clinic's farm services manager, and then most recently a shareholder in the business.

As you listen, notice what shows up quietly but very consistently—and that's support, trust, flexibility and a clinic that adapts as people's lives change.

And stay tuned because in the next episode you'll hear from vet nurse Alana offering the nursing perspective on what it's really like to work at Energy Vets. Rounding out this series with another voice from inside the team.

For now though, let's join the chat with Michelle.

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:02:04]:

Hi, I'm Michelle. I started with Energy Vets in 2013 as a new graduate vet. I am currently the farm services manager as well as still involved quite heavily in clinical practice on a day-to-day basis.

Host: Julie South [00:02:21]:

First job, Michelle, did you come to or go to Taranaki for that first job?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:02:27]:

Yes. So this job I saw advertised, I came for the job and I haven't left since.

Host: Julie South [00:02:34]:

What did you know about Taranaki?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:02:35]:

I'd done a little bit of work experience here as a final year student so I knew it was a really cool place with lots of stuff to do in the outdoors, the beach, the mountain, plenty of cool attractions here to explore. So that was definitely a draw card.

Host: Julie South [00:02:53]:

Are you prior to Taranaki—are you a big city woman?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:02:57]:

I don't know if you would call Palmerston North a big city, but I am from Palmerston North, so yes.

Host: Julie South [00:03:01]:

From a city, from windy Palmy. Okay. How did you find moving to Taranaki?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:03:08]:

I mean it was really easy to find cool people to live with at that stage. I was young and found it very easy to make friends. Everyone was really, really welcoming. Just felt like you fit in instantly.

Host: Julie South [00:03:23]:

You talked before about or you mentioned the lifestyle, the outdoors. Do you take advantage of everything the region has to offer? Because it's a beautiful region.

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:03:34]:

Absolutely, yeah. So I currently live rurally so there's plenty of awesome bush walks. We're right underneath the mountain so we don't have to go far to find a good tramp around the place. It's only 25 minutes to the beach for us, so we go there quite often as well. Coastal walkway—yeah, we frequent those places as much as we can.

Host: Julie South [00:03:56]:

You say we. Do you have a family?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:03:59]:

Yes, so I have three children. Two at primary school and one in daycare while I'm at work and a partner as well.

Host: Julie South [00:04:09]:

What's schooling like in Taranaki so far?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:04:14]:

Just with a seven and five year old, we've had a great introduction to schooling here. They're at a lovely little rural school. Again, very welcoming with lovely families there. Teaching staff have been great. Just a really good experience to the early learning stages for our family.

Host: Julie South [00:04:32]:

You're a parent, a working parent. Do you work full time or part time?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:04:39]:

I work four days a week, so not quite full time.

Host: Julie South [00:04:43]:

In some clinics there is a bit of a—I wouldn't say stigma, but sometimes vets and nurses who aren't parents have a bit of—put pressure on parents because, you know, sometimes the school will ring up and you've got a sick child and you've got to down tools and disappear immediately because family has to take priority. Is there any of that? Have you experienced any of that?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:05:12]:

I've had three lots of maternity leave while at Energy Vets and I can say that the organisation has only grown in terms of being supportive for parents. I was probably the first one to go through that and they've just adapted with me. It's been so supportive.

They're so understanding. If you've got to go and do something with the kids if they're sick, they understand that family does always come first. They never ask any questions, they just let me do what I need to do.

You understand that it goes both ways, like you're going to put more in if there's flexibility like that as well.

Host: Julie South [00:05:51]:

You say you work four days. Are you still on the after-hours large animal roster?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:05:55]:

Yes, yes, I still am part of the after-hours large animal roster.

Host: Julie South [00:06:00]:

And you say you live under the mountain. How close to that beautiful mountain do you live?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:06:06]:

Probably—I think the last property is about 5k further up the road and that's right on the border of the reserve. So we're pretty close.

Host: Julie South [00:06:17]:

Sounds lovely. You currently wear two hats, you're an on-the-tools large animal vet, and you are the farm services manager. What responsibilities do you have as the farm services manager? Why is there even a farm services manager at Energy Vets?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:06:38]:

I guess it comes down to developing the people that we have working on our team, making sure that we're all working cohesively and that everyone has support. It's just—you need someone to really oversee that.

And we've had quite a few newer graduates recently, so it's important to, I guess, give them the same welcome to their career like I had with just so much support and people wanting to help develop you as a vet.

I think that's been so instrumental in my career as well as those people have become my lifelong friends as well, that have helped develop me. So I want to give those people the same experience that I had.

Host: Julie South [00:07:19]:

So the farm services manager, if I understand what you've just said correctly, is more for the team than the farmers, is that correct?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:07:29]:

I think, I mean, it benefits the farmers as well to have a team that all have a good work ethic, get along well, give the same service that we all want to provide, and we're all on the same page with what we want our farmers to experience and the results we want to get for them.

So, yeah, by working as a team, we can be pretty sure that we're giving that to our farmers.

Host: Julie South [00:07:53]:

When I met with Greg, we talked about progression and advancement for the team at Energy Vets. You are a recently freshly invited shareholder?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:08:13]:

Yes.

Host: Julie South [00:08:14]:

How was—was it a surprise? Did you ask for it? Did you put your hand up and say, hey, you know, if this is available, count me in? How did that happen?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:08:28]:

No, it was a very, very big surprise to me. I was very taken back and very humbled by the offer. I was not expecting it at all.

Host: Julie South [00:08:37]:

So what difference has it made to you, do you think, internally as an employee, if any?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:08:45]:

I was always about giving our farmers the best I could possibly give, but it's almost like a reward to myself for that hard work. Now, you know, I have a sense of—I mean, I guess ownership really for my actions.

I can see the business going forward and it is rewarding in itself for all those hours you put in. And sometimes they are long hours and they just feel worthwhile when, you know, it's growing something.

Host: Julie South [00:09:14]:

I got some random questions for you.

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:09:16]:

Okay.

Host: Julie South [00:09:18]:

What sort of person do you think would fit best into Energy Vets?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:09:24]:

I think just someone who enjoys being part of a team, really. You know, we've got such a great culture here. We're always looking for fun social activities together. We're so supportive of each other.

We love having random barbecues and random breakfasts and stuff like that. You know, any excuse for food or an after-work drink. We're all about that. So we just want someone to enjoy that sort of stuff with us.

Host: Julie South [00:09:48]:

What's your favourite piece of kit?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:09:50]:

I really like my grinder for feet. Does that make me sound...

Host: Julie South [00:09:54]:

I heard all sorts of different pieces, so tell me.

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:09:59]:

And my scanner as well. I don't know, it's just so satisfying how much of a better job you can do with your grinder rather than your knives. You think about all those years you slaved away with your hands when there's a way quicker, more satisfying option.

Host: Julie South [00:10:14]:

So if somebody's never heard of a grinder, what does it do?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:10:18]:

Oh, it's just about...

Host: Julie South [00:10:21]:

Is it an equine thing?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:10:23]:

No, for cows, just—yeah. About cleaning up their feet and removing the excess horn that they have. Just—yeah. If you've ever used knives on a cow's foot, you know that sometimes there's a lot of excess and it takes forever and it's a very laborious job. So anything that you can speed up that process is a win for me.

Host: Julie South [00:10:44]:

Tell me about a time, please. If you think back through all of the different patients you've treated, what would be the most interesting or satisfying case that you've worked with?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:11:02]:

I don't know if that's a good question for me, because for me it's more about the relationship with the clients, you know...

Host: Julie South [00:11:11]:

Okay, talk to me about—without identifying clients, so none of them get big heads. You've come in to Taranaki 13 or so years ago as a newbie. What sort of relationships have you developed with your clients over those years?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:11:31]:

So we're quite lucky in the Taranaki that we've got a lot of smaller dairy farms, a lot of owner-operator farms or the herd owners. They're actually on the farm and there's a lot of newer people coming through as well.

So you do develop some really good relationships with them. You get to know them, their family, their pets, everything. It's such a small place, so you end up seeing them at events, out at the pub or mum's groups, that sort of thing.

And they're all just such likeable people. They make it such a pleasure to do the job for them and they become your friends as well. Very, very easy to get along with.

Host: Julie South [00:12:14]:

Growing up in Palmy, I guess the Manawatu area, did you grow up on a farm?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:12:20]:

No, I was in town but my grandparents had a piggery and a dairy farm so we would go there in the holidays.

Host: Julie South [00:12:28]:

Did you always want to be a large animal vet?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:12:31]:

No, I thought I would be a small animal vet. So honestly it was—it was the people that I slotted in with at Energy Vets that, yeah, they were the people that got me on the large animal career path.

They were just such good people to be around. So much fun working in a team environment. It just sold me on the job.

Host: Julie South [00:12:51]:

Coming from outside and this may be a bit hard for you to answer because you've got 13 years of experience now. What was the most wonderfully surprising thing you discovered when you started at Energy Vets that you weren't expecting?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:13:09]:

I wasn't expecting to meet people that would feel like lifetime friends or they even feel like family now. It's really just what's blown me away is that I've never wanted to leave because I haven't wanted to leave my family. Almost. That's what it feels like.

Host: Julie South [00:13:29]:

Let's talk about the after-hours roster. How does that fit in as—because it's the bane of every large animal vet's life. It has to be. How does that fit in with your lifestyle?

Dr Michelle Gosling [00:13:47]:

I guess we're really lucky in that spring's really the only crazy time of year for after-hours. For the rest of the time, you know, you get a few calls scattered here and there. You might even get a weekend with absolutely nothing.

It's quite unpredictable, but it's just so manageable. It's really not busy out of spring at all.

Host: Julie South [00:14:12]:

What you've just heard from Michelle isn't a highlight reel or a leadership pitch. It's the accumulation of 13 years of everyday experience.

Relocating, building long-term client relationships, becoming a parent, staying clinical, stepping into leadership and then eventually being invited into ownership.

And that matters because when clinics talk about—I'm using air quotes—career progression, this is often what vets and nurses are really trying to picture. Not job titles, but whether the clinic will still fit when their life changes.

Host: Julie South [00:15:02]:

Across this Real Story series with Energy Vets, a consistent picture keeps emerging. People stay not because the work is easy—because you and I both know that veterinary work is never easy—but because the support is real, the flexibility is mutual and the culture evolves as the humans do.

These aren't polished stories, they're everyday experiences told by the people actually living them.

In the next episode, you'll hear from vet nurse Alana adding the nursing lens to this series. Because culture is never one voice and understanding a clinic means hearing from across the team.

Host: Julie South [00:15:54]:

If you're responsible for recruitment at your clinic and you're listening to this thinking, hey, Julie, we have stories like this too. We just don't know how to surface them or what to do with them, then I'd love to help. Email me direct. julie@vetclinicjobs.com.

And if you're an experienced small animal vet considering your next move, Energy Vets is currently recruiting. You can explore the role in the wider clinic story at vetclinicjobs.com/energyvets.

This is Julie South signing off and inviting you to go out there and be your most fantabulous self. And remember when vets and nurses can hear what working somewhere is really like before they ever see a job ad, they don't have to guess whether they belong because they can feel it.