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As veterinary students, we only have 4 years to learn as much as we can before we go off into practice or residencies. As a result, there is not much room left in the curriculum to talk about business ownership and practice management. One of the main reasons I would like to participate in this program is to fill that gap. I have always been interested in practice ownership, which is one of the reasons I have become an active member and officer in our school's Veterinary Business Management Association. However, while this organization gives helpful tips and advice for the future, we are not able to get a hands-on and immersive experience that this program would provide. My goal for this program would be to come out of it with an understanding of how to juggle both running a business and being a good veterinarian. We are trained to be veterinarians, but I want to learn how to handle the stress of both veterinary medicine and business ownership.

I believe I have a unique mindset when it comes to increasing access to veterinary care. My compassion, empathy, communication skills, and proficiency in Spanish language has enabled me to facilitate veterinary care to a broader group of people.

I would use the money to invest back into the business and its employees. I believe the technicians at a clinic are a big part of what makes it profitable or not, and they should be compensated accordingly. This could include bonuses for employees or also updating things in the office that would be beneficial to them. For example, new computers, more ergonomic office chairs, a nice break area, etc. As for investing back into the business, this could include parts of the building that may need updating (new paint, floors, etc) or even new equipment that could make the clinic more profitable down the road. For example, a new ultrasound, if the clinic did not already have one, would allow the clinicians to perform more procedures in house versus referring them out. Additionally, therapeutic lasers are becoming more popular, and if they are used and recommended properly, they can result in a large return on investment. If technicians are trained and able to perform laser appointments, no time would be taken away from doctors, who are then able to continue with their regular schedules and perform higher value procedures.

One of the ways that I would like to improve efficiency while being encouraging to my team would be to set weekly goals and have weekly check-ins with them. This might include setting goals for parasite prevention sales or the number of annual exams we do each week. As a practice owner, I would also have separate weekly meetings with our office manager to take a look at our finances and ensure there are no outstanding client invoices, that we are not behind on any bills, etc. I believe that one of the reasons that morale drops is because employees may not feel heard or appreciated. Weekly check-ins would give employees the opportunity to voice any concerns and ensure that they have an open, judgement-free place where they can express themselves and feel understood. In addition, improving our marketing through social media outlets could also improve sales. This responsibility could be a joint effort among the team and would include promoting the clinic, highlighting members of our team, etc. Hopefully, this would create some excitement in the clinic and make employees proud of their workplace.

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9

I like the idea of being able to make the business my own. I have a picture of what I want my future practice to look like, and I want the freedom to create that vision. I also like the idea that there isn't necessarily a cap on how much I can make like there would be just working under a salary with possible production bonuses.

YES

I have a 4 year old, male neutered boxer pitbull mix. He is well trained, but would need to be housed with me.

• Small animal exclusive
• Mixed animal
• General practice

If possible, I would like to stay close to College Station, TX. My husband is here, and I'd like to be able to see him throughout the 10 weeks.