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I want to participate in the SHIP program because I have the desire to own a veterinary practice in the future. As a current Harbor Student Envoy/participant in the Harbor Business Experience and with my Business minor from my undergraduate, I have started to look into the business side of veterinary medicine, and while this has been a great introduction, I want to learn more about how veterinary practices are run and the decisions, both day-to-day and on a larger scale, that are made by practice-owning veterinarians. I fully believe SHIP is the perfect place for me to do this. My goal as a SHIP participant is to gain hands-on experience not only with patients in a clinic but also with a practice owner and their staff in order to gain a deeper understanding of the business side of running a clinic.

I am an outgoing, curious, and eager-to-learn student with about 2 years of previous experience in a small animal clinic. At a SHIP Practice, I am confident that I can bring a motivated, optimistic attitude that will continue throughout the summer as I grow my knowledge of veterinary practice ownership.

I would start by taking a look at the past year and determining which services we excelled at, where we could have done better (maybe based on client reviews/feedback, staff ideas, or the cost versus income of these services), and if there are places around the clinic that could use some help. Some of the money I would then put towards improving the services where we struggled by upgrading our technology, infrastructure, or clinic maintenance. Investing in these areas would help improve our clients’ experiences, therefore increasing our future clinic success, as well.
I would also want to put some of the money towards my staff and invest in the people who work for and with me. I would try to give some of the money back to them in the form of a bonus or gifts to show my appreciation for my staff, as I know they are a major reason we were able to succeed.

I would start by talking to my staff and try to determine how they feel about the past year. As a practice owner, I may not be as aware of some of the experiences of my team, and I would want to see if they have any major insight as to specific things we need to improve for the next year. Including my staff in these decisions will ensure they feel like a part of the business and have a voice in their jobs. I believe being honest with my staff is crucial in running a successful business, but I also understand the risk of reducing morale by letting my staff know that we are currently struggling. I think if I stay positive as the practice owner and come up with a concrete plan to both reduce our spending and increase our profits, I can keep my staff optimistic about the future while keeping them informed about our present situation. I would also take a look at our marketing strategies, customer acquisition costs, and unnecessary spending throughout the past year, as these can all impact our ability to make a profit and bring in new clients.

5

9

I have always had an interest in owning my own business. My natural leadership skills paired with the business knowledge I have learned throughout my education will help me become an effective practice owner, while my time spent as a volunteer and veterinary assistant will ensure I keep my staff’s interests and abilities at heart.
I am most drawn to practice ownership because of the freedom to provide care to patients at the level I know is best. In the corporate world, there is frequently a previously-determined procedure that must be followed when something happens, no matter the financial or social situation of the client, and there is less space for me to question the current ways things are being done. I want to make executive decisions for my practice, clients, and patients that I feel proud of, and I feel like as a practice owner I will be able to do this at the highest level. Furthermore, as a practice owner, I will be able to create a clinic environment that I want to be a part of and encourages others to succeed, as well.

YES

I have one dog, Nala, who is a 2 year old Australian Cattle Dog mix. She is about 23 pounds and needs to come with me if I have to move; however, we would prefer to stay close to Fort Collins because she is already acclimated to the environment here and has anxiety.

• Small animal exclusive
• General practice

I am very interested in providing care to low-income communities and people with service animals, so I would love to work with a clinic that has experiences with these groups. I am also a Colorado native who loves the outdoors and wants to stay in the area so that I can explore various hikes and outdoor spaces throughout the summer.