Building Confidence for Early-Career Veterinarians
At Davies Animal Medical Hospital, we take great pride in our veterinarian mentorship program, thoughtfully designed to build confidence and nurture the growth of early-career veterinarians. This program goes beyond the basics, offering personalized, hands-on guidance from seasoned veterinarians committed to helping new graduates enhance their clinical skills, decision-making abilities, and professional development.
We cultivate a collaborative learning environment that extends beyond clinical training, placing a strong emphasis on communication, leadership, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance. At Davies, we don’t just mentor veterinarians—we help shape compassionate leaders who are ready to make a difference.
A key focus of our mentorship program is refining surgical skills. Our experienced mentors guide new veterinarians through the surgeries commonly performed by general practitioners, such as spays, neuters, cryptorchid surgeries, and C-sections, progressing to more advanced techniques like cherry eye repairs and perineal urethrostomies. The program is designed to help you grow as a clinician while thriving as a skilled, compassionate veterinarian ready to tackle any challenge your career may present.
Structure of the Mentorship Program
The mentorship program typically lasts six months but can be extended to meet individual needs.
Month 1
Shadow a mentor DVM during various wellness, problem, and emergency appointments. Spend two days per week in surgery, refining your skills under close supervision, while familiarizing yourself with hospital protocols, diagnostics, and pharmaceuticals. Begin CPR training.
Month 2
Start seeing your own cases, primarily wellness and straightforward problem appointments, scheduled as drop-offs to allow extra time for case workups. Continue with two surgery days per week, progressing to more complex procedures like mass removals and advanced laceration repairs.
Month 3
Transition to 30-minute wellness and problem appointments, focusing on time management, client communication, and record-keeping. Continue refining surgical skills and begin concentrating on internal medicine cases.
Month 4
Continue managing 30-minute appointments with an emphasis on time management. Begin discussing and managing emergency cases and procedures, while continuing to enhance surgical skills and take on new procedures with guidance.
Month 5
Further hone your skills in 30-minute appointments and surgery, with a focus on oncology patient management.
Month 6
Complete your mentorship! While you’ll be expected to handle most cases independently, our practice fosters a collaborative environment where we continue to support each other, whether brainstorming challenging cases or tackling new surgeries. If time management with 30-minute appointments is going well, you’ll transition to 20-minute appointments.
Interested in joining our mentorship program? Reach out to our team to submit your resume and learn more.