Keeping skilled veterinary team members isn’t simply about letting them perform more tasks. In this episode, Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, MPA, RVT, explore Beckie’s early University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill doctoral research into what helps credentialed veterinary technicians feel valued, utilized, and more likely to stay.

The findings challenge a familiar assumption in veterinary medicine: working at the top of your license is important, but it isn’t enough. Trust, autonomy, inclusion in clinical decisions, meaningful continuing education, and the freedom to apply new skills may matter just as much as the skills themselves.

Ernie and Beckie discuss why surgery teams often model this well, how micromanagement can undermine highly capable employees, and why a generous CE budget only works when team members can use what they learn. 

They also examine the important difference between keeping people busy and helping them feel fulfilled.

For veterinarians, technicians, practice managers, and clinic leaders, the episode offers one practical question: Are you deciding that your team feels utilized—or are you asking them?

America’s 250th birthday is not shaping up to be a typical one-night July 4th celebration. With fireworks and community events expected to stretch across July 3, 4, and 5 (and expect some noise even earlier), Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, MPA, RVT, are urging veterinary teams to prepare now for an extra-long, extra-loud holiday weekend.

This episode focuses on what clinics can do before the booms begin: check medication inventory, reach out to clients early about noise-aversion plans, remind pet owners not to wait until the last minute, and prepare for closed clinics, overwhelmed ERs, and staffing challenges. 

Ernie and Beckie also discuss holiday risks beyond fireworks, including lost pets, outdated microchip information, travel stress, barbecue hazards, cannabis exposure, and pets in unfamiliar vacation environments.

It’s a timely reminder that this year’s July 4th isn’t just July 4, and vet teams can help clients, patients, and colleagues avoid preventable chaos.

VMX 2026 is in the books, and this week on Veterinary Viewfinder, Dr. Ernie Ward and Becky Mosser, MPA, RVT, share their observations from one of the biggest veterinary conferences ever, VMX in Orlando, Florida, USA.

Our hosts reflect on record-breaking attendance, the growing presence of veterinary technicians and support staff, the rise of booth-based CE, and how AI continues to weave itself into nearly every corner of the exhibit hall.

They also spend time on a topic that sparked real conversation on the show floor: the increasing presence of live animals in the exhibit hall. Drawing from international perspectives, personal experience, and a deep commitment to animal welfare, Ernie and Becky explore where enthusiasm, marketing, and responsibility intersect, and sometimes collide.

And one question keeps coming up: “If we wouldn’t recommend this environment to our clients for their pets, we have to ask why we’re comfortable normalizing it at our own conferences.”

This episode isn’t about easy answers. It’s about noticing patterns, asking better questions, and thinking carefully about what the future of veterinary conferences should look like.

Vaccine hesitancy is no longer just about cost or convenience. In this episode of Veterinary Viewfinder Podcast, Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor dig into why vaccine skepticism has become more emotional, more entrenched, and harder to navigate in today’s exam room.

They move past talking points and focus on what actually helps veterinary teams in real-world conversations. You’ll hear practical guidance on leading with empathy without endorsing misinformation, staying grounded in evidence, and recognizing when a debate is not a debate at all. 

The discussion also covers why consistency across the entire clinic matters, from CSRs to technicians to doctors, and how gaps in vaccine education within the team can quietly undermine trust.

This episode is especially relevant for clinics seeing more frequent vaccine refusals, rising concerns about rabies and zoonotic risk, and growing emotional fatigue around these discussions. You’ll walk away with mindset shifts, communication strategies, and concrete tools that protect patients, teams, and the profession without escalating conflict.

This week, we focus on two critical issues. First, it’s World Pet Obesity Awareness Week, October 7–13, 2024, and we need your help, veterinary professionals, to participate in our biennial Pet Obesity Prevalence Survey by signing up at PetObesityPrevention.org.

Joining us this week is board-certified veterinary nutritionist Martha Cline from Purina to dive into the communication challenges surrounding pet obesity, discuss spectrum of care issues with nutrition and obesity, and explore cutting-edge research on metabolomics and its relevance to joint disease and obesity treatment.

But that’s not all. We’ll also address the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which devastated parts of the Southeast, including parts of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Co-hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Registered Veterinary Technician Beckie Mosser will share ways you can help, as well as some local relief efforts that are making a difference. Links below.

Happy Valentine’s Day, Viewfinders! This holiday, we want to share what we love most about the veterinary profession!

In this special Valentine’s Day 2024 podcast, hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, MPA, reveal the most beloved aspects of working as veterinary professionals. Hey, we can buy ourselves flowers! And we can hold our own hand, too!

Viewfinders, we hope you’ll find at least a few of our favorite things about vet med to be a welcome departure from, as Beckie puts it, “The Basics.” From professional autonomy to entrepreneurship to innovation and collaboration, to our amazing clients and patients (puppies! Kittens! No, we didn’t go there…), there’s something to remind everyone why we love the veterinary profession!

Please share your thoughts on our social media @VeterinaryViewfinder or email us at VeterinaryViewfinder@gmail.com.

This week, we’re proud to introduce you to an extraordinary veterinary technician, Sam Geiling, CVT. Sam has just been named the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) Technician of the Year! Viewfinders, her journey is exceptional and sure to inspire!

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, MPA, talk to Sam Geiling, CVT, and Chief of Staff for the Animal Policy Group, about her career in veterinary medicine and some of her remarkable achievements. From serving in the Navy to being a classmate of Beckie’s in vet tech school to practicing and teaching in Hawaii, to working with state legislatures and veterinary boards around the country, Sam is a vet tech force to be reckoned with! 

Viewfinders, we hope you enjoy her amazing story as much as we did! 

Are you overwhelmed by Slack, Teams, Groups, and Text work messages? Do you feel guilty when responding to a workplace thread late? Ever judge a teammate for not responding to a message? If so, welcome to the new world of 24/7/365 work messages!

In this week’s podcast, hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, MPA, tackle the tough topic of some of the potential benefits and pitfalls of how we communicate with our veterinary clinic teams in 2024. They discuss topics from setting time boundaries to curating appropriate issues and messages to share.

Dr. Ward shares how he expects AI to help us manage the growing number of interactions and platforms. Beckie offers advice on giving yourself grace when creating personal and professional messaging guidelines.

Viewfinders, this is a re-visit of a topic we tackled nearly seven years ago when confronting after-hours telephone calls. As technology and tools have progressed, these intrusions have amplified, and the rules of engagement need to be updated.  

Training requires struggle and even failure at times. But how do we apply this principle when training veterinary medical personnel? 

In this podcast, hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, MPA, delve into the importance of letting veterinary clinic employees struggle in order to improve. Our duo explores the concept of fostering growth through challenges, emphasizing the need for training guardrails and cultivating a culture of curiosity in veterinary clinics. 

They share tips on how allowing employees to navigate difficulties can lead to enhanced skills and resilience (“Don’t always jump in!”). They reveal strategies for implementing effective training frameworks while maintaining a supportive environment that encourages curiosity and continuous learning. 

Viewfinders, we hope you enjoy this discussion on the vital balance between providing guidance and allowing room for struggle in a safe and effective manner, ultimately promoting professional development in the veterinary industry.

What happens when you promote a staff member to a new position or role and it doesn’t work out? What if the staff members want to return to their previous positions? How do we successfully expand our team members’ roles, responsibilities, and duties and “promote from within?” Viewfinders, we’ve got a lot to discuss in this episode!

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, MPA, RVT, tackle the tough topic of job promotions gone bad. More importantly, our podcasters provide you with a variety of ways to support, coach, and set yourself or your employees up for success in transitioning to a new job position.

The podcast begins with a real-life question Dr. Ward recently received about handling a veterinary technician struggling after being promoted to clinic manager. The veterinary practice owner feared she’d have to fire the employee after she failed to succeed in management. Our hosts have a lot to say about this, as well as tips for avoiding this sort of dilemma.

Beckie shares how to handle the potential vacancy left behind when you promote a staff member. Preparation, planning, and communication are critical elements of a successful job transition and promotion-from-within scenarios.

Viewfinders, there’s a lot to learn in the podcast about helping people succeed in your practice. Please share your thoughts and experiences with us on our Facebook or Instagram pages or email us at veterinaryviewfinder@gmail.com.

#veterinary #veterinarytechnician #veterinary #podcast #veterinarypodcast #vettechpodcast #vetpodcast

Happy New Year, Viewfinders! This week, we have a special expert guest to offer advice and strategies for setting - and achieving - our New Year’s Resolutions!

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, MPA, RVT, are joined by special guest Rebecca Newman, PsyM, CVT, RVT, the Wellbeing Coordinator, for the Veterinary Technology Program at Appalachian State University, to unravel the secrets of setting achievable New Year resolutions for veterinary teams, vet professionals, and personal goals. 

Discover practical strategies to navigate career aspirations and prioritize self-care with Rebecca's expert guidance. Uncover the keys to unlocking personal and professional success while gaining valuable insights from the dynamic trio. 

Tune in to the last Veterinary Viewfinder episode in 2023 (#369!) for an engaging conversation that resonates with veterinary team members across all age groups, offering a roadmap to a fulfilling and balanced year ahead. Don't miss out on this empowering blend of veterinary wisdom and personal growth tips!

Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas! This week, we continue our annual Veterinary Viewfinder tradition of bringing you a special veterinary rendition of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, MPA, RVT, read Beckie’s poem that describes an all-too-familiar scenario for those of us who work in veterinary clinics!

We hope you enjoy this fun retelling of a holiday standard!

Check out the full lyrics at https://www.drernieward.com/veterinaryviewfinder