The Veterinary Viewfinder Podcast
Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, MPA, RVT, have co-hosted their award-winning weekly veterinary podcast since 2016. Each week, they “tackle the toughest topics in veterinary medicine,” highlighting controversial issues and trending news, introducing veterinary key opinion leaders and provocateurs, and offering solutions to the myriad challenges facing the veterinary profession.
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AVMA Pledges to Fight Against Expanding Scope of Practice
The controversies began before the official opening of the 2023 AVMA Convention in Denver. One debate that resurfaced this year was expanding the scope of practice, review of licensed veterinary technicians’ roles, and their permitted professional duties. Despite having no regulatory or enforcement abilities, the AVMA proclaimed it would pledge “to defend against expanding the scope of practice,” particularly in the role of a proposed midlevel practitioner. Unfortunately, the discussions quickly grew to include debates about preventing any establishment of a VCPR by a licensed veterinary technician, going against legislation passed in several states. Viewfinders, we’ve got a lot to talk about in this episode.
Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and President-elect of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA), Beckie Mossor, RVT, discuss the recent controversies around expanding the scope of practice and the duties a licensed veterinary technician can perform and how this potentially impacts both the veterinary profession and access to pet care.
Viewfinders, this is a critical issue that impacts veterinarians, vet techs, and all members of the veterinary profession. Please share your opinions on our Facebook or Instagram pages, or email us at veterinaryviewfinder@gmail.com
Recent Controversies at NAVTA and AVMA - Why You Should Get Involved
If your social media is anything like ours, you’ve seen a lot of questions and concerns about the upcoming National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) Board of Directors elections. You may have also been following Veterinarians Against Ventilation Shutdown (vavsd.org (http://vavsd.org)) and their efforts to have the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) reclassify ventilation shutdown, which uses a form of heatstroke to kill pigs and chickens. This week we discuss these issues and why you should care about how our membership-led professional organizations operate. Viewfinders, this is another hot topic all veterinary professionals need to know about! (And find out why Dr. Ward made Beckie cry!)
Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT, discuss why Beckie is running for NAVTA President and what the latest controversy is about. Beckie stresses the need for all veterinary professionals to get involved with their professional organizations and why change often takes longer than you’d like. Ernie offers advice on how professional organizations can get members more involved and why he continues to support a democratic and bureaucratic process, despite not winning his position on several topics (telemedicine and ventilation shutdown, for example.)
Viewfinders, if you’re a NAVTA member, be sure to vote before December 31, 2022. Dr. Ward shares why he believes this may be the most important election in recent history. Good luck, Beckie!
Many veterinary teams have one: the colleague who runs to management about every minor mistake or late trash bag. But when does necessary reporting turn into destructive tattling?
This week on The Veterinary Viewfinder, Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, MPA, RVT, unpack one of the profession’s most frustrating dynamics: coworkers who undermine team culture by excessive fault-finding.
Hosts Dr. Ward and vet tech Beckie Mossor examine how tattletale behavior often stems from insecurity, perfectionism, or even underlying issues like OCD, yet still chips away at psychological safety and trust. They discuss the difference between legitimate reporting and gossip, and why managers must address patterns early before morale collapses. Ignoring the issue doesn’t make it go away; it drives good employees out while problem behavior festers.
Listeners will learn practical strategies, such as anonymous “concern boxes,” structured feedback models (SBI: Situation, Behavior, Impact), and defining gossip as “talking to someone who can’t solve the problem.” The hosts also share real-life examples where unchecked tattling escalated into fractured teams, cover-ups, and even departures of top performers.
Whether you’re a manager navigating a chronic complainer or a technician tired of walking on eggshells, this episode offers valuable insights and practical tools to help you reclaim a healthier clinic culture. Because in veterinary medicine, trust isn’t optional; it’s the foundation of patient care.