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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We Missed Veterinary Assistant Appreciation Week - What’s the Future for Vet Assistants?
Happy belated Veterinary Assistant Appreciation Week! February 14-18, 2022 was celebrated by the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center in New York City - and we missed it! This week we take time to not only appreciate our beloved veterinary assistants, but also discuss some of the challenges and opportunities we see in the future of this essential role in veterinary medicine.
Hosts Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT share their love and respect for these often unsung heroes of veterinary medicine. The pair discuss some of the prior (unnecessary) drama between celebrating National Veterinary Technician Week and other recognitions for veterinary team members. Dr. Ward emphasizes that, “Celebrating one group doesn’t take anything away from another.”
Beckie posits on whether or not vet assistants are over- or underutilized in clinics and why “Veterinary State Boards need to get ahead of this issue because private entities already are there.” Both hosts offer setting boundaries and credentialing for veterinary assistants.
Beckie stresses the National Veterinary Technician Association’s Approved Veterinary Assistant Program (link in notes) and offers her opinions on soem of the rapidly developing private programs.
Viewfinders, this is another important topic that transcends an “appreciation week.” Share your thoughts and opinions with us!
If you’d like to see Beckie and Ernie “live” on the internet to take your questions, drop us a line at VeterinaryViewfinder@gmail.com!
The Approved Veterinary Assistant program created by the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America: https://www.navta.net/veterinary-assistants-program/
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.