Pulse - June 2021 - 25

THE RVT
On Becoming a CVPM
The Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (Part Two)
Joseph G. Herman, BS, RVT
" J
ust remember, there's a path at the end of the road. "
Words of wisdom from a fortune cookie. Words to
live by for everyone who sets out on a journey, only
to take a detour along the way.
Some people, for instance, are cut out to be managers, while
others are not, which can be a stark realization when you're
already in a management role. So what do you do when you realize
that the position to which you aspired for years is not where
you belong? You " pivot your career. "
Such is the case with Grace Ursery, BA, RVT, CVPM, of
Cypress, CA, who's worked in veterinary medicine for 16 years
and is now entering her " phase three. "
Ursery started out as an RVT who transitioned into management,
not an uncommon series of events. Upon receiving her
CVPM credential-awarded to only a relative handful by the Veterinary
Hospital Managers Association-she diligently played the
role of CVPM in oncology, ophthalmology, and general practices.
However, before long she discovered that it's not what she was
meant to do.
" At one time, " said Ursery, " I was looking to specialize as an
RVT. But I found that wasn't satisfying my longer-term passion.
And even after my move into practice management, I still felt I
wasn't honing in on my intrinsic skills. "
What confronted Ursery was the wide-ranging checklist of tasks
that a CVPM is required to perform. In fact, just to receive the
CVPM, you have to demonstrate a working knowledge of HR,
regulatory/legal compliance, marketing, financial management,
engaging with clients, resolving conflict, and so on. " So while it's
incredibly rewarding to reach that management level, " said Ursery,
" it's also very challenging, and can be somewhat daunting, to be
fairly decent in all the different areas that fall under the veterinary
practice manager umbrella. "
Proof that Ursery could function in this environment are the
CVPM letters after her name-something not easy to acquire-
and a rather impressive resume. Yet, despite these accomplishments,
she has opted to take " the path at the end of the road " and reenter
veterinary medicine as the Controller and Finance Manager of a
multimillion-dollar practice, " An aspect of the business, " said Ursery,
" that I've always been excited about. "
A Double-Edged Sword
While the extent of responsibilities accompanying the title Veterinary
Practice Manager is attractive to many, it can be a " recipe
for burnout " for others, said Ursery. Her solution would be
to divide the considerable number of responsibilities among two
managers-one addressing the needs of the people, and the other
focusing on generating revenue for the business.
" When I first became a practice manager, " said Ursery, " I
thought my primary purpose was to run the business like a
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JUNE 2021
business-engaging with vendors, making sure we didn't violate
any laws, improving workplace efficiency, and bringing in a profit.
But what I've seen since is that larger, privately owned practices and
smaller networks could benefit from having a 'people manager' separate
from the business manager-someone to focus on cultivating
relationships with the staff; someone to be the team culture leader.
And these two managers would then work in tandem. "
From RVT to CVPM
As opposed to the CVPM interviewed for Part One of this
article-someone with limited medical training-Ursery believes
that her background as an RVT had distinct advantages when she
entered the CVPM world. But not just because she could " pinch
hit " when a colleague struggled to hit a vein, but because she had
a heightened appreciation of what's involved in being an RVT.
" I valued my technicians so much because I knew what they
had to do in the moment at any given time, and on a daily basis, "
said Ursery, who pointed out that having an RVT background also
allowed certain conversations to be " more proactive " when the
topic involved medical considerations.
However, similar to the CVPM interviewed for Part One, Ursery
agrees that being a manager with an RVT credential makes
only a marginal difference when it comes to earning the respect of
others in the practice. " The degree of respect actually depends on
the doctors, " said Ursery, " who will always be the hospital's 'emotional
barometers.' When the doctors respect the practice manager-RVT
or not-and seek the manager's collaboration, then
the rest of the team will follow suit. "
And as to whether having the CVPM credential enhances the
credibility of the manager in the eyes of the staff, Ursery again
believes that it has only marginal influence. She states that while
CVPMs are becoming more prevalent throughout the veterinary
community, the typical RVT or veterinary assistant does not truly
understand the distinction between a practice manager who has a
CVPM credential and one who does not.
" But that's not meant to be disparaging, " said Ursery. " It's just
that the technical staff is not involved with the full scope of running
a veterinary business, or with managing a team. It's not part
of their day-to-day appreciation of what's entailed to keep the
lights on and the doors open. The technicians are focused on the
patient in front of them, and rightly so, " added Ursery, " while the
practice manager is focused on the house that holds all the people
and animals within it. " P
" The degree of respect actually depends on
the doctors, " said Ursery, " who will always be
the hospital's 'emotional barometers.'
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Pulse - June 2021

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