Pulse - August 2023 - 12

Dennis McCurnin, DVM, DACVS
Professor Emeritus, Louisiana State University | Vice President, Board Of Directors,
Western Veterinary Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada
W
hen I entered the profession, it was completely different from today. I graduated from veterinary school
in 1966 and the profession was 85% male and about 60% large animal (today we are 70% female, 61%
small animal, 12% large animal). Veterinary schools' classes average about 83% female today.
I knew I wanted to be a DVM at age 11. I
went out on a dystocia (difficult birth) call for a
sow with a veterinarian, Dr. Don E. Sceli, who
lived across the street in my small town in Iowa
in 1952. I was able to pull five live pigs from the
sow, and I was hooked.
I continued to work with Dr. Sceli through
high school. My goal was to go into large animal
practice after vet school. Following graduation
from Iowa State University in 1966 I
spent two years in the U.S. Army Vet. Corps,
and during that time I came to the realization
that small animal practice was a better lifestyle
and more scientific than large animal. I also
realized I liked to work with my hands and decided
to become a boarded veterinary surgeon.
Following my two years in the Army, I returned
to Iowa State to enter a two-year surgical
residency. At the end of my residency,
I knew it was time to get into practice and I
joined Dr. Sceli, who had then moved to Arizona,
in his small animal practice in Phoenix. He
and I practiced together for six years-he did all
the medical cases and I did all the surgery-and
we expanded to three practice locations. I really
liked surgery but missed teaching vet students,
which I did as part of my residency, and then
decided I needed to return to veterinary school
to teach surgery. I spent the next 40 years
teaching and doing administration in three different
vet schools.
Why do I like being a DVM? Because I have
never gotten tired of what I am doing. Here,
55 years later, I am still teaching (part time,
veterinary technicians). I have been in large
animal practice, small animal practice, practice
ownership, professor of surgery, associate dean,
hospital director, and instructor for veterinary
technicians. I can truly say I have never worked
a day in my life because I am always doing what
I love to do--and still do.
What keeps me going? If I have a bad day,
I know the next day will be much better and
it always has been. I think really having a calling
to a specific profession helps a lot, as I don't
feel burned out or stressed most days. I am a
believer in daily exercise and that helps relieve
the stress for me.
My role model has always been Dr. Sceli,
who I met in 1952 and became a father figure
for my life. He is no longer alive, but is present
in my heart daily.
Robin Brogdon, MA
My concerns lately have been with the loss
of privately owned practices and the rapid increase
in corporate practices. In human medicine
about 70% of physicians now work for
a corporation while 43% (and growing) of
DVMs work for a corporation. This has resulted
in the loss of equity and pride in practice
ownership.
The other big change now is the different
generations affecting the workplace. Generation
Z and millennials both have different values
than the older generations, so we now have
a shortage of all professionals because we no
longer have enough FTEs to cover the needed
full-time positions. The professional work
week used to be 50 to 60 hours but now has
been reduced to 30 to 40 hours and so we have
a shortage of FTEs.
There are plans to start several new veterinary
schools to meet this shortage. It has been
difficult to watch the profession change so
much in the past 50 years. Some of the changes
are good (like reducing work hours, increased
specialization) but some are distressing as corporations
swallow up the private practices.
Owner and CEO, BluePrints Veterinary Marketing Group, Inc.
Huntington Beach, California | President, VetPartners
I
12
have worked in veterinary medicine for nearly 25 years, first as an administrator of large specialty hospitals
and for the last 17 years as the owner and CEO of a marketing and management consulting company, BluePrints
Veterinary Marketing Group.
What I enjoy most about my work is the extraordinary people in this field. For the most part, I find them interesting, intelligent, passionate,
kind-hearted individuals who truly want to be
at the top of their game. Regardless of our differences,
we are all united in our quest to make
life better for animals.
I feel privileged to have a seat at the table
as I am not a clinical professional, but am
equipped to help veterinary practice owners
and animal health companies serve their clients
better, ultimately helping more pets and
their families. I take great pride in having assisted
businesses achieve their goals of growth
and realize their vision.
At BluePrints we always say you are going
to have a bad day now and again. At least that
bad day was helping animals. I also am grateful
AUGUST 2023
PULSE

Pulse - August 2023

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