Pulse - January 2024 - 3

PULSE PERSPECTIVE
Finding Our Healthy Place
M
any of you will be reading this with 2024 having already been ushered in, the busy rush of the
holidays behind us, and with New Year's resolutions in place. This is a common time of year for
reflection, and as I write this letter, I've been doing a lot of reflecting on the health of our community.
This is an area I feel deserves more thoughtful consideration and will be an important area of focus
for my coming year as President.
Well-being in the veterinary profession has
been a topic receiving a lot of attention these
past few years, and it continues to be a critically
important topic for our community both
locally and nationally. The pandemic exacerbated
certain trends and while some stressors
have eased, we are still faced with an environment
where there is increased demand due to a
growing pet population, clients expecting more
from us, ever-present staffing shortages, and
compassion fatigue taking a significant emotional
toll. An additional variable that directly
impacts our membership is the high cost of
living in Southern California. I've spoken with
veterinary friends and colleagues, and I know
these struggles are top of mind and many of
you are dealing with them every day.
While those obstacles may seem daunting,
my lens on it is one of hope and optimism.
There are many components that make up
well-being with mental health, physical health,
and social connections being key areas, and
we each have different individual needs to
prioritize and work on within these areas. I
recently listened to a podcast on the Science
of Recharging on Weekends and Vacations
hosted by Adam Grant which had me reflecting
on how I manage my time off and activities
related to my well-being. A sobering included
statistic was that the recovery benefits of a
vacation have worn off as quickly as two weeks
afterwards. The podcast discussed activities
that help us recover from the stressors in our
lives can often be categorized into relaxation
activities (reading a book, meditation, watching
TV) and more active experiences (playing a
sport or other physical activity, cooking, learning
a new hobby) - each individual may need
more of one than the other depending on our
personalities and also what we are experiencing
on the work front.
I would like to share one recent anecdote
from a trip I took with my partner Jeff to a
mountain locale. Hiking is an activity we both
enjoy regularly, and on the last day in our trip,
we were deciding on a more relaxing day to
PULSE
JANUARY 2024
recharge versus tackling a famous hike in the
area. One of our hosts implored us to do the
hike which was what we opted for. It wasn't
an easy one - eight miles and six hours roundtrip,
up and down steep hills with make-shift
wooden log stairs, a couple of rope sections,
but the payoff was worth it. We were physically
challenged yet left feeling emotionally
exhilarated and with a sense of awe for nature
- the stunning views buoyed us along the away.
Reflecting on it, I was glad we had done the
hike, and for my wellbeing on that day, it was
the right activity.
As I look forward to the year ahead, I can't
wait to hear stories from membership on what
you are doing to recharge and recover both
mentally and physically, stories that you may
be open to sharing with your fellow members.
In the coming months, be on the lookout for
SCVMA education events with a wellbeing
focus as well as social events to help foster connections
and meet new people. I am a firm
believer that veterinary medicine is an incredibly
rewarding career, and as a group, we care
so much for the animals we help and treat. We
need to ensure we are also taking care of ourselves
as part of the journey.
Adam Gerstein, VMD
SCVMA President
3

Pulse - January 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pulse - January 2024