Ready Vet Go
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Ready Vet Go | Mentoring the Mentor with Dr. Mike Buffum | Veterinary Practice Leadership & Culture
Ready Vet Go | From Pony Club to Practice: Dr. Natasha Lefkowitz’s Unforgettable Vet Med Journey
por Dani Rabwin
Step into the heart of Ready Vet Go as host Dr. Dani Rabwin honors the mentor who shaped his career, Dr. Mike “Buff” Buffum—veterinarian, Air Force officer, coal-miner-turned-animal-nutritionalist-turned-practice-owner, and tireless advocate for client-focused care. In this emotionally rich episode, discover: Mentor & Mentee Bond: How a chance meeting led to decades of shared wisdom—cowboy medicine, emergency shifts, and beyond. Unconventional Journeys: Dr. Buff’s $10-bet GED-to-veterinary-degree story proves that opportunity favors the bold. Building Culture: The secret behind a practice where associates thrive, clients feel heard, and teammates cover each other. Hands-On Leadership: Why “staying involved” in daily clinic life is the most powerful management strategy. Mentorship Pearls: Practical tips for mentors and mentees—set clear roles, share responsibility, follow up on cases, and always keep learning. 🔗 Quick Links ► Ready Vet Go Mentorship Program: readyvetgo.com/mentorship ► Email Us: info@readyvetgo.com 👍 Like, Share, and Subscribe to lift up the next generation of veterinarians. 💬 Comment Below: What’s the single best piece of advice you’ve received from a mentor? ⏱ Timestamps 0:00 Intro & Emotional Welcome 1:04 Dr. Buff’s Unlikely Vet School Bet ($10 Story) 6:00 From Navy Flight Decks to Emergency Clinics 12:19 Launching a Multi-Doctor Practice & Culture Creation 20:00 Empowering Associates & Distributed Responsibility 27:05 Investing in Ultrasound, Cytology & In-House Diagnostics 33:00 Community Engagement & Client-Centered Events 41:03 Formalizing Mentorship: Lessons for Mentors & Mentees 55:30 Final Pearls: Joy, Optimism & “Best Is Yet to Come” ep. 3 #ReadyVetGo #VeterinaryMentorship #PracticeLeadership #VetMedLife #ClientFocusedCare #CareerJourney #VeterinaryMedicine #DVM #VeterinaryStudent
Ever wondered how a Pony Club rider becomes a globe-trotting veterinarian and mentor? 🐎✈️ In this candid Ready Vet Go episode, Dr. Dani Rabwin sits down with Dr. Natasha Lefkowitz to unpack her journey across continents, species, and career pivots: 🌱 Early Passion How Pony Club ignited a lifelong love of animal care 🎓 Vet School Adventures Drum circles in Santa Cruz, Himalayan yak research, and the power of initiative 🚚 Solo Practice Realities Triumphs, mishaps (yes, wrapping a truck around a barn counts!), and the cost of flying solo 🦍 Wild Pivot Three months tracking gorillas in West Africa—and discovering her next calling 🐶 Small Animal Shift Why small-animal medicine felt like “coming home,” and how to leverage your network 🤝 Mentorship Matters How reaching out, giving back, and building relationships fuels growth Whether you’re a new-grad DVM, a seasoned veterinarian, or dreaming of a career U-turn, Dr. Natasha’s story proves your veterinary degree is a ticket to endless possibilities. ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 Intro & Pony Club Beginnings 02:17 Nepal Yak Research & Vet School Memories 07:25 Solo Practice Wins & Wrecks 16:17 Conservation Veterinary Pivot 23:20 Small Animal Clinic Switch 30:36 Mentorship & Paying It Forward 👍 Like if you believe veterinary mentorship changes lives! 💬 Comment your biggest “aha!” moment or share how mentorship shaped your career. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly insights, tips, and real-talk stories from top vets. ep. 2 #ReadyVetGo #VeterinaryMentorship #VetLife #DrNatashaLefkowitz #NewGradVets #CareerPivot #ConservationVet #SmallAnimalMedicine #VetStories #MentorshipMatters
Discover how strategic mentorship, emotional intelligence, and shelter-medicine know-how can accelerate the success of early-career veterinarians. In this Ready Vet Go Podcast conversation, host Dr. Danny Rabwin interviews Dr. “Hawk” Hawkins, Executive Director of the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association (SCVMA), about building sustainable veterinary careers, leading teams, and turning setbacks into growth opportunities. 🎯 What You’ll Learn – Proven mentorship tactics new-grad veterinarians can apply today – How shelter medicine experience sharpens clinical and leadership skills – Emotional-intelligence tools for diffusing exam-room stress – Inside look at organized veterinary medicine and advocacy work – Leadership pearls for balancing multiple roles without burnout ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Intro & why EI matters in the exam room 01:44 Meet Dr. “Hawk” Hawkins – 25-year journey in vet med 05:55 From GP to shelter medicine: skills, surprises, rewards 13:08 Evolution of modern shelter practice & population medicine 19:09 Leadership path: SCVMA, CVMA & association “Kool-Aid” 24:55 Biggest clinical mistake, recovery, and growth lesson 31:22 Early-career leadership tips inside any clinic 37:20 Building community: why VMAs and networking matter 42:55 Quick-fire Q&A with Dr. Hawkins 45:46 Ready Vet Go remote mentorship – how it works & sign-up info 🔗 Resources & Links – Learn more & join the Ready Vet Go mentorship community: https://readyvetgo.co – Southern California VMA (SCVMA): https://scvma.org 💡 Subscribe Weekly episodes feature industry leaders, practice owners, and specialists who reveal the soft-skill strategies and clinical insights that vet school leaves out. 📣 Connect with Ready Vet Go Instagram: @readyvetgo_ LinkedIn: Ready Vet Go TikTok: @readyvetgo_ ep. 1 #VeterinaryMentorship #EarlyCareerVets #VetMedPodcast #DVM #dvmotivation #veterinarystudent #veterinarian #veterinarycareers