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Mentorship has never been more important in the veterinary profession
April 3, 2025
Please see the CVJ for graphics, tables, and references.
For some veterinarians, especially those with much experience, “mentorship” meant getting keys to the practice vehicle, a gas card, and a county map. That really wasn’t adequate at the time and is currently woefully insufficient.
The veterinary profession can provide an unprecedented range of services, our clients have increasing demands (and Dr. Google at their fingertips) and many practices are understaffed. Consequently, new graduates entering veterinary practice often have a mixture of exhilaration and trepidation! Having the support of a robust mentorship program is a high priority, with inadequate mentorship cited as an important factor by those leaving their first job (1). In addition, according to a recent American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) survey, more than 30% of veterinary practitioners are considering changing jobs, with a desire for better career development part of their motivation (1). Therefore, mentorship programs are critical in recruiting new clinicians and retaining current ones. Typical mentees include new graduates, persons rejoining practice after an extended interval away, or those who are switching career paths (e.g., changing focus to a different species or pursing a leadership role) (2).
A successful mentorship program has 3 key components: setting clear expectations, creating an action plan, and maintaining consistent communication (1). In brief: both mentor and mentee must discuss and understand what is needed and can be delivered; the action plan should include goals, timelines, and resources needed; and both parties must be committed to honest and open communications. Some useful suggestions include creating a written agreement outlining the mentorship program, having regularly scheduled meetings, and moving meetings offsite to minimize disruptions (1). Also, confidentiality, clear boundaries and regular feedback (both directions) are really important (2).
Both the mentor and mentee each need to contribute to make mentorship function well, and both should expect to derive benefits. In that regard, serving as an effective mentor should provide a sense of contribution and satisfaction (2), plus the mentor almost inevitably acquires some new information.
Although a mentor often provides advice, in some cases, they can act as a coach, discuss the situation with the mentee, and guide them to consider the situation and potential solutions. It has been stated that “enabling an individual to identify and solve their own challenges makes resolution more likely” (2).
In its classical form, mentorship of veterinarians focused on clinical skills, particularly for new graduates, who had much knowledge but lacked practical experience (3). In addition, good mentorship also addresses communication, leadership, and personal wellness, areas in which many new graduates feel very insecure (3). In that regard, a veterinarian with considerable experience mentoring new veterinary graduates commented that “90 percent of the topics worked through are non-clinical yet impact their working life significantly” (2).
In a practice with several veterinarians, more than 1 can serve as a mentor. Furthermore, a mentee may have more than 1 mentor (known as “mosaic mentoring”), which can be very valuable as mentors likely vary in knowledge, skills, and approaches. For example, 1 mentor may focus on surgery, another on internal medicine, and a third on communications and client interactions. Although having a member of the same practice as mentor is most common, a mentor could belong to another practice or mentorship can be delivered remotely (various kinds of virtual mentoring services are available). The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) website has a mentoring section with over 15 documents available for download, plus links to 2 online resources (4). In addition, the CVMA recently launched the pilot version of a mentorship program (5). In summary, mentorship has never been more important, given the complexity of our profession, client demands and expectations, and challenges in hiring and retaining staff. “Upping your game” in mentoring is a key part of successful practice management. Although this editorial has focused on mentoring veterinarians, there are clearly benefits to mentoring Animal Health Technicians (AHT) and other clinic staff, and many resources are available.
In summary, mentorship has never been more important, given the complexity of our profession, client demands and expectations, and challenges in hiring and retaining staff. “Upping your game” in mentoring is a key part of successful practice management. Although this editorial has focused on mentoring veterinarians, there are clearly benefits to mentoring Animal Health Technicians (AHT) and other clinic staff, and many resources are available.
-John Kastelic
-Tim Ogilvie