Join us for another episode of Elevating the Veterinary Team, where Dr. Steven Roche interviews Dr. Brendon Laing, co-founder and Chief Veterinary Officer of Novel, and his perspectives on the future of veterinary medicine and the role of team based care. Brendon is a 2013 graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College, a second generation veterinarian, and has served as President of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association in 2024, and was awarded the 2023 World Small Animal Veterinary Association Future Leader Award. This series is brought to you by the College of Veterinarians of Ontario, Ontario Veterinary College, and the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association.

Some highlights of this conversation:

• 00:00 Welcome to Elevating the Veterinary Team + Meet Dr. Brendan Lang
• 02:10 Brendan’s Origin Story: Second-Gen Vet Meets a Love of Tech
• 05:12 Is Vet Med Really Resistant to Change? Tech Adoption & Consolidation
• 10:35 Inside Novel: RVT-Centered, Team-Based Care to Expand Access
• 16:56 The Secret Sauce for Change: Start Small, Stack Wins, Build Culture
• 21:33 Holding the Line When It’s Scary: Turning Away Clients & Staying True
• 26:49 Building the Right Team: Hiring, Pay, Upskilling, and Letting Go
• 32:36 How to Get (and Use) Great Feedback—From Clients and Your Team
• 40:32 What Keeps Brendan Up at Night: New Ontario Legislation, Pharmacy & Safety
• 46:10 Wrap-Up, Open-Door Invitation, and Final Thanks

The Elevating the Veterinary Team podcast series is jointly sponsored by the College of Veterinarians of Ontario, the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association, and the Ontario Veterinary College.

Join us for another installment of Elevating the Veterinary Team, where Dr. Steven Roche interviews Dr. Amanda MacDonald of RVT Integrations about her experiences leaving practice ownership and entering a new career supporting RVT presence in wellness appointment workflows. She is joined by Dr. Jackie Day, who has implemented this strategy at her practice, and RVT Heather Fledderus who performs wellness appointments.

Some highlights of this conversation:

• 0:00 Introduction to Elevating the Veterinary Team 00:27 Meet Dr. Amanda McDonald 00:55 Introducing Dr. Jackie Day and RVT Heather Flatterers 01:45 Amanda's Journey in Veterinary Medicine 03:21 Jackie's Path to Veterinary Medicine 04:52 Heather's Role and Experience 05:30 The Shift to Team-Based Care 06:05 Defining Team-Based Medicine 08:30 Challenges and Opportunities in Expanding RVT Scope 13:24 Utilizing RVTs for Better Patient Outcomes 17:58 Heather's Perspective on Team-Based Care 24:54 Overcoming Hesitations and Embracing Change 28:54 Reframing Veterinary Practice for Sustainability 29:33 Overcoming Hesitations and Embracing Team-Based Care 30:53 Elevating Technicians: Training and Trust 32:42 Supporting RVTs: Confidence and Communication 34:53 Launch Day: Turning Skeptics into Believers 37:30 Training and Communication Techniques 39:10 Getting Started with Team-Based Care 39:52 Resources and Training for RVTs 51:43 Building Trust and Vision in Veterinary Teams 53:37 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The Elevating the Veterinary Team podcast series is jointly sponsored by the College of Veterinarians of Ontario, the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association, and the Ontario Veterinary College.

For veterinarians, the ability to provide effective care relies not only on medical expertise, but also on understanding and respecting the cultural backgrounds of clients, colleagues and team members. Cultural humility invites you to adopt a mindset of continuous learning and self-reflection in interactions with diverse cultures.

In this podcast, Emily Ewles, the College's Principal for Quality Assurance and Improvement, and Krithika Jeyaraman, the College's Community Engagement Strategist, welcome veterinarians Dr. Lynn Henderson and Dr. Jennifer Ogeer, who provide guidance on cultural humility in veterinary medicine.

The discussion includes:

• impact of cultural humility on overall care and trust with clients
• working with diverse and marginalized populations
• ensuring veterinary care is accessible and inclusive for all communities
• influence of cultural humility during sensitive times
• tips for veterinary colleagues to embrace cultural humility