At the start of a session during the 2024 ACVIM Forum, Nicholas Frank, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, dean and professor at Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, shared a list of current veterinary school deans’ credentials. Of all the specialists, ACVIM diplomates were clearly overrepresented.
“And that’s just deans—not associate deans, department heads, section chiefs,” he noted. “We’re well-represented in administration, and that’s one reason why I originally thought we should have this session to talk about it.”
During the panel session, Frank and three other internists in administrative roles—Drs. Amanda House, Chris Sanchez, and Catharine Scott-Moncrieff—described the internist skills that are transferable to administration and how early-career veterinarians can prepare for leadership roles.
What Makes Internists Good Fits for Administration?
Problem-solving. One of the core attributes that makes internists good administrators, said Chris Sanchez, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (LAIM), associate dean for Clinical Services, Large Animal, at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, is problem-solving. Internal medicine cases involve critically assessing the problem at hand, making skills like communication, listening, history-taking, and decision-making invaluable, she explained.
“You know how sometimes you have a case and you’re fairly certain you know what the diagnosis is, but then you get a result back a few days later that turns it on its head? To me, administration is often like that,” said Frank. “You almost need to wait for those results to come in and see how things are going to unfold before making a diagnosis. Just as it’s not a good idea to rush to that immediate diagnosis in medicine, the same is true in administration.”
Internists are also detail-oriented, skilled multitaskers, and good at “pursuing little snippets of information or keeping track of that test result that comes in two weeks late and changes everything,” said Catharine Scott-Moncrieff, DVM, VetMB, MS, DECVIM, DACVIM (SAIM), professor and department head at Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
Communication. “Communication, communication, communication is so important,” said Scott-Moncrieff, adding that listening skills and taking the time to get different perspectives on a case or a situation fall under this umbrella.
In a hospital setting, you might talk to clients and staff and get three or four versions of a situation before deciding on the course of action. In administration, said Frank, “you need to always take a fresh look at what information is coming to you and not just land on that first piece of history, because that first report of that incident might actually be incomplete or embellished.” This is also where thorough history-taking skills come into play.
Teamwork. Internists by nature work in teams. “You have to work with diagnostic imaging and clinical pathologists, transfer cases to surgery, and get people working together, which means we also have to delegate,” said Scott-Moncrieff. “If you’re going to be in an administrative role, you have to learn delegation.”
Frank said internists are typically strong collaborators. “In medicine, you always have that friend or colleague who knows more about something than you do—the GI expert, the respiratory expert, the endocrinology expert—and you might ring them up and run something by them,” he explained. “That’s something that internists are really good at.”
Teamwork and collaboration are key transferable skills because as an administrator, “you’re never fully cooked,” Frank noted. “It’s impossible to get to the point where you’ve got everything under control. And that’s a lot like medicine. Every day I walk into the office and don’t know what the problem will be today. Theres always something new or a new permutation of it.”
Adaptability. When presented with cases, internists assess the situation and make the best decision they can with the information they have. “We also recognize that we are adaptable, and sometimes we need to change those decisions,” said Amanda M. House, DVM, DACVIM (LAIM), associate dean of Academic and Student Affairs at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. She explained that in her administrative role, she must gather all the information she can before making a decision, make her decision in a timely manner, and recognize when it’s the wrong decision and needs to change course.
How Internists Can Prepare for Leadership Roles
The panel agreed that residents and internists interested in administrative roles can start preparing early in their careers by taking advantage of all the professional opportunities and leadership development avenues they reasonably can. Many universities and clinics, for instance, offer internal training programs and leadership development courses. State veterinary medical associations and organizations often have opportunities for member involvement. Leadership development sessions at events such as the ACVIM Forum serve dual purposes of education and networking.
“Networking is one of the most important things that’s come out of those leadership opportunities for me,” said Scott-Moncrieff. “You can always learn things from other people. Networking is a huge part of leadership growth.”
Sanchez said she listens to a variety of free leadership podcasts and takes advantage of anything that helps her look at things with a different perspective.
“I encourage everybody to say ‘Yes’ to some of the opportunities presented to them,” said House. “Early in my career I definitely said yes to some things that made me a little uncomfortable, but sometimes that uncomfortable space is where growth and learning have the opportunity to happen.”
Related Reading
- Business Briefs: Being a Better Leader
- AAEP Wellness Coverage: Responsible and Intentional Leadership for Early-Career Veterinarians
- AAEP Commission on Veterinary Sustainability: The Key to Successful Teams in Equine Practice
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