A couple of events happened over the last few weeks that caused me to ponder my professional identity. The first was attending the inaugural AASV Early Career Conference. The Early Career Committee has been very active since their inception a couple of years ago. There is obviously a lot of interest among recent graduates in learning more about practice, finances, and life management. Just looking at the agenda for the conference made me harken back to my early days in practice more than 30 years ago. I wish I had had the opportunity (or foresight) then to take advantage of some of the tools offered during the conference. Just being surrounded by all those recent graduates made me think about how much my professional career had changed from what I had imagined when I entered veterinary school. Even following graduation, my career ambitions and direction have changed a number of times. I have been a practitioner, technical services representative, swine industry legislative advocate, communicator, and association executive director. Sort of a nontraditional veterinary career path. I prefer to think of it less as an indication that I cannot hold a job and more as evidence of my willingness to take advantage of opportunities.
The second event was when an AASV member currently using their veterinary training in a nontraditional role mentioned that they were now being introduced as someone who “used to be a real veterinarian” or “used to be a pig vet.” I have had this same or similar experience myself. It made me think about how I perceive myself from a professional standpoint. It occurred to me that when I introduce myself in a professional group setting, without even thinking, I almost always say, “I am a swine veterinarian and the Executive Director of AASV.” I have found, however, that this can sometimes be misconstrued depending on the situation. Awhile back on an airplane, I had a lady ask me what I did for a living. When I responded that I was a swine veterinarian, she perked up immediately and said, “Oh, I love those birds! Why do they change from black to white?” I don’t know if it was our noisy surroundings or my southern accent that caused the misunderstanding, but I digress.
I have found that our veterinary training and experience opens a wealth of opportunities for us to explore. I would guess it is not uncommon for veterinarians to retire doing something entirely different from what they thought they would do when they applied to veterinary school. I have had the good fortune to watch many of you over the years change focus and direction as you have progressed through your careers. I hope each one of those changes has been educational and a growth experience.
It is interesting that we are often professionally identified with the job we currently hold rather than the credentials we earned. There are a few occurrences in your life that are, in fact, life changing. For me, one of those was achieving a doctorate in veterinary medicine. A DVM is something I will always be.
Earning my DVM gave me the opportunity to become a swine vet. Although I have been employed in a number of roles, I am still a pig vet at heart. That is where my passion lies and what drives my professional endeavors. Professionally, I still identify first and foremost as a veterinarian and, in particular, a swine vet. It is that training and experience that has afforded me the opportunity to do the things I have done. This profession has allowed me to work with some really great veterinarians and swine farmers. Swine veterinary medicine has taken me all over the country and the world to visit places I would have never experienced without that DVM behind my name.
So, whether you are just starting your career or you are exploring a new professional path, do not lose sight of the fact that you will always be a veterinarian. And feel free to remind folks if they fail to see the significance of that accomplishment.
Harry Snelson, DVM
Executive Director