Becoming the associate

Finding your niche and keys to personal and professional success

Abstract

Young veterinary professionals today are often hired by practices right out of school, and unfortunately these practices often lack the skills and training to set them up for long term success. These professionals have been taught what and how to learn for the better part of 2 decades and are now expected to self-motivate, identify, and educate themselves in such a way that they can grow and develop while in practice.

These expectations often come with little to no formal guidance from the practice’s management team. Yet, these associates represent the best chance for practices to overcome the existing biases within their system and find new avenues to grow and expand. By understanding and harnessing their underlying psychology, associates can create an environment in which they can practice, identify, and excel in their own niche with, or in the absence of, qualified guidance and oversight. This psychology can then be used to create an environment of growth through pursuit of their purpose while leveraging their unique talents and routines. By educating our budding peers on the discussed self-development system, we can help them achieve their own niche by whatever definition they choose to use.