VHMA Member Profile
 Elizabeth Fritzler, DVM, CVPM
I knew I wanted to be a veterinarian when I was five and was given a book about animal doctors. The hardest part was deciding on what type of animal doctor I wanted to be—a farm doctor, companion animal veterinarian, zoo doctor, or space monkey veterinarian. I began volunteering in a veterinary hospital when I was in 7th grade and never considered anything else.
I attended Oregon State University as an Animal Science major for three years before being admitted to the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University. While in veterinary school I met my husband, Tim. Initially I worked as an equine veterinarian but eventually switched to small animal practice when we decided to start a family. Tim began working as a small animal associate at Lien Animal Clinic in 1990 and we purchased the clinic in 1999. We soon realized that veterinary school did little to prepare us for business ownership and began attending practice management conferences to learn more. In 2005 and 2006, I attended AAHA’s Veterinary Management Institute at Purdue and learned of the Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) program and Veterinary Management Groups(VMG). I joined VMG 14 in 2007 and took the CVPM exam in 2008.
Growing up, numerous veterinarians gave me encouragement. My husband Tim has always been my best friend and supporter and is one of the best veterinarians I know. The members of Veterinary Management Group 14 gave me encouragement to pursue CVPM certification and have been a great source of management advice.
Currently, I practice medicine one to two days a week and devote the rest of my time to practice management. This last year much of my time was consumed by the construction of a new facility. We finally moved in to the new building in July and are enjoying the extra space. Over the next 5 to 10 years we would like to continue to improve our current practice and possibly acquire an additional hospital.
I live with my husband and three children on Vashon Island in Puget Sound, a 15-minute ferry commute from our practice. In my spare time I enjoy reading, travel, and spending time with our horses.
Posted 02/2010
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