Change is one of the few guarantees in veterinary medicine. After more than 40 years working in this profession, I sometimes catch myself believing I have finally seen it all. I've managed through a global pandemic, staffing shortages, economic downturns, difficult clients, medical emergencies, changing technology, and the emotional highs and lows that come with caring for animals and the people who love them. Yet veterinary medicine has a way of humbling you. Just when you think you've mastered the unexpected, another challenge appears around the corner to remind you that comfort and routine are often temporary visitors.
As hospital managers, we learn quickly that no two days are alike. One morning may begin with a full surgery schedule, staffing adjustments, inventory concerns, and client callbacks. By afternoon, a hospitalized patient may suddenly decline, a team member may call out sick, suffer a tragic injury, or a computer system may fail at the worst possible moment. The profession constantly teaches flexibility, patience, and resilience. We can create policies, procedures, and contingency plans, but there will always be situations that force us to adapt in real time. Veterinary medicine is not a career where things stand still for very long.
My part of the world was recently faced with an unprecedented evacuation order that impacted more than 50,000 people, businesses, and surrounding communities. My practice sat at the edge of the evacuation zone, creating tremendous unease and stress for our staff members. Some employees had to evacuate their homes, pick up children from suddenly closed schools, and navigate road closures and unavailable commute routes, all while continuing to care for hospitalized patients and anxious clients. At the same time, our practice pivoted to accommodate evacuated pets during an already packed holiday weekend. The entire facility and team were stretched emotionally and physically, but we endured. Contingency plans were confirmed, teamwork prevailed, and we made it through together.
I often think of challenges as bumps in the road. Some are manageable inconveniences that slow us down but eventually smooth out. Others are potholes that jar us unexpectedly and require immediate attention before damage is done. Then there are the sinkholes, the crises so large they completely alter the landscape around us. Those are the moments that test not only our leadership skills, but also our emotional endurance and ability to guide others through uncertainty.
A colleague recently experienced one of those sinkhole moments when her veterinary hospital was destroyed by fire. Thankfully, no human lives or pet patients were injured in the blaze, which is truly the only outcome that mattered most. Still, her world changed overnight. One day she was focused on normal hospital operations, staff scheduling, patient care, and daily management responsibilities. The next day, she was suddenly navigating insurance policies, coordinating emergency communication, comforting devastated staff members, salvaging what could be recovered, and searching for temporary modular units so the practice could resume operations while rebuilding plans were finalized. It was a powerful reminder that life can shift dramatically in a matter of hours.
Watching her handle such an unimaginable challenge reinforced something I have learned repeatedly throughout my career: leadership in veterinary medicine is often less about having all the answers and more about showing up consistently during difficult times. Our teams look to us for stability when everything feels uncertain. They look for reassurance, direction, and honesty. We may not be able to prevent every crisis, but we can help shape how people move through it together. Sometimes leadership simply means taking the next step forward, even when the entire staircase is still hidden in darkness.
After four decades in this profession, I no longer expect things to remain the same for very long. Veterinary medicine continues to evolve, and challenges continue to appear in forms we never anticipated. While that uncertainty can be exhausting, it is also what keeps us growing. Every obstacle teaches us something about perseverance, adaptability, and compassion. The curveballs never completely stop coming, but neither does the strength of the veterinary community. Perhaps that is what allows us to keep moving forward, not because the road is always smooth, but because we learn how to navigate it together.
Leslie Boudreau, RVTg, CVPM, PHR, SPHR, PHRca
VHMA President
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