b"PROFILEOver time, I have learnt that resilience involves accepting that excellence carries a cost: the surgeons most able to help are often those who take on the most technically challenging cases.What is the biggest challenge to stayinghelps me maintain perspective and stay passionate in your veterinary careerpassionate about the work I do.youve overcome, and how did youWhat advice can you share with others approach it?embarking on similar paths about finding One of the biggest challenges to stayingfulfilment in their veterinary career? passionate in my career has beenMy advice to aspiring vets would be managing the emotional and professionalto welcome new and unexpected impact of surgical complications.opportunities.Even in the best hands complications are inevitable, but during my trainingThe choices you make early on in your the resulting patient morbidity, clientcareer dont have to dictate your whole distress, and my own self-criticism couldfuture, so take time to explore a variety quickly undermine my confidence andof clinical environmentsfirst opinion, fuel imposter syndrome. The instinctreferral, academia, public healthand is to avoid complex cases, which onlyspeak to people at every career stage diminishes growth and passion. before committing to a specialty.I have developed a systematic approachThink about what success means to to overcome this: openly reviewing eachyou personally and which aspects case with senior colleagues, channellingof veterinary work give you the most my energy into resolving complicationssatisfaction before choosing a training and communicating with clientspath that aligns both with your values transparently and empathetically. Theseand your vision of success.conversations often strengthened trustSpecialist training is demanding, so and sometimes led to even closer clientexpect challenges and reframe them as relationships. I also lean on my team foropportunities for growth: every complex emotional and technical support. case, difficult conversation, or mistake Reflecting on cases during morbidity andstrengthens your skill set if you ask, What mortality rounds after initial emotionsdid this teach me? Focus on what you have settled, has become an invaluablehave achieved as much as areas to learning experience for the whole team.improve on and regularly acknowledge Over time, I have learnt that resiliencehow far youve already come. involves accepting that excellenceIt's also important to normalise carries a cost: the surgeons most ableimperfection. You are not expected to to help are often those who take onknow everything; specialists continue the most technically challenging cases.learning throughout their careers. Growth When self-doubt arises, discussing casescomes from taking on new challenges with mentors and reminding myself of thewith good mentorship and curiosity. many successful previous case outcomes 10www.inspiredvet.co.uk"