{"id":75604,"date":"2024-02-01T00:00:39","date_gmt":"2024-02-01T05:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/todaysveterinarybusiness.com\/?p=75604"},"modified":"2025-06-20T13:14:08","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T17:14:08","slug":"profession-practice-smarter-0224","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarybusiness.com\/profession-practice-smarter-0224\/","title":{"rendered":"Thanks, It\u2019s Been Awesome!"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s hard to believe I have been in this profession for over 54 years. The first paycheck I received was from Dr. Terrance Claypoole on Dec. 6, 1969. My hourly rate as a kennel assistant was $1.25. I worked 20.75 hours that week, so my gross pay was $25.93. Dr. Claypoole helped establish the New Haven Central Hospital for Veterinary Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. It was a unique set-up because all the doctors had their own outpatient facility, while surgery, hospitalization and 24-hour care occurred at Central Hospital. I worked for<\/p>\n

Dr. Claypoole through high school and during my college summers. After starting as a kennel assistant, I worked as a receptionist, veterinary assistant and, finally, his office manager.<\/p>\n

After college graduation, I was asked to become the hospital administrator. Back then, only veterinarians supposedly knew how to run a hospital, so who was this non-veterinarian kid overseeing a 24-hour practice? Fortunately, I succeeded, and Central Hospital grew. I served as the hospital administrator for 10 years, and to this day, Central Hospital is known as one of the premier veterinary practices in the country.<\/p>\n

Another Growth Spurt<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In those days, non-DVM managers had few, if any, administrative resources. Practice managers needed an organization that could provide education and a communication network, which led me to found the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association. We started with 13 members, a hand-typed newsletter and a forms bank where people could share documents they used in their practices. Today, the VHMA has over 5,000 members and provides amazing services. Indeed, it is the organization I had always envisioned and more.<\/p>\n

As the years rolled on at Central Veterinary Hospital, the practice\u2019s reputation became well known. In fact, Veterinary Economics<\/em> magazine ran a cover story highlighting the hospital\u2019s success. The editor, John Velardo, asked me to present at the VetEc Hospital Design Conference in Orlando, Florida. I had never lectured, let alone to a group of veterinarians, so I spent three months preparing for my one-hour presentation. I arrived with 3-by-5 cards, slides and handouts. I remember standing in front of the group, behind a lectern, and being so scared. I was sweating and wondering what the heck I was doing. I somehow got through that hour, but I received negative numbers when the attendees evaluated all the lectures! I had two options at that point:<\/p>\n