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We invite you to take a peek into part of what makes the Uncharted Veterinary Community so unique: our members! We sat down to interview some of the amazing people who have joined us on our amazing journey since the first conference in 2017. Our most recent interview was with Dr. Lily Chen from Southern California! Enjoy!

For anyone who doesn’t know you, could you tell us a little about yourself?

I grew up in Taiwan, moved to the US when I was thirteen and went to a boarding school in upstate New York. The winter and snow were really pretty the first year but the winters just got too long and cold for this girl from the tropics and I made my way out to Sunny California and made it my home ever since.

I've always known I wanted to be a vet – that commitment has always been very clear and unwavering. But figuring out what to do after becoming a vet has been, (and still is) an interesting and exciting journey. Currently, I am practicing as an associate in a small animal hospital in Southern California. I also have a house call practice on my own focusing on acupuncture and holistic services and co-own a pet supplement company.

What were you looking for when you joined Uncharted?

To be honest, I didn't know what I was looking for. I was a little bored with conventional veterinary conferences and wanted something different and more personal. I signed up with very little idea and no expectations. I am so glad I did! It sparked a fire and got me interested in exploring many different dimensions of our profession. It made me fall in love with Vet Med all over again and ignited a passion that was beginning to fade after being in Vet Med for a decade. I felt like I found a tribe who “got it”, it's amazing and inspiring.

Do you have a dream for your career? What is it?

I practice Integrative Vet Med – I love being able to combine Eastern and Western modalities and tailor the treatment to each individual patient. I work both in the hospital setting and house calls right now – they have different pro's and con's. My dream is to take the best of the both worlds – to create a hospital where pets can come in and have all the diagnostics and treatments available in an integrative sense and still feel at ease and calm just like they do at home. I am dreaming up a fear-free, open hospital where pet parents can stay with their pets as much as possible and making the experience as easy as it can be.

Tell us a story of how another Uncharted Member has helped you.

Last October I was in the beautiful Lake Tahoe area attending a conference. It was at a time when I was really burned out from a busy summer. The lectures were only in the mornings and I had gone hoping to recharge. But I had a hard time letting go of everything that was going on in my life, causing me to feel guilty about taking some time out for myself. Louise Lango reached out and gave me some very wise advice and said the magic three words: “Drop your guilt.” It was like a permission slip and just the right thing I needed to hear at the time.

I took the much needed time for myself – going on hikes, staring into the lake, and watching sunsets. It was during that time where I could get back to being and feeling like myself again. For that, I was immensely grateful. It has been a good reminder every now and again when guilt sneaks up on me.

What is your favorite hobby and how did you discover it? Would you recommend it to others?

Yoga! I was looking for an exercise that isn't just a repetitive motion, works out the whole body and does not require special equipment. I took a yoga class and instantly fell in love with it. It was an exercise for the body and also for the mind. I always find peace and calm coming to my mat no matter where life takes me. I would definitely recommend it to everyone.

What is one thing you never thought you could do (or were afraid to try) that you’ve done since joining Uncharted?

Starting a personal brand. Before coming to Uncharted, I didn't even know what a personal brand meant. And I only had a vague idea of what branding means in general. Uncharted helped me discover who I am in the Vet Med space and gave me the courage to bring forth the unique qualities of what I have to offer out to the world.

What is your end-of-workday guilty pleasure?

I crank the music up and sing really loudly in my car.

What is one thing you believe all veterinary professionals can do right now to make Vet Med even better?

Abundance mentality. I really believe there is room for everyone to succeed and there is plenty to be had all around. If we can all help each other, a little from everyone goes a long way. It's easy to feel lonely in Vet Med sometimes, we can be each other's cheerleader and support.

You can join the Uncharted community and meet people like Lily by visiting www.UnchartedVet.com and registering to become a member!

On this special bonus episode, Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss talk with GuardianVet Founder John Dillon about how vets can be there for clients without being on call.

Get 60 days free with GuardianVets! Head over to www.guardianvets.com/getstarted and let them know the Uncharted podcast sent you.

We invite you to take a peek into part of what makes the Uncharted Veterinary Community so unique: our members! We sat down to interview some of the amazing people who have joined us on our amazing journey since the first conference in 2017. Our most recent interview was with Dr. Becky Krull from Wisconsin! Enjoy!

For anyone who doesn’t know you, could you tell us a little about yourself?

I am a small animal veterinarian, business owner, mom and wife. I live in Green Bay, WI and have two clinics. I am passionate about the well being of our profession and have recently starting public speaking and consulting on how to be balanced and amazing leaders.

What were you looking for when you joined Uncharted?

Looking for people who really want to make a difference in their daily lives and their businesses and being positive influences in their world, both professional and personal. Frankly…I was sick of the DVM facebook groups that were nothing but negative and whiners that refuse to improve their situation.

What are your 2 favorite groups in the Uncharted Workplace community and why?

Anchor Gang, Wellness…but really they are all so valuable for whatever you need when you need it. It's a wealth of knowledge with people who are willing to share it.

Who is one of your favorite people you’ve met through Uncharted and why?

Beth Mehaffey – she is just a ball of energy! It is infectious!

What is your current work related goal?

Wellness for my business and team.

What is your favorite hobby and how did you discover it? Would you recommend it to others?

I really enjoy wellness and exploring that with friends and family. That may be hiking, yoga, road trips and car rides. It isn't just one thing. It is whatever fills my cup that day.

What is one thing you never thought you could do (or were afraid to try) that you’ve done since joining Uncharted?

Hired a practice manager – thank you Kira Berger and Amy Deshotel.

What is your end-of-workday guilty pleasure?

Bravo Housewives

Tell us a story of how another Uncharted Member has helped you.

My first UVC (2019), it was our last group roundtable. Kira Berger and Amy Deshotel were in my group (I had spent quite a bit of time with them that weekend). They really helped me see that I couldn't do it all, that a practice manager could help me be a better doctor. And they were right! I hired one shortly after we got back from that conference. My production went up almost $250K because I get to be a doctor again!

Do you have a dream for your career? What is it?

Continue to have financial growth, personal growth, to ensure my team has wellbeing and fulfilling their dreams as well. I do hope to one day work less, but right now I am in love with vet med again and enjoy being with my patients.

Is there anything we haven’t asked you about that you would like to talk about?

Veterinary medicine is hard, it is. But we make it harder than it needs to be. We create a lot of our own misery. My passion is really helping veterinarians and their teams realize that we create our own happiness and our own path. What is right for one may not be right for others.

You can join the Uncharted community and meet people like Becky by visiting www.UnchartedVet.com and registering to become a member!

Uncharted listeners get a free month of 2-way messaging and telemedicine at Petdesk! Learn more at: www.petdesk.com/uncharted

REGISTRATION FOR UVC ONLINE CONFERENCE IS OPEN!! Head over to www.unchartedvet.com and click CONFERENCES

This week on the Uncharted Veterinary Podcast, Dr. Andy Roark and Stephanie Goss go to the mail bag to talk about how most of us are doing CE wrong. What's that mean?! Check it out….

We invite you to take a peek into part of what makes the Uncharted Veterinary Community so unique: our members! We sat down to interview some of the amazing people who have joined us on our amazing journey since the first conference in 2017. Now, we’re expanding our interviews to highlight the Uncharted Team! This week’s interview was with the social media queen herself, Kelsey Beth Carpenter, RVT! Enjoy!

For anyone who doesn’t know you, could you tell us a little about yourself?

Hey! My name is Kelsey, and I’m not sure where to start. I’m a Registered Veterinary Technician in California and the current Social Media Manager for DrAndyRoark.com. I also have my own brand, Vet Tech Kelsey, where I write goofy Vet Med songs, run series like “Things Heard At An Animal Hospital,” and do a little speaking and performing on the side. I’m a full-time Chihuahua mom, peanut butter and jelly enthusiast, and awkward turtle.

What tasks do you work on as part of the UVC Team?

For some time now, I’ve been the social media manager of both DrAndyRoark.com and the Uncharted Veterinary Conferences. Just recently, I had to come to terms with the fact that I just didn’t have enough time to divide myself between the two (on top of working full time in the clinic and managing my own brand!) So I turned the UVC social media management over to the brilliant and talented Tyler Grogan, and now focus the majority of my time on social media, content creation, and video work for Dr. Andy Roark. That being said, I still love being part of the Uncharted team and contribute all sorts of odds and ends! 

Who is one of your favorite people you’ve met through Uncharted and why?

HARDEST. QUESTION. EVER. I mean, that’s like asking who your favorite pet is – you love them all, how can you choose?!! Maggie Brown-Bury will always be one of my favorite Uncharted people – we discovered we were suffering from the same medical condition at roughly the same time and it was invaluable having someone there to talk to who understood (plus she’s just straight-up hilarious.) Tanya ten Broeke is someone who makes me smile on a regular basis, and I always feel cool being able to say I’m friends with the Harry Potter Vet – Michael Miller really does put the magic back into Veterinary Medicine! And then there’s that one guy, Andy Roark – have you heard of him? He’s been a pretty incredible mentor and friend, and on a regular basis, I find that I believe in myself because he believed in me first.

What were you looking for when you joined Uncharted?

I jumped on board (pun intended) when the first ever UVC was launched. At the time, I wasn’t yet part of the team, but my Vet Med music had just started taking off, and I was interested in developing my own personal brand. I was also very invested in everything Andy and his team were doing in the Vet Med space, and I knew that at the very least, I would have the opportunity to meet some really inspiring people. I had no idea what I was in for, I just knew I was looking to make my world a little bigger and my career a little broader and it seemed like a good place to start. Boy, was I right! *Pats self on back*

What is your favorite hobby and how did you discover it? Would you recommend it to others?

I recently discovered Krav Maga and became absolutely obsessed. However, there’s lots of touching involved, and I’m kind of a cactus when it comes to human contact, so I transitioned into an at-home boxing program and love it just as much! Let me tell you: If you have never hit something as hard as you possibly could, you are missing out. It’s like if exercise and therapy had a baby.

Tell us a story of how another Uncharted Member has helped you. 

At the last Uncharted Conference, I fell extremely ill and ended up in the hospital. Melanie Kramer dropped everything without thinking twice and was my rock in the most difficult moments of that experience. Saye Clement left the conference that she had paid to attend to sit by my bedside and reassure me when I was the most scared. Jamie Holms personally picked my Mom up from the airport and made sure my job back home knew what was going on. The entire Uncharted Team kept that conference running flawlessly, pic

ked up all of my job duties, and yet somehow still found a way to make sure I was never alone in the hospital. It was a humbling experience, to say the least, and one I will forever be grateful to these people for. Yet again, I’ve found that my life has been impacted in a way that has nothing to do with Veterinary Medicine, but that will stay with me forever. I truly couldn’t have gotten through that experience without them.

What is one thing you never thought you could do (or were afraid to try) that you’ve done since joining Uncharted? 

I conquered my fear of flying! All my life I’ve had a crazy fear of flying, to the point that I had let it stand between me and many wonderful experiences and opportunities. When the 3^rd Uncharted Conference rolled around, I was going to have to get there on my own, and I was beyond terrified. However, after having experienced it twice before, I was SO motivated to make it to that conference that I fought my fear and I DID IT! It took months and months of preparation, but I did it, and it has been LIFE CHANGING. Because of Uncharted and the opportunities it has brought about, I find myself flying on a regular basis now. While I’ll never love it, I’m confident doing it on my own, and no longer let it stop me from having the experiences I want to have. I think this is a perfect example of what Uncharted does for people – it changes lives in a big way, and those changes extend way beyond Vet Med! 

What is one thing you believe all veterinary professionals can do right now to make Vet Med even better? 

Laugh! They say laughter is the best medicine – that’s not necessarily true, especially when we have IV fluids and Cerenia at our disposal – but it’s definitely up there with the best. Our jobs are hard, the medicine is challenging, the experiences are emotional, and the day-to-day tasks are draining. Why not laugh a little? There’s something funny to be found in almost any situation, and laughing about it is what keeps us sane and brings us together.

Do you have a dream for your career? What is it? 

I want to be happy in my career and I want what I’m doing to make other people happy. Isn’t that the dream for all of us? I find that being part of Uncharted helps me get closer and closer to that every day.

You can join the Uncharted community and meet people like Kelsey by visiting www.UnchartedVet.com!