THE BUSINESS OF PRACTICE: OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND CLINICAL PRACTICE


between companies. Important interpersonal rela- tionships develop just as they do in practice. The opportunity to travel and visit a wide variety of practices throughout the country offers new and unique perspectives of equine practice that is rarely offered during a career forged within a single prac- tice or one segment of the industry. Regional sales representatives become not only tour guides of their territories, but often an honorary family member.


● Will I be able to adapt to the change of pace and challenges of a job that might require con- siderable travel? How will I handle nights on the road away from home and family?


The rigors of a tedious travel schedule seem to loom at the top of real or perceived perils associated with a TS position within the animal health industry. TS positions may vary in the percentage of time spent on the road with 40–50% of your time spent traveling or attending conferences and lectures. Depending on the company, territory, and job de- scription, some of that travel may encompass day trips that helps minimize nights away from home. In many instances, you control and design your travel schedule, which is preferable to the unpre- dictability of emergency on-call duties in private practice that can drag you away unexpectedly from a family event or long-anticipated home-cooked meal at a moment’s notice. One bonus of a busy travel schedule includes accumulation of frequent flyer miles and hotel bonus points that can be used for future family getaways. When not traveling, most TS veterinarians have the added benefit that they can work from a home office via webinars, confer- ence calls, and emails.


● How will my specialty training or advanced degrees be valued by industry? Will my indi- viduality be lost within a large corporate structure?


Marketing your attributes and clinical expertise and experience is up to you. Most TS jobs value formal specialty training, business degrees, and/or valuable years of clinical experience. The job market is com- petitive and veterinarians who have practical clini- cal experience are often preferred over new graduates for TS veterinary positions. Within the animal health industry there are a variety of career avenues to consider. A TS veterinarian spends con- siderable time supporting the needs of the sales team and their veterinary customers, provides valu- able feedback about what equine veterinarians view as unmet needs within equine practice, as well as edits and/or writes TS bulletins and marketing pieces.


● What additional career paths exist for an equine veterinarian within the animal health industry?


278 2016  Vol. 62  AAEP PROCEEDINGS


In addition to a position as a TS veterinarian who supports the sales team and marketing with up-to- date data from personal expertise and company- sponsored market-support trials and time spent in the field riding with regional sales representatives, alternate career paths include managerial roles within the equine business unit and larger corporate structure, an active role within the research and development divisions if your background includes research training in key areas such as immunology or pharmacology, a managerial role in marketing or sales if you have a strong background in business and people management, pharmacovigilance that involves monitoring efficacy and adverse events in- volving the company’s equine product line, or a role in business development focusing on discovery and implementation of new technology. When joining a large corporation the worry of feeling like a small fish in a big pond can occur, but your talents and career goals can quickly align you with a smaller group of colleagues who become your new team.


● Will I lose my credibility as a clinician? How will my colleagues view my career change?


Frequent interactions with equine practitioners to discuss and offer solutions to practice problems and unmet clinical needs, opportunities to participate in a broad array of CE courses both as attendee and lecturer, time spent designing and evaluating re- sults of market support trials are a few examples of how clinical expertise can be redirected. Job satis- faction is one of the best testimonies that a position within the animal health industry can be a reward- ing career. Seeing a happy, motivated veterinarian in their new role intrigues many colleagues to re- think potential misconceptions of a job within the animal-health field. Whether you participate in the design of market support trials and present the data generated or render advice to business devel- opment personnel regarding pursuit of new products or technologies, you may find yourself interacting with respected colleagues in new ways that serve to strengthen existing relationships. Loss of credibil- ity is rarely an issue if the job fits your aspirations, talents, and work/life balance.


● Will I lose control over my career or lose my job through unexpected corporate mergers and acquisitions?


The one variable that cannot be controlled is the prospect of future corporate mergers, acquisitions, or divestitures. But, private practice also carries with it the threat of new competition and/or a de- clining client and patient base.


● Is this a financially sound move?


Industry jobs provide a good base salary that is often supplemented by bonuses based on the business


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