Dan Truffini’s article “Don’t sell yourself short” [December 2017/January 2018] is nothing less than disgusting. I have spent my entire 36-year career working to correct the public perception that veterinarians are not “real” doctors. This contemporary doctrine on veterinary practice management, which emphasizes “tapping revenue potential” in every way possible, distorts our image from “medical professional” to “merchant.” It does nothing but damage and devalue years of hard-won respect and trust.
I am rather a lone voice in this new wilderness ruled by MBA wolves, so this old dinosaur is glad to be closer to the end of the road than the beginning, seeing the way in which our profession’s mission has mutated, like a virus turning pathogenic, away from providing valued medical services and more toward devising new and exciting ways to suck cash out of our clients’ pockets.
Today’s Veterinary Business provides a forum for readers to comment on anything in this journal and on any topic relevant to the business of veterinary medicine. We welcome letters of 600 words or less — the shorter, the better. Please email submissions to editor Ken Niedziela at kniedziela@navc.com. Include your name, professional degrees and credentials, workplace or city of residence, and contact information.