Extension Communications
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
05-17-00
Contacts:
Nolan Hartwig, DVM, (515) 294-1242, nhartwig@iastate.edu
Kris Phelps, Extended and Continuing Education, (515)
294-7329, x1phelps@exnet.iastate.edu
Lynette Spicer, Extended and Continuing Education, (515)
294-1327, lspicer@iastate.edu
Business Course Helps Iowa Veterinarians Thrive
AMES, Iowa -- Practicing veterinarians are experiencing rapid change in their client base as farm operations become larger, and human and animal demographics change. "To continue to be successful, veterinarians need to position themselves to remain current on both the medical and financial forefronts," says Donald Draper, professor of veterinary medicine at Iowa State University. "The veterinarians who are thriving are the ones who took the time to do some strategic planning. They looked at who their clients were, what products and services those clients needed, and how to meet those needs," Draper stresses.
Draper has designed a course focusing exclusively on the business aspects of a veterinary practice. Draper earned Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy degrees years ago, but recently added a Master of Business Administration degree. His four-day course will help veterinarians plan strategically to give their practices competitive advances as business owners. The curriculum covers five topics: strategy, operations management, marketing, finance and human resource management.
Rexanne Struve, D.V.M., who owns Veterinary Associates in Manning, Iowa, says the course helped her think outside the box. "It wasn't really a cookbook recipe of what to do, but made me look at alternate ways to practice and structure my business." Struve noted the variety of topics and speakers challenged her to make her business unique and even gave her the confidence to construct a new building in a new location.
In Williamsburg, Iowa, veterinarian Mark Brinkman and five other practitioners formed Veterinary Medical Center Management to serve large swine producers as part of their mixed animal practice. Brinkman said his group decided, "If we don't provide the services the producers want and need, there won't be a need for us." Brinkman noted the business course pointed out to him how his practice had to have the business savvy of retail businesses. "We have personnel management, inventory control and many other aspects we must manage well to be successful."
Draper noted his goal is to improve the financial well-being and quality of life for veterinarians so they don't have to work 20-hour days to survive.
The business systems course consists of two sessions; each session is two days long. Between sessions, participating veterinarians will complete assignments in their own practices. The sessions are on campus at Iowa State. The first is May 31 and June 1. The second session is June 21 and 22. Participating veterinarians may earn two graduate credits for the course or continuing education credit.
The Veterinary Business Systems class is the introductory course in the Advanced Dairy Production Medicine Education program. Nine other courses are planned, ranging from epidemiology to housing. For more information on the business systems course, or the entire program, contact Dr. Nolan Hartwig at the College of Veterinary Medicine, nhartwig@iastate.edu or (515) 294-1242.
Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability.