Have You Herd? AABP PodCasts
Have You Herd? AABP PodCasts
Epi. 304 – Recruiting in Rural Practice – Building a Sustainable Roster of Veterinarians – Sponsored by Heritage Vet Partners
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AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Travis Arledge, Pioneer Veterinary Clinic, Drs. Val Baumgart and Boone Schmitz, United Veterinary Services, and Dr. Melissa Detwiler from Heritage Vet Partners. This episode of Have You Herd? is sponsored by Heritage Vet Partners, the sponsors of the childcare room at the AABP Annual Conference. Find out more information about Heritage Vet Partners at this link.
Arledge discusses participation with the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine and their role in the distributive program. He was awarded the Excellence in Practice Partner Service from more than 150 participating clinics. Arledge discusses the benefits to his practice for finding associates from the students who complete their externships with him.
Baumgart was recently highlighted in Bovine Veterinarian Magazine for being the first female veterinarian at United Veterinary Services. She discusses her experiences and how it has shaped current relationships with students and associates, as well as the benefits of having a multi-generational team of veterinarians. Schmitz joined United Veterinary Services after graduating from the University of Minnesota in 2026. He describes his experiences as a student and how that developed his interest in joining this practice after graduation.
Detwiler discusses her experiences with students and the importance of identifying barriers for students in gaining rural practice experiences. Ensuring your practice is welcoming to all levels of backgrounds and experiences will improve recruitment and sustainability of rural veterinary medicine.
Our panel encourages veterinarians to welcome students to their practice, demonstrate rural practice as a career path, and use externships to develop relationships with students to recruit your next associate.
Find out about the AABP externship grants here and list your practice on the AABP website by going to this page. AABP also asks members to serve as mentors in our mentorship program. You can sign up to serve as a mentor on this page.