Ethics: A strong practice culture demands an ethical foundation

By Lisa Fultz DVM, MS, DACVIM, and Jamie Pribyl, DVM

We have all heard the saying, “Being a horse doctor is a lifestyle, not a job.” Long days and hard work are unavoidable, and a lot of it is “heart work” not just “hard work.” But
when the realities of burnout, complex communication dynamics, appropriate compensation and compassion fatigue go unrecognized, a practice can become more toxic than the most bacteria-ridden culture plate. Building a strong and ethical practice culture is beneficial to everyone in a practice. So, what is practice culture and how can we strive to build and maintain a culture with an ethical foundation?