My SMART Goals

1. By 2027 I want to return to a full-time job working as a veterinarian in an animal shelter, and I want shelter medicine to be a sustainable long-term career for myself.
a. S – This goal is important and will require me to grow both as a leader and as an individual in order to avoid a repeat of the burnout that caused me to leave my full time shelter medicine job a few months ago.
b. M – This goal has a clear result (me going back to work full time in an animal shelter), and it is one that I am motivated to achieve.
c. A – This goal is realistic for my situation; I have worked in shelter medicine before and live in an area with nearby shelters that are regularly hiring. I can start working towards improving my boundary setting and other leadership skills now while I am working as a relief veterinarian. This goal does not involve other people taking specific action.
d. R – This goal is very much in line with my career goals, and, especially after taking this course, I have the resources I need to achieve it.
e. T – I have a set timeline by which I want to achieve this goal. Milestones along the way include participating in this and other leadership focused courses, and being able to be in situations at my relief jobs where I can practice the skills I will need to achieve it.

2. Improve my surgical skills to be competent in non-HQHVSN surgeries by 2027, especially soft tissue (Specifically GI foreign bodies, cystotomies, splenectomies, mass removals, enucleations, cherry eye repairs, and entropion repairs), dentistry, and common orthopedic (Specifically amputations, FHO, and lateral suture) surgeries.
a. S – This goal is significant; being able to do a wider variety of surgeries will allow me to be able to offer any shelter or HQHVSN surgical center where I end up working more surgical services than standard spay/neuter.
b. M – This goal has clear results, aka “Yes I can and have performed xyz surgeries and can do them again with confidence.” This is a goal I have always wanted to work towards but have not had the opportunity until now.
c. A – This goal is realistic for my situation; I am already a skilled HQHVSN surgeon. The veterinarians that I am doing relief with have also already agreed to help me work towards this goal.
d. R – This goal is very much in-line with my career goals, and I have the resources I need to achieve it.
e. T – I’ve intentionally lined the end date for this goal up with my goal to get back into shelter medicine full time. I am currently working relief only, which gives me a lot of flexibility when it comes to my schedule. This flexibility will allow me to be available to be present when different surgeries come up on the schedule of the high-volume surgical center where I’m doing relief so that I don’t have to wait or take time off to learn how to do them.