Creating a Sustainable Vet Med Career ... even in Equine Medicine! (Dr. Fairfield Bain)

Vet Life Reimagined

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Can a career in equine medicine be sustainable?
Yep! And even fun. Dr. Fairfield Bain is a veterinarian, multi-boarded specialist in equine internal medicine and pathology, and has an MBA. He has been a teacher, entrepreneur, and industry veterinarian. He has worked at some of the most prestigious equine practices and veterinary universities. He graciously embraced a listener's question about "do large animal veterinarians have life outside of work?"
Dr. Bain's career and life story are fascinating and full of twists and turns as life can be unpredictable. He is now semi-retired doing consulting work.
Resources:

• Episode on YouTube
• Fairfield Bain on LinkedIn
• Hagyard Equine Medical Institute

Time Stamps:
[00:00:00] - Introduction of Dr. Fairfield Bain and his extensive career in equine medicine.

[00:02:00] - Dr. Bain explains how he became interested in veterinary medicine as a child, even though he didn't grow up around horses.

[00:03:00] - Discussion of Dr. Bain's upbringing on a farm in Virginia and his parents' influence.

[00:06:00] - Dr. Bain talks about the value of experiencing farm life, especially for urban/suburban youth.

[00:07:00] - Details on Dr. Bain's path to veterinary school at Auburn University.

[00:11:00] - Dr. Bain describes key mentors and experiences that shaped his career path in equine medicine.

[00:15:00] - Discussion of Dr. Bain's time at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, KY.

[00:18:00] - Insights on working with horse owners and farm staff in Lexington.

[00:21:00] - Dr. Bain's career moves after Lexington, including time in Australia and at universities.

[00:27:00] - Advice for new graduates on embracing long hours and learning experiences early in their careers.

[00:34:00] - Dr. Bain's transition to working for Merck Animal Health.

[00:37:00] - Discussion of Dr. Bain's MBA and how it complemented his veterinary career.

[00:41:00] - Dr. Bain's return to clinical practice before semi-retirement.

[00:42:00] - Praise for the critical role of veterinary technicians/nurses.

[00:45:00] - What Dr. Bain is most proud of in his career, particularly his work in equine neonatology.

[00:46:00] - Dr. Bain reflects on what he's grateful for in his career and life.

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