dvm360 podcast reframes veterinary burnout around purpose

A late-2025 dvm360 podcast episode, “From ‘I should’ to ‘Why?’: A different approach to burnout,” argues that veterinary burnout persists not because clinicians lack wellness information, but because cultural norms, self-judgment, and unclear personal priorities get in the way of change. In the episode, Aaron Shaw, OTR/L, CHT, CSCS, and Jennifer Edwards, DVM, ACC, CPC, ELI-MP, urge veterinary professionals to move away from defaulting to what they “should” do and instead identify the deeper “why” behind their work and choices. dvm360 framed the conversation as part of its broader resilience coverage, emphasizing action over more awareness alone. (dvm360.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the message lands at a time when burnout remains stubbornly common. The AVMA’s 2025 economic state report said average burnout scores in 2024 were essentially unchanged from 2023, suggesting the profession hasn’t meaningfully moved past the problem even after years of discussion. Earlier Merck Animal Health-AVMA wellbeing findings, highlighted by AVMA in 2024, similarly pointed to persistent stress and burnout, while also noting that workplace culture, access to support, and practical systems changes can help. That makes this episode notable less for introducing a new statistic than for reframing the intervention: not “learn more about wellness,” but “remove the barriers that stop people from acting on what they already know.” (ebusiness.avma.org)

What to watch: Expect more veterinary wellbeing programming to focus on culture, implementation, and individualized support, rather than awareness campaigns alone. (dvm360.com)