Emergency leader urges new veterinarians to trust their training
Bottom line
Version 1 — Brief
A new dvm360 podcast and companion Q&A put early-career support in the spotlight, with Anthony Coronado, DVM, vice president of emergency medicine at Thrive Pet Healthcare, urging new veterinarians to “trust your training,” stick to diagnostic fundamentals, ask for help early, and treat client communication and documentation as core clinical skills. In the interview, Coronado says imposter syndrome is common, especially in emergency settings, but warns that bigger problems arise when new doctors cut corners, skip basic workups, or hesitate to admit uncertainty and use available mentorship resources. (dvm360.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the message lands in a workforce environment where the transition from school to practice remains a known pressure point. Research on new graduates has found that self-doubt, client communication, conflict management, and the quality of mentorship all shape early-career success, while newer evidence suggests mentorship can support confidence, clinical growth, well-being, and retention. Thrive’s own one-year mentorship program reflects that broader industry push, pairing early-career veterinarians with dedicated mentors, structured check-ins, and on-demand case support. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
What to watch: Expect continued attention on formal mentorship, communication training, and spectrum-of-care decision-making as practices compete to recruit and retain new veterinarians. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Version 2 — Full analysis
Anthony Coronado, DVM, vice president of emergency medicine at Thrive Pet Healthcare, is using a new dvm360 podcast appearance to deliver a simple message to new veterinarians: trust your training, return to the basics, and don’t confuse independence with going it alone. In the September 8, 2026, episode and related Q&A, Coronado frames imposter syndrome as a normal part of early practice, particularly in emergency medicine, while emphasizing that hesitation to ask for help can create more risk than uncertainty itself. (dvm360.com)
The advice arrives against a familiar backdrop in veterinary medicine. The shift from classroom to clinic has long been associated with steep learning curves in both technical and non-technical skills. Published research on recent graduates describes a transition marked by self-doubt, ethical tension, changing client expectations, and wide variation in mentorship quality. Other studies have found that communication, confidence, decision-making, and self-care are among the most important capabilities for success in those first years. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Coronado’s comments are notably practical. He tells new veterinarians that they already have the medical foundation, but often need time to learn how to access that knowledge quickly under pressure. He recommends being transparent with pet parents when the diagnosis is not yet clear, while reassuring them that there is a process to figure it out. He also argues against abandoning core diagnostic workups too quickly in favor of newer tests or stripped-down plans, saying that cutting corners is where important findings can be missed. (dvm360.com)
That emphasis on basics aligns with a broader shift toward better support for spectrum-of-care practice. A recent mentorship study noted that many graduates still have limited exposure in school to the client communication and clinical decision-making needed to tailor care to real-world financial and medical constraints, leaving colleagues and employers to fill the gap after graduation. In that context, Coronado’s advice to combine diagnostic discipline with clear communication is less a personal mantra than a workforce strategy. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Thrive has built some of that strategy into its own infrastructure. The company’s “Meant to Thrive” doctor mentorship program is designed as a one-year support model for early-career veterinarians, with regional doctor mentors, local medical leaders, twice-monthly case rounds, and on-demand consultation support. Coronado references those kinds of programs directly in the dvm360 interview, encouraging new doctors to use mentors from school, colleagues in practice, and employer-based support systems rather than trying to project certainty they don’t yet feel. (careers.thrivepetcare.com)
Outside commentary in the literature reinforces that approach. A 2025 qualitative study found that veterinarians view mentoring as important to confidence, clinical development, and career retention, and linked the transition-to-practice period to stress, burnout, and feelings of inadequacy. Earlier work similarly found that structured support, regular supervisor meetings, career guidance, and attention to well-being were among the most valued features of new-graduate programs. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, especially medical directors and hospital leaders, this story is a reminder that early-career success is not just about medical knowledge. It depends on whether new veterinarians have safe ways to say “I’m not sure,” reliable backup on cases, and coaching on how to communicate uncertainty to pet parents without losing trust. In emergency practice, where time pressure can amplify self-doubt, that support can affect patient safety, team morale, burnout risk, and retention. (dvm360.com)
What to watch: The next development to watch is whether more employers formalize mentorship and communication training as recruiting and retention tools, particularly as workforce and well-being pressures keep pushing practices to prove they can support new veterinarians beyond the offer letter. (ebusiness.avma.org)