When Addie Reinhard, DVM, MS, graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in 2015, she barreled enthusiastically into full-time practice in Lexington, Kentucky. But, like many of her early-career veterinary peers, she encountered discouragement and disillusionment within her first few years.

“I can pinpoint two specific times of severe burnout in my early career,” Dr. Reinhard says. “Fortunately, I had some phenomenal mentors, both in and out of the practice, who helped me through.”

That experience prompted Dr. Reinhard to go back to school at the University of Kentucky to study veterinary wellbeing. She spent two years researching early-career wellbeing and piloted a professional development program for veterinarians that yielded promising evidence of its effectiveness (see chart below).



Using what she’d learned, Dr. Reinhard created MentorVet in 2021. Leveraging evidence-based approaches to empower veterinary professionals, MentorVet aims to transform veterinary medicine into a healthy profession for individuals and communities.

“I realized so many other people experience similar things as me,” she says. “This is an industry-wide issue.”
 

What Is the MentorVet program?

The MentorVet program is evidence-based and helps early-career veterinarians navigate the ups and downs of their chosen profession—which can be considerable when they’re just starting out.

MentorVet participants take a five-module online course designed to help them develop wellbeing strategies for their entire career. In addition, they gain access to:

• A virtual small peer group that meets monthly
• A private social media app
• A financial coaching session
• Mentorship from a veterinarian trained in suicide prevention and emotional support
• An optional session with a mental health coach.

Participation in MentorVet has doubled since its launch, from 75 veterinarians in 2021 to 150 in 2022. Dr. Reinhard expects that number to double again, with an anticipated 300 to 500 veterinarians enrolling in the next cohort. That growth and success, she says, wouldn’t have been possible without an important industry ally.


A strategic partner

At about the same time Dr. Reinhard was launching MentorVet, one of her own mentors connected her with Merck Animal Health.

“They found out what I was doing and wanted to support me,” she says. “So they became a founding sponsor and have been helping me grow so we can reach the veterinarians who need it most.”

Besides helping her make industry connections, Merck Animal Health has provided funding, marketing support, mentorship and scholarships. MentorVet is also closely tied to the Merck Animal Health Veterinary Wellbeing Study series, with Dr. Reinhard acting as a collaborating researcher.


Help for equine veterinarians

Dr. Reinhard says equine participation in the MentorVet community has been increasing. She’s excited to see this segment of the profession get involved, particularly since early-career equine veterinarians face unique challenges.

“Equine veterinarians may work in smaller practices, work longer hours, and are on call more often,” she says. “They’re going from a giant support network of students, faculty members and other veterinarians to maybe just one or two people, so it can become isolating.”

Dr. Reinhard is hopeful that the support network equine veterinarians develop through MentorVet will help them navigate those challenges and stay connected. “They’ll have others to rely on when they’re having tough times,” she says.

Members of the Merck Animal Health Equine Veterinary Professional Services team are enthusiastic about what MentorVet is doing for equine veterinarians.

“I am currently a mentor with MentorVet, and it’s been a great experience,” says Chrissie Schneider, DVM, MS, DABVP (Equine Practice), Senior Equine Professional Services Veterinarian. “It’s crucial that we equip equine practitioners with the tools they need to have a healthy and long career in equine practice, and I’m excited that Merck Animal Health is part of it.”

Her colleague Duane E. Chappell, DVM, Associate Director for Equine Pharmacovigilance & Veterinary Professional Services, also a MentorVet mentor, concurs. “Continuing to make these kinds of resources available to newer members of our equine veterinary community is incredibly important to the future of our profession,” he says.


Building on a solid foundation

As Dr. Reinhard broadens the MentorVet program to reach veterinarians who are further in their career along with other members of the veterinary team, she’ll continue to gather evidence of effectiveness and use her research results to maximize its impact.

None of it, Dr. Reinhard says, would be possible on her own.

“I am grateful for Merck Animal Health’s support and for all the people who have helped me and MentorVet along the way,” she says. “Something like this doesn’t happen alone.”

To learn more or get involved in MentorVet, visit www.mentorvet.net.

Copyright © 2022 Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA and its affiliates. All rights reserved.