PVMA Keystone Veterinarian Summer 2020 - 17

help reduce anxiety. It's important to set a clear deadline
for the test to be performed, too. We use a service that
coordinates the testing and reporting through a website.
Our candidates can pick a location for the testing, and we
get quick results. Make sure you review the tests you're
running - are you testing for marijuana for example? -
and that they comply with local, state and federal laws.
5.	 Personality Assessments - Have you ever wondered why
some of the hires you make are great for the interview,
but then fall apart after just a few months on the job? We
have all of our candidates take personality tests. Not only
does it help us with the interview process, but it can help
us screen out candidates that we know won't be a good
fit for our culture. Better yet, it helps us all understand
each other so we can work together long term. We've
developed a list of personality profiles that tend to do
really well in our company. It can help to have a sense of
what you want before you hire - that way you can compare
results against your goals. There are lots of companies
that provide these services. DiSC® is popular in veterinary
medicine. We happen to use the Predictive Index. Find one
that works for you - and then use it!
6.	 Case Studies - Lots of hospitals will ask about medicine
- and many have doctor candidates "shadow" or do "test
shifts" to assess clinical skills. This is a good start, but we've
found that it can leave gaps in understanding a doctor's
standard of care. We've developed case studies that
all of our candidates work through as part of the hiring
process. Our cases focus on common issues (otitis externa,
superficial pyoderma, FLUTD cat, etc.) and can not only
illuminate level of care, but also provide us with a clear
view of communication style. For each case study, we ask
candidates to complete missing sections of a SOAP, given
the details of the case we provide. This allows us a starting
point from which to jumpstart our medical discussion. If
there are specific cases that you see often in your hospital,
it may be worth the time to pull together similar case
studies for your doctor candidates.
The entire hiring process is not inexpensive, and it certainly
takes time, patience, and organization. But we recommend
this approach because we've found that it helps best highlight
character and clinical quality before we make a hire. It's also
good practice as a defense against the nightmare type situations
above - no matter how crazy and unlikely they may seem.

About Dr. Andrew Heller:
Dr. Andrew Heller is the Chief
Growth Officer at Independent Vets,
IndependentVets.us, a Philadelphiabased veterinarian staffing company.

Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association | 17
http://vetrelief.com http://www.totalpracticesolutionsgroup.com
PVMA Keystone Veterinarian Summer 2020

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