Ep 155: Treat the Patient, Not Just the Disease, with Dr. Gary Marshall

In this edition of That Vet Life Podcast, Dr. Moriah McCauley is joined by Dr. Gary Marshall, one of VetX's very own Thrive mentors, to discuss the concept of "Treating the patient, not the disease", highlighting the common challenges faced by young veterinarians in developing treatment plans.The founder and medical director of Island Cats Veterinary Hospital (a feline-only practice on Mercer Island, Washington), Dr. Gary Marshall received his veterinary medicine degree from Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1989. Besides his work as a veterinarian, Dr. Marshall is also a member of our Thrive community and helps mentor young graduates and veterinary professionals. Gary currently sits on the board of directors for the College Of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University, and formerly served as its president. He also represents Washington State in the American Veterinary Medical Association's House of Delegates.Listen in as Dr. Gary and Dr. Moriah describe the process you can use to help your mentee grow in skill and confidence. Outline[01:01] Dr. Moriah McCauley gives Dr. Gary Marshall a warm welcome as the episode begins.[01:52] They discuss Dr. Marshall's recent Instagram post, which delves further into the idea of "treating a patient, not just the disease."[05:22] We hear about the value of client communication and how it benefits both the patient and the veterinarian.[09:10] The value of client education, emphasizing how it can ultimately result in more effective patient care.[15:25] Dr. Moriah and Dr. Gary discuss how a treatment strategy for a specific disease can vary depending on the patient.[17:35] A short ad break - join Thrive[18:42] Dr. Moriah continues the program by discussing the value of considering a range of treatment choices before deciding which is the most suitable in the particular case.[21:30] The value of decision-making skills, especially in emergencies, before going on to discuss how a team should make decisions without delegating too much power and responsibility to any one person. [28:12] Dr. Moriah and Dr. Marshall summarise the episode, adding valuable tips for young grads and veterinarians.[30:45] Dr. Moriah wraps the episode.To listen to the extended versions of That Vet Life podcast when they release, join our Thrive community for free. Connect with Dr. Gary MarshallLinkedinInstagram