Living and Working at Energy Vets Taranaki with Mixed Animal Veterinarian - Dr Jade Stolte - ep.1026

Energy Vets - Taranaki - New Zealand | REAL+STORY A recent graduate’s view of support, mentoring, and staying in the professionWhen new graduates talk about support, they’re not talking about slogans.  They’re talking about what happens in the moments that matter.In this episode of Veterinary Voices, Julie South continues the Energy Vets REAL+STORY series with Jade, a recent graduate mixed animal veterinarian who has been working at Energy Vets in Taranaki for just over two years.Jade shares why she chose to return to Taranaki after graduating from Massey University, what stood out about Energy Vets as a student on placement, and how support actually shows up day to day — from surgeries and after-hours, to asking questions, building confidence, and knowing someone has your back.This is an honest conversation about mixed practice, mentoring, after-hours realities, team culture, and what helps early-career vets not just cope — but enjoy the job and want to stay in the profession.Here’s how Jade describes that support in her own words:“If you’re not sure about something, there’s always someone you can call — and you never feel silly for asking.” — Jade, recent graduate mixed animal veterinarianIn This Episode00:00 – Introduction and where this episode fits in the Energy Vets REAL+STORY series 01:02 – Jade’s background and returning to Taranaki after graduating 02:42 – What “supportive” really means for a new graduate 04:01 – How Energy Vets felt different from other student placements 05:01 – Mixed animal caseloads and how the year ebbs and flows 05:59 – Longer consult times and why they matter on busy days 06:17 – Dairy, lifestyle, and equine work in practice 07:09 – After-hours equine support and not being left alone 07:58 – Building strong relationships with clients 08:31 – Privately owned farms and what that changes 08:52 – Living in Taranaki: outdoors, community, and lifestyle 11:16 – Favourite equipment and learning to use ultrasound 11:54 – A concrete example of support during early surgeries 13:13 – Unexpected friendships and team closeness 14:14 – After-hours as a new grad and how readiness is handled 16:48 – A memorable early case and calling for help 18:00 – Who fits best at Energy Vets and what being a team player means 19:01 – Closing reflections on mentoring, support, and staying in the professionIf you’re an experienced small animal veterinarian thinking about your next step — particularly if you enjoy mentoring and supporting early-career vets — Energy Vets is currently looking for someone ready to step up into that role.About Julie SouthJulie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.She works with veterinary clinics that want to show what working there is really like — not just list job requirements. Through culture storytelling, Julie helps clinics attract vets and nurses who recognise their kind of people and their kind of clinic before a vacancy appears.Could Your Kind of People recognise Their Kind of Clinic?A job ad may catch a vet’s or nurse’s eye. But it’s their own due diligence that determines whether they apply—or keep in touch.Culture Story Centres turn real experiences from inside your team into credible, discoverable recruitment evidence, giving vets and nurses meaningful reasons to choose your clinic.Explore Culture Story Centres for veterinary clinics