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By Dr. Jason Harrison, DVM ā Tawas Animal Hospital One of the first things I learned as a small-town veterinarian is this: There is no such thing as a ānormal day.ā Veterinary medicine doesnāt run on a clock.It runs on need ā urgent, emotional, unpredictable need. And somehowā¦ we find a way. š
7:30 AM ā The Start of Controlled Chaos Every day starts the same:Our entire team arrives together at 7:30 AM, and the moment we walk in, the world starts moving. We care for more than 5,000 active patients with two doctors ā more than what most general
A āWhat Iāve Learned as a Veterinarianā Series Post Emergency medicine is one of the most intense, humbling, heartbreaking, and equally rewarding parts of veterinary medicine.And after 23 years in this profession, Iāve learned something important: Emergencies donāt just test your medical skills ā they test your heart.They reveal what you rely on, what you believe in, and what matters most. This blog is one of the most important in this series because it speaks to the core of why I became a veterinarian ā and what emergencies have taught me about pets, people, and myself. ā¤ļøāš„ Lesson 1: I
Every Thanksgiving, when the last appointment is done and the clinic lights go out, I take a few minutes to sit in the quiet. The hum of the machines fades, the smell of disinfectant lingers, and the building feels still ā a kind of peaceful that only happens once or twice a year. And in that silence, I can finally stop long enough to think about what Iām most thankful for. Iām Grateful for the People Who Trust Me After 23 years in this profession, I still donāt take it lightly that people trust me with their pets ā the
“We have our own pets, our own families, our own grief and love stories that shape who we are.” I love this work. I love animals. I love people. I love the bond between them. After more than 23 years as a veterinarian, I truly believe I was meant for this.But I also know there is a darker side of this profession ā a side too many of us carry silently. Because the truth is: the risk of suicide among veterinarians is not just elevated ā itās tragic and urgent. Where We Stand Among Other Professions The numbers are heartbreaking:
Behavior always tells a story. If you told my younger self that Iād become a veterinarian, I probably wouldāve laughed. I didnāt start out pre-vet, or even in biology. I actually began my college journey at Western Michigan University as a mechanical engineering major. Iāve always been drawn to problem-solving ā the kind of kid who took things apart just to see how they worked (sorry, Mom). Engineering made sense. I was confident in math and science, and by my third year, I was nearly finished with the program ā already moving into my final stretch before graduation. Then, one
Youāll see raw love, deep fear, and incredible loyalty ā often bundled together in one fragile moment. If you really want to learn about people, become a veterinarian. Youāll meet them all ā the worriers, the googlers, the criers, the ones who bring baked goods, and the ones who bring chaos. Youāll meet people at their best and at their worst, sometimes within the same appointment. Youāll see raw love, deep fear, and incredible loyalty ā often bundled together in one fragile moment. And if you pay attention long enough, youāll learn that veterinary medicine isnāt just about treating animals.
The Day I Realized I Couldnāt Do It Alone I thought being a āgood doctorā meant doing everything myself. Iād stay late, redo every chart, double-check every record, and jump in on every appointment. Somewhere along the way, I convinced myself I was helping my team by āprotectingā them from the pressure. If youāve ever worked in a veterinary hospital, you know itās controlled chaos. One minute youāre saving a choking dog, the next youāre cleaning up after a nervous cat, and somewhere in between youāre trying to remember where you left your tea. Early in my career, I thought
š The Hardest Part of Being a Veterinarian People often assume the hardest part of my job is euthanasia. And yes ā helping a family say goodbye to their pet never gets easy. I still feel every single one of those losses. But thatās not actually the hardest part. The hardest part ā the one that keeps me up at night ā is not knowing. Itās when I do every test, run every lab, take every X-ray, send every sample to the best diagnostic labs I can findā¦ and still canāt tell a family why their pet is sick. Itās
The First Lesson I Ever Learned as a Veterinarian When I graduated from Michigan State and started my first real job as a veterinarian, I thought my main job was to talk ā to explain, to instruct, to diagnose, to guide. I learned very quickly that my real job was to listen. The first lesson I ever learned as a veterinarian is that not everyone who walks through my door is looking for an answer right away. Most people just want to know that Iām in this with them. That I care. That Iām listening. The Golden Retriever Who Taught
Over the last 23 years, Dr. Harrison has dedicated his life to veterinary medicine ā and for the past 8 years, Brittany has shared in that journey, meeting so many incredible people at all ages and stages of their dream to work in this field. Together, theyāve had the privilege of speaking with MSU veterinary students, high school and college classes, new veterinarians, technicians, CSRs, assistants, and even elementary students who dream of becoming veterinarians someday. Every time, one thing stood out ā how captivated people were by Dr. Harrisonās quiet wisdom, compassion, and perspective. Over the last 20+ years,
