NYSVMS Webinar: Vet School Didn't Teach Me This
Zoom Webinar: Your link to join will come direct from Zoom. Please verify that you receive the email shortly after you register. It will be sent again one day and one hour before the webinar.
Event Details
Real life hits hard after graduation—and no amount of anatomy labs can prepare you for burnout, debt, or self-doubt. This candid webinar brings together early-career vets, financial experts, and mental health advocates to talk about the things vet school didn’t cover.
Through personal stories and actionable advice, we’ll explore the emotional, financial, and professional realities of early practice—and how NYSVMS is here to help you through them.
Here is the finalized agenda for the “Vet School Didn’t Teach Me This” webinar, tailored for early-career veterinarians:
🧑🏫 Webinar: Vet School Didn’t Teach Me This
Date: Tuesday, June 17, 2025
Time: [Insert time]
Length: 45 minutes + optional 10-minute Q&A
Format: Virtual panel discussion (Zoom)
🎯 Purpose:
To help early-career veterinarians navigate challenges like student debt, burnout, and career confidence—by sharing real stories, financial tools, and wellness strategies.
📋 Agenda:
1. Welcome
2. Panel Discussion: What I Wish I Knew : Roxanne Suarez, DVM (Graudated Ross, 2008) + TBA
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2 early-career vets share personal stories on topics like:
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Imposter syndrome
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Work-life shock
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Learning on the job
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3. Financial Survival Skills - Michael Sabatino - Sabadoodle
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Student loan repayment strategies
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Budgeting on a starting salary
4. Burnout & Boundary-Setting - Makenzie Peterson DSW
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Early signs of burnout
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Coping tools and culture shifts
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Why setting boundaries is an act of self-preservation
5. Live Q&A & Follow-up Resources
Learning Objectives:
- What early-career vets wish they knew before starting practice
- How to build a strategy for student loan repayment and financial stability
- How to recognize and prevent burnout before it takes hold
- Practical ways NYSVMS supports wellbeing, mentorship, and community
This session is free and open to all veterinary professionals and students in New York.
For More Information:
Roxanne Suarez, DVM
Dr. Roxanne J. Suarez, DVM, is a seasoned small animal veterinarian and current Campus Liaison for Banfield Pet Hospital’s Northeast and Mid‑Atlantic region. A graduate of Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, she brings over a decade of experience, with a clinical focus on dermatology and soft tissue surgery. Passionate about mentorship, Dr. Suarez actively engages with veterinary students through university outreach, “Lunch & Learn” events, and structured onboarding programs that support early-career veterinarians. Known for her approachable leadership style and commitment to fostering growth, she’s mentored many who have advanced into leadership roles. Outside of work, she enjoys Muay Thai boxing and encourages students to embrace learning with her motto: “Work hard, play harder.”
Michael Sabatino CFP
Michael Sabatino, CFP®, is a financial advisor based in Princeton, New Jersey, and founder of Sabadoodle, where he leads the 90-Day Money Mentorship Program designed for early-career veterinarians and young professionals. With over 20 years of experience in financial services, he has held roles at firms such as Raymond James & Associates, Citigroup Global Markets, and Salomon Brothers. Michael holds multiple licenses (Series 7, 63, 86, 87) and is registered in both New Jersey and New York. As a Certified Financial Planner™ and Certified Student Loan Professional (CSLP®), he specializes in personalized financial planning, investment strategy, and student loan guidance, with a focus on helping clients achieve long-term financial wellness.
Makenzie Peterson DSW, MSc
Dr. Makenzie Peterson, DSW, MSc, is a leading mental health and wellbeing expert specializing in academic veterinary medicine. Born in Alaska, she holds a Master of Science in Health Promotion & Education from the University of Utah and a Doctorate of Social Work from USC. Formerly Cornell’s inaugural Wellbeing Program Director and a health specialist at an MIT/Harvard start-up, she now serves as the Director for Wellbeing at the AAVMC, where she drives systems-based initiatives to foster organizational wellness, addresses clinician burnout, and leads national research on veterinary mental health. A certified health coach, rape crisis counselor, and opioid-overdose educator, she also sits on the Board of the Women’s Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative and founded the FASHP Wellbeing Coalition to promote interdisciplinary wellbeing efforts. Passionate about translating evidence-based wellbeing into practice, she also advocates through national working groups supporting clinician mental health. 🎓