I have never cared for the phrase: “We are the #1 veterinary school in the United States.” Not because excellence should not be celebrated, but because I am not entirely sure what, precisely, is being celebrated. What does #1 veterinary school actually mean? And perhaps more importantly, what does it do for a profession that prides itself on care, diversity of practice, and service? What Are We Really Measuring? Most veterinary school rankings are built less on objective outc
Force #2: Administrative drag. Not many years ago, I tried to hire a young neurologist. Bright. Capable. Thoughtful with students. The sort of clinician you recognize immediately. The type who listens carefully before speaking and whose patients seem calmer simply because she is in the room. She wanted to teach. She wanted to build a program. She wanted an academic life. We lost her. Not to salary. Not to a competing offer. We lost her to time. By the time the position descri
