About the Author
Dana Varble received her veterinary degree from University of Illinois in 2003 and earned her Certified Association Executive designation from ASAE in 2021. She has practiced clinical medicine in exotic pet, small animal general practice and emergency medicine and serves as an associate veterinarian for Chicago Exotics Animal Hospital. She has spoken locally, nationally, and internationally on herpetological and exotic animal medicine and the state of the veterinary profession. She served as the president of the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians in 2013 and presently works as the managing editor of the Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery for ARAV. In 2015, she joined NAVC and in January of 2020 she was named Chief Veterinary Officer. As a NAVC spokesperson and a veterinary industry expert, she promotes animal health and the veterinary profession through media interviews and appearances including CNN, Steve Dale’s Pet World, Pet Life Radio, NBC News, local media outlets and others.
She shares her home with a mixed-up brown dog named Hannah, a Leonberger named Kodi, a tank of cichlids, four ball pythons, and a domestic human, Patrick, and his kids Lexi, and PJ.
Written By This Author
Personal/Professional Development
The Key to Longevity Is to Embrace Change
Here's a secret ... if you're willing to question and adapt more times in your career than you care to think about, you'll soon become the Yoda of vet med.Personal/Professional Development
Our Profession Is a Small Town
Here's a secret ... vet med is a small world, so maintaining strong bonds and being a good ambassador for the profession will help you go far.Personal Wellbeing
We Can Vacation, Unapologetically
Here's a secret ... our wellbeing, and even salaries, can be positively affected by taking some time off.Personal/Professional Development
CE Is a Fun Activity
Here's a secret ... in-person continuing education isn't about how many credit hours you can jam into your schedule. Pursue what you're actually interested in and take some time to make personal connections and recharge outside of the conference.Personal/Professional Development
Pet Owners Are Your Teammates
Here's a secret ... pet parents may not be medically trained but they know their pets better than anyone. Listen to them when they have concerns.Practice Management
Veterinarians Shouldn’t Do It All
Veterinarians can maximize their efficiency, patient care, and client satisfaction when they focus on what they do best and properly utilize their trained veterinary nurses/technicians.Personal Wellbeing
We Are Treating Burnout All Wrong
Here's a secret ... preventing burnout at the organizational level is more important than treating burnout at the personal level.Personal/Professional Development
It’s OK to Say, “I Don’t Know”
Here’s a secret ... you're not supposed to know everything! And it's not that big of a deal.Personal/Professional Development
We Can Cancel Review Culture
Review culture in the veterinary field can be exhausting. Dr. Dana Varble explores what might happen if we step away and consider more beneficial alternatives.Personal Wellbeing
We Are Real-Life Superheroes
This column written by the NAVC’s Chief Veterinary Officer shares the secrets that really should be considered well-known truths and that can help change our thinking and our profession for the better.
News
Lessons Learned From a Trying Year
The year 2020 brought various trials for veterinary professionals.