Pressure and stress are two inescapable veterinary medicine realities—especially during your first year in practice. An unhealthy work culture can compound this negative energy and compromise your ability to grow and thrive in your career.
While creating a psychologically safe work environment is often considered a leader or management responsibility, you can successfully initiate change from within. Help transform your practice’s culture into one of safety, support, and self-directed growth by setting a daily example for your colleagues.
Defining psychological safety in the veterinary space
In a psychologically safe practice, team members feel comfortable expressing their ideas and concerns, asking questions, and admitting mistakes without fear of embarrassment, criticism, or harsh penalties. Psychologically safe teams enjoy greater productivity, performance, and collaboration because they feel supported in their professional growth, leading to better patient care, well-being, and job satisfaction. As a new veterinarian, psychological safety also helps you become more resilient during early career challenges by providing a built-in support system.
Be the change: 5 Ways to promote psychological safety as a new grad
Shift your practice culture by adopting these simple habits. You’ll know it’s working when you see your colleagues behaving the same way!
1: Embrace failure as a learning opportunity
No one leaves veterinary school completely prepared for their first year in practice—it’s one of the reasons I created Ready, Vet, Go! So ditch the idea that you won’t miscalculate a drug dose, prescribe the wrong medication, or try to discharge the wrong patient. Then, decide to change how you respond to your errors. This includes:
- Acknowledgment — If you mess up, admit the error to your supervisor. For smaller mistakes, try sharing them with your colleagues. Prevent self-shaming by describing the mistake in clear, direct terms and avoiding phrases of regret and guilt.
- Prevention — Consider what you could’ve done differently to avoid the mistake. This gives you an action plan to avoid or prevent similar future errors.
- Release — Once you have a plan, let go of your guilt or embarrassment and resolve to do better. Move on.
As colleagues see you navigate errors and missteps with humility, professionalism, and a sense of curiosity, they’ll embrace a similar style and allow errors to propel them toward providing better care.
2: Ask everyone for feedback
As a new or early career veterinarian, you naturally feel unsure or vulnerable asking for feedback, but actively inviting insights and ideas can fast-track your growth. Regularly soliciting and receiving feedback builds communication loops, fosters trust, and ultimately creates a more collaborative environment where various perspectives are welcomed and freely exchanged.
In addition to seeking your supervisor’s input, ask technicians, assistants, and client service representatives for their insights and ideas. This is as simple as asking, “What do you think?” or “What would you have done differently?” Inviting others to the conversation builds value for their perspective, demonstrates respect, and creates stronger relationships within the hospital. Plus, you might learn something!
3: Don’t play the blame game
When you notice an error or a team member comes to you about a mistake, focus on finding solutions—not scapegoats. While revisiting the situation and determining the order of events, look for where the existing process or workflow broke down. This reframing takes the blame off of the team or individual and redirects energy and effort toward positive change while fostering a culture of trust rather than of fear or animosity.
4: Recognize and celebrate others
Acknowledging your colleagues is one of the easiest, most effective, and fun ways to build psychological safety in your practice. Recognizing someone else’s contribution, hard work, or everyday bravery—such as going outside their comfort zone, admitting a mistake, or proposing an out-of-the-box solution—shows that person that they are seen, heard, and valued, and fosters a greater sense of belonging within the team.
5: Be a good communicator
Modeling good communication skills sets an example for the entire team. As colleagues see and incorporate similar behaviors, positive change occurs across the practice, including a more inclusive and supportive culture, better patient care, greater collaboration, and increased client satisfaction. Key strategies for becoming a better communicator include:
- Actively listening — Active listening helps others feel like their opinions and ideas are heard, understood, and valued, ensuring greater participation and self-expression across the team.
- Embracing diversity — While modeling your own ideas of good communication will increase the information and idea flow, other team members may not model their communication skills in a way that is identical to yours. Learning, acknowledging, and creating space for other communication styles—such as those of neurodivergent team members—gives everyone a chance to be heard.
- Expressing empathy — Being professional doesn’t mean hiding your emotions. Showing empathy and compassion for your colleagues, clients, and patients can help the team see your softer side and validates their own feelings, thoughts, and emotions.
Practice culture can feel as immovable as the veterinary hospital building’s foundation, but with time and consistent, intentional effort, you can help create a healthier, safer workplace from the inside out. While you may be a new veterinarian, you’re not new to being human—so set a good example for your colleagues and model the change you want to see!
Ready, Vet, Go Veterinary Mentorship is an innovative online program and community that helps new and early career veterinarians build confidence, gain independence, and experience greater joy. Visit our FAQ page to learn more about what we offer or get in touch with our team.