How & why did I end up back in Dyersburg? That is a question that a lot of people get when they move back here. I am so fortunate that many of my friends have been given the opportunity to come back home to work; whether its because of family business or that our economy has diversified enough to justify their return. Every day I see people I grew up with. (DHS Class of '79)
When I was deciding on where to go to college, Daddy said that if you are going to do business in Tennessee, you need to go to school in Tennessee. I'm not sure if that was his good advice or the fact that he was currently paying out of state tuitions for my 3 older sisters. I went to school to find out what I wanted to be when I grew up. I couldn't see a light at the end of the tunnel until I started taking some classes on the Ag Campus. (Its good to get back to your roots). I better not spend much time discussing my college days at UT Knoxville, so I'll fast forward to Vet School graduation.
When Tennessee State Veterinary Boards were offered, allowing me to practice in the state, I decided NOT to take them. I wanted to make sure that I could get away and make it on my own. It seemed that every Ag trip I went on throughout college, someone knew Daddy. This was wonderful, but I needed to prove to myself I had what it takes to enter the workforce apart from PH White Farms or the Cattle Rub business.(www.phwhite.com)
After school I went to work in an Indiana mixed animal practice, so that I could see a little bit of everything and figure out what I liked the most. I loved most all of it, except for the fact that the practice was too slow and I wasn't getting to see or do enough. I read text books to pass the time and I did not like to read. I called an Orthopedic Surgeon from school to ask him if anything was available and he hooked me up with a practice in Las Vegas. He knew me well enough to know I wanted to do bigger things than I was able to in Tell City, Indiana. I was 26 and single and couldn't think of any reason not to go. My mother could..... She said, "I need to warn you about those dancing girls." I asked if she was worried about all the gambling too, and she immediately said, "No, you're too tight."
About a year was spent in Vegas with a large multi-doctor practice that brought in Dermatologists, Dentists and Orthopedic specialists to see the more difficult cases. The orthopedic surgeon would do a lot of work after hours when he flew out from Iowa State, and I never missed getting in on it. Another vet that worked with me at the time would do the same thing. He was Dr. Ron McLaughlin and is now the Head of Small Animal Surgery at Mississippi State.
Working 7 days a week at Tropicana Veterinary Hospital enabled me to see and learn a lot. I was young with no kids and loved that part of it. I wasn't too happy about some of the "things" that were done concerning clients and I think the final straw was one Christmas morning. My boss decided that we should be open that morning and was a bit too overjoyed when there was one client that came in to be seen. He was so focused on money, that it was more important to him than being at home for the Holiday with his wife & daughter. It snowed that morning in Vegas and I went back to sit in front of my shabby little tree alone (except for my dog, Gumby) and think about home.
Opportunities were available and I started looking around. California was scrambling for Vets, and I was offered a move farther west. I certainly considered it, but I figured I would eventually end up in Dyersburg and thought I should head home to get started. I went to work with an existing practice in town and was trying to adapt to their practice ways, when they approached me with a Non-Compete clause. Although these contracts are common, the overzealous ones similar to the one that they had drawn up, were not holding up in court, but I wasn't going to sign something that I wouldn't agree to. Nobody was going to tell me that I couldn't work within 30 miles of Dyersburg for 3 years if it didn't work out at that practice.
Opening my own practice was the best option. I was told by several, that there was no way a Veterinary Clinic could make it unless they did Large animals & there were already enough clinics in town anyway. I liked farm animal work, focused on it in school and externships, and I grew up doing it. On the other hand I knew that I needed to focus on fewer things if I was going to be successfuland be able to take care of my patients and clients. Daddy told me that if you are good at something, there is always room for you. I built a 40X70 foot building, had 2 employees and opened April 20, 1989. I think I brought in $22.50 that first day............its gotten a little better since then.
Thanks for letting me share some of my life with you and Thank you for allowing me to serve you & your pets at Animal Care Hospital for 25 years. I'll get back to the medical stuff with my next post.
When I was deciding on where to go to college, Daddy said that if you are going to do business in Tennessee, you need to go to school in Tennessee. I'm not sure if that was his good advice or the fact that he was currently paying out of state tuitions for my 3 older sisters. I went to school to find out what I wanted to be when I grew up. I couldn't see a light at the end of the tunnel until I started taking some classes on the Ag Campus. (Its good to get back to your roots). I better not spend much time discussing my college days at UT Knoxville, so I'll fast forward to Vet School graduation.
When Tennessee State Veterinary Boards were offered, allowing me to practice in the state, I decided NOT to take them. I wanted to make sure that I could get away and make it on my own. It seemed that every Ag trip I went on throughout college, someone knew Daddy. This was wonderful, but I needed to prove to myself I had what it takes to enter the workforce apart from PH White Farms or the Cattle Rub business.(www.phwhite.com)
After school I went to work in an Indiana mixed animal practice, so that I could see a little bit of everything and figure out what I liked the most. I loved most all of it, except for the fact that the practice was too slow and I wasn't getting to see or do enough. I read text books to pass the time and I did not like to read. I called an Orthopedic Surgeon from school to ask him if anything was available and he hooked me up with a practice in Las Vegas. He knew me well enough to know I wanted to do bigger things than I was able to in Tell City, Indiana. I was 26 and single and couldn't think of any reason not to go. My mother could..... She said, "I need to warn you about those dancing girls." I asked if she was worried about all the gambling too, and she immediately said, "No, you're too tight."
About a year was spent in Vegas with a large multi-doctor practice that brought in Dermatologists, Dentists and Orthopedic specialists to see the more difficult cases. The orthopedic surgeon would do a lot of work after hours when he flew out from Iowa State, and I never missed getting in on it. Another vet that worked with me at the time would do the same thing. He was Dr. Ron McLaughlin and is now the Head of Small Animal Surgery at Mississippi State.
Working 7 days a week at Tropicana Veterinary Hospital enabled me to see and learn a lot. I was young with no kids and loved that part of it. I wasn't too happy about some of the "things" that were done concerning clients and I think the final straw was one Christmas morning. My boss decided that we should be open that morning and was a bit too overjoyed when there was one client that came in to be seen. He was so focused on money, that it was more important to him than being at home for the Holiday with his wife & daughter. It snowed that morning in Vegas and I went back to sit in front of my shabby little tree alone (except for my dog, Gumby) and think about home.
Opportunities were available and I started looking around. California was scrambling for Vets, and I was offered a move farther west. I certainly considered it, but I figured I would eventually end up in Dyersburg and thought I should head home to get started. I went to work with an existing practice in town and was trying to adapt to their practice ways, when they approached me with a Non-Compete clause. Although these contracts are common, the overzealous ones similar to the one that they had drawn up, were not holding up in court, but I wasn't going to sign something that I wouldn't agree to. Nobody was going to tell me that I couldn't work within 30 miles of Dyersburg for 3 years if it didn't work out at that practice.
Opening my own practice was the best option. I was told by several, that there was no way a Veterinary Clinic could make it unless they did Large animals & there were already enough clinics in town anyway. I liked farm animal work, focused on it in school and externships, and I grew up doing it. On the other hand I knew that I needed to focus on fewer things if I was going to be successfuland be able to take care of my patients and clients. Daddy told me that if you are good at something, there is always room for you. I built a 40X70 foot building, had 2 employees and opened April 20, 1989. I think I brought in $22.50 that first day............its gotten a little better since then.
Thanks for letting me share some of my life with you and Thank you for allowing me to serve you & your pets at Animal Care Hospital for 25 years. I'll get back to the medical stuff with my next post.
Time to build a Snow Vet in Tell City, Indiana.
My house (not my home) in Vegas.
If you ever go to Vegas, get out of the Casinos and head to the mountains!
Finley--Tucker--Claire--Sydney in front of the first sign
Appearance of the initial building.
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