Summer/Fall 2013 PDF - University of Minnesota College of ...

THE BUSINESS OF VETERINARY MEDICINE
Students attend a joint
meeting of the Research
Animal Medicine Club
and Veterinary Business
Management Association.
The guest speaker
was college alumna
Dr. Nicole Reynolds,
who is now in research
and development at
Medtronic.
The business of veterinary medicine
The choice of a career in veterinary
medicine rarely stems from the
desire to enter business. The vast
majority of students choose veterinary
medicine out of a desire to ease the pain
and suffering of animals—regardless of
species. But students who pursue business
knowledge as part of their veterinary
school experience are developing skills
that could give them a competitive edge
once they begin working in the field.
“You clearly need business acumen if
you plan to open a practice,” says Brett
Rabe, president of the Minnesota chapter
of the Veterinary Business Management
Association (VBMA), a student
organization with branches at all U.S. and
STUDENT PROFILE
Brett Rabe
CLASS: 2015
HOMETOWN: Plymouth, Minnesota
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS: president,
Minnesota Chapter of Veterinary
Business Management Association;
vice president, VeTouch; member,
Student Society of Veterinary Surgery,
Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care
Medicine Club, Student Chapter of the
American Veterinary Dental Society,
Student Initiative for Reservation
Veterinary Service, and Student Chapter
of the American Veterinary Medical
Association; University of Minnesota
College of Veterinary Medicine student
ambassador
PROFESSIONAL GOALS: Rabe enjoys
the crossroads of client interaction
and medical care. His goal is to own a
practice in the Twin Cities within four
years of graduating. He views his role
as delivering expert medical care to
an animal on behalf of its owner for
the well-being of both and anticipates
being able to leverage his background
in telecommunications to increase the
electronic visibility and access of the
clinics at which he practices.
22 Profiles Summer/Fall 2013