By Heather Gunn McQuillan
Across veterinary medicine, whether in teaching hospitals, private practice, research, or industry, teams are at the heart of our work. While we often celebrate the passion that brings us into this profession, we sometimes overlook one of the profession’s most valuable assets: our diversity of thought.
Veterinary programs across North America (and beyond) offer richer training opportunities than ever before, especially in the areas of professional skills. Advanced communication training, conflict resolution skills, leadership and resiliency skills accentuate the clinical skills. Each academic institution offers a different perspective in how both clinical and professional skills training are delivered. These experiences shape how we see the world, how we solve problems, and how we approach patient care.
Those differences aren’t challenges to manage.
They are performance advantages to leverage.
The Real Strength of a Veterinary Team
A veterinary team is not just a collection of people working in the same building. It is a group that shares goals, responsibilities, and outcomes—and sets aside personal needs for the greater good of the team. Or, as Bob Farrell puts it:
“A team is a group of people working together to make each other look good.“
When we apply this definition to veterinary medicine, it becomes clear:
No single clinician—regardless of training or talent—can match the outcomes of a well-functioning team.
I can still picture it—my second job out of vet school (and my first in a high-end exclusive small animal practice in British Columbia), stepping into the clinic equal parts exhilarated and terrified. I didn’t yet know who I was as a veterinarian, and I definitely didn’t trust myself. But I landed in the middle of a team that made becoming a vet feel not just possible, but joyful.
The technicians, assistants, receptionists, and vets I worked with were exceptional—not just in skill, but in heart. Everyone’s voice mattered. We didn’t rush past each other; we checked in. We asked, What do you think? What are you noticing? How can we do this better together? And people answered honestly, because it was safe to do so. And we made time for fun – there was always laughter and silliness that helped to lighten the hard work that we did.
I made plenty of new-grad mistakes, the kind that used to wake me up at 3 a.m. replaying every detail. But before panic could take hold, there was always someone beside me—an incredible technician gently catching the error and saying, We’ve got this. Let’s fix it. Not with judgment. Not with sarcasm. With respect. With grace. With genuine teamwork.
They didn’t just make me better at medicine. They made me feel like I belonged.
Looking back, that clinic gave me my first real lesson—not just in veterinary care, but in team culture. It showed me what was possible when people choose generosity over ego, curiosity over judgment, and collective success over individual competition.
Where Cognitive Diversity Shows Up in Veterinary Medicine
Veterinary teams are cognitively diverse by nature because no two veterinary pathways are the same. Consider:
- A technician with an extensive shelter background may see early warning signs of stress that others miss.
- A clinician trained at a teaching hospital with a heavy internal medicine focus may approach diagnostics differently than one trained primarily in general practice.
- An emergency veterinarian with internship training may bring a critical care perspective to the ER.
- A receptionist with 20 years experience at a mixed animal practice may have intuition for client communication that improves adherence and follow-through for a wide range of clients.
- A new graduate may question legacy protocols and introduce updates based on emerging evidence.
These differences in training, experience, knowledge, and worldview translate directly into different ways of thinking—and better decisions because of it.
How Cognitive Diversity Improves Patient Outcomes
Research shows that diverse teams—not similar thinkers—perform best because:
- They innovate more effectively
- They solve problems faster
- They make better decisions
- They achieve higher performance and engagement
In veterinary medicine, this isn’t just professional success—it’s life-changing for patients.
When a team shares ideas openly:
- Differential lists get broader, not narrower
- Information sharing improves
- Mistakes are caught earlier
- Blind spots are reduced
- Treatment plans become more comprehensive
- Client communication improves
- Patients get better and safer care
Teaching hospitals train this approach explicitly—case rounds, grand rounds, morbidity and mortality rounds, rotating services—all reinforce collaborative problem solving. The practice from BC did these things to. Every day we rounded at the board discussing the hospitalized cases, and before the end of the day, we talked about our successes and challenges. It was an opportunity for others to weigh in, for successes to be celebrated and to probelm solve issues. As graduates enter practice, the most successful teams recreate this culture organically, craving the opinions of others, instead of resenting them.
The Research Is Clear
| Benefit | Supported Evidence |
|---|---|
| Increased creativity & innovation | Diverse management teams = 19% higher revenues from innovation (Boston Consulting Group) |
| Better problem-solving & decision-making | Diverse teams solve problems faster and outperform individual decision-makers up to 87% of the time (Harvard Business Review) |
| Increased profitability | Companies in the top quartile of gender, ethnic, and cultural diversity perform 21–33% higher (McKinsey & Co.) |
| Higher employee engagement | Diversity and inclusion correlate with higher engagement and lower turnover (Deloitte Australia) |
Put simply: teams with diverse thinkers win!
But None of This Works Without Psychological Safety
Veterinary teams want to collaborate—but collaboration cannot thrive in environments where disrespect, sarcasm, dismissal, or incivility occur.
Having worked at that incredible clinic in BC, I thought I knew what “normal” team culture looked like. Collaboration, support, curiosity, humour… it was all just part of the day. I didn’t realize how rare that was—or how much I relied on it—until I left.
My next role was at a clinic filled with some of the most technically skilled vets and techs I had ever met. On paper, it should have been a dream team. In reality, it was the most psychologically damaging work environments I had ever experienced. People assumed the worst about each other. Judgment wasn’t subtle—it was the backbone of every interaction. Snide comments in the treatment room. Eye-rolling at rounds. Conversations that tore colleagues apart not only behind their backs, but right in front of them.
Instead of feeling inspired by the level of expertise around me, I became afraid of it. Every day I walked in bracing for impact—terrified to ask questions, terrified to try new things, terrified to be seen making even the smallest mistake. What could have been a tremendous learning opportunity became a masterclass in survival mode.
I left within six months.
The research supports this too:
- Rudeness decreases cognitive performance, creativity, flexibility, and helpfulness
- In healthcare settings it reduces diagnostic accuracy, information sharing, and quality of care
- In veterinary teams, toxic environments increase burnout, cynicism, and lost performance
*Moore, Coe, Adams, et al 2015 ; Moore, Coe, Adams, et al 2014
This means the profession’s greatest advantage—our cognitive diversity—can only be utilized fully when team culture protects it.
That is why the most effective veterinary teams commit to:
- Zero tolerance for incivility
- Setting clear behavioural boundaries that are actually lived
- Managing conflict early, often, and respectfully
- Vulnerability that allows people to ask for help, admit mistakes, and offer feedback safely
Why This Matters for Training Programs and Mentorship
Every year, veterinary students and new graduates bring fresh ideas, new knowledge, and different strengths into practice. This does not threaten established clinicians—rather, it strengthens them.
Likewise, experienced veterinarians bring context, intuition, pattern recognition, and case wisdom that new graduates simply haven’t had enough time to develop.
When we place these people together with intention—not hierarchy—everyone rises.
Students and interns learn faster.
Technicians and assistants feel empowered and valued.
Seasoned clinicians access expanded thinking.
Patients benefit from the collective expertise of the team.
The whole clinic becomes more resilient.
The Future of Patient Care Depends on How We Treat Each Other
Veterinary medicine has always been a profession built on compassion. But compassion isn’t just for the animals. It must extend to the teams who care for them.
When we choose trust over competition, curiosity over ego, and respect over incivility, we unlock the highest potential of veterinary practice.
We don’t just create better workplaces.
We create better patient outcomes and a healthier profession for everyone in it.
AwareVet 
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