Your Vet Book Club: A Compassionate Calling by Dr. Marie Holowaychuk

A recent podcast episode on Your Vet Wants You To Know launches the first Your Vet Book Club, featuring Dr. Marie Holowaychuk, board-certified veterinary specialist and author of A Compassionate Calling: What It Really Means to Be a Veterinarian. The conversation explores the emotional realities of veterinary medicine, from burnout and grief to empathy, resilience, and hope.

Dr. Holowaychuk shares how wellbeing, rest, and boundaries are essential for safe, sustainable patient care. She discusses the growing role of veterinary social work, the impact of autonomy on professional burnout, and ways pet owners can better understand the human side of veterinary care.

“Empathy is a strength, but learning to separate compassion from personal distress protects veterinarians from burnout,” says Dr. Holowaychuk. She emphasizes that strong client–veterinarian relationships benefit both pets and their caregivers, and that supporting veterinary teams is key to delivering compassionate care.

This episode reflects the core themes of her book, offering insight into the struggles, triumphs, and resilience required to navigate the veterinary profession with clarity, compassion, and hope.

🎧 Listen to the full episode and access discussion handouts here: Your Vet Book Club: A Compassionate Calling by Dr. Marie Holowaychuk