MentorVet and Chewy Health Partner to Promote Veterinary Mentorship and Wellbeing
New initiative will support veterinary medical associations in establishing comprehensive mentorship programs for early-career caregivers
Kelly O’Brien and Dr. Katy Nelson from Chewy Health and Addie Reinhard of MentorVet
Lexington, KY, June 28, 2023 – MentorVet is excited to announce a new partnership with Chewy Health, the dedicated healthcare arm of Chewy, to support veterinary medical associations in establishing evidence-based mentorship programming that will provide early career veterinarians with critical tools for professional development, financial coaching and mental health support. Chewy Health has committed to sponsoring full scholarships for members of veterinary medical associations across the country to participate in MentorVet Leap, a six-month mentorship and professional development program for veterinarians with fewer than five years of clinical experience.
This partnership is reflective of Chewy Health’s broader commitment to improving the lives of pets and the people who work tirelessly to care for them. Participating professional veterinary organizations will be able to offer a structured mentorship program that provides coping strategies from mental health professionals to help minimize burnout, online learning, monthly peer group meetings, financial literacy training and access to ongoing individual support from a trained veterinary mentor. Programming is currently being launched with the Delaware Veterinary Medical Association, Idaho Veterinary Medical Association and Washington Veterinary Medical Association. MentorVet and Chewy Health’s goal is to scale this initiative by supporting veterinary medical organizations across the country.
“Chewy Health’s sponsorship of mentorship programming within veterinary medical associations demonstrates a commitment to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of early-career veterinarians,” stated Addie Reinhard, DVM, MS, Founder & CEO of MentorVet. “It can be extremely challenging to establish effective mentoring programs within organizations, so this collaboration allows MentorVet to directly impact veterinary medical associations in providing ongoing support to members.”
The MentorVet Leap program is designed to give early-career veterinarians the resources needed to thrive at the start of their careers. This six-month virtual evidence-based mentorship and professional development program delivers the peer support, professional skills training, coaching, and mentorship that veterinarians need to ease into the profession. The program has been approved for 10 hours of continuing education credit in jurisdictions that recognize RACE approval. In the past two years alone, MentorVet Leap has supported over 500 veterinary professionals in their early career journeys, and early research shows that the program may significantly reduce the average burnout and stress of participants over time.
“At Chewy Health, we are passionate about preserving the future of the veterinary industry and know that mentorship plays a vital role in equipping the next generation of caregivers with the tools needed to flourish in today’s complex veterinary landscape,” said Mita Malhotra, President of Chewy Health. “We are proud to partner with MentorVet in delivering innovative programming that places the veterinarian at the center of the experience.”
Eric T. Boehm, PMP, MNM, CAE and executive director of the Idaho Veterinary Medical Association & Idaho Veterinary Medical Foundation, also expressed support for the program: “The IVMA is excited to pilot our collaboration with MentorVet and Chewy Health. The association sees this as the first step to better supporting our recently graduated veterinarians in Idaho. We also look forward to working with MentorVet as they expand their programs in the future.”
Christine Gacono, CMP, Executive Director of Delaware Veterinary Medical Association shares, "The Delaware Veterinary Medical Association (DVMA) is excited to partner with MentorVet to bring incredible opportunities to recent graduates in our state that may not otherwise be available to them. The ability to connect with other practitioners throughout the country and set aside time to focus on areas outside of clinical practice is important and necessary. Because of generous financial support provided by Chewy Health, several DVMA members have begun the summer session and will benefit from sharpening skills in personal and professional wellbeing, sharing resources, increasing competency to build financial success, and sharing their lives with each other on a social level. The MentorVet Leap program is an essential tool to help veterinarians thrive in practice and in life. I’m excited to see how our members’ lives are enriched through participation in the program."
Interested in MentorVet Leap or learning more about this scholarship program? Contact the MentorVet team at www.mentorvet.net/contact
About MentorVet
MentorVet is a rapidly growing entity that creates programs leveraging evidenced-based approaches to empower veterinary professionals, transforming veterinary medicine into a healthy profession for individuals and communities. MentorVet’s flagship program, MentorVet Leap, is a mentorship and professional development program that promotes early career wellbeing by providing a centralized location for resources and support through online professional skills training, peer and paired mentorship, and mental health and financial coaching. MentorVet collaborates with a growing number of practice groups, veterinary medical associations, and corporations to make their programming possible. To read more about the early success of MentorVet, you can read their impact report in full by visiting, https://www.mentorvet.net/impactreport2022
For more information visit www.mentorvet.net or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
About Chewy Health
Chewy’s mission is to be the most trusted and convenient online destination for pet parents and partners everywhere. Chewy Health embodies this spirit with our unparalleled commitment to pets and the people who tirelessly care for them. In response to veterinary care challenges and evolving pet parent needs, Chewy Health is pioneering digital solutions for simple, efficient operations. This leads to more time for hands-on pet care for healthier and happier pets. It’s all part of the commitment at Chewy Health to improve the health of every pet by helping to make veterinary professionals’ jobs easier.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Ellen Turner
ellen@mentorvet.net