Meet the Docs

In this episode of Vetted in Vet Med, Dr. Levy and Dr. Wilson share their personal journeys in veterinary medicine, discussing the challenges and triumphs they have faced as Black women in the field. They explore topics such as mental health, career transitions, and the importance of self-care, while emphasizing the need for support systems within the veterinary community. The hosts reflect on their experiences in veterinary school, the realities of practice, and the significance of finding balance in their professional and personal lives.

Takeaways

• The importance of mental health in veterinary medicine.
• Career transitions can be challenging but necessary.
• Support systems are crucial for success and well-being.
• Self-care is essential for maintaining balance.
• Veterinary school experiences shape future practices.
• Burnout is a common issue in the profession.
• Finding fulfillment in work is a personal journey.
• Networking and mentorship play vital roles in careers.
• Embracing one's unique journey is empowering.
• Creating a supportive community is key for growth.

Chapters

• 0:00 Career Aspirations and Future Goals
• 17:58 Pursuing Passion in Veterinary Medicine
• 20:15 Navigating Career Transitions and Burnout
• 21:22 The Challenges of Small Animal Medicine
• 24:27 Mobile Veterinary Care and Personal Challenges
• 26:56 Returning to Lab Animal Medicine
• 28:55 Corporate Clinic Experiences and Mental Health
• 30:30 Finding Balance in Veterinary Work
• 31:46 Overcoming Obstacles in Veterinary Education
• 39:30 Reflections on Early Career Experiences
• 40:49 Navigating Career Challenges in Veterinary Medicine
• 43:25 Transitioning to House Calls and Relief Work
• 45:20 Finding Joy in Veterinary Practice
• 48:57 The Importance of Personal Fulfillment
• 52:53 Balancing Work and Personal Life
• 56:54 Embracing Change and Personal Growth
• 59:17 Looking Ahead: Future Episodes and Goals

Transcript

Dr. Wilson (00:00)
Hey y'all, welcome to Vetted and Vet Med, the podcast where two African American female veterinarians pull back the curtain on the life and the world of veterinary medicine. I'm Dr. Wilson.

Dr. Levy (00:12)
And I'm Dr. Levy.

us as we dive into real conversations about mental health, career transitions, work-life balance, and the unique experiences we face as Black women in veterinary medicine.

Dr. Wilson (00:26)
So go ahead, grab your stethoscope.

Dr. Levy (00:28)
and get your favorite cup of coffee or wine. And let's get vetted in Vet Med.

Dr. Levy (00:35)
Hi, I'm Daveeta Levy. I am a veterinarian here in the greater Houston area, born and raised in Houston, Texas. I'm a wife and a mom of three little kids. And I'm working here in the Richmond, Texas, greater Houston area. I have my co-host here, Dr. Ayanna Wilson. I'll let her introduce herself.

Dr. Wilson (00:59)
Hi guys, I am Dr. Ayanna Wilson and I am a wife, a mother. I am in the Jackson, Mississippi area, the greater Jackson, Mississippi and working in this area and beyond in this rural areas as well. Yeah.

Dr. Levy (01:20)
you

Dr. Wilson (01:23)
and I am here with Miss Daveeta and

Dr. Levy (01:28)
And so we've come together. We both graduated from Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine in Tuskegee, Alabama. T-U, you know. And, you know, Ayanna and I, initially when Ayanna was getting her master's and she was in one of my classes.

Dr. Wilson (01:39)
You know.

Dr. Levy (01:51)
And then we also got to know each other through a mutual friend of ours. Shout out to Dr. Kayce, not Clemmons anymore, Beckford.

Dr. Wilson (01:58)
Shout out to Kayce

Well,

oop.

Dr. Levy (02:05)
who's also one of my closest friends and like a sister to me. and then, you know, through the years, I graduated in 2014 and, know, Ayanna and I, we just pretty much linked back up through a Facebook post.

We're both just kind of in this transitional phase in our careers, feeling burnt out, ready for the next stage in life. And she posted something in regards to, you know, leaving her practice, her corporate medicine practice, and she is now venturing off on her own. And I related to that message so well.

She mentioned also about starting a podcast. Yes. And I've been wanting to start a podcast for so many years now. I journaled back in 2019 about starting a podcast and it never happened.

Dr. Wilson (02:53)
In corporate.

Listen, I hear you, because I also wanted to start one with one best friend that I have and then another friend that I have and it just never jump started. This is full circle. We're going to take it as that and we are going to relish in this moment that we are creating something wonderful for the people, you know for the culture, for the community, you know, and

Dr. Levy (03:19)
Hmm

Mm-hmm.

Well, that'd a further quarter.

Dr. Wilson (03:40)
We got out the chat and we making it happen. That's all. Yeah.

Dr. Levy (03:43)
Mm-hmm.

So I'm loving this. I love that we got out the chat. We are assassinating the procrastination. When I first talked about starting a podcast, my husband went in, supported me fully, got the microphone, got the spotlight, and nothing ever happened from then.

Dr. Wilson (04:11)
Same Same

Dr. Levy (04:15)
So I'm excited about this. We are here. 10 years out. Ayanna is also approaching 10 years being out as well, which is crazy. It's crazy. Because, yeah, I feel like I can still, like, I feel like I still look the same and you still look the same. Like we are aging like fine wine.

aging gracefully and people are still asking where's the vet?

Dr. Wilson (04:40)
Come on now.

You look so young. I said, girl, I'll take it. I'll take it. Give it all to me. I'll take all of it.

Dr. Levy (04:50)
Yes,

And I'm like, I am the vet. know, through our journey along this long road and realizing that we do still actually want to continue practicing veterinary medicine.

But also wanting to share our journey is how Vetted in Vet Med came about. And so, this is very informal and, it is from two black female veterinarians sharing our experience and also where we currently are and where

Dr. Wilson (05:21)
All

Dr. Levy (05:36)
we're headed. So we're excited to start this podcast. And, you know, at this time, we'll go ahead and share our individual experiences, how we, started and how we got to where we are now. So for me, I grew up in third ward.

Dr. Wilson (05:39)
Yeah.

Dr. Levy (05:55)
Houston, Texas, one of the many hoods in Houston.

And, you know, I absolutely love my neighborhood, love my community. And at that time, we did not take our pets to the vet at all, unless they were dying. And so even all of the preventative care that I am very passionate about now just was not a thing for us. The education that I'm passionate about sharing with my clients.

It just was not a thing. And it doesn't help that my parents are not from this country. So they definitely.

Dr. Wilson (06:39)
it.

a vet What?

Dr. Levy (06:44)
My parents

are from Trinidad and let me tell you, there was no, know, now things are better, but there was no taking the pets to the vet And like I said, unless they were dying. So.

I think it was maybe in sixth grade. I knew from early on that I wanted to be a veterinarian, maybe as early as like kindergarten, but it wasn't until sixth grade when we had to put together a presentation for what we wanted to be. And so I was able to go to our local veterinarian. Who was an old white guy and that was just the norm. I did not see, you know.

did not see myself, didn't know how much of, you know, like a phenomena that was or would be for me to become one. And so, but he was very nice. He did take the time to answer my questions. I had to interview him and spend time with him for my project. He also was the same vet that we took our dog to when he was really sick.

And he was the only one in that area, in that neighborhood. So, fast forwarding to, let me say high school. I went to Michael E. DeBakey High School for Health Professions. So, just trying to tailor my life to what I thought I should be doing to become a veterinarian. I'm like, well, it makes sense to go to a health professional school.

Dr. Wilson (08:04)
Yeah.

Dr. Levy (08:12)
So during that time we did have externship opportunities to spend time in the local veterinary clinics, which I did. And then in undergrad where I went and majored in biology at Texas Southern University, that's where I realized like I really need to get myself together. I needed to get more experience.

you know, in working in clinics, more hands-on animal experience, I did not have. Granted, I did not have a mentor to really tell me what I should be doing to prepare myself. And so that's why I think even now, mentorship is so important and key, you know, in your development. So.

Dr. Wilson (08:55)
Yeah.

Dr. Levy (09:00)
I was like, well, if I need to get experienced, then maybe I should volunteer at the Humane Society. So I did start doing that. There was a local doggy daycare that I started working at as well. And then eventually I started working at a corporate clinic as a receptionist and then was cross trained to work as a technician. And that's where I found my mentor.

I got the shout out to Dr. Huey Beckham. Dr. Beckham is also a Tuskegee graduate as well. And, I didn't know it at the time that he was actually my neighbor. He lived, when we moved from my, like the house that I grew up in, it was still in third ward, but it was a-

Dr. Wilson (09:29)
Woohoo!

Dr. Levy (09:46)
streets over and he was my neighbor. He was two doors down from me and I did not know it Look at God, that was divine. And to this day, he wrote my recommendation letter and to this day, I still am in contact with Dr. Beckham. I'm currently reliefing at a clinic that he put me on to. So, mm-hmm, that was another full circle moment.

Dr. Wilson (09:51)
Look at God. Won't He do it?

Amen.

Full circle month.

Dr. Levy (10:13)
But when I really, you know, was like, okay, I'm getting this experience. Now I need to be applying to vet school. So I'm looking on the website to see all of what I need. see, you know, I really was passionate about attending a historically Black college.

University, HBCU. And so I really only wanted to go to Tuskegee. I did not have, I know there's people that apply to a million and one vet schools because you're trying to increase your chances, which is great, but I just did not have a desire. I applied to Tuskegee and I applied to LSU and I only did that

Dr. Wilson (10:51)
Yeah.

Yeah.

Dr. Levy (11:03)
Only this. Did you?

Dr. Wilson (11:05)
I can't so look I have

to stop you Daveeta because I Need the people to know that This is real time. Like I don't know anything about your journey. You don't know anything about mine and I was gonna wait but I feel like Kanye right now and I gotta stop because Tuskegee is literally only

Dr. Levy (11:15)
Yeah. Yeah.

Dr. Wilson (11:29)
college that I applied to and I almost applied to the LSU and that was gonna be it So just so y'all know this is is another divine moment. Yeah.

Dr. Levy (11:32)
huh. Yes. Yes.

Yes. Yeah, yeah.

Ayanna and I, realized through just a few phone conversations that we really, like Ayanna could have been my best friend after all these years because we have so much in common. So it's crazy, but it really is, it's divine. God definitely ordained this for sure. And at the right time too.

Dr. Wilson (11:50)
Hahaha!

Yeah,

that part.

Dr. Levy (12:05)
because

I don't know that, yes, I journaled back in 2019 that I wanted to do a podcast, but I don't know if I would have had even the mindset, the time really, and the availability to do it even the experience. I've gained so much more. I have more stories to tell between 2019 and now.

Dr. Wilson (12:26)
Yeah, that part.

baby into the struggles.

The struggles. Yeah.

Dr. Levy (12:36)
to have much to talk about then. And

now I do. I have a lot to say now. So this was ordained. And so yeah, I applied to Tuskegee and I felt like I only applied to LSU because, you know, it was nearby and I felt like I just wanted one other option, but like I had no desire to really go there. And they told me no anyway. So like it never even

Dr. Wilson (13:07)
Next.

Dr. Levy (13:10)
I mean I put all my eggs in that basket for Tuskegee at that point. then fast forwarding to vet school. So I got in, did the interview and everything and I got in. And as far as my focus area, I initially was interested in zoo medicine.

Dr. Wilson (13:19)
You

Dr. Levy (13:34)
And so I was very interested in working with multiple different species. I did not have any prior zoo experience, but that was my desire, the main reason. So it wasn't until a classmate and a very dear friend of mine, Dr. Raphael Malbrue shout out to Ralph. Everybody getting a shout out.

Dr. Wilson (13:56)
okay. okay, we're out.

Dr. Levy (14:01)
He was the one that put me on to lab animal medicine. And he was so passionate about it And I just love to see like other people be passionate about things. I didn't know anything about lab animal, but there was the desire to work with the multiple species, which lab animal does provide.

But also there was the opportunity to be involved in research, which I had had previous research experience like a summer externship while I was at TSU. So I was like, okay, well I can combine the two together in my career choice. So from then on, I pretty much just tailored once again, everything was tailored towards

developing a career and obtaining a career in lab animal medicine. So every summer was at some research facility. So I spent a summer at Stanford and then I knew I wanted to come back home because I love going to other places, but I am a homebody. I love Houston, even though it's

Dr. Wilson (14:56)
Yeah.

Dr. Levy (15:16)
really packed and everybody is moving to Houston. But I'm always ready to come back home. So my family is here. So I knew I wanted to be here. So I just developed those connections in networking and found my other mentor, Dr. Suzanne Craig. So who I still, still keep in contact with today because I just had to ask her for another.

Dr. Wilson (15:18)
You

Yeah.

Dr. Levy (15:45)
letter of recommendation. So don't burn bridges. So when I met her, she was working at MD Anderson Cancer Center and she was the head of the residency program because you know you're doing all these externships to eventually have it turn into something.

Dr. Wilson (15:47)
Keep your contacts. Don't burn no bridges.

yeah.

Dr. Levy (16:12)
you're doing all this networking to be able to reach back out to somebody.

Dr. Wilson (16:16)
Hello. It's me.

Dr. Levy (16:17)
So I

stayed very close to her. Like I went multiple times to visit. And I, you know, so I spent time with her because I'm like, I know I wanna be at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Like that was then my dream. Like I need to be in this residency and I don't have a desire to be in nothing else.

Dr. Wilson (16:31)
Right.

this.

Dr. Levy (16:41)
So I think I've externed there at least two times throughout vet school. And when it was then time to graduate and then you have to apply to whether you're gonna do an internship or residency, I only applied to the Gulf Coast Consortium postdoctoral training program. And that one, it no longer exists. However, if it...

Dr. Wilson (16:41)
Right.

Dr. Levy (17:07)
was a tri-institutional, it doesn't exist. It's so sad, it doesn't exist anymore. But that was the program that I was a part of that it was a tri-institutional program. So we rotated through MD Anderson Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, and then UT Health Science in the Medical Center. And then we also got to rotate through two different

Dr. Wilson (17:11)
Yeah.

Dr. Levy (17:33)
non-human primate facilities as well. One in Bastrop, Texas, and then another one that's local, which is more of like importation, exportation of non-human primates. That program, I only apply to that one. So I don't know that I would necessarily recommend, putting all your eggs in one basket.

But this is just what I have done. Yeah, I mean, I definitely, I just knew what I wanted and I just, saw myself at these places and I just was like, I prayed about where I wanted to be and I was very passionate about where I wanted to be and there was no other place I wanted to go. So I did, you I was accepted, I matched.

Dr. Wilson (17:59)
I'm switching out of my ace cards today.

Dr. Levy (18:22)
with them and I was accepted into that program and I wanted to work at MD Anderson that I would like you just was not going to tell me that I wasn't going to be there but that did not work out. I interviewed and I remember sitting

Dr. Wilson (18:25)
Let's go.

Dr. Levy (18:42)
in like my little resident area. And when they were interviewing for the position that they had available, I could hear like, not necessarily the conversations that were happening in the next room, but I could hear the laughter that was happening. Because I knew one of the girl that was interviewing for the position that I wanted,

I knew her laugh is very distinct. And you know, I'm like, it's a lot of laughing going on in there.

Dr. Wilson (19:13)
Like that?

Just knock on the door, hey hey hey cut it out. That's a wrap.

Dr. Levy (19:21)
It's too much laughter in here.

anyways, what happened was something else that was divine. She got that MD Anderson position. And then that made an available position at her job, which was at Baylor become available. And so I, of course, interviewed for that position because I really liked Baylor during my rotation

Dr. Wilson (19:48)
Yeah.

Dr. Levy (19:49)
And so I ended up getting that job at Baylor College of Medicine. So we pretty much just kind of switched places. So

Dr. Wilson (19:59)
Yeah.

Dr. Levy (20:02)
that's been my journey to lab animal medicine. And I was there until 2019 where I was feeling just...

burnt out, was dealing with a PI that was a bully. And at the time, I didn't really have the support that I felt like I should have had. And so I, I left. And I felt, you know, that at that time was one of the hardest decisions that I've ever made because I loved.

being there, that was my dream job. And, you know, it was hard to even think about wanting to leave and moving on to something else. And so,

I ended up leaving and I went just and threw myself cold turkey into small animal medicine. So, did not have, What a change

Dr. Wilson (21:00)
What a change. What

a change.

Dr. Levy (21:03)
would have changed. I feel like

it's just a different set of brain cells that are needed in order to work in small animal and it's a different set of, you know, it's a different part of my brain that I got to use when I go into lab animal.

Dr. Wilson (21:18)
yeah yeah

Dr. Levy (21:22)
I worked, I started

at the end of 2019 working in small animal medicine and I stayed full time for about a year and a half and that was during COVID. So that was a hard time to transition into being in a clinic because everybody.

Dr. Wilson (21:34)
mm-hmm. yeah.

Yeah, because in theory it's not

really it's not the same. It's not the same as it. Yeah. Good child. But it's gonna be a lot.

Dr. Levy (21:47)
Mm-mm. Mm-mm. It's not. And for one,

I had to learn the products, because I'm like, what is this? I had to learn what was the commonly used things for ear infections, skin infections, all of these things I had to learn just on the go. And then I also...

Dr. Wilson (22:01)
Yeah!

Dr. Levy (22:13)
experience, ended up experience burned out there because everybody and they mama was getting a new dog. Everybody got it.

Dr. Wilson (22:22)
Because you at home

and you think that's what you need to do.

Dr. Levy (22:27)
That's

the best thing to do is to get, why don't we get a puppy? No, no.

Dr. Wilson (22:29)
And it's not. Yeah. Yeah, let's raise

a whole new life. No. Get a plant

Dr. Levy (22:36)
And it was during the time, yeah, get a plant, get a plant.

Let's start there before we wait. Right. And it also was during the time where people were at home with their current dogs and realizing like, we got issues. right.

Dr. Wilson (22:43)
Yeah, if you don't kill that then we'll talk

Mm-hmm.

Yeah like why she walking like that? Her bark

is hoarse.

Dr. Levy (23:01)
She's not eating. So, yeah, that was crazy. I still, a part of me still wanted to do that. Even if it was maybe one or two days out the week, I still kind of missed the chaos.

you know, and then it was more so even about the relationships and talking to people that were not researchers because it's two just totally different type of conversations when you're talking to somebody in research versus like just a regular person. And I enjoy talking to people. So

Dr. Wilson (23:19)
Yeah.

Yeah.

yeah, yeah.

Dr. Levy (23:44)
That then transpired into, I did a few things while I was away from, from lab animal. So I did that. Then I was like, you know what? I enjoy talking to people. I am passionate about palliative care and making sure that the euthanasia experience for a pet is.

a good experience for the pet and the owner. And so I went off into having my own mobile clinic where I was going into people's homes, which I did enjoy, but that's another conversation for another time because I have to go more in depth about it But the only reason why I really stopped

was because I was pregnant and it was a difficult pregnancy.

Dr. Wilson (24:30)
Yeah.

I'm gonna let you go. No more Kanye moments, but I'm let you go. Listen, it's the same thing. I was big as a house and I was like, I can't do this by myself right now. I cannot do this. And second time around, a little older, I had to wrap it up, girl. I had to wrap it up. And I was like,

Dr. Levy (24:35)
To the point, you can cut me off anytime.

Yes.

Mm-mm. Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I have to

wrap it up. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Dr. Wilson (25:04)
I had to go back. I had to go back. So, yeah, I

can expand upon that later, but yeah.

Dr. Levy (25:12)
So yes, mean, granted I was a mobile veterinarian however, I was not mobile. I was immobile in that pregnancy. So I had to, what I thought at the time was just putting a pause on it and I still have not gone back to it.

Dr. Wilson (25:19)
Yes.

Yeah.

Dr. Levy (25:34)
And during my bed rest time at home, I even got onto doing like telehealth, which it was, that's another conversation too. That right there, they know, first of all, it's working for pennies. It's working for pennies. And,

Dr. Wilson (25:56)
crumbs, mere crumbs.

Baby the shavings.

What? I said, this is lunch money. Okay.

Dr. Levy (26:06)
No, it's ridiculous.

That

is pure lunch money. It is pure lunch money. And a child's lunch money. Yes, for the boys' school. Yes, here you go. The school cafe. And it's to no offense because I'm like, I lived it So I'm sharing my personal experience. I mean, I needed to do that in the interim.

Dr. Wilson (26:15)
A child's merch money down.

You

Yeah, push out!

Yeah.

Dr. Levy (26:33)
But

when it got too painful to even sit in a chair, and I just could only lay in bed then I stopped that as well. And that was maybe like a week or two prior to having my daughter anyway. So then from there, I had the opportunity to actually go back to LabAnimal. So.

Dr. Wilson (26:47)
Yeah.

Dr. Levy (26:56)
I had been doing, I had started back in 2021 actually. So I was doing the telehealth and I went back to LabAnimal part-time. So I was doing those together. And at that time, leadership had changed in my LabAnimal position. A lot of the same people that were there as far as like the support that I felt like I needed, they were not there anymore.

And it was more on my terms. It was part-time. I could do a lot of administrative, like protocol review stuff from home. And then I still would have to go in one day a week to like walk around my facilities and just kind of catch up from what happened throughout the week. So I've been doing that part-time now, what it's four years now. So.

Dr. Wilson (27:44)
Yeah.

Dr. Levy (27:44)
So I love the dynamic of that now. And I don't think that that would have been possible without COVID because I tried to have remote. I asked before I left, like, can I do something remote? I was told no. So now thanks to COVID, I can do some things remotely with LabAnimal. And just to kind of wrap up.

Dr. Wilson (28:04)
Yeah.

Dr. Levy (28:07)
My last position for the last two years was at a corporate clinic. So I went back to corporate, but it was a different corporate. Knowing what I was getting myself into, but not really. At least I knew I was signing my soul over. I at least knew that part.

You know, I told myself that I was OK with signing my soul over, you know, because I was just trying to get through a time period. And if it had been better, I would have went longer. You know, that corporate experience is not the same for everybody. But my experience was absolutely draining.

Dr. Wilson (28:35)
Yeah,

Yeah.

Dr. Levy (28:56)
And I definitely dealt with some depression, some anxiety, which I'm not known to be either of those things. But in this past year, I definitely experienced that and was diagnosed with that. So.

I I have sought therapy. yes. So, you know, and I don't think that veterinary medicine has to be that way, but it was definitely a numbers thing. It was a quantity thing and not a quality thing. And I am very adamant and passionate about practicing quality medicine. And so when I felt like it was too much for me, then I...

Dr. Wilson (29:20)
Cheers!

Right.

Dr. Levy (29:45)
I just turned in my resignation letter and I realized I don't have to be here. So I left. And so now I'm back to doing relief. I don't think I mentioned that before that I also dabbled in relief.

Dr. Wilson (29:51)
Yeah.

Just gotta sprinkle

that in somewhere. In the midst of all the madness, there was relief.

Dr. Levy (30:03)
also did relief. In the midst of all the madness, there's relief. And

to me, relief has, it really is a relief. That and also vaccine clinics. I've done that ever since I've graduated. There's periods of time where I don't do them, but definitely around the holiday time, I'm always picking up vaccine clinic shifts just to get the extra income.

Dr. Wilson (30:16)
Yeah

Yeah.

Dr. Levy (30:30)
It's more freeing now doing the part-time lab animal and part-time relief. I'm still making the same income that I was making and I'm like, can make more if I'll choose to work more shifts, but it allows me to be more present mentally and physically, not only for myself, but also for my family too. So that's where I am now.

Dr. Wilson (30:53)
Yeah.

Okay, girl. I mean, again, I do want people to know I'm hearing this in real time. You're gonna hear my story in real time. I know I say a lot. I'm pretty much an open book, but I just think that it's important to share our stories the way that we're experiencing them because

Dr. Levy (31:04)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Wilson (31:19)
We

might not be the only people experiencing them, but there are some emotions and some trials and tribulations that people are actually going through, but they don't recognize that that's what that is. know what I mean? So as far as my journey to veterinary medicine, I am very much the cliche of I always knew, I always wanted to be a it, but

Dr. Levy (31:31)
Exactly, exactly.

Dr. Wilson (31:46)
There were some things in the midst of my journey that should have deterred me, but I guess it fueled me because I am a Taurus by nature. So you're not gonna tell me what I'm not gonna do. That's what you're not gonna do. So.

Dr. Levy (31:56)
Mm-hmm. Mm-mm. Mm-mm.

Dr. Wilson (32:04)
So with that, just went, you know, being a little girl, I mean, I probably was like five years old and we always had animals like you spoke on. They never really went to the it like that. There were some very distinct, like, core memories that I have about certain, you know, animals that I was like, that's what that was. that was, you know.

Dr. Levy (32:16)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Yes,

yes.

Dr. Wilson (32:29)
Like, I've

been getting a puppy from Walmart, like, he's not gonna get any bigger than this. And this puppy got humongous. And I can remember him herding me in the window. Herd like, I could not get out the window to beat him. I'm, like, he circling and I couldn't, and he was like, I was like, what is going on? Looking back, he's a border collie. Of course. Yeah, yeah. So, it was like stuff like that. I'm just like, okay.

Dr. Levy (32:42)
No.

yes, yes, yes.

Dr. Wilson (32:57)
Now I see what was going on in that moment. But, you know, needless to say, I continue my journey, you know.

High school, I didn't really do a whole lot of, I mean, I did some stuff at the Humane Society and all that kind of stuff, but it wasn't anything where I knew somebody to reach out to. I don't think I had it in my brain to let me go reach out to this vet clinic or anything like that. So I never had that type of experience, but I did do the Humane Society and I saw what things look on the inside.

Dr. Levy (33:17)
Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Dr. Wilson (33:36)
which I do think is an important part of veterinary medicine because, okay, yea shelter medicine, but you need to see the nitty gritty. You need to see the parts of veterinary medicine that people get to college and are an undergrad about to, you know, move on. And they don't realize that this is a part of it too. Like, there is poop and pee and sickly, and...

Dr. Levy (33:45)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Mm-hmm

Dr. Wilson (34:05)
not so cute puppies and kids looking scraggly, coughing and sneezing, all kinds of nastiness. That's what you need to see. You need to embrace that part of the truth. But you know, high school and all the good things, but I did have the joy of when I got to undergrad, I went to the Tuskegee, Mother Tuskegee. You know.

Dr. Levy (34:06)
Not so cute.

Yes,

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Wilson (34:32)
went there and loved it wholeheartedly. And my aunt, lived in Atlanta. And so hour and a half away, I spent a lot of weekends there as well. And so, she was taking her babies to a corporate clinic, in Midtown Atlanta. And I interviewed there on, I think it was like the second year.

Dr. Levy (34:37)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Wilson (34:58)
Yeah, so I was a sophomore at that point. they were doing charter hospitals at that point. So it wasn't owned by the corporation at that time. It was a charter hospital owned by two veterinarians. One actually was from Mississippi. shout out to Dr. Freshwater, my girl, and Dr. Cargall, who wrote a lot of letters, very, very intelligent.

Dr. Levy (35:08)
Mmm.

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Wilson (35:27)
And then there was another event working there. Dr. Ramani Ricks also went to Tuskegee. That's my homie, my mentor, my first, my first mentor. and you know, I just had the greatest experience, you know, after I interviewed, actually put me on as a nurse. And at that time it was called an assistant or, you know, nurse assistant or whatever. But I learned a lot of things and I got my hands in and it was very eye opening to experience something that I wanted to do.

Dr. Levy (35:32)
Mmm.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Dr. Wilson (35:55)
later on because as I moved through I was just like how y'all were already in it school I was about I was like I was supposed to be in their class but that's not how life works yeah because that procrastination kicked in and guess who didn't those tests that you were supposed to take before you got to it school this girl yeah so was like

Dr. Levy (36:05)
Mm-hmm.

Yeah, that's my high one, yeah.

Yeah.

Dr. Wilson (36:24)
So let's, what am I going to do now? And then that's when my undergrad advisor told me this her last year doing anything and she wanted me to be her last grad student. So that's how I ended up in grad school where I did, you know, research for goats. She's called the goat lady. She wrote this whole book on goats. Like she was the reference and she's like a 4 foot nothing Iranian woman or Iranian woman. And,

Dr. Levy (36:34)
Mmmmm

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Wilson (36:48)
I can remember times when I writing my thesis and all this kind of stuff. She told me I would never make it in it school. Yeah. Never make it in it school. You're too, I think she said I was too general. You don't do this enough. I don't know. I just remember that you'll never make it in it school part. And I was like, hmm, interesting. I mean.

Dr. Levy (36:52)
Mm-hmm.

Wow.

Dr. Wilson (37:17)
In that moment, I don't even know how discouraging that was versus me looking at her like as another woman in this field. And I know like my whole advisory board was men and her. And they were very laid back and they were just like, yeah, sounds great. Looks good. You know, I present my stuff and she's just like, no, no, no, do this, do this.

Dr. Levy (37:31)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm

Dr. Wilson (37:43)
I would have thought that she would have supported me a lot more, but that was probably my first lesson in this field. again, another story for another time. But moving on to after grad school, I got in. Hey girl. Hey girl.

Dr. Levy (37:47)
Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Yeah.

Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. Hey!

Dr. Wilson (38:13)
Kayce telling me and you know it's one of those moments where I was just being myself and not you know nobody gonna tell me what my experience nobody gonna tell me what the Kayce was like yeah it's real difficult and this that and other and I'm like okay girl that's fine and then you know moving through I had a lot of experiences where I was like okay

Dr. Levy (38:20)
Mm-hmm.

Right.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Yes.

Dr. Wilson (38:39)
A lot

of times where I thought I was not gonna succeed through there, but we made it We got through there. But, know, just looking back, you know, seeing her, I think we were at that subway in Tuskegee and I saw her. She's like, what you doing now? I'm in vet school. Thanks.

Dr. Levy (38:44)
We made it We made it

man.

Uh-huh.

Dr. Wilson (39:04)
That was my full circle moment for her. aside from all of that, I graduated and I went back to Atlanta and I worked in Fayetteville, Georgia for a while with this corporation that I had been with since 2008. And I know, girl.

Dr. Levy (39:25)
Mmm, wow.

didn't know it was from that far back. Wow. Yeah. Wow.

Dr. Wilson (39:34)
Yeah, it started then. I was doing seasonal

on and off. Those are my experiences as far as giving medicines concerned. And being a baby doctor going to this million dollar hospital, the way they pumping stuff out, it was quite the experience. I saw a lot of things they told me I would never see in vet school Loved all that. But then my coworkers are,

Dr. Levy (39:40)
Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Dr. Wilson (39:59)
other doctors started leaving. And then there was me left standing in this million-dollar hospital with the same traffic, you know, moving up. And I'm just like, I can't do this. And nobody tells you, Daveeta nobody tells you not to work a four or five coming out of school. Nobody tells you that. Do not work every day of the week. Don't do it

Dr. Levy (40:01)
Mmm, mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Mmm, mm-mm, mm-mm, mm-mm. Don't.

Don't do it No.

Dr. Wilson (40:23)
Easiest way to burn yourself out. Crazy

Dr. Levy (40:24)
Yeah. I

think, I think, yeah. And right. No, for one, nobody tells you. And I think that we think that that is what is the expectation. You know, like we're expected to do that because it's like, okay, that's, that's the work week. But I think that it depends on what your work is. You know, I mean,

Dr. Wilson (40:37)
Yeah!

Yeah.

Yeah,

baby, it ain't 30 pets a day every day. Four or five, you know how that starts to run in and then we were open on Sunday. So it ran until the other week and I was like, wait a minute, your girl has not been off. I'm not off. So, you know, and I thought I was making a little something to it at that moment and I was like, honey, yes, it was awful.

Dr. Levy (40:55)
Every day. No. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Right.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Dr. Wilson (41:19)
I did not have a good boss in that moment. There were a lot of experiences that I had there that led me to make my decision to depart from the corporation very easy. I was recently engaged and I was just like, okay, all this stuff is kind of just aligning to where it's okay, like we're out.

Dr. Levy (41:30)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Dr. Wilson (41:42)
So I moved back to Mississippi, where I could be around my family and be closer to my husband's family. And when we raise these future children, we'll have some support system. So when I got back, I was working for a hospital that was not very far from where we were living.

Dr. Levy (41:55)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Dr. Wilson (42:11)
where I was staying in that moment, because we were still looking for a house, whatever. And that hospital would actually have recently been acquired by another corporation.

Dr. Levy (42:13)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. That's kind of like the

beginning, right, the beginning of the current times.

Dr. Wilson (42:30)
And that's not you

know, and I was like, okay good when I first came on like they sent me this these cookies Daveeta Do you know first of all, I'm a cookie monster They sent these cookies and I was like, I'm so I'm so yeah Where did y'all get these cookies from? I have hoarded these cookies to the point where I didn't want nobody else to have them and they molded The rest of the cookies. Yes, that's how that's how that's how trifling I got

Dr. Levy (42:55)
Yes.

Dr. Wilson (42:59)
Anywho, I was on the internet. I was like, what looks like this cookie on the internet? Like, I got to these cookies. Where did y'all get these cookies from? This is how y'all give people a salary? What's that? Give me these cookies. Pay me in cookies. So, I mean, working there was definitely an experience. It wasn't even the corporation at that moment. It was the lead doctor that led me.

Dr. Levy (43:01)
But all it took was some cookies. Right.

The cookies.

my goodness.

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Wilson (43:25)
to dip on out after about three months. It was really bad. And so then I started.

Dr. Levy (43:29)
Hmmmm

Dr. Wilson (43:36)
doing relief, but also trying to dabble in my own house call business. And that became something that I was really passionate about as well. And here and there, once I got married and started to grow a belly with a life inside of it the first time.

Dr. Levy (43:41)
Mm-hmm.

What the life is.

Dr. Wilson (44:06)
I was

like, let me see what let me see what the corporation's talking about over here again. Like trying to get my life together a little bit. Because you know, let's be honest, like the house calls, you wanna get in the clients. So it's like extra income, but it ain't the income that you need to pay the bills. So with that being said, I took on two days a week and then.

Dr. Levy (44:10)
Yeah

Yeah. Yeah.

Yes, yes.

Dr. Wilson (44:31)
I pick up here and there and then I gradually start to get back into this corporation, signed on as a part-time employee and then a full-time employee and then a lead doctor and then I turned to chief of staff. Like, I swear this happened overnight.

Dr. Levy (44:32)
Mm-hmm.

Mmm.

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Wilson (44:53)
I ain't never wanna be nobody's area chief of staff. How did I keep bamboozled into this position? And I'm saying bamboozled now because looking back on it if I would have never been in that position, I'd probably still be there. If I would not have seen the sides of things that I saw, I would still be there. But after doing that for what, two years? Yeah.

Dr. Levy (44:58)
Alright.

Mmm.

Dr. Wilson (45:20)
Last year was a struggle in itself. Just like you mentioned, depression, anxiety, it was boiling over into my home life. And that's when I was like, uh-uh, also effected my health. And I was like, no, but uh-uh, we gotta go. And so although my boss at the time,

Dr. Levy (45:31)
you

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Dr. Wilson (45:44)
was acting really surprised about my decision to take leave knowing I wasn't going back. I did it and I haven't been nothing but happy ever since. so I'm back into doing my house call business. I do days at the Spay and Neuter Clinic, which bring me joy because I love surgery. Even if it's 25 in a day, something I was not very used to.

Dr. Levy (45:54)
Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

my-

Dr. Wilson (46:11)
But okay. Yeah, yeah. But I mean, I love them there. They're really nice. They're really supportive and accommodating. And that has been life thus far. Like I just, you know, I've had my mentors, I've had people try to, you know, deter me from doing things or being as if Nancy's in my life. But I am glad that we're here and this has been nothing but the

Dr. Levy (46:12)
Here we are.

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

yeah.

Dr. Wilson (46:38)
the best, I probably would never have done anything different because I wouldn't know what I'm doing now. yep.

Dr. Levy (46:42)
Mm-hmm. Exactly. Yeah.

I would say the same. I would not have done anything differently because of the experience. And I think that's the best thing that I can take from each of the opportunities that I've had is the experience. And I feel like even doing relief

Dr. Wilson (46:54)
Yeah.

Yeah.

Dr. Levy (47:10)
It allows me to like, you just jumping in there, you don't know these people, you may have not, yeah. So, you know, and yeah, you're doing a service for them because otherwise they may have had to close that day. But you don't even know the software. Like just being able to like.

Dr. Wilson (47:10)
Yeah.

Yeah, you don't know how to work, but...

Yeah.

but it's a real life thing. Baby, I was used to a very specific software and I was like, AviMark, what? What is that?

Dr. Levy (47:38)
Yeah, it's a real life thing.

Yeah,

Yeah, there's Avimark which I'm like, for each of these, I only know just enough to do what I need to do. You know, once we start asking about some other things like estimates, I cannot help you. So.

Dr. Wilson (47:56)
You

Can't help you boo.

Dr. Levy (48:07)
So even that, you know, like you gotta give yourself grace. You know, just even for one, being open to other opportunities for yourself and, you know, being willing to learn and to grow. And I feel like even when I go to the different clinics, like learning different treatment protocols for different things, because again, I just came out into

Dr. Wilson (48:14)
Right.

Yeah.

Dr. Levy (48:37)
this side of the field. And so I'm learning different things that different doctors use and they may have medications that you don't normally use for the same things. And so you kind of have to work with what you got. And I feel like we definitely learned that at Tuskegee, just working with what you got and making it work.

Dr. Wilson (48:38)
Yeah.

Yeah.

Listen, I had to tell them a lot of times,

yeah, like, we don't have this. like, okay, we got it It's fine. But I mean, to piggyback up what you said as far as like, you know, working with what you got and just, you know, it being your experience and learning and growing, made me think about when I did leave, but before I left my...

Dr. Levy (49:07)
Okay, right.

Mm-hmm.

Dr. Wilson (49:25)
homie support system practice manager left before me and she got this job and she was just like, I don't know if this is something that is going to basically fulfill me. And I'm like, it doesn't have to fulfill you. But in this moment, it's better than what you are and your situation is now. So that just has to put you in a mindset. Like everybody...

Dr. Levy (49:27)
mmm

Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Yes, yes.

Dr. Wilson (49:48)
listening or just having these conversations. This has to be open to the fact that the next part of your journey is not necessarily about fulfillment. It's about moving on and experiencing something new so that you can find what fulfills you at the end of the day. Like, that's the most important thing. So you're not gonna, you're not up all the time. It's just an attempt. What's next?

Dr. Levy (49:59)
Yeah.

Yes, yes. Yes, I'm good. Right. Exactly.

Exactly. And I'm glad you said that because I think that was what I was so like heavily focused on is fulfillment, being fulfilled, the work-life balance. And, you know, I felt like once I was at my first job that

Dr. Wilson (50:25)
Yeah.

Dr. Levy (50:36)
That was the end all be all. Like I'm gonna be here and I'm gonna retire here and they're gonna have to get rid of me. you know, but that doesn't, and if that works out to be that way, then great. You know, it just was not it for me. I mean, there's, there is a vision that I have of what I would like.

Dr. Wilson (50:41)
me.

Yeah.

Dr. Levy (50:59)
my life to look like. And so I had to get out of the mindset of feeling stuck, you know, and that's why I feel like for anybody that is feeling like they're stuck in a situation or a position or at a practice, it's like, you don't have to be there. Like if it is, yeah, they need you.

Dr. Wilson (51:01)
Yeah.

Yeah.

They need juice.

Dr. Levy (51:24)
Like, yeah, you

Dr. Wilson (51:24)
My name is...

Dr. Levy (51:25)
need them, you need the income, sure, but like, you don't have, it doesn't have to come from there. There are other, there's a clinic down the road, you know, and they may be able to provide you what you're looking for, but you do have to be willing to make their first step and.

Dr. Wilson (51:28)
Yeah, for sure.

Yeah.

Absolutely.

Dr. Levy (51:48)
You know, there's so many areas and that's what I do like about veterinary medicine is that there's so many areas that you can work in, whether it is in government, in research, pharmaceuticals, in industry, like in the small animal clinics, mixed animal, large animal, like whatever it is. And now it's just evolving even more to where you can do your own thing. So.

Dr. Wilson (51:58)
Right.

Yeah.

Right. Yeah.

Dr. Levy (52:15)
you do have to be willing to take that and then it does take a shift in your mindset to feel like, okay, you can go somewhere else. And if that place doesn't work out for you either, then you can go somewhere else. And I'm like, I mean, at some point you do have to kind of be like, okay, is it me? Because...

Dr. Wilson (52:20)
You

Yeah.

Right.

Yes!

Am I the drama?

But am I bringing the noise?

Dr. Levy (52:44)
Right!

Dr. Wilson (52:52)
Yeah.

Dr. Levy (52:53)
I had to do some re-evaluation of myself. Am I the problem? But I think it's just more so of me just, again, I know I'm not going to reach perfection, but being able to just get to that place where I am at peace, that's important to me now.

Being content with what I have and making the best out of what I have is what I'm focusing on. Being able to be home at a decent time, to have the energy to cook, to do homework, the whole bath time routine, have time for myself.

Dr. Wilson (53:27)
Mmm. Mmm. Cook! Jesus!

Yes!

Dr. Levy (53:44)
because I

need my own quiet time and also to be there for my husband, you know, as well. Like it's all these things, all these, you know, these women that I am encompassing and it's only one me, you know? So like, I don't even think I would not want to, you know, I'm not saying that I don't want to like work, like I wanna work.

Dr. Wilson (53:47)
Yes!

Yeah!

Listen, if that's it.

Yeah.

Dr. Levy (54:13)
but I

also don't want to be overwhelmed with work. Like I don't want that to be my only focus. And so at this point in my life, I'm like, I need the job to have my income. Also, there are some things that I am passionate about. And so I'm just focusing on those things as far as veterinary medicine is related. But I, you know, this is not my life.

Dr. Wilson (54:18)
yeah. yeah.

Dr. Levy (54:39)
Like, I'm not just this, I'm not just a veterinarian and there's other than that. I've always been adamant about having a social life.

Dr. Wilson (54:39)
Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Listen, I was traveling before all of this. um, I mean, me and Dexter would go to all the places. Like, I mean, bourbon and whiskey was our bread and butter and we used to be out at all the distilleries honey. And so it's just, you know, of course life change. You have kids and all that kind of stuff. And then it turns into I come home and it's time for basically them getting tucked in and go to bed

Dr. Levy (54:50)
Exactly

is a clue.

Mmm. Mmm.

Mmm.

Dr. Wilson (55:18)
That ain't the move for me. I need to be able to, cause now I feel guilty because they go to sleep and I'm up trying to have my quiet time. I need time with them. And then I my quiet time. There has to be that type of peace. Cause you mentioned peace and that is.

Dr. Levy (55:20)
Mm-mm.

Right. Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Dr. Wilson (55:40)
a word that is not...

lived in enough. Like there has to be some kind of peace. I whether it you know, I mentioned I'm a Pilates hottie. So I need my Pilates and I was, yes, I love Pilates and it is necessary for my mental health and even starting the Spay and Neuter Clinic.

Dr. Levy (55:45)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I saw that. I said, I didn't know she did Pilates.

Dr. Wilson (56:10)
There were certain days that I like a certain instructor to go to and I have to be at the clinic in certain days. So I had to compromise with the director. I'm just like, hey, I have to do this. But I love being here. So please, please understand that this is my dilemma and I hope that you can compromise. And they're like, whatever. I'm like, ooh, thank you, Jesus, because somebody was going to have to move.

Dr. Levy (56:18)
Mm-hmm

Yes.

Thank you. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Dr. Wilson (56:37)
And wasn't gone be me, not this time, not this time.

Dr. Levy (56:39)
Right.

Dr. Wilson (56:40)
But yeah, I just feel so much more at peace. I'm not having to take medications and do other things. That was a big part of it for me too. needless to say, happy is on the horizon. I tell you that, yeah.

Dr. Levy (56:44)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

And it's a lifestyle change. It's a lifestyle switch. I mean, we're in charge of that. You have to take control. I think that's the other thing too is, as children, people are handling and taking care of everything for you. And then,

Dr. Wilson (57:01)
So.

Yeah.

Mm hmm.

Dr. Levy (57:26)
you wake up and you realize like, I'm an adult now. And...

Dr. Wilson (57:30)
Darn! Dang gonnit! Who did this? Yeah. For the streets

Dr. Levy (57:34)
There is not, yes, we are adulting now and it's ghetto. we do, you're like,

yeah, it's for the streets. But you have to, I'm like, you're in charge of what you want your life to look like. You know, and I mean, it's not to say that you have full control, but there are some things that you can do, you know, to help it look like what you want it to look

Dr. Wilson (57:55)
Yeah.

Yeah.

Dr. Levy (58:04)
So, I mean, for now, that will be my focus until, you know, doing relief and doing...

Dr. Wilson (58:09)
Bye.

Dr. Levy (58:14)
had applied to a government position and it was even last year my husband was like that might not be the move and I haven't heard I mean I heard about me being transferred to like the hiring manager.

Dr. Wilson (58:29)
Yeah, it

takes forever. The government takes forever to transition through.

Dr. Levy (58:34)
And I

never heard anything else. And then now, you know, since then we've had the election and now I have no idea what's to become of that.

Dr. Wilson (58:38)
Yeah.

Trash,

trash, trash. I hope they wrap it up soon. Wrap it up like this is all a game. I feel like we're on reality TV right now and I love trash TV but this is ghetto. This is real ghetto. Yep, so.

Dr. Levy (58:48)
you

Yeah, yeah, this is good. So I don't even

know what is to become of that position, but I'm good where I'm currently at. So we shall see. But.

Dr. Wilson (59:07)
Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah.

Good time. Good time. Yeah.

Dr. Levy (59:14)
Mm-hmm.

So

I think this will conclude our introduction, but we'll have newly released episodes coming out every two weeks. If we're able to do weekly, that would be great.

Dr. Wilson (59:31)
Remember, in the beginning we said,

your wife, mom, vet We're trying to make it work, so, you know, we gonna get there.

Dr. Levy (59:41)
We are currently,

yeah, we're currently in the struggle. Well, I don't wanna say struggle, but yeah, we in real time. So the goal is every two weeks, but we're happy to be here. If there is anything that you would like to hear from us or see from us, then we'll be happy to share those moments with you, but stay tuned for the next episode.

Dr. Wilson (59:47)
No, yeah, we in real time, y'all. Real time.

Yeah.

Yay! So excited!