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Published on: 5/18/2009
Last Visited: 6/6/2009
Dr. James Bianco
But Dr. James Bianco, owner of the Ardmore Animal Hospital in a suburb of Philadelphia, says he would never accuse graduates of being lazy or having a poor work ethic.
"I hear that from colleagues, but I don't see it," Bianco says.
"Just because they don't want to work 100 hours a week doesn't make them bad people."
In a recent poll on differences between generations and problems that can occur in the workplace, veterinarians under age 28 were criticized the most for poor work ethic and a lack of loyalty.
The 29-to-44 age group fared better, but there were still doubts among many in the older set that the workers would give their all to a practice.
But Bianco, 55, says he thinks poor management skills are to blame for owners who are dealing with poor-performing associates.
"You have to treat people like human beings and give them proper working schedules," he says.
"Granted, there's no free lunch.
If you want to be successful, you've got to work hard, but if you manage your practice properly and have the right fee schedule, you don't need to have them work 50- to 60-hour weeks and burn them out."
And making younger veterinarians "pay their dues" isn't an excuse, he says.
"I think some of the older generations think you have to work 100 hours per week to be successful instead of thinking they need to manage better," Bianco says.
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Bianco also teaches his younger veterinarians his philosophy that, while the patient's best interest should always come before the requests of the client, client interaction is the most important part of an office visit.
"You're not going to have a medical work-up if you can't communicate with the client," he says.
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In spite of any criticisms his colleagues have of generations X and Y, Bianco, who likes to hire fresh veterinarians a few years out of school, says the things they bring to the table make up for the challenges that come with their young age.
"I love their energy level, the enthusiasm, willingness to try new things and their knowledge base.
The new ideas they have learned, new protocols and their academic background are good for any practice because it diminishes stagnation," he says.