Getting Out of My Comfort Zone: My Experience in a Veterinary Specialty Hospital in Germany
There was a point in my journey where I felt disconnected from small animal practice. I had not been practicing consistently for quite some time, and deep inside, I knew I need to reconnect with that part of veterinary medicine again.
I wanted a refresher.
I wanted inspiration.
I wanted to get back on track.
That became one of the reasons why I decided to travel to Germany and visit a veterinary specialty hospital. It eventually became one of the biggest breakthrough experiences in my veterinary journey.
The story actually started during my very first WSAVA World Congress 2023 back in 2023. I attended lectures from specialists around the world, but one person stood out to me immediately: Dr. Anna.
What amazed me was how she explained difficult cases and concepts in such a light, calm, and understandable way. Topics that once looked intimidating suddenly felt easier to approach. Instead of making veterinary medicine feel overwhelming, she made it feel inspiring.
That stayed with me long after the congress ended.
Eventually, I gathered enough courage to reach out to her. Honestly, stepping out of my comfort zone and messaging someone I looked up to felt intimidating at first. But sometimes growth begins the moment we stop being afraid to ask, learn, and connect.
That decision eventually led me to Germany.
Visiting a veterinary specialty hospital there became an eye opening experience for me. In just one day, I felt like I saw an entirely different world of veterinary medicine. The hospital was highly organized, advanced, collaborative, and filled with passionate people dedicated to patient care.
For the first time, I was surrounded by different specialists all working together in one place. I saw surgeons, orthopedic specialists, neurologists, radiologists, and many more doctors who inspired me deeply. Seeing how each department collaborated for patients made me appreciate how broad and connected veterinary medicine truly is.
I remember watching them read CT scans and advanced imaging cases so smoothly and efficiently. Seeing specialists analyze every slice, identify lesions, and connect findings with clinical signs was honestly amazing to witness. It made me realize how advanced veterinary diagnostics can become when knowledge, technology, and teamwork come together.
More than anything, the experience awakened something inside me again.
For a while, I felt lost trying to balance different parts of my career as an author, artist, entrepreneur, educator, and veterinarian all at once. But being there reminded me why I fell in love with veterinary medicine in the first place.
At the same time, it also made me hopeful for our own veterinary community back home. Seeing how advanced their systems, collaboration, diagnostics, and specialty care were inspired me deeply. I hope that one day, the things I witnessed there are things we can slowly bring into our own community too. We may not be as advanced yet, but experiences like this remind me that growth starts with exposure, learning, and people willing to bring new ideas back home.
Sometimes all it takes is one experience or one brave decision to reconnect you with your purpose again.
Looking back now, I realize this journey was never just about Germany or visiting a hospital.
It was about growth.
It was about getting uncomfortable enough to grow again.
It was about reaching out despite fear.
It was about allowing myself to become a student again.
And honestly, I think that’s one of the most important things we can do as veterinarians. To never stop learning, exploring, and seeking inspiration no matter where we are in our journey.
