Creating a Sustainable Vet Med Career ... even in Equine Medicine! (Dr. Fairfield Bain)

Can a career in equine medicine be sustainable?

Yep! And even fun. Dr. Fairfield Bain is a veterinarian, multi-boarded specialist in equine internal medicine and pathology, and has an MBA. He has been a teacher, entrepreneur, and industry veterinarian. He has worked at some of the most prestigious equine practices and veterinary universities. He graciously embraced a listener's question about "do large animal veterinarians have life outside of work?"

Dr. Bain's career and life story are fascinating and full of twists and turns as life can be unpredictable. He is now semi-retired doing consulting work. 

Resources:

• Episode on YouTube
• Fairfield Bain on LinkedIn
• Hagyard Equine Medical Institute

Time Stamps:
[00:00:00] - Introduction of Dr. Fairfield Bain and his extensive career in equine medicine.

[00:02:00] - Dr. Bain explains how he became interested in veterinary medicine as a child, even though he didn't grow up around horses.

[00:03:00] - Discussion of Dr. Bain's upbringing on a farm in Virginia and his parents' influence.

[00:06:00] - Dr. Bain talks about the value of experiencing farm life, especially for urban/suburban youth.

[00:07:00] - Details on Dr. Bain's path to veterinary school at Auburn University. 

[00:11:00] - Dr. Bain describes key mentors and experiences that shaped his career path in equine medicine.

[00:15:00] - Discussion of Dr. Bain's time at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, KY.

[00:18:00] - Insights on working with horse owners and farm staff in Lexington.

[00:21:00] - Dr. Bain's career moves after Lexington, including time in Australia and at universities.

[00:27:00] - Advice for new graduates on embracing long hours and learning experiences early in their careers.

[00:34:00] - Dr. Bain's transition to working for Merck Animal Health.

[00:37:00] - Discussion of Dr. Bain's MBA and how it complemented his veterinary career.

[00:41:00] - Dr. Bain's return to clinical practice before semi-retirement.

[00:42:00] - Praise for the critical role of veterinary technicians/nurses.

[00:45:00] - What Dr. Bain is most proud of in his career, particularly his work in equine neonatology.

[00:46:00] - Dr. Bain reflects on what he's grateful for in his career and life.

Transcript

Fairfield Bain: [00:00:00] Each time you try something new, you get a little braver and you get a little willing to try it again next time.

Megan Sprinkle: Welcome to Vet Life Reimagined. Because we talk about the possibilities in veterinary medicine here on the podcast, I get some interesting questions. I recently had a father reach out on LinkedIn saying that his daughter wants to be a large animal veterinarian, but their horse veterinarian seems to only have her job.

Megan Sprinkle: So he asked, do most large animal veterinarians have more than their jobs? I had already wanted to get more equine and large animal veterinarians on the podcast, so it motivated me to reach out to one I had on my list, Dr. Fairfield Bain. He has a very diverse career journey and story, and he was very interested in discussing this question.

Megan Sprinkle: He is boarded in equine internal medicine and pathology. He is very well known in equine neonatology and perinatology. He has worked at some of the most prestigious equine hospitals and veterinary universities. I can't do his career justice in an intro. He's had lots of interesting twists and turns. [00:01:00] I love, love this conversation.

Megan Sprinkle: So let's get to it with Dr. What was your life, before vet school? And when did you know you actually wanted to become a veterinarian? 

Fairfield Bain: Yeah, that's a great question.

Fairfield Bain: I actually thought about that earlier today because I'm a little atypical. I didn't grow up around horses. I grew up on a farm, a family farm in Southeast Virginia. We had hogs and cattle, but. Like any other farm kid, we had dogs and other kinds of pets. And, , I grew up in the era of the James Harriot, all creatures, great and small book series and TV series.

Fairfield Bain: And the veterinarians that I was exposed to as a kid were the typical mixed animal practitioners that did everything. And, , they were sort of like the mentors that I found. So as a kid, I wanted to be a veterinarian because I thought they were cool. They could do anything and everything. And, , really attracted me.

Fairfield Bain: To the profession. So that's kind of my start. And so, you know, having spent 40 plus years in the equine world, I [00:02:00] just would encourage people that don't grow up around horses. Don't think you can't do it. I just fell in love with the horse when I was in school. , and that was the transition. I mean, my dad loved to go watch thoroughbred racing.

Fairfield Bain: So I had some introductions along the way. And when I was about nine, we got a horse to ride, but I wrote a little bit. I wasn't some serious horseback rider. certainly nothing in that regard. But I fell in love with the horse and the diseases the horse had in school, and I just never looked back. 

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah, and I want to talk more about how you grew up, too, because you mentioned you lived on a farm in Virginia, a lot of hogs and other animals, not horses.

Megan Sprinkle: But your parents, I think, sound also that they had some influence on you as well. Cause I think you said you ended up being the first in your family to finish college. And of course you, you went on to do much more than that, but, do you mind sharing a little bit about your, your parents and your family and how that kind of influenced you as well?

Fairfield Bain: [00:03:00] You know, I was really blessed to have a couple of great parents. my dad had, his family had owned that farm for generations. And, that was, you know, our family place and, uh, sort of the soul of our family. And he was, not only a farmer, but a business minded individual and, always, you know, trying to get us to excel as kids.

Fairfield Bain: I had 2 brothers. So there's 3 boys on a farm and they raised us. You mean, we were all engaged in farm activities. It was just just part of our life. The people that worked on the farm. and my brothers, my mom, even she had been an obstetrical nurse. She grew up in Northeastern North Carolina, not far away from the farm, but had gone into nursing, obstetrical nursing, which has a twisted way of how I followed my own path.

Fairfield Bain: But she went and did her obstetrical training in New Jersey. In New York and, um, the 1940s and fifties, and so we had that blend of [00:04:00] her medicine background, especially obstetrics and neonatology and then the, the farm background. So we had calves and baby pigs and all that kind of thing. And she was always playing nurse to all of them.

Fairfield Bain: And so I got into that, you know, and that was just the life we were in, And yeah, I was kind of like a lot of long hours, but that was just our family lifestyle. It was a rural agricultural environment. And I, gosh, now I think back and how America has transformed since that time where we're more of a urban suburban society than rural agricultural.

Fairfield Bain: Now, that life still exists. It's just there's a big gap. I think a lot of times we'll probably get to talk about that a little more, but, a lot of society doesn't get to live that life. And I was really blessed to see a lot of that. So a lot of the lessons that I got along the way, all the mistakes that got made on the farm, especially with livestock, difficult deliveries and different things like that, came back.[00:05:00] 

Fairfield Bain: You know, years later, once I went through vet school, 

Megan Sprinkle: yeah, I think there's a huge disconnect. my husband actually grew up working a dairy farm. And so he's probably one of the few of his generation that probably still appreciates that unless you really were born and raised on a farm your whole life.

Megan Sprinkle: But he has moments where he really misses it too. I think there's just something really special about really understanding the land and the animals and there's just a special connection. 

Fairfield Bain: I could create something that changed society. It would be find a way for young people that are in those urban suburban environments to go experience life on a farm.

Fairfield Bain: And what a transformation, what a blending of society would be, you know, because People don't know where their food comes from. I mean, there's lots of aspects to it, but it was such a great lifestyle. I would love for more people to see it up close and personal. 

Megan Sprinkle: [00:06:00] I very much agree. Now, for your journey, you said you, knew from a young age that These veterinarians, they were kind of superheroes. They could do do about anything. And so you went to get your bachelor's degree in science at North Carolina State and. I guess also thinking would be headed to vet school as well.

Megan Sprinkle: and I think you mentioned that actually horses may have come a little bit later. So when you were getting ready for vet school, how did you choose and find your vet school? And what was it like going through vet school and finding what What you really wanted to continue to do. 

Fairfield Bain: That's a good question.

Fairfield Bain: You're exactly right. I think I still had that role model, you know, of the mixed animal veterinarian when I went off to undergraduate school, and I was an animal science at North Carolina State. And the great part about that was they exposed you to even more aspects of agriculture than I had grown up [00:07:00] with.

Fairfield Bain: and so, that broadened my horizons for sure. But I still had that image of the mixed animal veterinarian interested in everything. and everything that was new was a curiosity. So it was like, you know, it's just like being in an ice cream shop, I think. And it wasn't until that I got in veterinary school.

Fairfield Bain: And some of it was the people in my class that I associated with, but some of it was the professors. I went to Auburn University and how I got there is back in that time, Virginia and North Carolina, both did not have their own veterinary school. So they had what was called the Southern regional education board.

Fairfield Bain: Contracts with different schools, mostly throughout the Southeast, and I ended up getting accepted to Auburn University. And I jokingly say, I don't even know. I don't think I could spell Alabama when I got in to vet school, but, I loved it. It was just everything I could have imagined. every day was something new and you were invested in the process.

Fairfield Bain: everybody worked hard, [00:08:00] but we're all doing it together. And so it was like a team mentality. They made you feel like it was a family. tests were a little intimidating, but we got through, them, each layer got added on to, and we had a lot of freedoms to go see things in the hospitals, and that just fired you up more.

Fairfield Bain: And so, as I kept going, I gravitated. To the people working on horses and, um, the more I was around them, you know, and I just, I loved it, you know, and I was fortunate to meet some of the icons in veterinary medicine in equine medicine at the time. And they took me under their wing and that just kind of helped grow the mentor effect.

Fairfield Bain: I think was the way it worked. 

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah, I think mentors influence us so much. So yes, absolutely. And I went to Auburn too, War Eagle, and I was very lucky too. Not only were the teachers fantastic, I had a [00:09:00] great class as well. So among us, we really did kind of lean into that mentality of we're here together and it made the experience a lot more fun.

Megan Sprinkle: And even though I. And I did this to myself, kind of stressed myself out about over, over tests and things like that. The people around you, it was really wonderful. So I really appreciated that mentality as well. One 

Fairfield Bain: more thing. I'm sorry about it, but the people around you, we'll come back to that. I bet.

Fairfield Bain: The, the class. All right. So I'm going to tell them how old I am. I was the class of 1983 and any of my classmates are listening to this. Thank you all because you, you mentioned a point. The people that are around you can influence your enthusiasm and your performance and that was it. I give a lot of credit to my classmates because we've all pulled each other up.

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah. And for those [00:10:00] who maybe are going through it right now, take the lead on that. I think it starts with each one of us, we can contribute to that culture because I've seen where classes aren't like that. And I can only imagine this is a really stressful four years. It can be. And so if you aren't leaning in and helping encouraging each other, it can make that really, really miserable.

Megan Sprinkle: So 

Fairfield Bain: They're lifelong friends, you know, um, we went through a bonding together, so it was, it's been a good thing. 

Megan Sprinkle: Yes. . You want to maintain these good relationships because you never know where that can come around again. 

Fairfield Bain: Yeah, absolutely. 

Megan Sprinkle: Now, I know your career has lots of twists and turns, and I think I would just be remiss trying to, like, ask you all of the little questions, 

Megan Sprinkle: so what was your journey from vet school and kind of all these different experiences that you, you had? 

Fairfield Bain: Yeah, you know, and it goes [00:11:00] back, I think, to role models, people that you see doing things that intrigue you and you like. And so the while I was in school. So, not only to immerse myself in pretty much everything, I loved just about everything in vet school, but I took the opportunity to do some extra externships.

Fairfield Bain: while I was in school, I did an externship at the University of Pennsylvania. Some of the faculty members there became role models. I'll name 1 Dr Tom divers. That was at Cornell for a long time. Just recently retired. He was transformative and, , he was an internal medicine specialist that just I love the way he thought.

Fairfield Bain: I love the way he approached problems and work through puzzles. And so that became. Really model for me, that's kind of turned me into I want to be an internal medicine specialist. And then another summer, I got to work in England for a practice, Rossdale Equine Hospital. [00:12:00] And the two individuals there, Peter Rossdale and Sidney Ricketts, were leaders in equine reproduction and neonatology.

Fairfield Bain: And Sidney Ricketts, actually, he also ran the clinical laboratory as well as did the medicine and the practice and was another key individual that go, you know, watching him work. I wanted to be like that. And they were the foundations, I think, so the people that I crossed paths with doing those external rotations became some key roadmaps for me.

Fairfield Bain: And so, after school, I did the internship and the internal medicine residency at the University of Florida, because. At the time they were leaders in neonatology still are, and, that was the path that I thought, gosh, that I love doing that kind of thing. So, because of those role models, I, started that way.

Fairfield Bain: And then. You know, one role model begets another you. While I was doing my residency, I met individuals that [00:13:00] were board certified in both internal medicine and pathology. And I thought, Oh, wow, they're really cool. I want to be like that. And so another layer got added. And, eventually I even went off to do a residency in pathology at Kansas State University.

Fairfield Bain: So the role model effect, I think, was a big, influence on how my path went. In veterinary medicine. 

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah, and then you found something very different after, you know, getting into the pathology side. You said you went and worked at a human medical school at Wake Forest. 

Fairfield Bain: I did, 

Megan Sprinkle: different, 

Fairfield Bain: you know, So, my, advice to people is don't be afraid to do something different.

Fairfield Bain: and the driving force was that I had done my residency in pathology. I spent a year back in medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and I knew I really needed to pass my pathology boards. And I was given an opportunity to be a comparative pathology [00:14:00] fellow at Wake Forest University Medical School.

Fairfield Bain: And I took that and it ended up working on monkeys on cynomolgus monkeys. And I worked in a bone research lab on osteoarthritis of the knee. Kind of became a curiosity because I had injured my knee in my internal medicine residency, and I understood disease of the knee and osteoarthritis up close and personal, but so working on monkeys, but pathology is pathology.

Fairfield Bain: And so the mechanisms that that's another thing that I kind of fell in love with over the years is mechanisms of disease. And so really working on the monkey, even though they're a little different creature, we spent a lot of time talking about mechanisms that cross species boundaries. And it was, a unique experience to be in a medical school environment.

Fairfield Bain: but we were clustered into a group of, laboratory animal veterinarians and pathologists and, uh, was really neat. So I did that for 3 years before I felt the [00:15:00] craving to get back in the horse world. 

Megan Sprinkle: you did, and I think you went and started with a very prestigious equine medical institute in Lexington.

Megan Sprinkle: So what was your experience? Because you were there for quite a while, getting in there and working there. 

Fairfield Bain: Hagyard Davidson McGee at the time I joined and they later changed the name to Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. I consider it like the peak of my career. It was a great practice, one of the largest equine practices in the world.

Fairfield Bain: I was really fortunate again to be partnered with somebody who was sort of like a pioneer in internal medicine and he had started there. He, Dr Doug Byers, he had been a faculty member at the University of Georgia as an internal medicine specialist had joined them a few years before and built a great program.

Fairfield Bain: And it was so, active is really, really busy. We worked really, really hard. Maybe another piece of our conversation about the amount of time that gets invested, but as hard as we [00:16:00] worked, we all felt a level of enthusiasm because it was fun with every day was like, we found something new to try. And that, I think, gave us, we were all enmeshed in the same mindset.

Fairfield Bain: So we're talking about the people around us. we grew from just the 2 of us to 5 before I ended up moving on, 5 internal medicine specialists. And, that place has become, a key place for equine internal medicine as well as other specialties like reproduction. But it was just a time where we were really enthusiastic.

Fairfield Bain: We felt really invested in, like, we had a lot of freedoms to try new things to develop new things. And we had a really big, busy caseload to do that with. And, yes, we worked really, really hard. There were some days that were really tired in the spring. In the equine world, especially where you're in a lot of neonatal environment, is really busy from January to June.

Fairfield Bain: So by July, you're a little bit [00:17:00] tired. But by December, your enthusiasm level was back up and you were ready to go again and think of new things to try for the next season. So it was great. That was that's I consider one of the peak experiences of my life. 

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah,w no. Also, this one just popped into my head because 1 of the things I think might be a little bit different.

Megan Sprinkle: With equine medicine versus a lot of others is the human side, instead of the other end of the leash, the other end of the .... bridal? I don't know, uh, the humans that own these horses, the lead, thank you, sorry, it's been a little while for me, and so I'm curious, like, what was it like working with the, the people who owned these horses as well?

Megan Sprinkle: Because, I mean, Lexington is like horse country. So, what was that experience like? 

Fairfield Bain: It's great. You know, I'd say every place has its unique, set of people it was, it's transformed some over the years, but early on, it was predominantly a thoroughbred [00:18:00] environment, which is more of a business and you have different layers.

Fairfield Bain: So, a lot of times your owners were not always present, but you had the farm management, the farm personnel, the grooms, all of them had different stories, depending on their level of involvement. And so you end up learning to talk to different levels of people. And I can tell you just, you know, some of the greatest stories I can ever remember from my practice career happened at 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning when somebody brought a sick foal into the ICU and everybody's busy.

Fairfield Bain: Everybody's working hard in the spring and some guy comes into a lot of Irish folk and they love to tell stories, but 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning, we'd be laughing and hollering because somebody had a great story to tell from their week on the farms. so you had the whole level. And then, you know, you had people who owned Kentucky Derby winners, and they have a different level of expectations.

Fairfield Bain: And surprisingly, it wasn't as intimidated. And, and remember I said, I didn't grow [00:19:00] up in the horse world. but I felt really accepted in that because they weren't really. Interested on how well I rode or what I had done, they wanted to know my level of medical expertise and that they were getting the best medical care.

Fairfield Bain: And I think my encouragement to young people is don't be intimidated to. invest yourself in that environment, because you build those skills. The best skill you need is learning how to communicate and talk to people. I would say, learn how to like people. Because I can still remember those stories.

Fairfield Bain: I can still remember those people and a lot of them became good friends over the years. And I love that part. , now that sounds all rosy. Reality is there's some people that aren't. So communicative skilled and not as nice and those days happen, but there are a small percentage compared to the big percentage of people that, like to interact and they appreciate what you're doing.

Fairfield Bain: So that carries you a long ways. [00:20:00] 

Megan Sprinkle: Well, that's good. And then you also ended up moving away from this, , facility. why did you move and where did you go from there? 

Fairfield Bain: And that's a good question. I mean, I loved it and I probably would still be there to tell you the truth. And a lot of things, , that I've done in my life have been driven by family and my family to this day, still the most important thing to me and my father had passed away before I had been there, but my mother was still alive. And so she was older, starting to have health problems. And so I took what was going to be about, you know, a year off and take care of my mom kind of thing. And I just ended up never going back. Another opportunity arose and I ended up going to Colorado for a year.

Fairfield Bain: about the same time, one of my clients in Kentucky and I had gotten into a hyperbaric chamber business. And so we were installing a hyperbaric chamber at a practice in Texas. So I went to Texas for 3 years and then on and on. [00:21:00] But, Family things drove a lot of those changes, and so my mom meant everything to me, and I was going to go home and make sure that I had some time with her, and then, then life just happens, you know, and unfolded in ways I didn't imagine, and so that's not bad either, though.

Fairfield Bain: I think, I look back and I think, gosh, I'm glad I did because I met different layers of people each time. I was somewhere different. And then after Texas, I went to Australia for three years, even. And, surprisingly, fell into the Australian culture. I loved it. It struck me, as American in the 1960s, a small town atmosphere.

Fairfield Bain: I lived in was nice. And I worked at the university of Queensland. I came back to America, worked at Washington state university. And so, uh, had each time you go someplace different, you have a new batch of people to learn a new batch of clients to learn a new layer of medical problems to learn. So, it's a little test to the system, but I think, you know, each time you do [00:22:00] something different, that's my advice to young people.

Fairfield Bain: You get braver, you know, and, I used to tell interns and residents, make it look like you've done a million of these and never let them see the fear in your eyes. but each time you try something new, you get a little braver and you get a little willing to try it again next time. 

Megan Sprinkle: such great points.

Megan Sprinkle: You know, 1 of the ones I want to emphasize again, because I was having a conversation with another colleague about this as well. Is as our career evolves and I want to use the word evolve more than pivoting or something like that, because I think it's just a natural evolution sometimes that a lot of these reasons for change will be non career.

Megan Sprinkle: Related because there's so much to us as human beings I think we're a passionate bunch. We really like what we do at the same time. There's a lot more dimensions to us as, as individual humans and the family, that all of those things are [00:23:00] important and the embracing of those values and being there for your family.

Megan Sprinkle: It allows a really beautiful evolution for your career along with it and embracing that and exploring it and having more of a curious mindset around it. More like, okay, this is a new adventure. I think that's so good for your mental health and, you know, just embracing these things that, you know, a lot of them end up being really unique opportunities where you meet new people, and I think that's what life is kind of made of, and that all kind of works in with the career, just along with it. 

Fairfield Bain: Yeah, you nailed it. you know, and there's a lot of times there's competition between our professional life and our personal life, right?

Fairfield Bain: And that's a lot of things that stress people. And sometimes you don't see it until you're a little bit down the road. And you go, wow, that really worked out because sometimes you're afraid to make that step, afraid to make that change. You're not sure. financially, how things are going to work out, how other things are going to work [00:24:00] out, all the things that are involved in change.

Fairfield Bain: But, my advice is don't be afraid, but don't you don't be afraid to have your own priorities. You are a whole person. You said that very well is you have other aspects to you other than. The door of your professional workplace, wherever it may be. And, you know, you are going to be a much happier person in, you're going to smile more and kinder to people around you.

Fairfield Bain: And you'll find that life is so much better when you try to put all those pieces together and try to invest yourself in other things too. Now that's easier said than done. I can say that as the old guy. Right. But, I encourage people to try to be. Invested in other things too. 

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah. And actually that can kind of come back to, you know, the question that I received and it did come from a parent who reached out and, I'm not quite sure how he found me cause I'm not an equine veterinarian, but, I guess [00:25:00] maybe he heard of the podcast.

Megan Sprinkle: I'm not sure, but he reached out and said that his daughter was really interested in equine medicine and she was working with an equine vet. And from the appearance, it seems that this vet all he or she did was work. And his question was, can you have a life outside of work? And, I think that these are things that we're talking about, right?

Megan Sprinkle: There was a lot of work that you did, like, especially going back to the practice in Lexington. You said, you know, it was a lot of work. We were excited though. We were working together and it was kind of seasonal, right? You knew that the first half of the year was going to be tons of work.

Megan Sprinkle: You're still having fun, but you also knew that there was more of a rest period as well. The last part of the year was that Opportunity to rest a little bit. Get your enthusiasm back and do it all over again. And I'm sure that those are times where, a lot of people are trying to stay away from that term work life [00:26:00] balance.

Megan Sprinkle: It really, it depends on the individual. It depends on your situation when you're fresh out of vet school. And, like a lot of us, we aren't married yet. We really lean into it. Cause we're, we're young, we're new, we've got the energy, but like that may not be your whole life.

Megan Sprinkle: And so understanding how to incorporate all of these things, I think is important, no matter what area of medicine you go into. 

Fairfield Bain: Yeah, the way you framed when you showed me the question that was asked, I was like, well, there's a lot of aspects to it. yeah, there's a lot of work and you know, but there's a lot of work and other things we were doing.

Fairfield Bain: We were talking the other day. I mean, if you're a lawyer, when you get out of law school, you're going to bust your butt. You know, you're going to try to build your, clientele. You're going to spend a lot of hours, a businessman that's trying, a person that's trying to send their role their way into the business life, an entrepreneur, they're going to put in lots and lots of hours so that that's that way in a lot of things.

Fairfield Bain: Okay. And, you know, I go back to the urban suburban rural [00:27:00] agricultural divide is we do see a lot of people that don't understand livestock and horses just, you know, I consider them livestock as well as companion animals. But. They're like other livestock, they, demand a lot more and you did say, you know, when you're starting out, you're going to spend a lot more hours . An intern, you should expect to work a lot of hours.

Fairfield Bain: But the other thing about it is, you should be like, soaking it up because you're learning all kinds of new things. Pay attention to the people that are your mentors and hopefully you have good ones. Admittedly, there's some people that aren't as good at teachers, but a lot of people are, and that's probably the best part of my.

Fairfield Bain: Life was teaching young people what I had experienced and they go. Oh, yeah. Here's that. Dr. Bain telling us his old man stories again, but it's fun. Enjoy that. And if when you start out, soak all that stuff up, because all those other people's experiences you can use. And it's like getting an extra level of school.

Fairfield Bain: And then, [00:28:00] yes, it's, it's going to be times where it's really hard even seasonally experience practitioners spend lots and lots of hours. I would bet you that a lot of them will tell you it's the best part of their lives because they love it. If you really love it, and you're in a group of people like I described where you're all invested in it.

Fairfield Bain: And you're feeding each other's enthusiasm that day won't seem so bad. And the stories you'll get from it down the road are going to be so great for your life, I think. Now, the voice thing so that the dad that asked that question that can create a stress. You know, in your life, if you've got voices that don't understand what you do, and I thought about that a lot because, you know, like I said, we're predominantly an urban suburban society that doesn't understand rural agricultural culture and lifestyle so much that do require lots of hours.

Fairfield Bain: And when you're trying to be in 1 culture, and the [00:29:00] other cultures pulling at you a little bit, and they go, oh, you're spending all these hours doing all this. but you have to be careful with all those voices, because the wrong voice is going to create more stress in your life when you're trying to accomplish the mission of developing yourself.

Fairfield Bain: And so you almost have to protect yourself and decide, the right voices to listen to. I think, they're not evil. They just don't understand that culture, I think. You know, there, there's a balance, you know, but the seesaw tips one way and then the other sometimes. And like we said, there's seasons of life and seasons of the year, in the profession where you're going to put in a lots of hours.

Fairfield Bain: But I think you get to a point after you invested some of yourself in that short term where you look back and go, gosh, I feel really proud about what I've accomplished. And that's the part for me is that I want young people to feel is that they got into this because they like medicine. They love the process, [00:30:00] whatever direction they choose.

Fairfield Bain: And then they build something that they become proud of. And I promise you that part right there will make the professional life for you because , you'll come away feeling good about yourself. and that's the part I wish for young people in veterinary medicine and equine medicine, especially because.

Fairfield Bain: it seems that the numbers entering are not equaling the numbers leaving, and we need more young people in equine veterinary medicine, and I can tell them that it's great fun. 

Megan Sprinkle: Yeah, I think I share this with you, too. I had two parents that both had big careers. So my dad's a child psychiatrist.

Megan Sprinkle: My mom is a teacher and got her master's in early childhood and development. Yes. You can blame them if, if I'm kooky, but, but they, I mean, both are, they were very passionate about the careers, right? And so even though neither one was a [00:31:00] veterinarian, I think they got me being very passionate about this thing I was pursuing.

Megan Sprinkle: And I think that's really helpful. And this father who reached out he's doing it in the heart of love, like he cares about his daughter, it is, good to make sure that you are around people and it doesn't have to be like necessarily other veterinarians. I know there's a lot of vets who marry vets.

Megan Sprinkle: I, I really didn't want to marry a vet, but I did marry a very hardworking person. And so he does appreciate that. so, you know, surrounding yourself with people who at least get it. The drive to do something in your career that is meaningful to you. Not everybody, like sometimes jobs is just for money and, and that's fine.

Megan Sprinkle: If that's what they want to do, that's usually not the people who are attracted to this profession. So just, yes, making sure that you do have the good support system and. Just to understand, like if somebody does express concern where that's coming from and just kind of, you know, [00:32:00] take it with all the understanding, appreciate their concern for you, but also know, like, I am doing this because I am very passionate about this.

Megan Sprinkle: I want to be proud. That I am doing this work for, you know, a bigger good or whatever your value is. And I think that is another aspect that you just naturally find a better, again, avoiding the word balance, but I'm gonna say it anyway. Balance, right? You find it because it's so rewarding.

Fairfield Bain: Yeah, I can't tell you now. I'd be lying if I didn't say there were some days where just was a tough day. But the great majority of them, I love going to work and doing what I got to do. And yeah, that, that suit that you're in, the people that have those encouraging voices, you gotta kind of sometimes dig down in your own personal value system and go, this is what I'm really passionate about.

Fairfield Bain: I think that's what we are as veterinarians. We do all this mostly because we're passionate about taking care of animals. [00:33:00] It's a little bit more than just loving animals, right? But you get passionate about the medicine and you're invested in that. And you're with people that encourage you. I think the hope is that the people that are around you that aren't in your professional life, see that passion and see you building something.

Fairfield Bain: And you may have to explain that sometimes, but. Let them see that and I think they will be gosh, you'd have to think father who sees his daughter go build something like that has to have some pride and go, gosh, my daughter did that. I that's what you want for, you know, our family connections. encouraging and supportive and watch you grow.

Fairfield Bain: Yeah, they may have to be there. So when you have a tough day, too, that's okay. But, the back to the dad's question is, yeah, you can have a life, but sometimes they're going to [00:34:00] be seasons that are going to be tough and support your daughter while she's. Battling through it. 

Megan Sprinkle: Exactly. And some other questions that I often get, probably the nature of the, of the podcast is like, how do you know what to do when you're ready for a change?

Megan Sprinkle: So this is probably coming from somebody who is like, they have an inner stirring, right? It's like, I am ready for something different and I just don't know where to start. And a lot of times it's just life kind of. presents itself, because I know back to your journey, you were, I think we left you at the University of Washington and you're really enjoying that.

Megan Sprinkle: You know, you were loving the mentoring interns and residents and students and you had to leave and that was for another family issue. So do you mind sharing that? And then how you again started to get into a different aspect of your career? 

Fairfield Bain: Yeah, no, I did. Washington State University is great place and I love the people there still.

Fairfield Bain: scroll back 1 step before that is, you know, the [00:35:00] reason I went to Australia, my mom had passed away and I felt like a little more freedom. And so Australia is a whole nother country of different. way, a long ways away. So I have that freedom to go do that. And at that time, then it was just my one brother and I were the last family members taking care of the farm in Virginia and my brother had developed cancer and they had given him a very short lifespan.

Fairfield Bain: So Washington State was really kind to give me a leave of absence. My brother outlived my leave of absence though. I was glad I did. I went home And just helped with the management of the farm, and I was trying to figure out, well, what am I going to do with myself professionally and a friend of mine that I had worked with before a surgeon introduced me to Merck animal health.

Fairfield Bain: And so I ended up joining Merck animal health as a technical services veterinarian, but it was great because. I got to walk in the door, lots and lots of practices of people, a lot of the people I had met before in my professional career, but I could walk in, giving advice [00:36:00] for the company as well as internal medicine advice or pathology advice.

Fairfield Bain: And so I was able to use my background skills in a whole different world with, you know, I wasn't the primary patient care person, but I was either in somebody's practice or on the phone almost every day. Talking about issues and different practices all over the country. So I, I enjoyed that talk about a different, path and it was an unexpected path, but it was another 1 that built.

Fairfield Bain: Lots and lots of layers of relationships all over the place. So, again, it was kind of an unexpected thing and it was a family issue that, made me start looking at, well, what are my options to do? Because I knew the right thing to do was to go home and, even though I really love my job, my, my priority has always, like I said, been my family.

Fairfield Bain: And so I went home for family reasons, but I found a whole new pathway, not something that I had planned and I did that for [00:37:00] 7 years actually. I really enjoyed it and I'm grateful to Merck for the opportunities they gave me. 

Megan Sprinkle: I don't know exactly where the MBA fits in, but I think, I mean, you had an MBA and you were, leveraging the business side of your interests and skill set as well.

Megan Sprinkle: And you were really starting to bring a lot of the different skills and interests that you had. I think it sounds like in this environment as well. So did you want to, want to share anything about, you know, Bringing in an MBA and all of that too. 

Fairfield Bain: I blame my mom. I love my mom. Um, she's my greatest hero in life.

Fairfield Bain: Like I said, she was an obstetrical nurse and involved in the beginnings of human neonatology. So she role model for sure. but she was a lifelong learner. So is my dad, really. He had an incredible library. Both of them taught us to be continual learners, but my mom especially. And so, she just imprinted on me, [00:38:00] reading and learning.

Fairfield Bain: And so, scroll back into the years when I was in Kentucky at Hagyard's, I had gotten involved in a company that made hyperbaric Chambers for animals. And, part of the, my role was educating veterinarians in the, the physiology of, hyperbaric medicine and that kind of thing. And I thought, well, maybe I should learn some business and I probably could have just taken a business course or two, but then instead I enrolled in an online MBA program.

Fairfield Bain: And I, the whole different thing, because I was new to Excel spreadsheets and all that stuff and financial calculations and things. And, that was a little different, there's a little stress to the system to do that, but I would do that in the evenings after I came home. And, it took me a couple of years, two and a half years to, to do that.

Fairfield Bain: but it, gave me a extra layer of thinking, because it was a little bit different when you think about business structures. And. It has come back around my parents, both were kind of entrepreneurial mind, especially my dad. [00:39:00] but years later, so then I'm in Merck and I ended up joining their business development group because not only did I have the background in medicine and learning what's importan for the horse, as far as good medical principles, but I was able to take the MBA skills and put them into how to build business assessments, networking with people that had startup company ideas and trying to do calculations about whether that made good business sense. What's the market size for that potential product idea and those kinds of things.

Fairfield Bain: And so I've used it many times, in many ways. And I still do. So it was, it was a useful thing. Do I tell everybody you need to go to business school? No, you don't need to matter of fact, and my wife is entrepreneur. She didn't go to business school. She's quite successful. so you don't need an MBA.

Fairfield Bain: but again, I was around a few people at the time, the, CEO. of Hagyard's at the time was a guy named Dr. [00:40:00] Ed Block, who was a veterinarian with a master's in reproduction, but he got an MBA and was a business consultant and advisor, and he was a great role model. And it was one of the reasons I started down the MBA path too.

Megan Sprinkle: and I know that, you know, you enjoyed your time at Merck, but we're maybe wanted to do the last little bit back as an internist. And so I went to Tennessee to work with them. did you want to share a little bit about, you know, as you were. Coming to like, yeah, I might, we don't use the word retire because most of us have a hard time retiring and I know you're not allowed to say that word, but as you were, thinking about, transitioning into something a little bit different , you really wanted to get back to, to horses.

Megan Sprinkle: So what was your thought process there and kind of where you are today? 

Fairfield Bain: Well, I knew that, you know, that's always the thing as always. My love was the doctor house approach, you know, figuring out the puzzle and all that. And if you young people that don't remember the [00:41:00] TV show, Dr.

Fairfield Bain: House, it was a great TV show. It's worth binge watching some weekend. but it was the solving the puzzle of internal medicine, you know, the complicated medical problem of the sick horse and I love that and so I had an opportunity to go to Tennessee equine hospital south of Nashville And I was more like I proved to myself I could still do it and I loved it and again you got to meet a whole new set of people a new system The interns the technicians the clients the horses Was great so, um, I did that for a little over a year and then I stepped away at the 1st of July cause I'm back home in my house in New Mexico doing business consulting for animal health companies.

Megan Sprinkle: Excellent. And you, you talked about the technicians right then. And I think I saw you either reshare a post or post about equine technicians. And, um, if you don't mind sharing a little bit about your thoughts and what you've seen, what are [00:42:00] the career opportunities for technicians who are interested in staying in equine medicine?

Fairfield Bain: You know, that's a great point. And we talk about ourselves because we're veterinarians, right? But the whole team makes the thing and the nursing care, I couldn't have done any of what I've done in my career as an internist without good Technical staff, and I've come to appreciate them so much.

Fairfield Bain: I have so many, if I start naming names, I'd be here for a day, but there's some outstanding ones. And they taught me medicine. I would even tell some of them. I would tell interns. If she says that you need to ultrasound this foal's abdomen, she probably knows what she's talking about. So, learn, you know, they are teachers too, they're like your arms.

Fairfield Bain: they reach out, they do a lot of the patient care. They pay attention even more because we have a different path right in our day. And without the [00:43:00] competent technician, Taking care of the patient, it gets a lot harder and that has grown. I've watched from when I was young now. I think the role of the technician or veterinary nurse has expanded so much.

Fairfield Bain: They are growing leaps and bounds with their own specialties and things, and I can't applaud them enough, and so I hope they continue to grow that continue to be elevated in the professional world and are appreciated more. They're way underpaid. No doubt. I hope that changes too. That's my cheerleader thing for the technician world is I want the veterinary profession to make them.

Fairfield Bain: On a much higher level and they are financially rewarded for what they do because without the nursing staff the patient care Doesn't exist and the veterinarian can't do all that themselves. The owners are a lot most often the owners are untrained [00:44:00] and either unwilling or don't have the time don't have the knowledge base And especially when it comes to taking care of sick or critically ill animals, they really need skilled nursing staff.

Fairfield Bain: And so I just can't applaud them enough. They've made my life. So much better. So if you wanted me to be play cheerleader to besides young veterinarians technicians, I love you all. 

Megan Sprinkle: Fantastic. Well, thank you. I hope that gives a lot of encouragement to people who are interested in getting in equine careers.

Megan Sprinkle: And so I just, I have a. Couple final questions for you and one is inspired by you because you said one of the things you really want for veterinarians and well vet techs as well is is really to Do something that they can reflect back and feel very proud about so you've done a lot So this is probably a very unfair very hard question But when you look back, what are some of the things that you are most proud [00:45:00] of?

Fairfield Bain: I, for years, I saw myself as a neonatologist, perinatologist, and I've done it in different places, at different levels, you know, from basic to very, very advanced. and so I think of the things and experiences that I've had over the years, being involved in growing the world of neonatology and perinatology is probably 1 of the things that I.

Fairfield Bain: Feel the most proud of and it kind of comes back to some family things. If I want 1 person to be proud of what I did, my mom and that was her start. And so that was sort of the imprint that I started out on. And I probably didn't really realize it at the time, but I, I think back, you know, my mom, her claim to fame was she delivered Frank Sinatra's baby.

Fairfield Bain: She was so proud of that. but she, was really involved in the early stages of neonatology in human medicine. And. I [00:46:00] watched that grow, and since the 1980s, and I was really fortunate to work with some of the leaders in the profession in that that particular specialty. So, I am proud of that.

Megan Sprinkle: Well, I'm glad to hear that. You've also seen the human side grow since I'm going to give birth here in a little over a month. It's good to hear. And then finally, what is something when you think about, gratitude and being grateful. What is some of the first things that come to your mind? 

Fairfield Bain: Oh, you know, you have a lot of things that you take for granted. I'm sure as a kid, I took for granted growing up on that farm.

Fairfield Bain: And now that I live a life like a lot of people, I live kind of a lifestyle, a little bit rural, but I mean, live in the mountains of New Mexico, I'm kind of a hermit, the opportunity to grow up in an environment like that, I am grateful for. I'm grateful for the people that stepped up along the way.

Fairfield Bain: Those mixed animal practice veterinarians that took me under their wing, I'll name one. His name is Dr. [00:47:00] Ryland Edwards, still alive, still ticking. Incredible man. his two sons are veterinarians. It was a, uh, imprint in his family. He was an imprint in the community, but he took me under his wing and, taught me a lot about not only being a veterinarian, but being a good people person.

Fairfield Bain: So there are people like that along the way. And then all the mentors along my path and people I got to work with. I'm really grateful that I got to cross paths with people like that. And, I mentioned the technicians, uh, my gosh. Some days I think about them, I almost want to start tearing up because I, I really loved my days with all those people.

Fairfield Bain: And so that's, you look back on your path and you go, gosh, it was really hard some days, but a lot of those good days were because of all the people that I got to work with. 

Megan Sprinkle: I hope you enjoyed this fascinating veterinary story. We can make an impact in so many places. Check out the show notes for lots of [00:48:00] resources. Please make sure you are subscribed on your podcast app, subscribe on the YouTube channel and follow me on LinkedIn, where I hang out the most. You can contact me on LinkedIn, on the website at vetlifereimagined.

Megan Sprinkle: com. And brand new is that you can text me to send me a text message. Find the link at the top of the show notes below that says, send us a text message. I want to thank our longtime sponsors, fire consulting, and we'll use who support the podcast over on our hosting platform. Buzzsprout. You can support the podcast to just check out the show notes for a link.

Megan Sprinkle: And I hope to see you next time on that life reimagined.