ergovet is published by Dr. Sara White, DVM, MSc.
How ergovet began
I first became interested in ergonomics in veterinary medicine when I noticed how many people in the field of high volume, high quality spay-neuter worked while in chronic pain. Scheduling and workload expectations seemed to be a chronic source of conflict in some organizations, and I became curious if there was some optimal workload or scheduling scheme that could protect everyones’ health and still perform the work.
Researching the scientific literature, there was little available to answer these questions, so I conducted a study of spay neuter veterinarians to examine their workload and experience of pain, and in 2013, I published Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Musculoskeletal Discomfort in Spay and Neuter Veterinarians. While doing this research, I realized that I wanted a stronger foundation in the study of people and work, and in spring 2015, I completed a Masters of Science in Health Ergonomics from University of Derby (UK).
About me (a brief professional bio)
After graduating from veterinary school at North Carolina State University in 1998, I moved to Vermont to work in mixed animal practice, and in 2000 began work as an on-staff shelter veterinarian in New Hampshire. Since 2006, I have operated Spay ASAP Inc, a nonprofit MASH-style mobile spay/neuter clinic that collaborates with humane organizations in VT and NH to provide spay and neuter for shelter animals, low income pets, and feral cats.
I was a co-author of The Association of Shelter Veterinarians veterinary medical care guidelines for spay-neuter programs (2008) and its update, The Association of Shelter Veterinarians’ 2016 Veterinary Medical Care Guidelines for Spay-Neuter Programs, and am a past board member of Association of Shelter Veterinarians. I am treasurer of the Vermont Veterinary Medical Association, as well as chair of the VVMA Animal Welfare Committee and a past president of VVMA. I have served as a past board member of Shelter Animals Count, the national database project for shelter animals. I am a founding board member of Vermont Companion Animal Neutering (VT-CAN!), and I have been a board member of the Vermont Humane Federation since 2008. In 2018, I won the first ever Association of Shelter Veterinarians Veterinarian of the Year award.
I am the editor of the recently published textbook High-Quality, High-Volume Spay and Neuter and Other Shelter Surgeries published by Wiley.
In addition to my interest in ergonomics, I have a professional interest in any area of study that can advance the practice of High Quality High Volume Spay Neuter. My peer-reviewed journal publications not mentioned above include Veterinarians’ Emotional Reactions and Coping Strategies for Adverse Events in Spay-Neuter Surgical Practice, Impact of Publicly Sponsored Neutering Programs on Animal Population Dynamics at Animal Shelters: The New Hampshire and Austin Experiences, Characteristics of clients and animals served by high-volume, stationary, nonprofit spay-neuter clinics, and Prevention of fetal suffering during ovariohysterectomy of pregnant animals. I am also on the editorial board of The Journal of Shelter Medicine and Community Animal Health (JSMCAH), an independent online journal published by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians. I also have a YouTube channel with surgical videos describing surgical technique.
