THE MOLGAARDIAN

Dr. Laura Molgaard

Interim Dean, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, St. Paul, MN | DVM 1991, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine

My Story

Like many others, I had wanted to be a veterinarian since I was a child, growing up on a hobby farm raising orphan lambs and goats and with pet cats and barn cats. I loved visiting my grandparents’ traditional farm with hogs, cattle, chickens, sheep, horses, donkeys, chickens and barn cats. When I started college, I initially decided on pre-med but found my way back to veterinary medicine after working one summer in a parasitology research lab with a vet student who became my mentor.

My Struggles

I enjoyed learning all of the many subjects in veterinary school, but found the clinical year and my first year in practice to be surprisingly stressful. I thought I needed to have “the answer,” when in fact there are so many ambiguous situations in this profession. I struggled with impostor syndrome, which I’ve come to know is really common. After a couple of years in practice, I saw a job posting for a teaching position at a veterinary assisting program and decided to try that. I fell in love with teaching and curriculum development, which brought me to a newly created position at the UMN in 1997 where I got to develop a set of new courses and work closely with students. I’ve been there ever since, moving through a series of roles in teaching and administration.

My Heroes

My parents were definitely role models. Both made dramatic career changes when I was growing up and embodied lifelong learning. They have each dedicated themselves to service to others and instilled that value in me.

My Typical Day

My typical day is filled with meetings, one on one or in small groups. The days can be quite long but I enjoy learning about the amazing work that happens all over the college and that reaches so many animals, people and the environment. I find fulfillment in helping to coach and develop others to navigate challenges so our college can continue to advance the profession through teaching, research, and service.

My Stressors

Time pressure is my biggest stressor. I will never “catch up” and complete a growing list of to do items on my list. I see my role as a change agent and my ambitions are greater than a 24 hour day can support. I also have many demands on my time in my personal life with two children, a husband, and four pets in the household as well as extended family. I have several family members with invisible disabilities and while that can be stressful, it has been a really valuable learning experience that has helped me in my work with students and others. I have been learning and practicing mindfulness for the past 5 years and I try to be present in the moment, both to manage stress and to be available rather than distracted. I also actively practice compassion, which helps me to realize that everyone is carrying a burden we may never know about. That helps me to cultivate empathy and bring my best self to work with others.

My Why

I love working with so many smart, caring people who are all working to improve the health of animals, people, and the environment we share.

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