Dean Laura Molgaard Shares How She Reimagined Her Career
As the veterinary profession continues to expand beyond the clinic, more practitioners are discovering that a DVM can lead to paths they never anticipated. Ahead of the upcoming PCVE Symposium, we sat down with Laura Molgaard, DVM, Dean of the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, to talk about her professional journey, from the relationships she built with clients, to the unexpected pull toward teaching, to the leadership lessons that have shaped her along the way.
AAVMC: You worked for several years in private practice focusing on small animals. What did you love most about that work?
Molgaard: In each step of my career, what I loved most surprised me. In the case of my time in practice, it was developing genuine, long-term relationships with clients and their pets.
AAVMC: Was there a specific moment that made you start thinking about a life beyond clinical practice?
Molgaard: My career transition was mostly driven by personal factors, like moving closer to my family in the Midwest. I didn’t actually plan to go into education, but I was intrigued by an open position at a veterinary technician program in that area.
I had been a teaching assistant for anatomic pathology during vet school and found it really interesting, so I figured I would apply and see what happened. In addition to falling in love with teaching, I found I really enjoyed the curriculum development aspects and, eventually, the program leadership once I became a department head.
AAVMC: What was the hardest part of leaving clinical practice (professionally or personally)?
Molgaard: The hardest part was the internal feeling that I was somehow giving up on “being a vet.” Over time, I’ve realized that mindset is completely off. Veterinarians serve so many crucial roles in advancing the health of animals, people, and the environment. Whether you are educating veterinary technicians, training the next generation of veterinarians, or leading a college of veterinary medicine, it is all contributing directly to that core mission.
AAVMC: Looking back, was there a skill or mindset from practice you assumed would transfer to academia that didn’t? Or was there something you didn’t expect would transfer that did?
Molgaard: What surprised me the most is that people are people, no matter the environment. Before entering academia, I assumed the challenges would be radically different, but they are incredibly similar, whether one is dealing with a practitioner colleague, technician, client, student, or senior leader. I spend a lot of time reading leadership books and listening to related podcasts, for that reason. Also, the teaching and leadership skills I’ve developed over the years would serve me incredibly well if I were to go back into practice today—though my clinical skills are admittedly pretty rusty!
AAVMC: What do you wish someone had told you before stepping into academic leadership?
Molgaard: Since I’ve been in a leadership role for the majority of my career, it’s hard to recall what specific advice I was given back then. However, I know that having a department head who actively saw leadership potential in me made a monumental difference in my willingness to step forward and apply for an associate dean position when it opened up.
AAVMC: For a practitioner who might be curious about academia, what would you tell them to consider before making the jump?
Molgaard: Academia is a wonderful sector of our profession. It isn’t necessarily easier or harder than private practice—though the challenges are certainly different. For those who want the privilege of shaping the future of veterinary medicine through education, research, and service, it is an incredible opportunity. As a primary care educator, you truly get the best of both worlds: providing clinical service to patients and clients while simultaneously advancing the future of the field.
AAVMC: What is one thing about the veterinary profession you understand differently now as an academic than you did as a practitioner?
Molgaard: It is an incredibly broad profession, and we all serve a vital role in advancing the health of animals, people, and the planet. The true breadth and depth of One Health was something I didn’t fully appreciate until I had the opportunity to collaborate with so many passionate, talented colleagues across the academic spectrum.