u/SubstantialCheek1883

I'm looking for honest feedback from other veterinarians, especially those in ER or leadership positions.

I've been practicing ER medicine for about five years, but I'm relatively new at my current hospital. Recently, I've received feedback that my communication style has been an issue, and I'm having a hard time understanding what I'm missing.

I don't think of myself as someone who is rude or disrespectful. I'm definitely not the bubbly, outgoing type, but I try to be kind, professional, and respectful. When I become more direct, it's usually because something important hasn't been done yet or I'm concerned about patient care.

After receiving the initial feedback, I made a conscious effort to change how I communicate. I explain why I'm asking for things, I'm more mindful of my wording, and honestly, I've started holding back more because I don't want to come across the wrong way.

The problem is that now I feel like I'm constantly second-guessing myself. Instead of just practicing medicine, I find myself wondering whether everything I say will be interpreted negatively. I'm now scheduled for another feedback meeting, which surprised me because I genuinely thought I had been improving.

This has been difficult because I've worked in the ER for years and have never had communication become such a recurring issue. It makes me wonder whether there's something about my communication that I'm genuinely blind to, or whether this may simply be a poor culture fit.

I'm trying to approach this with an open mind because if there's something I'm doing that I'm unaware of, I genuinely want to improve.

For those of you with more experience, especially medical directors or hospital owners:

• Have you ever had a similar experience after joining a new hospital?
• Were there communication habits you didn't realize you had until someone pointed them out?
• How do you balance advocating for patients while maintaining good relationships with technicians and support staff?
• How do you tell the difference between needing to improve your communication and simply not fitting the culture of a particular hospital?

I'm honestly looking for objective feedback. If you think I'm missing something, I'd like to hear it. If you've experienced something similar and it turned out to be a culture-fit issue, I'd also appreciate hearing about it.

EDIT: Since a few people asked for examples, I'll keep them intentionally vague. It's mostly situations where I follow up on something I felt was important but hadn't been done yet, ask whether we can prioritize one thing over another, or ask more questions if I feel like I'm missing important patient history at intake. I've also been told that in some of these situations I came across as "snapping," whereas from my perspective I felt I was just being firmer because I thought the situation was time-sensitive. My goal isn't to criticize anyone; I'm just trying to take care of the patient. I'm honestly wondering if the way I'm communicating in those moments is coming across differently than I realize.

I'm looking for honest feedback from other veterinarians, especially those in ER or leadership positions.

I've been practicing ER medicine for about five years, but I'm relatively new at my current hospital. Recently, I've received feedback that my communication style has been an issue, and I'm having a hard time understanding what I'm missing.

I don't think of myself as someone who is rude or disrespectful. I'm definitely not the bubbly, outgoing type, but I try to be kind, professional, and respectful. When I become more direct, it's usually because something important hasn't been done yet or I'm concerned about patient care.

After receiving the initial feedback, I made a conscious effort to change how I communicate. I explain why I'm asking for things, I'm more mindful of my wording, and honestly, I've started holding back more because I don't want to come across the wrong way.

The problem is that now I feel like I'm constantly second-guessing myself. Instead of just practicing medicine, I find myself wondering whether everything I say will be interpreted negatively. I'm now scheduled for another feedback meeting, which surprised me because I genuinely thought I had been improving.

This has been difficult because I've worked in the ER for years and have never had communication become such a recurring issue. It makes me wonder whether there's something about my communication that I'm genuinely blind to, or whether this may simply be a poor culture fit.

I'm trying to approach this with an open mind because if there's something I'm doing that I'm unaware of, I genuinely want to improve.

For those of you with more experience, especially medical directors or hospital owners:

• Have you ever had a similar experience after joining a new hospital?
• Were there communication habits you didn't realize you had until someone pointed them out?
• How do you balance advocating for patients while maintaining good relationships with technicians and support staff?
• How do you tell the difference between needing to improve your communication and simply not fitting the culture of a particular hospital?

I'm honestly looking for objective feedback. If you think I'm missing something, I'd like to hear it. If you've experienced something similar and it turned out to be a culture-fit issue, I'd also appreciate hearing about it.