How Dr. Molly McAllister is changing our world

In 1975, only 5% of the veterinary profession were female. Women were often discouraged from attending veterinary school, some being told that they weren’t good candidates because they would be likely to leave after marriage and children. 

Thankfully, the 70’s ushered in the rebirth of feminism. Title IX, a federal law to protected students and education workers based on gender was passed in 1972. This law stated that “no person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

Afterward Title IX, veterinary medicine, which had for many years been a male-dominated profession, saw a significant increase in the number of women entering veterinary colleges. A milestone was reached in 1986, when there was an equal number of male and female students attending veterinary schools in the U.S.

Today, the AVMA says that 2/3 of all veterinarians are exclusively small animal practioners; of these, 63% are female. In 2017, for the first time in history, women finally became the majority in the veterinary field and women also makeup around 81% of all veterinary students.  

Despite this, women are still underrepresented in higher management roles within our profession.  

Enter Dr. Molly McAllister.  In July, she was named as Chief Medical Officer of Banfield.  Banfield, which has more than 1,000 hospitals across the nation and more than 3,6000 veterinarians is the largest general veterinary practice in the U.S.

Dr. McAllister, a graduate of Oregon State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine also holds a Master’s Degree in Public Health.  This mom of two under five is also a board member of Pet Peace of Mind, a non-profit that helps support keeping people in hospice with their pets and then later rehoming the pets.

We caught up with Dr. Molly as she was heading cross country for yet another business meeting and she shared with us how she keeps her upbeat attitude strong, no matter what.

Things I do on the weekends to make my Mondays better:

Two things that might sound contradictory, but are both crucial to me… One is that I make sure that on the weekend I have a chunk of time where I completely disconnect from work. It might be digging into a non-work related book, hiking with my family, or doing a puzzle with my kids, but I don’t check email, I don’t look at my phone, I keep myself focused on the things in front of me. This helps me stay connected to my why and I feel that by concertedly unplugging, then I can go back to work refreshed and ready.

The other thing I do is to take a few minutes on Sunday night to sit down and look at my week ahead for three things:

• What urgent/important things do I need to be on my game for, so that I’m prepped and ready?

• Where am I going to make time for the important/not urgent things that I want to move forward?

• Where am I going to make the time to self-care at least 4 times during the week?

Ways I simplify my life:

I am a firm believer in knowing my why or my purpose statement and making decisions every day that are aligned with that purpose. Importantly, this means making space for the things that advance my purpose and saying no to the things that do not. Some good therapy helped me realize that focusing on what others think I “should” do is not a healthy way to operate. This helps weed out a lot of noise in my life.

As a part of that space, I’ve made a concerted effort to prioritize in my life. I know the things that I must do to feel good each day: connect with my family and close friends, exercise and feel that I’m making an impact. When I make sure that those things get my best energy, everything else seems pretty simple.

I also firmly believe in financial simplicity. I am conservative with finances, and find that staying a bit frugal can be a great strategy and can really help make life simpler in the day to day. We don’t buy new cars and have payments, we drive used cars that we pay cash for. I don’t juggle investments around every day, week or year, I follow simple strategies and think about it for the long term. We try to live within our means and it’s amazing how much that helps simplify things.

Advice I would give my younger self:  

Don’t let others define you or your future. You own your own destiny and you can create your own future

Attributes that helped me become successful:

• Emotional intelligence – it helps to be able to read people.

• Passion for adventure and the unknown challenge – much of what I’ve done in my career is non-traditional. That has never scared me.  

• Determination and self-directedness – I’ve always carved my own path to at least some degree

• Maximizer – I love to look at several disparate ideas or concepts and figure out how or where they come together or overlap to make something even better or solve a unique problem.

What I do to unwind and recharge:

The best thing for me is physical activity in the natural world – running outside, stand-up paddling, hiking and bird-watching.

Lessons that my early jobs taught me:

• Initiative and self-starting are always appreciated.

• You can figure out hard things if you take a minute and use your tools and resources.

• Don’t underestimate the value of being helpful and kind to others, it will pay back a million times over

• You’ll have more fun if you focus on possibility, not on feasibility

Habits that helps me have a productive day

• I get good sleep. I am not one of those people who can get by on 4-5 hours of sleep. I need 8-9 to be my best. So I prioritize that. 

• I almost always start my day off with exercise – it gets my blood flowing, my brain moving, and gives me time to reflect before my family is up and about

• I take breaks. It might just be a minute of pause in the bathroom or the time it takes to walk “the long way” to where I need to go. My days can be absolutely hectic and carving out those spaces for myself to think can make a huge difference

• I drink a lot of water all day long. It keeps me hydrated, healthy.

• I try to be very clear with people - about need from me and what I need from them, about how things are going – as Brene Brown says, “clear is kind”. I also find that clear is effective and efficient!

Things that my parents did to set me up for success:

They taught me to be curious by teaching me just enough about something to send me off wanting to learn more. Like the time my dad (who is a physician who started off in veterinary school) decided that we would dissect a road killed skunk together. I don’t think my mom loved it, but my interest in anatomy was piqued!

They praised me for attributes I had control over. They applauded my determination, my stick-to-it-ness. They admired my commitment to my pets and the way I took care of them before myself. They congratulated me for being a good citizen and trying hard, not for being an A student.

They were incredibly good at focusing on what really matters in life – people, family, impact, legacy - and reminding me about what didn’t. 

Most inspirational book I have read

I found Brene Brown’s Daring Greatly to be one of the most impactful books I’ve read in my adult life. The book can be described as a  new vision for the way we lead, love, work, parent, and educate that teaches us the power of vulnerability.

How I prioritize your family life:

With a heavy travel schedule, it is not easy. When I’m home, I work hard to unplug from devices and connect with my kids and husband for at least a couple of hours each day. I focus on quality, not quantity, and look at it very opportunistically each day. If I have a morning that can get started a little later, I jump on the chance to take my son (5) to preschool. If my daughter (2) wants to come on a run with me, I put her in the stroller and we talk and share observations while I run. My husband is hugely understanding and we also agree on the key times for togetherness – our date nights or specific experiences we want to have with the kids – and I make sure that those happen. It is definitely not easy and a piece that I struggle with today, particularly with my kids being so young, but I want them to see that their mom has a rewarding career. That I love my job and the impact it has and that, if they want, they can find the same in their life.

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