The True Cost of the Vet Dream | Dr. Mathilde Kullerud on Leaving Vet Med | Irreplaceable Truths

What happens when you spend years fighting to become a veterinarian, survive cancer, start veterinary school twice, and finally earn the degree, only to discover the career you fought for does not fit the life you want? And what happens when difficult clients, poor pay, limited autonomy, and the pressure of veterinary responsibility begin taking more from you than the profession gives back? Join host Dr. Gershon Alaluf and special guest Mathilde Kullerud for an insightful, inspiring episode of Irreplaceable Truths. A Norwegian veterinarian who studied in the Czech Republic and Poland, Mathilde shares an extraordinary journey through cancer, veterinary school, mixed animal practice, 24/7 on call work, small animal medicine, and ultimately her decision to leave clinical veterinary medicine and build a new career in online business, social media, and personal branding. Packed with professional wisdom, emotional insights, and authentic experiences, this episode offers valuable lessons for veterinarians, veterinary students, and animal care professionals. 🎧 What you'll discover: – Fighting for the Dream: How Mathilde survived cancer, restarted veterinary school, and refused to give up. – Thrown Into Practice: What happened when a new veterinarian was left alone on call 24/7 in rural Norway. – The Mentorship Problem: Why expecting new veterinarians to be “day one ready” can fail vets, clients, and patients. – When Loving Animals Isn't Enough: How poor pay, difficult clients, and limited autonomy changed Mathilde's relationship with veterinary medicine. 🐾 Who will love this episode: – Veterinarians & veterinary students – Animal care professionals – Veterinary educators and mentors – New and early career veterinarians navigating mentorship and career expectations – Veterinary professionals questioning career fit, work life balance, or life outside clinical practice 🎬 Timestamps: 00:00 – Why passion, mental health, and energy can affect the quality of veterinary care 01:06 – Meet Mathilde Kullerud, from Norway to veterinary medicine and eventually walking away 05:47 – Why Mathilde left Norway for veterinary school in Eastern Europe 15:07 – The rough landing into veterinary practice and being left alone on call 20:46 – The problem with promised mentorship and the myth of the “day one ready” veterinarian 24:36 – Discovering social media, online business, and another way of living 31:39 – How surviving cancer changed the way she thinks about time and opportunity 36:18 – What the five year old aspiring veterinarian never saw coming 40:14 – When mentorship exists on paper but the relationship still does not work 🔔 Stay Connected: – Like this video if you found value in this discussion! – Drop your questions or share your veterinary stories in the comments. – Subscribe & hit the bell icon to never miss an episode. 📚 Resources Mentioned: – Mathilde Kullerud's Wealth by Design: wealthbym.com/wbdintroduction – Kajabi: kajabi.com – Mathilde Kullerud on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mathilde-kullerud-4539563a9/ 🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms. 📸 Follow us: @Pacific.Lens.Studios 📥 Contact: [info@pacificlensstudios.com](mailto:info@pacificlensstudios.com) Ep. 89 | Part 1 of 2 #VeterinaryMedicine #VeterinaryCareer #IrreplaceableTruths