Dear readers,
Veterinary Vertex (https://veterinaryvertex.buzzsprout.com/) is the podcast for JAVMA and AJVR, with new episodes weekly. We launched in September 2022—and we’ve learned, laughed, and grown a lot since then! When I started as your Editor-in-Chief in 2021, I included our aspiration to develop a podcast in the first strategic plan for the journals. The main goal was to further disseminate important information on what’s new in clinical veterinary medicine and research using media beyond the reach of the print and online journals. But it wasn’t until Associate Editor Dr. Sarah Wright joined the AVMA Publications Division in early 2022 that Veterinary Vertex became a trademarked reality.
There are a lot of podcasts devoted to veterinary medicine, and you probably already have your favorites. In fact, the AVMA has a podcast called My Veterinary Life in which hosts Drs. Marci Kirk and Annie Chavent interview guests from across our veterinary profession. Our goal for Veterinary Vertex is to take listeners behind the scenes of the publications in JAVMA and AJVR. In our approximately 20-minute episodes, Sarah and I ask what inspired the authors to investigate their line of research, what is the take-home message for veterinarians on the topic, where they found their resilience, and many more questions. We have thoroughly enjoyed these conversations and are truly inspired by the authors and their stories of discovery, perseverance, and the value of colleague mentorship. And of course, Veterinary Vertex is a free benefit for anyone who wants a fun and educational companion on their commute, run, or other activity.
We would be remiss if we didn’t take the time to give a shout-out and thank you to Jessie Bengoa, Associate Director, Brand Marketing and Communications, at Platinum Performance. Jessie expertly hosts the Platinum Performance Podcast. We asked her for some coaching to get us going, resulting in professional microphones and loosely scripted dialogue to help our guests feel more comfortable and better prepared. Thank you, Jessie!
Here’s the state of play 11 months in: We continue to experience exciting growth month on month (Figure 1).
Cumulative podcast downloads from September 2022 to July 2023.
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 261, 10; 10.2460/javma.261.10.1428
We have composed 50 episodes, with over 10,000 downloads and an average of 205 downloads/episode. In addition, our podcast reaches about 3,000 people each month through our social media platforms, where we post soundbites of episodes. Many followers comment and like these episodes, and it is rewarding for us to see students engaging and cheering on their professor starring in the episode. We also interview the student, intern, and resident Journal Award winners and enjoy seeing engagement from mentors celebrating the accomplishments of their trainees.
What are our followers interested in listening to? To date, our top 5 episodes with respect to downloads have been the following:
Nutritional management is superior to metronidazole for treatment of acute colitis in dogs (456 downloads), with guest Dr. Adam Rudinsky https://www.buzzsprout.com/2047448/11988658
Sildenafil as a treatment for canine megaesophagus (307 downloads), with Dr. Jillian Haines https://www.buzzsprout.com/2047448/12086210
Smartwatches exhibit high accuracy in evaluating HR and SpO2 in cats (277 downloads), featuring Dr. Latif Emrah Yanmaz https://www.buzzsprout.com/2047448/12313042
SARS-CoV-2 in dogs and cats (276 downloads), headlining Amanda Liew, MPH https://www.buzzsprout.com/2047448/12480921
Leptospirosis and life lessons (276 downloads), starring Dr. Jane Sykes https://www.buzzsprout.com/2047448/11416077
We are also excited to see that we have listeners from around the world (Figure 2).
Podcast downloads per continent.
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 261, 10; 10.2460/javma.261.10.1428
The map generally reflects where our authors come from and provides important insight for strategic growth, but more importantly it emphasizes the global impact of the manuscripts published in your journals.
Finally, we would like to ask that after you listen to Veterinary Vertex, please leave us a rating! Based on audience and critic reviews, we have a 4.4/5-star rating on Spotify and 4/5 on Apple Podcasts. There is always room for improvement, and we want to learn from you how we can reach a 5-star rating!
You can find Veterinary Vertex on your favorite podcast platform, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more! Tune in each week as we share the latest cutting-edge research in veterinary medicine.
Thank you for listening!
Dr. Lisa A. Fortier DVM, PhD, DACVS
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 261, 10; 10.2460/javma.261.10.1428
Editor-in-Chief, JAVMA and AJVR
Division Director of Publications, AVMA
Dr. Sarah E. Wright DVM
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 261, 10; 10.2460/javma.261.10.1428
Associate Editor, JAVMA and AJVR