Celebrating our Veterinary Heroes: Malik Mitchell

dvm360 is pleased to present the 2023 class of Veterinary Heroes. Nominated by their peers and selected for the recognition by a committee of esteemed veterinary professionals, 15 award recipients were chosen in various veterinary industry roles and specialties in this third annual program.

The Veterinary Heroes recognition program—sponsored by PetSmart Veterinary Services (corporate sponsor) as well as Blue Buffalo Natural, Nocita, TruCan and Trufel, Think Anesthesia, MedVet, Mount Laurel Animal Hospital, Nextmune, and Thrive Pet Healthcare (category sponsors)—celebrates the achievements of outstanding veterinary professionals who are advancing the field and making a difference in animal care. These winners will be honored on Thursday, August 24, 2023, in conjunction with a Fetch dvm360 conference in Kansas City, Missouri.

Make sure to register for Fetch Kansas City if you have not already!

Practice Management winner: Malik Mitchell

Malik Mitchell

Malik Mitchell, center director for Heart + Paw Callowhill in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was inspired to pursue this career thanks to the wonderful leaders before him. He said strives every day to become the practice managers they were and to continuously improve to be better for the staff, clients, and patients that walk through the doors of Heart + Paw.

“I’ve got to firsthand experience [that] some of the levers we pull each day impact the health, welfare, and success of our business,” Mitchell said. “I wanted to explore the role of bridging that gap for our supporting team members who are vital [to] our progression while ensuring they feel supported and valued as they make their contributions.”

Center director since February 2022, Mitchell said that although pets are the reason for the profession and the clients he interacts with, he has learned that a good relationship with both the pets and their owners is what makes a hospital and practice manager stand out.

“Most of us in this industry are here because we love pets and are passionate about their health and welfare, but while working in the companion animal space, I’m aware that we wouldn’t be able to do what we love without the pet parents who are trusting us with their pet’s care,” Mitchell said. “Ensuring a positive and rewarding experience for both the pet and parent is a goal of mine for every family that comes through our doors. I equally enjoy pet parent education, strengthening the companionship between pets and owners and community outreach and engagement.” he concluded.

Mitchell is also dedicated to making the hospital’s community a better place. “Malik is constantly looking for new ways to engage his neighborhood and the surrounding area,” the nominator wrote. “Seeing a desperate need for walk-in, nonemergency veterinary appointments in his hospital’s Philadelphia neighborhood, Malik partnered with his team to pioneer walk-in hours to provide the best care possible for as many pets as possible.

“Malik is also dedicated to being a role model within the community as we as an industry work to be more accessible to people of color.” The nominator added that Mitchell also fosters a positive work environment, ensuring that all team members feel “valued and heard and that their contributions are recognized.”

Mitchell noted that it is crucial to take care of the people who work in the clinic because without supporting and uplifting them, the practice will not be successful. For anyone interested in becoming a practice manager or looking to improve as one, Mitchell advised building a clinic culture based on feedback, both negative and positive, to help ensure the team is growing and their concerns are truly being heard and addressed.