Veterinary Staff Humor vs Client Humor

Ray Ramirez, DVM, owner and speaker of Ramirezdvm.com, explains the difference between veterinary staff humor and client humor.

Interview Transcript (slightly modified for readability)

“Rule number one of any humor situation is knowing your audience. The common [example] that we would most commonly use would be in a commercial setting: [ie] you need a broader audience. In your practice, there is the same type of thing. [For example,] one of the things that I found funny was that a conference lecturer was talking about using towels for restraint. Someone asked her, “Where do you get all of your towels from?” She said, “I have the clients bring them in. … And, if they are really nice, nicer than the ones I have at home, then I take them home to exchange them out to bring mine in.” Everyone in the room laughed because all of us have terrible things [we use] because veterinarians are really frugal and use things over and over. And so, everyone [in the audience] got that we have clients that would probably bring in towels that are nicer [than ours] and we see ourselves doing that [ie, switching the towels].

[The lecturer] went on to say that you [then] hope that you do not invite those clients to your house [and] they see [the towels] and say, “Wow, I have towels just like that!”

That [situation] is funny with veterinarians and even staff who are the same way. But, to the client, they may not find that as humorous. They may think it is ‘kind of funny’, but not funny the way a veterinarian would find it funny, because of our frugal nature and the way we are always using things to the very end of its useful life.”