BY: SAMANTHA BARTLETT, DVM

The Riptide Project was created by Dr. Vicki Lim, a veterinarian working in New Zealand and a founder member of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Professional Wellness Group (PWG). She started the project after developing an interest in mental health and wellbeing issues during vet school. The Riptide Project is meant to provide an encouraging and safe environment that allows veterinary professionals to connect and share experiences. 

Dr. Lim established the Riptide Project in 2017. She wanted to bridge the gap between employers voicing their initiatives to protect mental health and employees’ (vets and nurses) perspectives of those initiatives upon their day-to-day lives. A subproject, called Riptide Cuppa, connects individuals with one of 200 mentors who can provide guidance and support. 

Dr. Lim constantly runs into people all over the world who share stories of how the project has helped them. Dr. Lim finds the individual success stories of the project gratifying and seeks to make the profession as positive for others as it is for her. 

More information on the Riptide Project can be found at https://www.theriptideproject.com/.

More information on WSAVA PWG can be found at https://wsava.org/committees/professional-wellness-group/.