Uncle Mikey’s Maxims

Micheal Schaer, DVM,DACVIM, DACVECC, Prof. Emeritus University of Florida

An Introduction from Dr. Cooke

Uncle Mikey’s Maxims endure because they teach us how to think—not just what to know. For new practitioners, they provide steady footing in a profession that can feel overwhelming very quickly. Early on, it’s easy to get lost in diagnostics, technology, expectations, and the quiet fear of missing something critical. These maxims bring us back to the patient in front of us. They remind us to treat what is treatable, avoid assumptions, respect the basics, and stay honest with ourselves. They are guardrails against panic, tunnel vision, and overcomplication—especially when confidence is still forming.

For seasoned veterinarians, these principles are both anchor and recalibration. Experience is powerful, but fatigue, routine, and constant technological input can subtly pull us away from disciplined reasoning and simple observation. Uncle Mikey’s Maxims call us back to presence. They remind us that good medicine is not about ego or complexity—it is about clarity, restraint, judgment, and integrity. Decades later, I may not hear his voice—but I still feel the intuitive wisdom behind these words. In a profession where burnout and moral injury are real, protecting how we think is one of the most important ways we protect ourselves.

Uncle Mikey’s Maxims

1. TREAT FOR THE TREATABLE
2. ASSUMPTIONS LEAD TO TROUBLE; THEREFORE DON’T ASSUME
3. ALWAYS INTERPRET CLINICAL INFORMATION WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE PATIENT’S    PRESENTATION
4. AVOID TUNNEL VISION
5. TREAT YOUR PATIENT; NOT JUST THE DISEASE
6. AVOID OVER MEDICATING
7. BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF
8. DON’T POSTPONE TODAY’S EMERGENCIES UNTIL TOMORROW
9. THINK THAT COMMON THINGS OCCUR COMMONLY
10. LOOK CLOSELY AT THE PATIENT, IT WILL USUALLY TELL YOU WHAT’S WRONG
11. NEVER LET YOUR PATIENT DIE WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF THE SILVER BULLET
12. WHEN YOU HEAR HOOFBEATS, THINK HORSES, BUT DON’T FORGET ABOUT ZEBRAS
13. NEVER SELL THE BASICS SHORT, THEY ARE STILL THE BEST BUY IN TOWN
14. IF YOU DON’T THINK IT, YOU WON’T FIND IT
15. NEVER LET A BIOLOGICAL SPECIMEN GO TO WASTE
16. DISASTER LURKS WITH A PATIENT’S PROBLEM IS ‘ROUTINE’
17. IF IT IS NOT GETTING WORSE, GIVE IT A CHANCE TO GET BETTER
18. DON’T STRAY TO FAR FROM THE PATIENT – THE DIAGNOSIS WILL APPEAR EVENTUALLY
19. DON’T GIVE THE PATIENT A DISEASE THAT IT DOESN’T DESERVE TO HAVE
20. DON’T LET TECHNOLOGY MAKE YOU ‘DECEREBRATE’