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Mentorship is crucial to the success of veterinarians just starting their careers. Joining a new practice as an associate veterinarian can be overwhelming and difficult as young doctors learn the ropes at a clinic, take on daily tasks while treating patients, and work with new teammates. However, by taking an associate under your wing and…

Last week I wrote about how hiring a new associate can pay off in the long run for your practice. This week, I would like to expand on why hiring a recruiting service – namely DVM Recruiting Services – will make that return on your investment even stronger.   With 30 years of experience, DVM…

Are you feeling overwhelmed with your caseload and unsure if you can afford to hire help? I understand the common dilemma but let me show you why expanding your staff is a smart move. We often hear from practice owners who are interested in bringing in an associate but hesitate when they consider the costs.…

In the third part of my series this month, I’m focusing on associate veterinarians looking to make the transition from working at a corporate animal hospital to a private clinic. It may come as no surprise that corporate clinics excel at recruiting veterinary students before they graduate. They often offer larger salaries and have more…

This week, I’d like to reflect on loyalty and why it is important in the workplace. Loyalty, by definition, is a sense of devotion or dedication to a person or belief. It is considered a virtue, and at times, a moral one. In this case, let’s look at loyalty in your veterinary practice. Loyal employees…

For the month of June, I’m focusing on what veterinary associates – both experienced and recently graduated – are looking for when it comes to choosing where to work. In this part of this series, we will consider the characteristics that draw experienced veterinarians to a clinic. The most common attribute candidates tell us is…

Graduation season has just ended, but if you’re looking for a new associate, you need to be looking at current third and fourth-year veterinary students, as those are the ones beginning the job search. So, what are they looking for in their first job after completing veterinary school? In part one of our June series,…

In a perfect world, every veterinarian position would be easy to fill. In reality, the longer it takes to fill a position, the more problems your practice is likely to face. Here’s a look at some possible problems: More work = more tension – When positions go unfilled, the remaining staff must pick up the slack, meaning…

As the shortage of veterinarians continues in this country, clinic owners continue to struggle with ways to attract new doctors to their practice and retain the ones they have on staff. Recently, my staff and I had the opportunity to present to the South Georgia Veterinary Association during a conference at the University of Georgia.…

Burnout – you’ve heard the buzz word time and again, but is it a real thing? The Mayo Clinic defines burnout as a specific work-related stress that causes physical and emotional exhaustion and while it is not a medical condition, it can lead to someone feeling less accomplished or satisfied with their job performance and could possibly…

At most companies, employee reviews are conducted once a year either around their anniversary or a date set companywide. However, I’d like to make the case for why it’s important to give frequent feedback to your staff throughout the year. When done correctly, feedback lets your staff know what they are doing right and what…

As the owner of a private veterinary clinic, you might think there’s no need to have an online presence. Perhaps you think your current and future clients already know where to find you. But clients aren’t the only ones researching businesses online. Future employees are also checking out potential employers and if you don’t have…

How do you advertise an opening in your clinic? Do you write a “Help Wanted” ad with the job title, description, and your contact information and place the ad on a job site? What results have you seen? If you haven’t had success recently with candidates responding to an ad, it might be that your…

There are several factors that contribute to the shortage of veterinarians in many areas, including: High Education Costs: Pursuing a career in veterinary medicine requires significant education and training, which can be expensive. Many graduates of veterinary schools have large amounts of student debt, which can make it difficult for them to afford to work in…

  Despite their best efforts to prevent it, most businesses have staff members who might be considered toxic – whether by complaining, gossiping, being insubordinate or disrespectful – veterinary clinics included. But what can a practice owner do to resolve any issues before they pollute the workplace? Identify – First, identify the toxic behaviors being…