46 Today's Veterinary Business Leadership
"Start looking before the
person is even gone," said Elise
Burns, operations manager at VetIQ
Staffing, a Dallas-based agency.
"Finding a veterinarian is usually a
lengthy process. Many people tell
me they have been looking for a
veterinarian for eight months but
couldn't find anyone. I once had
someone tell me they had been
looking for a year.
"Veterinarians don't really ap-
ply to jobs online, and they're not
superactive in LinkedIn," she added.
Burns recommends pursuing
many different avenues simultaneously
rather than trying one thing at a time.
Christine Ortner, DVM, DABVP,
owner of Cascade Summit Animal
Hospital in West Linn, Oregon, asks
other practice owners when she is
looking for a relief vet.
"Just like for our own clients, word
of mouth is very important," Dr. Ortner
said. "If I cannot find anyone through
referral, the next place I go is the local
veterinary association newsletter."
Another option is using a
hiring agency. Such companies can
find and screen potential candi-
dates based on the specific needs
of a hospital. They also take care of
all the legal paperwork.
How to find a good relief vet
Start early when looking for a fill-in doctor,
and think about contracting with a headhunter.
"The right organization is going
to have a network that a private
practice owner is not going to have,"
said Stith Keiser, CEO and director
of client experience at Blue Heron
Consulting in Pullman, Washington.
"If you're trying to run a hospital day
to day, it can be hard to slow down
enough to screen people effectively.
Instead of having to read through a
bunch of resumes or talk to a bunch
of people on the phone who aren't
the right fit, an agency can give me
a short list of candidates, which is
pretty valuable."
Whether you're a solo practitioner in desperate need of a vacation or a practice manager dealing with an
associate veterinarian's sudden medical leave, hiring a relief veterinarian may feel like a daunting task, particularly if it's
your first time. The first thing to know is that finding a relief veterinarian may take longer than expected.
By Jackie Brown
Leadership