If you work in the veterinary industry, you’ve had your share of hard days. Certainly, there are wonderful moments of joyful connection with the animals you work with and the families who love them. But there are also long hours, demanding caseloads, and—too often—staffing shortages that only add to the pressure. If you’re feeling emotionally drained at your job, you may be experiencing veterinarian burnout. Fortunately, there are some solutions.
Burnout is often marked by signs of emotional depletion and low energy. Common solutions include finding more time for rest and connection with peers, but, for some veterinarians, a long-term solution may include working in a new clinical setting. PetWellClinic® is currently hiring at multiple locations across the country and accepting franchise ownership applications from qualified veterinarians.
Signs of Veterinarian Burnout
It can be hard to tell sometimes if you’re just having a rough week or if you’re burned out in your career. Veterinary graduates often leave school with significant student loan debt, only to enter jobs that have demanding work with long hours. It’s normal to feel sad after putting down a dog or upset after a stressful interaction with an animal’s owner.
But if you’re experiencing these feelings more than a few times per month, they may be indicators of career burnout.
- Emotional depletion. You don’t laugh at things you normally would, and you don’t cry at something that would normally make you cry. It seems your emotional tank is always empty.
- Physical exhaustion. No matter how many hours you sleep, you often feel low energy. If you try to exercise, the motions feel more labored than they used to.
- Apathy or resignation. Things that used to bother you at work are just fine now, as if you’ve lost the motivation to make a change or voice your opinion.
While many of these sound like signs of depression, burnout is unique in that it almost exclusively occurs at work. Veterinarians feeling burned out may feel a sudden relief of their symptoms while on vacation or on a day they don’t have to go into the clinic.
Solutions to Veterinarian Burnout
Unfortunately, there’s no easy, immediate fix for the problems plaguing the veterinary industry. A few techniques, however, can provide some relief from feelings of veterinarian burnout.
1. Take a Break
Easier said than done, we know! Many veterinarians and vet techs feel an immense obligation to their jobs, often for noble reasons. You entered this career field because you believe in the importance of animal welfare, and you are skilled at what you do.
Time away isn’t neglecting your responsibilities. It’s taking a physical and emotional rest to recharge. Take actual time off, and prioritize scheduling activities that you find comforting and rejuvenating on your days off.
2. Journal Your Good Moments
Practicing gratitude is a common technique to overcome burnout. Each day you get to experience fuzzy snuggles and sweet moments in the office, but it’s easy to forget they happened when the next hardship rolls around.
Use a physical journal or even a note on your phone to document positive, encouraging interactions at the end of each shift. If it brought a smile to your face, no matter how small, write it down. Then, re-read the list at the start of each week to remember why you do this work.
3. Consult with Other Veterinarians
Veterinarian burnout is almost always associated with isolation. Even if you work with other people, it may feel like you’re often making decisions on your own. Vets deal with complex ethical decisions about animal treatment, and clients often complain or lash out when they don’t agree with or understand your clinical recommendations. The emotional toll can be overwhelming.
Connect with professional organizations like the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), and seek out peer groups either in your area or online. Talking with colleagues or sharing a situation on a message board can give you a fresh perspective and help you with a decision-making framework for tough scenarios in the future.
4. Consider a New Clinical Setting
For some vets, the right move isn’t to leave the profession but rather to find a new way to practice. Moving to a walk-in vet clinic with a more limited structure than a full-service vet clinic may be one way to find more work-life balance.
For veterinarians looking to address their work-life balance in a new setting, PetWellClinic® can be the perfect environment. PetWellClinic® is a walk-in, on-demand clinic that focuses on wellness, preventive, and sick care for dogs and cats. Because PetWellClinic® does not perform surgeries or imaging, cases are typically less stressful and less emotionally demanding.
Currently, PetWellClinic® is hiring associate veterinarians at multiple locations across the country. We provide all training for practicing veterinary medicine within our clinic model. Complete your online application to learn more about the opportunity.
For business-minded veterinarians, owning a PetWellClinic® location is an opportunity to balance veterinary medicine with entrepreneurial leadership, a mix that in itself may give more variety and avoid burnout in the day-to-day.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to veterinarian burnout, but a mix of time off, gratitude, peer connection, and shifts in your role may provide relief.
Claim Your Free PetWellClinic® Franchisee Guide
Learn More About PetWellClinic® Franchise Ownership
Veterinarians often make great franchise owners at PetWellClinic®, but opening a clinic isn’t for everyone. If you do feel particularly passionate about both business management and customer service—in addition to your love for animals—we’d love to talk.
PetWellClinic® is a proven franchise model with locations across the United States from New England to California. Our rigorous approval process will look at both your financial health and the market opportunity in your area to make sure you’ll be set up for success. If you’re a veterinary professional ready for a new chapter in your career, reach out today.
Apply for your PetWellClinic® franchise today!
Walk-in clinics can address many of the common reasons for veterinarian burnout through streamlined services and operational efficiencies. PetWellClinic® is seeking franchise applications from licensed DVMs who desire independence in their practice.
PetWellClinic® is dedicated to being here for pet owners. We have locations and services built with convenience in mind. No appointment necessary. Discover if our franchise is the right fit for you today!