Veterinarians take on many roles as a business owner
If you raise livestock or have pets, you will have a need for a veterinarian at some point. Whether it is for routine vaccinations or an emergency situation, having a good client-vet relationship is important. It is also equally important to understand that your veterinarian is someone that has a life and a family outside of the office.
It is probably not much of a secret that getting an appointment at the vet is not just a quick pick-up call. If you are able to schedule routine appointments, do so in plenty of time and if you need to cancel for any reason, make sure you don’t wait until the last minute. If you have large animals that need to be brought into the clinic, again, be respectful of your veterinarian’s time and their staff by arriving early. I like to use the old saying, “You are late if you are on time!”.
Being mindful of appointment times and have patience if you have to wait longer for an appointment due to an unexpected emergency that showed up in the office. Being respectful of staff that are checking you in and out. Being prepared to pay for your visit when you check-out or have a pre-established payment plan. Also knowing that the medications you may receive are being provided with not much overhead cost added on. Your vet office pays for all the shipping on the products they offer in office and if you are able to order your own medications with a vet prescription, you can save office staff time by doing the ordering with any of the online stores that offer this kind of service.
Veterinary professionals dedicate their lives to caring for animals, but this commitment often comes at a personal cost. The pressure to meet the needs of patients, clients, and team members can lead to exhaustion and stress. The veterinarian field, like many other professions, is stressful and often overwhelming.
Approximately 57% of veterinarians are over 40 while 36% of veterinarians are between the ages of 30 and 40 years old. The median age for practicing veterinarians is approximately 43 years old with a large percentage of the current workforce nearing retirement.
Veterinarians work long shifts that frequently extend beyond regular clinic hours. Emergency cases, unexpected complications, and other office duties often push schedules late into the evening. Many veterinarians also take on on-call responsibilities, making it difficult to fully disconnect from work.
Caring for sick and injured animals, delivering difficult diagnoses, and supporting grieving pet owners take an emotional toll on veterinary professionals. Compassion fatigue, stress, and the weight of euthanasia decisions can contribute to emotional exhaustion.
The rise of online rating programs like Yelp and Google have made it easy for unhappy clients to engage in cyberbullying. Veterinarians may feel overwhelmed by the constant negativity and false or misleading information can damage a professional reputation.
September is suicide awareness month, and the veterinarian field has one of the highest suicide rates in the country. Female veterinarians are 3.5 times more likely and male veterinarians are 2.1 times more likely to commit suicide than the average person.
Veterinary medicine is emotionally demanding, and Veterinarians should take proactive steps to safeguard their mental and emotional well-being. Seeking professional mental health support thru counseling, therapy or veterinary wellness programs can provide helpful tools for managing stressful and emotional challenges.
A positive and supportive work culture plays a critical role in veterinarian work-life balance. Veterinary teams that prioritize teamwork, communication, and employee well-being create a healthier and more sustainable work environment.
Along with that, it is important that all of us that utilize our veterinarians, be mindful and respectful of the day-to-day challenges that office staff and our veterinarians deal with. It is easy as a pet or animal owner to be overwhelmed when an emergency or crisis arise but understand that your veterinarian and office staff are doing their absolute best to help you and your animals in your time of need.
988 SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE
The 988 Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States. Call 988 or contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s Crisis Chat team.
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