Benefits, Drawbacks of Veterinary Relief Work

Joy Fuhrman, DVM, MBA, director of finance and operations for Shepherd Software, talks about the benefits and drawbacks of being a relief veterinarian.

While your hourly rate would be higher than if you were a full-time veterinarian, Dr. Fuhrman says you will ultimately be working less hours as a relief veterinarian. She says you will also be foregoing benefits and continuing education, and you will have to pick up your own licensing and professional liability insurance. But there are multiple benefits of relief work, such as the ability to build your own schedule, and to work when and where you want.

It's not for everyone, Dr. Fuhrman says, and as a veterinarian, you do rely extensively on your team. So, if you're not familiar or comfortable with the team you're working with, that could impact the quality of your work.