Sticky salary situation

Q. I've been with the same clinic for seven years. There's a lot of turnover, and my boss hires new graduates. Depending on my day, I'm stuck playing teacher with up to three new veterinarians. My boss isn't around much and says I'm not pulling my weight given what I'm being paid. How can I explain the situation to him?

"This is a problem for many associates," says Veterinary Economics Hospital Management Editor Mark Opperman, CVPM, owner of VMC Inc., a veterinary consulting firm in Evergreen, Colo. "If you're asked to do something other than professional services, but you're paid on production, how is that fair to you? You should be expected to do some practice development—and that might involve helping train new employees or talking to a local organization."

But, Opperman says, "If you're asked to spend more than two or three hours a week on these activities, you might be entitled to some of the management income. Normally 3 percent to 4 percent of practice gross should be spent on management. This is something you'll have to work out with your employer, but it's certainly fair for a portion of this income to be paid to you if you're spending a significant amount of time teaching or overseeing new associates."

Mark Opperman