Between 2023 and 2026, the share of relief practitioners across the veterinary profession grew by approximately 60%, with nearly one in ten veterinarians currently working in relief or contract roles in private practice.
A relief career is often considered a pathway to greater autonomy, flexibility, and improved work-life balance compared to full-time employment. Yet recent reports from the AVMA suggest a more complex reality. While relief veterinarians report higher satisfaction with their lifestyle and compensation, they also experience lower overall satisfaction with the profession compared to other practitioners.
Findings from the 2026 Serenity Vet survey show that burnout among relief veterinarians has reached its peak level in five years. Despite a strong sense of professional fulfillment, data revealed heightened emotional exhaustion and disengagement — pointing to less visible structural, administrative, and financial challenges embedded in the relief career path.
Join Dr. Jessica Lovegrove, President of Relief VMA, Dr. Pam Hale, Regional Veterinary Partner at Petfolk, Dr. Andrew Ciccolini, Co-founder of Serenity Vet, and Shawn Wilkie, CEO of Talkatoo, for an in-depth discussion of the current state of mental well-being among relief veterinarians. Together, they will discuss potential contributors to burnout and share perspectives on how clinics and technology can better support relief veterinarians, fostering a more sustainable and mutually beneficial working relationship.
What we’ll discuss:
- The current state of burnout among relief veterinarians and its potential contributing factors
- The relationship between burnout and financial security
- The influence of technology on emotional well-being and workload
- Practical steps and recommendations to improve collaboration between relief veterinarians and clinics
🗓️ Date: Wednesday, May 6
⏰ Time: 1 p.m. ET
🗓️ Date: Wednesday, May 6
⏰ Time: 1 p.m. ET
