Hiring and Recruiting by Stacy Pursell

[Stacy Pursell]

If you have questions about hiring and recruiting, I have a column in the Fountain Report that comes out once a month. Let's talk about it here. If you have any questions you can ask me here.

[Tom]

Hi Stacy!

How much have things changed in the hiring world in the past couple of years? It seems like it has become more difficult and many vet offices are struggling with it. Will it end, or is this the beginning of a bad run? 

[Stacy Pursell]

Hi Tom,

Thank you for your question. There was a shortage of veterinarians in the job market even before the pandemic but the pandemic did contribute to the demand. The shortage has become even greater since then. By many accounts, the unemployment rate in the Veterinary profession is barely above zero.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is projecting a 17% increase in veterinarian job openings between the start of 2020 and the end of the decade which means by 2030 we could be as many as 10,000 veterinarians short in the US. This is only addressing the veterinarian shortage but there is also a severe shortage of veterinary technicians and an increased demand for them as well.

Stacy

[Kelly]

Stacy,

What are some changes you are seeing hospitals having to make because of the shortages? Are salaries changing? Benefits? Wiping out a person's debt etc? Anything else?

Kelly

[Tom]

Hi Stacy!

I have to wonder about the role of telehealth or telemedicine, and if it is going to become more commonplace in the near future as I've been hearing. If that is the case, and it may need to be in order to meet demand, do you think this will require some alterations to the veterinarian curriculum in order to maintain a high level of veterinary care without "seeing" the animal? 

 

[Kelly]

Stacy has a new article today in the Fountain Report on Job Boards and how effective they are. What have you found when you have personally gone looking for a job, or have been looking for candidates to hire? The highlights of her article are here at:

[Stacy Pursell]

Replying to Kelly's question, "What are some changes you are seeing hospitals having to make because of the shortages? Are salaries changing? Benefits? Wiping out a person's debt etc? Anything else?"

Thank you for the question Kelly. Yes, what I am seeing is  hospitals are increasing salaries, production percentages, PTO, sign on bonuses and options for student loan repayment. Also, retention bonuses are becoming popular as well.  I used to see production percentages in the range of 18-20 and now I'm seeing  more at 22% and have even seen 25%. Non competes are becoming less popular and I am seeing some hospitals get ride of them in order to hire.

 

[Amanda]

Are applicants considering non brick-and-mortar practices, such as housecall or mobile opportunities?

[Stacy Pursell]

Replying to Tom's question, "

"I have to wonder about the role of telehealth or telemedicine, and if it is going to become more commonplace in the near future as I've been hearing. If that is the case, and it may need to be in order to meet demand, do you think this will require some alterations to the veterinarian curriculum in order to maintain a high level of veterinary care without "seeing" the animal?"

I think telemedicine is here to stay and more modern hospital models are incorporating telemedicine with the brick and mortar. I also expect that there will be some alterations to the veterinarian curriculum in order to maintain a high level of veterinary care without physically being able to touch the animal. Technology is continuing to evolve and change at a rapid pace so it will require constant knowledge of new models and best practices. That is why forums like this are good to have a "think tank" of ideas.

 

[Stacy Pursell]

Responding to Amanda who asked, "Are applicants considering non brick-and-mortar practices, such as housecall or mobile opportunities?"

Yes, there are some candidates who are considering non brick-and-mortar practices, such as house call or mobile practices. Other candidates prefer to be in a brick-and-mortar practice. Some modern practices are offering both, the chance for veterinarians to be in the brick-and-mortar practice some and out on mobile house calls at other times during the week. Some candidates like having this variety.

[Kelly]

Stacy I have a discussion point. I was reading just this morning about "productivity monitoring" in other industry verticals using software like this one https://www.activtrak.com/productivity-monitoring/. Has there been much discussion or chatter about this type of monitoring in the veterinary space? I personally think it is an inhuman way to treat people.

[Stacy Pursell]

Kelly, I am familiar with Activtrak and know of businesses who use it but I have not heard it mentioned in the Veterinary space for "productivity monitoring".  I'm not sure how it would work in a Veterinary practice unless someone was sitting in front of a computer all day. My understanding of Activtrak is that it monitors productivity for someone who is sitting in front of a computer and it monitors what websites they go to throughout the day. I have not heard anyone in the Veterinary space talk about Activtrak.