Burnout among relief veterinarians grew by 25%: Is the system keeping up?

Between 2023 and 2026, the share of relief veterinarians grew by 60%, with nearly 1 in 10 veterinarians now working in relief or contract roles in private practice.¹ By comparison, this group increased by only 30% over the decade from 2008 to 2018.²

When I took my first relief gig 15 years ago, it wasn’t nearly as common as it is today. At the time, it was simply a way to stay connected to clinical practice while serving in the military. Now looking back, it’s easy to see why the model attracts so many veterinarians now. It offers flexibility, variety in clinical experience, and a level of professional autonomy that can be hard to find in full-time roles.

Yet despite these advantages, a troubling trend has started to emerge. In recent years, burnout among relief veterinarians has been steadily rising – contrasting with a decline in burnout scores among associate veterinarians since 2020. Despite higher satisfaction with lifestyle and compensation, relief veterinarians report the lowest satisfaction with the profession overall.³

To better understand what might be driving this trend, Serenity Vet partnered with Talkatoo to survey relief veterinarians about burnout and their professional challenges.⁴ The findings point to mounting pressures within relief practice – and raise questions about whether current industry structures adequately support this growing workforce segment.

Burnout is on the rise – and relief veterinarians are at the center

In 2025, burnout among relief veterinarians reached its highest level on record – 25% higher since 2022, surpassing peak levels recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic. Female relief veterinarians showed higher burnout scores compared to male colleagues – 3.88 vs 3.61, respectively, which is consistent with broader patterns across the profession.⁵

While professional fulfillment also rose by 34%, it suggests that many relief veterinarians still find satisfaction in their work, this increase occurred alongside higher exhaustion (22%) and interpersonal disengagement (27%). The trend signals a complex situation: many relief veterinarians still find meaning in what they do, but that meaning is increasingly paired with emotional strain.

When asked about contributors to stress, the most mentioned factor was overcommitting to shifts, reported by 34.4% of respondents. Other top stressors included unpredictable income (31.8%), tax and administrative burdens (30.5%), and lack of community (25.8%). These challenges are especially pronounced for a workforce that must regularly adapt to new settings, systems, and teams without consistent support or structured onboarding.

Financial security: the missing piece in the freedom equation

Relief work is often associated with flexibility and freedom, but that doesn’t always mean financial freedom and peace of mind. Burnout levels varied across relief veterinarians depending on their perceptions of financial well-being and career experience. Relief veterinarians with more years of clinical practice but lower self-perceived financial security were among the most vulnerable to burnout. Conversely, this data suggests that less experienced veterinarians, who also reported lower financial stability, may be more resilient to burnout.

While 62.9% of relief veterinarians reported that their current income meets their needs, one-third stated that their earnings are not stable or predictable. The contrast between perceived sufficiency and predictability highlights the unique financial challenges of relief work – where income may be satisfactory in total but difficult to forecast.

Out of the respondents, 45.7% felt they were adequately preparing for retirement, raising broader questions about the long-term sustainability of relief work as a career path. Regardless of general career experience and/or current position, those who felt financially insecure or unprepared for future retirement were more likely to report burnout.

The survey also brought up another recurring issue: many relief veterinarians report difficulty advocating for their own compensation. Approximately one-third of respondents either struggle to negotiate their rates successfully or avoid these discussions altogether due to discomfort. While the majority agreed that their compensation was fair (72.2%), these negotiation barriers represent an area of friction within relief practice – one that may erode a sense of control overcompensation, a known contributor to burnout.⁶

What’s interesting, among relief veterinarians who secured shifts through referrals or repeat clients, financial predictability was more associated with lower burnout levels. This suggests that relationship-based work agreements may offer greater emotional and economic stability than one-off or transactional shifts.

Role of technology in relief practice

A portion of the survey focused on how relief veterinarians view and use artificial intelligence (AI) scribes in daily practice. The goal was to better understand whether administrative workload is linked to burnout, and we looked at whether AI might reduce the ongoing demands of adapting to new patients, different workflows, and varying practice protocols.

Documentation emerged as a significant part of the relief veterinarians’ workload. Most respondents (66.2%) reported spending between 2 and 4 hours per shift completing medical records, and 5.3% said they spend more than 5 hours. Although the majority did not consider adapting to new clients a major obstacle, 19.2% reported that it takes too long to familiarize themselves with new patients and records when entering a clinic. Those who found it difficult to get up to speed also reported higher burnout levels.

Despite the time spent on documentation, only about half of relief veterinarians reported using AI scribes. At the same time, nearly one-third said they would be more likely to accept shifts at clinics that provide this kind of support – an insight worth noting for clinics competing for the best talent.

When burnout scores were compared, relief veterinarians who reported using AI scribes demonstrated slightly lower burnout levels (4.71 vs. 4.9) and higher professional fulfillment. Although this difference was not statistically significant, this finding suggests that AI tools may help reduce some of the workload strain associated with record-keeping and adapting to new clinic environments.

Work-life balance: more control, yet persistent strain

Work-life balance is often cited as a central motivator for veterinarians who pursue relief practice. According to the survey, 74.8% of respondents said they felt in control of their schedules. However, only 58.9% agreed that they had achieved a good balance between professional and personal lives.

Some participants also reported challenges in finding shifts that aligned with clinical preferences, scheduling needs, or compensation goals (28.5%). Even when relief veterinarians can organize their time, the pressure to take additional shifts to meet financial goals can erode the sense of balance they are seeking to protect.

Toward a more sustainable relief model

Relief work has evolved into a permanent part of the veterinary service model and an essential component of operations for many clinics. Yet the systems surrounding it have not fully adapted to support the distinct pressures relief veterinarians face.

Burnout, financial uncertainty, limited integration within clinic teams, and growing administrative responsibilities appear to be persistent challenges. As the new relief economy continues to rise, so does the need to better understand – and thoughtfully address – the realities of their experience.

Improving the sustainability of relief practice will likely require more than individual adaptation. It may call for broader structural support: clearer expectations, more consistent onboarding, better communication, and tools that help relief veterinarians build viable, long-term careers within the profession.

About the survey

Conducted between June and August 2025, the survey gathered 151 responses from relief veterinarians. The study was initiated by Serenity Vet in collaboration with Talkatoo and was reviewed by the Tufts University Social Behavioral & Educational Research Institutional Review Board. To support trend analysis, Galaxy Vets provided anonymized data from its burnout surveys conducted between 2020 and 2022 using the same methodology. The questionnaire was based on the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index (PFI), a validated tool that measures professional fulfillment (the intrinsic positive reward derived from work) and burnout (work exhaustion and interpersonal disengagement). Additional questions were included to explore the specific challenges of relief practice. Download the full copy of the white paper on Serenity Vet’s website.

Reference

1. American Veterinary Medical Association. 2025 AVMA Economic State of the Veterinary Profession. American Veterinary Medical Association; 2025. Accessed March 19, 2026. https://ebusiness.avma.org/ProductCatalog/product.aspx?ID=2215
2. Relief practice is not just a temporary gig. JAVMA News. December 1, 2019. Accessed March 19, 2026. https://www.avma.org/javma-news/2019-12-01/relief-practice-not-just-temporary-gig
3. American Veterinary Medical Association. 2024 AVMA Economic State of the Profession. American Veterinary Medical Association; 2024. Accessed March 19, 2026. https://ebusiness.avma.org/ProductCatalog/product.aspx?ID=2157
4. Burnout study among relief (locum) veterinarians. Serenity Vet. January 6, 2026. Accessed March 19, 2026. https://serenity.vet/burnout-study-among-relief-locum-veterinarians/
5. Nett RJ, Witte TK, Holzbauer SM, et al. Notes from the field: prevalence of risk factors for suicide among veterinarians — United States, 2014. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2015;64(5):131-132. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6405a6
6. Eliminate these six burnout triggers from your veterinary hospital. Galaxy Vets. Accessed March 6, 2026. https://galaxyvets.com/learning-center/eliminate-these-six-burnout-triggers-from-your-veterinary-hospital/