Each veterinarian is unique in what they want, and most want more than one of the aforementioned things. Our philosophy is to help you determine what you want and then help you get it.
For the sake of organization and explanation we have divided our services into three categories. As you review them, I urge you to remember that we build your job description or service to fit your individual needs:
Working as a relief veterinarian with Lighthouse Veterinary Personnel Services® can be the best short or long-term career option for the experienced veterinarian.
The benefits of veterinary employment with Lighthouse are tremendous, they include:
Control of your life!
Top pay for the time worked
Flexible work schedules
Customized job descriptions
Unbeatable education in veterinary business
Invaluable veterinary medical experience
No on-call emergencies
No hospitalized cases
An opportunity to meet lots of new people
A high level of respect and appreciation for the job you do
Part of our relief staff at a recent company retreat in Hocking Hills, Ohio
We pride ourselves on personality and the ability to communicate professionally!
Working with Lighthouse as a relief veterinarian does require a few things that may make it the wrong choice for some people. This isn't to say that you can't be a relief veterinarian without one or more of these items, but it may not be as rewarding to you, and there may be better ways that we can help you. The items to consider are:
Experience - Generally at least 2 years of well-rounded clinical work
Positive Attitude
Solid surgical skills
Flexible attitude toward using different protocols and equipment
A somewhat flexible personal schedule to adapt your work hours (on the days you choose to work) to those needed in a veterinary clinic
A pleasant personality
Good communication skills
Lighthouse relief veterinarians enjoy some of the best job descriptions, compensation packages and benefit plans in veterinary medicine. Some features include:
Group C.E. Trips (The 2003 trip was an all expense paid trip to the AAFP meeting in Cancun, Mexico, 2004 was an IUS seminar in Grand Bahamas - both all expenses paid)
Paid Commuting Time
Expense Reimbursements for all Relief Travel Including Mileage
Health Insurance Plan
Each Job Description is Custom-designed
Premium Salaries
Hourly or Salary Plans
"Normal" Professional Benefits (professional dues, DEA number, malpractice insurance, state licenses, etc.)
Group Disability Insurance Plan
"Lighthouse is a good company to work for - they have been honest and fair . . . It is the only job I could have that would give me as much flexibility as I have - and there aren't a lot of jobs where you can earn a good living and have flexibility too!"
Ann Selby, D.V.M., OSU '90
Lighthouse Associate Veterinarian since 1991
We also have programs for veterinarians who want to do relief work, while also dealing with other situations, such as:
Veterinarians that are between "regular" veterinary emplyment situations -
Our short-term plans can take the financial pressure off of the job search, and allow you the time to find the right veterinary position. Many veterinarians work with us as short-term relief veterinarians, while concurrently utilizing our Placement Program to find the perfect long-term veterinary employment.
Veterinarians who are moving toward veterinary clinic ownership or are in the process of a veterinary clinic start-up -
This process can take anywhere from a few months to well over two years. This creates quite a dilemma: You can't afford to be unemployed during this time, but due to the uncertainty of your personal timeline you really can't commit to a normal veterinary associate position. You also don't want to be confined by a restrictive covenant that may preclude you from buying a desirable practice. A short-term, but open-ended, tenure as a relief veterinarian is the perfect answer, and it also brings the added advantage of numerous practice experiences that will be priceless as you set-up your own veterinary practice. You may also choose to utilize our veterinary clinic ownership plans link. See Clinic Ownership
Some veterinary people are not comfortable committing to an employment-level relief position without previous relief experience as a relief veterinarian. -
This is understandable, work as a relief veteriarian is a change, and in many ways it sounds too good to be true. You may choose to start in a more short-term capacity, and then transition into regular veterinary employment as a Lighthouse relief veterinarian after you see what being a relief veterinarian is like.
Some veterinarians have other commitments in their lives that make it difficult to craft even a part-time position around their limited and/or changing availability. -
In essence, they wish to be a relief veterinarian on a limited and variable basis.
Associate veterinarians working in "regular" practices or residencies who wish to make additional income on their days off. -
The size of our veterinary relief service allows us to both find odd days to fit your availability, and provide veterinary relief work that is outside of your restrictive covenant.
Veterinary practice owners who wish to supplement their income. -
This is most common during start-up and expansion phases of veterinary clinic ownership, especially when there are multiple partners or associates splitting a limited caseload.
PERMANENT VETERINARY EMPLOYMENT IN PRIVATE PRACTICES
Each year we work with over a hundred associate veterinarians to assist them in the process of finding the "perfect job". After over 15 years in the veterinary personnel industry, and working in almost 400 veterinary practices we have developed a unique insight and philosophy:
This philosophy, along with the fact that Lighthouse is owned and run by veterinarians makes us unique in the veterinary industry. Further, there is NO CHARGE to associates for our services.
"LIGHTHOUSE was very helpful by getting me in touch with practices that were hiring in the area I was looking, especially when I had exhausted other options (journals, OSU veterinary school, etc.). Working with LIGHTHOUSE allowed me to work in clinics to see how things really ran."
Deciding what you want, choosing veterinary clinics to contact, interviews, references, resume, negotiations, and contracts. All the components are important, and mistakes you make at any level can keep you from getting the best veterinary employment situation.
Pre-screen Positions -
This prevents you from wasting your limited time and money interviewing at the wrong veterinary practices. (Many have great sounding ads, and the initial contact over the telephone sounds great.)
Veterinary Career Counseling -
Examine what you really need and want in your veterinary career, to determine the range of positions that are right for you.
Showing You How to Evaluate a Veterinary Employment Opportunity -
Every job has hidden pitfalls and advantages. The compensation package, job description, location and facility must be evaluated relative to each other and to your desires. No position is perfect; we will help you decide which is best for you!
Helping You Understand All the Aspects of Veterinary Job Descriptions -
Work hours, emergency duty, mentoring, species orientation, type of cases you will see, work days, evening/weekend treatments, support staff, management responsibilities, and marketing expectations are some of the more obvious factors. Not understanding the real job description is another common mistake in the veterinary employment process.
Teaching You the Components of the Compensation Package -
Maternity/paternity leave, sick leave, health insurance, malpractice insurance, disability insurance, retirement plans, profit-sharing, continuing education (days off, travel, food, lodging, registration, timing, etc.) licensure, dues, local association meetings, and more are part of the benefits and policies that must be evaluated before you look at the money. Then you must understand the advantages and disadvantages of salary vs. commission reimbursement systems.
Assisting with Negotiations and Communications -
Think of us as a mentor to coach you through this sometimes-adversarial process. Most veterinarians accept lower salaries, and/or miss opportunities to favorably modify their job description by not understanding the negotiation process.
"I benefited so much from signing up with LIGHTHOUSE. They honestly and realistically portrayed the job market and salary situation in the area. The time that LIGHTHOUSE spent reviewing my contract gave me a much better understanding of it and helped me to bargain better. I negotiated for another $500 in a signing bonus and $1500 for continuing education. I am extremely happy with the offer I signed and they helped me to get the extra money! Thanks!"
Bill Feeman, D.V.M., OSU '02, Medina, Ohio
VETERINARY CLINIC OWNERSHIP
For many associates, their ultimate goal is veterinary clinic ownership. For those willing to take on the challenge of learning to run a business, there are a number of advantages:
Control of medical and practice style
Increased income
Equity build-up and growing net worth
New challenges
On the other hand, the transition to veterinary clinic ownership can present many significant obstacles, such as:
Veterinary practice evaluation (The subjective assessment of a veterinary practice's intangible characteristics.)
Veterinary practice valuation (Determining how much a veterinary practice is worth.)
Locating a viable, reasonably priced veterinary practice to purchase
Finding adequate funds for a down payment and qualifying for a loan
Developing a business plan that allows for adequate personal income from the onset
Veterinary demographic analysis
Managing the transition to veterinary clinic ownership
Setting up and developing business systems
Learning to manage employees
Deciding if a veterinary clinic start-up is the best avenue for you
We work with veterinarians who want to be practice owners to facilitate ownership-level situations. Obviously each one of these situations is custom-crafted to a given clinic purchase, the financial position of the owning veterinarian, and our level of involvement. We can become a non-managing partner, or simply be a veterinary consultant to you as you work through the process of veterinary clinic ownership.
