Chart of the month: Veterinary teams and job satisfaction

Are you ready for some good news about veterinarians’ job satisfaction and wellbeing?
Today’s chart shows that the majority of veterinarians are extremely or very satisfied with their jobs. In fact, veterinarians have a higher satisfaction rate than the general U.S. population.

What the data show

The most recent Merck Animal Health Veterinary Wellbeing Study found that 56% of veterinarians were extremely or very satisfied with their jobs. By comparison, 51% of the general U.S. population indicated that same job satisfaction level in a recent Pew Research Center survey.

Among other veterinary team members, the 2023 Merck study found that hospital administrators also were more likely than the general population to be extremely/very satisfied with their jobs. However, veterinary technicians, veterinary assistants, and receptionists/customer service representatives were less likely to feel that way.

The study also showed the majority of practice team members experienced low to medium burnout, and found high levels of pride and engagement in work across veterinary teams. It also pointed to an increase in the availability of mental health resources for veterinary professionals.

The Merck study is conducted every two years, in collaboration with the AVMA. 

What does this mean?

The veterinary profession has made much progress on mental health, wellbeing, and burnout. The results of this survey highlight the continued need for attention on team members, and strategies to boost their job satisfaction.

While the factors impacting satisfaction will be as varied as the individuals who make up our veterinary teams, the study did find common themes. Among practice team members, the most important issue was “poor compensation of veterinary practice employees,” with 68% of respondents rating this as critically important. Exhaustion and work-life balance were other factors of concern. 

AVMA resources support team wellbeing

The AVMA is dedicated to championing and promoting satisfaction and wellbeing within the profession, and has developed a wide range of tools to support these goals for every member of the veterinary team. Find these resources at avma.org/Wellbeing. 

What’s more, the AVMA is sponsoring research to identify effective, evidence-based resources and interventions for individuals and team leaders to leverage to help reduce burnout and support team engagement. Read more about the studies.
 
Delve deeper into the data around team member compensation in this blog: Chart of the month: Compensation growth—A key to team retention.