From Mentee to Mentor: How Veterinary Mentorship Strengthens Our Profession
Did you know that early-career veterinarians experience some of the highest burnout rates in the profession, second only to those in academic programs like residencies and internships?
Let’s say that again.
The highest rates of burnout are in veterinarians just starting their careers.
What’s Driving Burnout in Early-Career Vets?
How do we create sustainability in veterinary medicine in the face of that truth? It starts by asking: What factors are driving early-career burnout?
It’s multifactorial, but one clear factor is the lack of structured, comprehensive mentorship in veterinary medicine. We quite literally go to sleep as fourth-year veterinary students and wake up the next day as veterinarians. We go from being the student to a “subject matter expert” overnight. There is no “stop, collect $200” (or in this case 2,000 hours of experience) before you go.
In human medicine, residency programs are a standard requirement to develop the clinical skills necessary for every specialty, from family medicine to neurosurgery and everything in between. After graduation, there’s a period of continuous learning where you’re not expected to be the expert but are still provided with the tools and exposure to learn.
In general practice veterinary medicine, that isn’t the case. Rotating internships are designed to increase exposure to various specialties before residency, but not necessarily built to prepare you for general practice. That’s simply not their intended purpose.
Mentorship as the Missing Link
Strong mentorship can bridge the gap for veterinary general practitioners. If we can provide more support (and not just in clinical competency) we can help develop more confident veterinarians and leaders, ultimately reducing burnout. And when burnout decreases for one individual, the ripple effects are profound.
Decreased burn out → better communication → more profound engagement → increased employee/client retention → sustainability in veterinary medicine
Before committing, you have to first truly understand what mentorship is. Mentorship, as defined by MentorVet, is “the network of mutually beneficial relationships in which time, energy, and knowledge are invested to support personal and professional development of a veterinary professional throughout their entire career.”
Mentorship is an exchange—the growth and learning flow in both directions. A mentor can be a peer, a more experienced individual within the field, or even someone outside the profession who actively contributes to an individual’s growth and development. Mentorship is so much more than clinical competency and support, but that’s a great place to start.
Mentorship in Action
My mentorship experience started when I was a freshman in college and a first-time dog owner. Culturally, I’d never really been exposed to the idea of becoming a veterinarian. Growing up, I never convinced my parents to let me have a dog; in our belief system, animals hold some of the purest souls in my culture and are one of the purest entities in the world. Taking on the care of that pet, whether as an owner or a veterinarian, meant taking on a great deal of responsibility in reality and spiritually.
My college rebellion? Adopting a pound puppy my sister and I named Max. Clearly, I’ve always had a gift for wildly original pet names. He was about 14 weeks old, and when I mentioned his mouthiness to a friend, they somehow convinced me it might be Rabies. I know, I know—what was I thinking? Two rolls of film, lots of tears, one night quarantined in our bathroom, and one very enlightening vet visit later, I came away with two key lessons:
- Max was not rabid.
- I wanted to be a veterinarian — not a pediatrician.
At the end of that vet visit, I asked Dr. Mike if I could shadow him. Likely for the sake of mankind—and maybe a little out of horror—he took pity on me and said yes. I ended up working there throughout undergrad, and he became my first mentor in vet med. I couldn’t have asked for a more intelligent, supportive example of both a veterinarian and a human to start my journey with. That’s where my passion for mentorship began.
Building a Mentorship Culture in Vet Med
When I graduated from veterinary school, I struggled to find an associate position—let alone one with a well-structured mentorship program. I eventually landed at an independently owned small animal practice, working alongside six other veterinarians and getting all the clinical support I could’ve hoped for (thanks to a recommendation from my ECC clinician—yet another mentor who shaped my journey).
I was lucky to be surrounded by mentors at every level: peers, vets with 5 to 20 years of experience, and veterinary assistants who taught me invaluable technical skills and practical medicine. I wouldn’t be the veterinarian I am today without those mentors and friends.
My hope for the profession is that every veterinary professional who seeks mentorship also has the opportunity to find it. Sometimes, all it takes is one person to move the needle forward. That’s the spirit behind the IndeVets Mentorship Program—developed by Dr. Christina Moore and our Clinical Leadership Team.
The IndeVets Mentorship Program: Designed to Empower
The IndeVets Mentorship Program is a 12-month experience designed to support early-career veterinarians through a balance of structure and flexibility. The first 6 months focus on in-clinic, direct mentorship, followed by 6 months of indirect mentorship in a relief setting.
The program blends clinical days with non-clinical time to pursue professional development, including RACE-approved CE (IndeVets GP Certification), FearFree Certification, Wellness and Burnout courses, and Leadership of Self training.
The program is designed to flex with the individual while also providing structured support and expectations. Our goal is simple yet profound: to grow confident, supported veterinarians who feel empowered, engaged, and equipped to thrive in practice.
The Power of Great Mentors
One of the most important elements of a successful mentorship is, of course, the mentor. That seems obvious, but too often, veterinarians are placed in mentorship roles without the resources, time, compensation—or even the desire to do so.
At IndeVets, our mentors are 100% voluntary and selected based on recommendations from local clinical leaders. They’re compensated for their time and complete the MentorVet Lift Certification program, equipping them with the skills to communicate effectively, offer meaningful support, and help build those same strengths in their mentees.
The Gift of Giving Back
We think of mentorship as a tool for growth and confidence-building for the mentee, but as a mentor at IndeVets, I’ve grown in ways both expected and surprising. Over the last six months, my clinical knowledge has expanded more than it did in the previous year—just from discussing cases, reviewing journal articles, working through case studies, and diving into additional CE.
So much of what we do with years of experience becomes second nature, but mentorship forced me to revisit the why behind my decisions. Realizing I remembered more of the “minutia” than I thought helped quiet my imposter syndrome. (I’d love to say it disappears entirely, but quieter is a win.)
When I started as a mentor, I wondered, “Do I have anything to offer these doctors? Am I equipped to be a mentor?” But after working with three amazing veterinarians over the past six months—watching them grow clinically, personally, and most importantly, gain confidence in their medicine and communication—I’ve found a renewed sense of fulfillment and confidence in my own practice, too.
Don’t Wait—Mentorship is for Everyone
If mentorship speaks to you—whether as a mentee or a mentor—don’t wait. Seek it out. Mentorship isn’t just for early-career veterinarians; it’s essential at every stage, especially when stepping into a new role or shifting your career path entirely.
Don’t let self-doubt lead to inaction—that’s the surest way to fall short of your goals. You don’t have to start from scratch. There are so many valuable resources and programs already in place to support you, whether you’re looking to build a mentorship program, become a mentor, or find one yourself. Great places to start include the AAHA Mentorship Guidelines, MentorVet, Pawsibilities Vet Med, and more.
The more we normalize mentorship as a professional necessity—not a luxury—the stronger and more sustainable our profession becomes. It’s time to leave the “sink or swim” mentality behind.