I Found a Way to Be a Doctor and Have a Life
I graduated from Iowa State in 2019, and for a long time, I thought I had found the clinic where I’d stay forever.
Then things changed.
The hospital was still a good hospital, but the fit wasn’t right for me anymore. As a mother of two, my schedule felt harder to control. I was burning the candle at all ends.
I had always thought about relief work, but I knew I wanted experience first. I also liked the idea of being my own boss, without actually owning a clinic.
When IndeVets doctors came into my hospital, I got to ask them what it was really like being a relief vet.
Eventually, I thought: maybe this is the phase of life where I finally try it.
My Schedule Now
Right now, I work three days a week, usually Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
That schedule really works for me.
Before IndeVets, I didn’t always feel like I had control over my time. Now, my schedule is built around the days I choose in advance, which makes my life feel much more manageable.
My scheduling team is also in regular communication with me about what works and what doesn’t. If there’s ever a shift that falls outside my usual preferences, they talk to me first. And when something came up with my son’s preschool graduation, they helped me figure it out.
That kind of support matters.
Relief Work That Still Has Continuity
One thing I worried about was feeling disconnected from my cases.
I thought I would walk in, see appointments, and never have follow-up or see those patients again.
That hasn’t been true.
Because I go back to some hospitals regularly, I’ve been able to build consistency. If I know I’ll be back next week, I can tell the team, “Put that recheck under me.”
That’s been a really nice surprise. I get the variety of relief work, but I still get relationships, follow-through, and familiarity.
The Support Is Real
Going into relief, I wondered if I would feel alone.
I’ve been out of vet school for seven years, and I’m comfortable as a doctor. But in a relief role, you’re often the doctor people are bringing in to help. I wondered who I would call if I needed another veterinarian.
At IndeVets, I’m not alone.
My Director of Clinical Excellence, Casey, has been incredibly helpful. He’s available to talk through cases, notes, questions, and anything that comes up in practice. He’s also recommended resources like OpenVet, which has been really useful for quickly looking up protocols and options.
It’s nice to know I have someone I can text or call if I need support.
I also love the IndeVets app. My schedule is there, hospital profiles are there, and I can look ahead and adjust what days I want to work. The clinic profiles are especially helpful because they include things like parking, euthanasia protocols, and hospital-specific details that make walking into a new place easier.
The biggest supports have been:
- A scheduling team that actually listens
- Clinical leadership I can reach out to
- Hospital profiles that help me prepare
- The ability to return to hospitals and build consistency
- More control over when and how I work
I Can Actually Turn Work Off
One of the biggest differences is that when I leave work, I leave work.
At my previous job, the clinic might close at 7, but I wouldn’t get home until 8 or 9 after completing records. The hospitals I go to are mindful of my time. They build in space to catch up, and everybody benefits from getting out on time.
I’m home for dinner. I can help get my kids ready for bed. We can have story time. We can go for a walk.
My days off are truly my days off.
I’m not taking work home with me. I’m not worrying about clinic politics. I’m not fighting for days off around holidays. I have more ability to turn it off when I get home, and that has changed so much.
Getting Back to Myself
This schedule has given me time for things I thought I had lost.
I picked up Taekwondo. I have time to garden. I’m baking sourdough again. I’m crocheting more. I’m reading more.
My family has weekends back, too. I used to work every other Saturday. Now, if I want to work a weekend shift, I can, but it’s my choice.
We’ve been able to go back to church. My husband has more time with his friends. I have more time with mine.
IndeVets has given me the ability to be financially stable, work what I need to work, be a doctor, practice medicine, and then come home and enjoy my hobbies and my kids.
Practicing Medicine Happily
What I’ve realized is that when you take away some of the extra stress, you can get back to practicing medicine.
You’re happier. Clients feel that. Technicians feel that. The whole room feels different.
When you can practice good medicine and feel more at ease, the relationships fall into place.
What I’d Tell Other Veterinarians
I wish I had done this sooner.
For me, IndeVets has made it possible to keep practicing medicine, support my family, and have a life outside of work again.
If you’re reading this and wondering whether there’s another way to be a veterinarian, there is. Relief work with IndeVets gave me the balance I was looking for, without asking me to give up the parts of medicine I love.