Podcast reframes veterinary burnout around purpose, not just self-care
A new dvm360 podcast episode is making a familiar issue sound a little different: veterinary burnout may be less about a lack of wellness knowledge and more about a mismatch between what professionals value and how they’re working day to day. In “From ‘I should’ to ‘Why?’: A different approach to burnout,” Aaron Shaw and Jennifer Edwards argue that the profession has no shortage of seminars, posters, and advice, yet burnout remains widespread, raising a harder question about what’s being missed. (dvm360.com)
That message fits a broader industry conversation that has been evolving over the past several years. Burnout and psychological distress in veterinary medicine have been tracked repeatedly through Merck-supported wellbeing studies, JAVMA publications, and AVMA workforce reporting. The latest AVMA economic report says average burnout scores in 2024 were essentially unchanged from 2023, suggesting the profession is not seeing a simple, broad-based resolution even as awareness has increased. dvm360’s own conference coverage from 2024 also emphasized that younger veterinarians, women, minorities, and early-career professionals remain among the groups at higher risk. (ebusiness.avma.org)
The research adds nuance to the podcast’s central argument. A 2024 JAVMA paper on work-life balance and wellbeing found signs that some workplace conditions had improved, including lower average hours and higher incomes than in earlier waves, but it also showed that one in 10 veterinarians was experiencing serious psychological distress. The same paper found clinic culture mattered: higher wellbeing and lower burnout were associated with a stronger sense of team belonging, trust in the organization, candid communication, and enough time to provide high-quality patient care. Only 35% of respondents said open and candid communication described their practice “to a great extent,” underscoring how much of the problem may sit inside practice systems, not just inside individuals. (brakkeconsulting.com)
The issue also extends beyond veterinarians alone. A 2024 JAVMA study of nonveterinarian practice employees found serious psychological distress was twice as prevalent among team members as among veterinarians, while burnout levels were similar. The authors pointed to financial stress as one likely contributor. That matters because many practice-level burnout discussions still center on doctors, even though technicians, managers, and other team members may be carrying comparable or greater strain. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Industry and academic voices are increasingly pushing the same conclusion heard in the podcast: surface-level wellness offerings aren't enough. AAVMC says evidence-based wellbeing work has to go beyond micro-level fixes like yoga classes or mindfulness apps and instead use a systems-level approach that addresses root causes across the professional lifespan, from training through practice. Merck Animal Health, meanwhile, has highlighted mentorship and structured support programs such as MentorVet and AVMA-MentorVet Connect as part of the response, with the company saying those programs have helped reduce burnout and improve wellbeing on average among participants. (aavmc.org)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the practical takeaway is that burnout coverage is becoming more actionable when it moves past awareness and into operations. A “why” lens can help practices ask sharper questions: Do associates have enough time for appointments? Do technicians work at the top of their training? Is communication candid? Do team members feel they belong? Are early-career clinicians getting mentorship instead of just more reminders to be resilient? Those are management, staffing, and culture questions as much as personal ones. The data suggest that if practices want retention and healthier teams, they may need to redesign work, not just add more wellness messaging. (ebusiness.avma.org)
What to watch: The next phase of this discussion will likely center on which interventions actually change outcomes, especially for younger veterinarians and support staff. Watch for more employer-facing wellbeing benchmarks, mentorship models, and workflow redesign efforts, as well as continued tracking from AVMA, JAVMA, dvm360, and industry partners on whether these changes move burnout metrics in a measurable way. (ebusiness.avma.org)