Scheduling may be a frontline fix for veterinary burnout
CURRENT BRIEF VERSION: Veterinary teams say schedule design may be one of the most immediate levers clinics can pull to improve wellbeing and retention, according to a new mixed-methods study highlighted by Today’s Veterinary Nurse. In the 51-person study, 72% of respondents preferred consecutive work blocks, usually three to four days on followed by comparable recovery time, while 73% said flexible scheduling would improve their mental health and work-life balance. The article also found that when breaks were built into the day, 85% to 90% of respondents reported better mental clarity, fewer mistakes, and stronger team communication. The piece draws on a 2025 master’s thesis by Sarah Ostrin and Laura Marshall and places the findings in the context of broader veterinary workforce strain, including growing attention to psychological safety and systems design rather than individual resilience alone. (todaysveterinarynurse.com)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this adds to a growing body of evidence that burnout is tied not just to workload, but to how work is structured. AVMA’s 2025 economic report shows average weekly hours for veterinarians fell to 42.4 in 2024 from a pandemic peak of 45.6 in 2021, but full-time veterinarians still averaged 48.3 hours per week, and lifestyle and work hours remain a leading reason some are considering leaving the profession. Separate research in veterinary technicians found schedule control was the strongest predictor of lower emotional exhaustion, while other recent industry reporting has underscored how financial strain, limited wellbeing infrastructure, and the pressure to keep performing competence can compound stress for students and clinical teams alike. (ebusiness.avma.org)
What to watch: Expect more practices to test fixed break coverage, compressed schedules, overlap shifts, and more explicit mental health support as leaders look for retention gains without waiting for larger workforce changes. (todaysveterinarynurse.com)