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Editor’s note: � e following article was writ-ten from information presented at the 2015 AAEP Convention. � is article is in addition to the feature in the Spring 2016 EquiManage-ment magazine and other articles from that convention brought to you by Zoetis.

At the 61st AAEP Annual Convention, Amy Grice, VMD, MBA (this author), reported on the � ndings from a survey of AAEP Gen-

eral Listserv members that was conducted in 2014. � e survey aimed to explore the perceptions that equine vets have regarding their work environment and uncover the most pressing concerns of vets with regard to their business and professional lives.

� e online survey drew a total of 516 respondents from the 1,520 General Listserv members, an approximately 33% response rate yielding roughly a 95% (+/- 4%) con-� dence interval. � e Listserv members who responded were made up of 38.4% solo practitioners and 61.6% group practice members. � ere were 60.4% female and 39.6% male respondents; 44.9% graduated between 2004 and 2014, and 55.1% graduated in or before 2003.

Solo PractitionersBy examining the demographics of the AAEP membership, Grice determined that solo practitioners have remained about 71% of the all veterinary practice owners for some time. Considering that there are clear advantages

to group practice, such as economies of scale, shared responsibilities, and professional sup-port, the survey sought to reveal reasons for the popularity of solo practice.

� e survey data showed that of the 185 solo practitioners responding, 75.4% had

Taking the Pulseof the

Veterinary IndustryBy Amy L. Grice, VMD, MBA

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previously worked in a group practice (not including internships). Of these, 77.8% were associates and 22.2% had been own-ers or partners at the group practice. � e survey asked the solo practitioners: “What is the primary reason you are now in solo practice?” Nearly 40% of those respondents that were formerly associates cited “Dissat-isfaction with Practice Culture” as the top reason for their choice, according to Grice. Of the respondents previously employed as partners or shareholders in a group practice, almost 30% cited partner/shareholder discord as the primary reason they are now a solo practitioner.

� e survey also asked solo practitio-ners: “How important were the following factors in your decision to open your own solo equine veterinary practice” or “How important were the following factors in your decision to leave group practice and practice as a solo practitioner?” � e two factors most cited as “very important” or “important” in decisions to be in solo practice were: “Desire to make your own decisions about how to practice medicine” and “Desire to have control over work schedule and life balance.”

Many veterinarians made the choice to prac-tice alone at the beginning of their careers; 24.6% of the survey respondents had never worked in any practice other than their own, except for an intern-ship. According to survey results, they made this choice to ensure they could be in control of their work environment —making their own clinical choices, their own work schedule and their own culture. � e survey respondents who had left a group practice for solo indicated that

disappointment with practice culture was the number one reason that drove them to depart.

Group PracticesOf the survey responses obtained, 297 were from equine veterinarians working in group practices. Of this group, 82.2% practiced in groups with 2-6 veterinarians and 17.6% practiced in groups of seven or more veterinarians. 57.5% of these re-spondents were associates, and 41.4% were partners/shareholders.

Grice reported that associate respondents employed at both large and small group practices valued practice culture as highly as compensation in determining their satisfac-tion with their position. She also reported that when associates were asked about the importance of certain factors to their satisfaction with their positions in the group practice, they answered that practice culture and compensation were the top factors, with 90.1% responding that both of these were

“Important” or “Very Important” to their job satisfaction. When associates’ responses on what factors were the important to them for job satisfaction were compared with their responses about their actual current level of satisfaction, clear discrepancies were apparent. � e survey indicated that while “Compensation” was “Very important” or “Important” to 90.1% of associates, only 31.0% reported being “Extremely satis� ed” or “Very satis� ed” in their current position. “Culture of practice” was similarly reported as “Very important” or “Important” to 90.1% of associates, but just 49.0% reported being “Extremely satis� ed” or “Very satis-� ed.” Clearly many of the practices where these associates worked were not providing a satisfactory culture. Grice suggested that practice owners might not have su� cient insight into this de� cit; the research showed that 69.2% of partner/shareholder respon-dents indicated they were extremely or very satis� ed with the culture of their practices.

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CulturePractice culture is extraordinarily important, said Grice. Because equine veterinarians typi-cally spend so much more of their time working than they do with their families, they need that time to be meaningful, enjoyable and produc-tive. Practice owners are the leaders of their practice, and the behaviors they model become the practice culture, Grice said. If the owners communicate poorly or avoid con� ict, culture su� ers. If revenue production and long hours are the only things highly valued by the owners, the culture will re� ect this, Grice continued. If the practice lurches reactively from crisis to crisis, and the sta� has little understanding of how their work � ts into the overall goals of the organization, the culture will su� er. In contrast, when a practice’s team understands the shared objectives, when the leaders are decisive as well as inclusive, and when employees understand their roles and are engaged in the work, the or-ganization has a strong culture. � ese practices typically reach their strategic objectives, retain sta� , and enjoy greater satisfaction in the work, according to Grice.

Control and ChoiceIt’s no secret that many equine veterinarians are considered to have Type A personalities, Grice continued. Many are also workaholics, and they tend to have a high need for control. Interestingly, most researchers now believe that Type A personality characteristics are more of a reaction to environmental factors and are in� uenced by culture, and by jobs that put heavy demands on time, put heavy penalties on mistakes, create stress, or attract people with a natural tendency toward being more intense and achievement oriented, she said.

� e respondents favored responses that maximized their control of their practice ex-perience, reported Grice. All of the respondent veterinarians highly valued having the ability to make their own decisions about how to practice clinically, she said, and the majority were satis� ed by their actual experience in this regard. It seems that most veterinary practices have wide leeway in allowing their doctors to practice as they see � t. However, Grice shared

that “Management decisions” were cited more than any other stressor by associate survey respondents as a cause of extreme stress. She recommended allowing associates as much choice as possible and including them in deci-sion making, in order to help them feel more positive about their job and their duties.

Having the control to make choices about how to spend their time is a key factor in the happiness of most people, said Grice, and the responses to this survey indicated that many respondents felt dissatis� ed in this regard. Global surveys of younger workers have shown that what Millennials want most is � exibility in where, when and how they work, she shared.

Work Life BalanceAAEP Listserve Member survey respondents working in group practices cited life balance as the aspect of their position that made them the most dissatis� ed, said Grice. Di� culty in achieving work life balance often relates to the demands of equine practice with its seasonal-ity, the need to provide emergency services, and the pervasive culture of not establishing boundaries on work hours or days. Horse owners or others in the equine industry have responsibility for horses 24/7/365 and they expect no less of a commitment from their veterinarian. � ese factors can fuel a sense that control is not attainable, she stated.

Grice indicated that a persistent lack of control in a person’s life often leads to de-pression and anxiety.  Anything that makes one feel helpless and lacking fundamental

control over one’s surroundings can have a negative impact. Conversely, gaining more control of their surroundings makes a person more content and less at risk, she said. Vet-erinarians are often seriously a� ected by the lack of control in their lives. Grice cited the February 2015 Center for Disease Control’s report that over 10% of practitioners re-ported having serious psychological distress, and one in six veterinarians has considered suicide since their graduation from veteri-nary school. She recommended that practice owners engage in collaborative decision making whenever possible, provide � exible scheduling, minimize competition between doctors, and foster a culture that embraces a balanced life, led by example. Mitigation of the stress caused by the often-thwarted need for control lies in having choices, she stated.

ConclusionAccording to Grice, several broad themes emerged from the results of this survey: the importance of practice culture; the impor-tance of control and choice; and the degree of stress due to poor work life balance in the profession. Strategies are needed to address these challenges, and the informa-tion gained by this study is important to all stakeholders in the equine veterinary indus-try. Although emotions surrounding these issues can be strong, Dr. Grice stated that it is in the best interest of all practitioners to work together to improve the experience of equine practice.

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