Burnout levels among relief veterinarians have increased by 25% since 2022, surpassing the peak reported during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A survey conducted by Serenity Vet, a relief management platform, examined compensation, scheduling, and administrative burden in the locum field, revealing that this population is not immune to professional challenges.
The 2025 survey had 151 relief veterinarians use the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index, a validated questionnaire that assesses intrinsic satisfaction, work exhaustion, and interpersonal disengagement. Researchers then used measures of physical and emotional fatigue and emotional detachment from patients, clients, or coworkers to assess burnout, noting that the latter may be amplified in relief veterinarians who frequently move between teams and settings.
More than half of the respondents identified as full-time relief veterinarians, while the remainder combined relief work with full- or part-time employment.
The survey results revealed that professional fulfillment rose by 32%, but signs of burnout also increased. Work-exhaustion scores increased by 24% and interpersonal disengagement by 29%, indicating that higher satisfaction in meaningful work does not fully shield veterinarians from burnout.
“As more veterinarians transition to relief work, their experience is often overlooked in discussions of well-being and career fulfilment,” said Dr. Andrew Ciccolini, co-founder of Serenity Vet. “The rising burnout in this part of the profession, which is meant to offer greater flexibility and work-life balance, suggests that the emotional cost of financial pressures, constantly adapting to new environments, and administrative burdens may be underestimated.”
The results indicated that an overcommitment to shifts was the leading contributor to stress among relief veterinarians, followed by income unpredictability, a high administrative workload, a lack of community, and difficulty with onboarding and integrating into new teams.
Newer relief veterinarians reported lower financial stress than veterans but had more concerns about career stability. Two-thirds of the respondents reported adequate pay, while one-third struggled with income insecurity. More than half were happy with their work-life balance, while one in five was not.
Additional findings from the report indicate that:
- Female relief veterinarians experience higher burnout levels than their male counterparts.
- 1 in 3 respondents are uncomfortable negotiating for better pay.
- 5% of respondents are more likely to accept shifts when clinics provide AI-powered documentation tools.
“We hope that findings from our study will bring greater visibility to the challenges they face, support meaningful action to prevent burnout, and help relief veterinarians and clinics build more sustainable relationships,” said Dr. Ciccolini.
The survey was conducted in collaboration with Talkatoo, Tufts University, and Galaxy Vets. The complete white paper outlining the results is available at bit.ly/relief-burnout.