Why Emergency Veterinarians Stay—And How You Can, Too
October 7, 2025By Dr. Matt Booth, DVM, DABVP
Emergency Veterinarian | Researcher | Advocate for Sustainable ER Careers
Emergency medicine doesn’t have to burn bright and burn out. It can be sustainable, rewarding, and built for the long run.
In emergency medicine, we don’t ask for easy. We ask for meaningful—and sustainable. Yet too often, veterinarians leave ER medicine not because they don’t love it, but because the environment isn’t built for long–term success.
That drove me to ask a simple question:
What actually keeps ER veterinarians in this field?
Through nationwide research and years of field data, a model emerged—The Five Buckets of ER Vet Retention. These five areas explain more than 60% of why emergency doctors stay. At Ethos Veterinary Health, they guide how we build and support our teams every day.
The Five Buckets
1. Professional Growth
ER doctors want to advance—not stall. At Ethos, we provide personalized career pathways, CE support, long–term mentorship, and leadership opportunities. Whether you’re deepening clinical expertise or stepping into hospital leadership, we help you move forward.
2. Scheduling
Burnout often starts with the schedule. Using real data, we’ve redesigned shifts to reduce overnight fatigue, added flexibility, and encouraged local clinician input. Sustainability starts with how we use time—and yours matters.
3. Leadership
Veterinarians don’t expect perfect leaders. They expect support. That’s why our leaders prioritize listening, regular check–ins, coaching, and off–hour visibility. You don’t have to face ER challenges alone.
4. Culture
Culture makes or breaks ER medicine. Our hospitals emphasize psychological safety, early intervention when morale dips, and real peer appreciation. Teams that care about each other can carry the hardest cases together.
5. Medical Support
Great medicine needs great support. From appropriate staff ratios and modern tools to trained technicians and real–time specialist backup, we make sure ER doctors aren’t left carrying it all.
Building Careers That Last
If you’ve ever thought, “I love ER medicine—I just wish it were more sustainable,” you’re not alone. I’ve been there. That’s why I stayed. And that’s why we built this framework.
At Ethos, the Five Buckets aren’t just research. They’re how we schedule, train, lead, and support one another—so emergency medicine can be a career that lasts.
Curious about what this could mean for your future?
Explore open ER opportunities at Ethos Veterinary Health or meet our Talent Team.
Stay in the loop with The Ethos Insider—your go-to source for the latest news, breakthroughs, and insights from the world of Ethos. ✉️ Subscribe to Our Newsletter!