Dr. Brianna Harris spent five years in mixed practice and three more as a small animal general practice associate in Colorado before switching to relief work. She'd started vet school aiming to become an equine surgeon, and briefly considered driving for UPS after that internship didn't work out, before the emotional weight of long-term client relationships as an associate pushed her toward relief practice instead. This profile first ran on Relief Rover, the relief-vet community platform that joined Hound in 2023.
In Her Own Words
What inspired you to become a veterinarian?
"I'm one of the 'I've wanted to be a vet as long as I can remember' types. The science, the medicine, and the idea of working with animals were the primary driving forces when I was a young kid planning my future. After managing my first cat bite abscess with the help and direction of our family small animal vet, the idea that I could fix my own animals when they were injured appealed to me."
Dr. Brianna Harris
What roles have you had within the veterinary profession, and outside of it?
"In terms of jobs, I have been a babysitter, a pet sitter, a cashier at PetSmart and a kennel attendant at a veterinary clinic boarding facility. During undergrad, I worked in a small animal research lab at the vet school and volunteered both in an equine research lab and as an ICU foal care member. While in vet school, I worked for an equine research lab where my initial goal was to be an equine surgeon. I thankfully did not match the year after my equine internship, and I initially redirected my goal to working for UPS, since the drivers always seemed so content. That was a short-lived dream. I took my first job as a veterinarian doing mixed practice for five years, then moved to a small animal GP practice for three years. Outside of veterinary medicine, I volunteer as a veterinary consult contact for a breed rescue group."
Dr. Brianna Harris
What made you switch to relief practice?
"While I liked my associate job, the thought of driving to the same location for 30 plus years was daunting. I was exhausted from the pressure of working with clients who held certain expectations of you because you have known them so long. They look at you as 'their vet,' not only in the clinic setting, but also when you see them outside of the hospital. I realized I wanted to be a great practitioner for both the clients and the animals, but I also needed to distance myself from the draining emotional needs that follow you day to day as an associate. Burnout of the veterinarians around me was apparent and prevalent, and I decided I should direct that care to my fellow colleagues."
Dr. Brianna Harris
What are your favorite things about being a relief vet?
"I get to help clinics maintain a healthier work-life balance for their associate veterinarians, letting my colleagues take a break without feeling guilty about it, while doing the same for myself. Relief work gives me time and choice. I have control of how, when, and where I practice. If I don't like it, I have the choice to work elsewhere. If I schedule myself a long week with a clinic that chooses to overbook, that's on me. Relief work gives me more control of my earning potential and lets me pay down my student debt. Working with a wider variety of veterinarians, staff, and clients, I continue to grow and learn."
Dr. Brianna Harris
What are your least favorite things about being a relief vet?
"Initially, the anxiety of finding enough work, combined with a non-compete that required me to drive a lot further from home, caused stress. I'm 1.5 years out from becoming a relief vet and have yet to be short on work. Getting sick or injured does have a more direct impact on my take-home pay. That said, I never took time off as an associate when sick or injured, and I'm much healthier as a relief vet, so it balances out. Occasionally I miss not being able to follow up on cases, but that practice has taught me how to let go, stick to my boundaries, and leave work at work."
Dr. Brianna Harris
How does relief practice support the veterinary profession as a whole?
"Relief practice gives clinics the ability to better support their regular staff by allowing needed breaks without the guilt. Without relief help, clinics are short staffed when associates take time off, and the associates left behind end up with an increased workload. When the associate on break returns, they now have more work to do on top of carrying guilt for leaving in the first place. My old boss called it 'vacation tax.' A relief veterinarian can't do everything, but using one is also a tool that helps clients slowly adapt to the idea of seeing a different veterinarian from time to time."
Dr. Brianna Harris
What supplies or equipment do you bring with you on the job?
"I bring a smile in addition to my stethoscope, my smart phone, used mostly for VIN searches, a calculator, and personal notes on my own anesthetic and sedation preferences, my packed lunch, and my coffee. I also keep a binder with copies of my state license and DEA certificate. Extra scrubs are a must, and since I'm always cold, I typically wear a professional indoor jacket or have one available."
Dr. Brianna Harris
What do you look for in a practice before covering shifts there?
"I look for thorough and timely communication, honesty in relief vet expectations, willingness and helpfulness of technical staff, standard of care, appropriate appointment booking and patient load expectations, a respect of work-life balance, and timely payment. I usually plan an initial visit to meet staff and the owners or management, then try to schedule a paid half or full day so we can make sure it's a good fit before further scheduling."
Dr. Brianna Harris
Have you picked up any unique practice tips along the way?
"My SOAP format has improved a ton, and my organization is much better now. I've learned tips and tricks and new ways of using varied software systems, which I pass along to other clinics. My blood drawing technique has improved, since I work at several clinics that are short on technical staff. Since I'm not always available after a shift to follow up on patients, I've become more consistent and effective at providing thorough client handouts."
Dr. Brianna Harris
What's your most memorable relief job?
"The first clinic that motivated me to start doing relief needed maternity leave coverage, so I knew I'd have a couple days a week covered for at least three months. The clinic practices great medicine with a solid client base, and they were incredibly supportive of me and my new endeavor. I still do shifts there, and I'll always be grateful for their willingness to have a newbie relief vet work for them."
Dr. Brianna Harris
What advice would you give new relief vets?
"If you are confident in your skills as a veterinarian yet want to try a new role in the profession, go for it. If you end up not liking relief work, you can always go back to whatever you were doing before. Charge what your education and time are worth to you, since the clinic is your client. Be flexible, but do not fall over. Be honest with the clinic and yourself about expectations, and highlight the value you bring to their practice. You are happily walking into a clinic with virtually no knowledge of your surroundings and expected to practice the best medicine, communication, and people handling you possibly can while still maintaining revenue for your practice client. This is a skill. Not everyone has it. Value that skill."
Dr. Brianna Harris
What are your hobbies and passions outside of work?
"Aside from running, I enjoy gardening, painting, hiking, enjoying nature, and time spent with family and friends. It's been a while since I've ridden, but I may get back into the horse world after I've paid down my student debt a bit more. I'm also planning to learn the fiddle someday."
Dr. Brianna Harris
Anything else you'd like to share?
"The opportunity to practice veterinary medicine as a relief vet has revitalized my love of the profession. I'm making vet med work for me, not the other way around. To all of my fellow colleagues out there who feel trapped in their current existence of veterinary medicine, I encourage you to make a change, whatever that may be. To all the clinics out there considering hiring a relief vet to cover shift gaps, ask your current associates their thoughts on it, as I suspect they'd be glad to have the help."
Dr. Brianna Harris