Between shifts, this Texas veterinarian teaches colleagues about a completely different path to financial freedom.
Dr. Brij Gupta built a career as a lead veterinarian, then branched into consulting for food product, supplement, and pharmaceutical companies within the industry. Burnout in corporate practice, combined with a hunger to understand the business side of veterinary medicine, pushed him toward relief work in Texas. Outside the clinic he teaches other veterinarians about building passive income through real estate investing, aiming to help colleagues reach financial independence. This profile first ran on Relief Rover, the relief-vet community platform that joined Hound in 2023.
In His Own Words
What inspired you to become a veterinarian?
"I've loved science since my childhood, and as I grew up, my attraction to science grew further and turned into a love of medicine. The love of science and medicine, and my destiny, connected me with veterinary medicine."
Dr. Brij Gupta
What roles have you had within the veterinary profession, and outside of it?
"I've always worked as lead veterinarian, and I've enjoyed it. I'd like to take a leadership role, such as regional medical director, within the industry. Outside of the industry, I provide consultation to several clients across veterinary industries such as food products, pet supplements, and pharmaceutical companies."
Dr. Brij Gupta
What made you switch to relief practice?
"I was totally burned out with corporate practice and needed a change. I also wanted to explore independent businesses, to learn more about the business side of the veterinary industry. I also desperately needed the freedom and flexibility in my life that comes with being a relief vet."
Dr. Brij Gupta
What is your most memorable relief job?
"I'm currently working in a clinic with a terrific and skilled staff who work in a collaborative fashion with an excellent practice manager. I'm given all the tools to practice great medicine while being relatively close to home, with an ideal schedule."
Dr. Brij Gupta
How do you feel relief practice supports the veterinary profession as a whole?
"I believe that relief practice is a mainstream part of our veterinary profession, and it helps solve some of the problems ingrained in our profession. With prevalent burnout in our community and a lack of work life balance, relief practice becomes even more valuable."
Dr. Brij Gupta
What are your favorite things about being a relief vet?
"Relief work gives me the opportunity to see and explore several different hospitals, and to learn different ways of doing things while still thriving as a business. I get to experience and learn from different work cultures."
Dr. Brij Gupta
What are your least favorite things about being a relief vet?
"Unpredictability. It's as much a positive as it is a negative. You never know what lies inside a new clinic until you get there. Some clinics refuse to sign contracts and can replace you with an associate without giving much notice."
Dr. Brij Gupta
What do you look for in a practice when deciding to cover shifts for them?
"Reliability, work environment, doctor to staff ratio, availability of diagnostics, and, of course, travel distance from my home."
Dr. Brij Gupta
What supplies or equipment do you bring with you on the job?
"I prepare myself with the instruments we routinely use in day to day practice, such as a stethoscope, ophthalmoscope, otoscope, thermometer,
Plumb's book for dosing, and my cell phone."
Dr. Brij Gupta
Have you picked up any unique practice tips along the way?
"For sure. Working in corporate practice, I never imagined performing routine surgeries, such as spay, neuter, dental, or mass removal, without running pre op blood work, due to potential liability issues. Independent clinics, however, have taught me to be more confident in making that judgment call for the cases I see."
Dr. Brij Gupta
What advice would you give new relief vets?
"Practicing as a relief veterinarian is rewarding most of the time, though it does come with its own challenges. My suggestion would be to not totally rely on an external relief company to provide your relief shifts, since they take a big commission on your paycheck. It's worth contacting veterinary clinics in and around your area so you can get shifts directly. This helps you keep more of your earnings while also staying flexible."
Dr. Brij Gupta
How has the pandemic affected your relief practice?
"The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly affected my relief practice. During April through June 2020, I had several sudden cancellations of scheduled shifts and couldn't find additional shifts to make up for them. That created a loss of income during an already difficult time."
Dr. Brij Gupta
What states are you licensed in?
Aside from English, what languages do you speak?
What are your hobbies and passions outside of work?
"I don't have much free time, but when I do, I like to read books on leadership and business mindset. I love to play tennis and walk outside with my wife and kids. Beyond that, I'm passionate about passive income through real estate investing, particularly multifamily investing. I teach members of our veterinary community about generating passive income through investment in multifamily assets, to help them work toward retirement and financial freedom."
Dr. Brij Gupta
Anything else you'd like to share?
"Consider transitioning from a W2 employee to a 1099 contractor and becoming a business owner of your own. It can help you become more independent and self sufficient in the long run, and it comes with more flexibility and tax advantages compared to W2 work. Invest in real estate and put your money to work for you, rather than working for money. I've seen my net worth grow significantly by investing in multifamily assets, and I'm happy to share my experience with anyone who reaches out."
Dr. Brij Gupta