Dr. Deborah Hirschmann came to veterinary medicine with an MS in genetics and years of biomedical research behind her, then built a career spanning ER, medical oncology, and general practice. Being let go from an associate position, which felt devastating at the time, pushed her into relief work, and she now credits it as the best thing that happened to her career. Licensed in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Virginia, she has performed one surgery memorable enough to top them all, removing a basketball sized mass from a Labrador's chest. 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?

"Like many vets, I've known what I wanted to do since I was a little kid. My parents weren't pet people, so I spent a lot of time volunteering at the National Zoo and hanging out with my friends' pets."
Dr. Deborah Hirschmann

What roles have you had within the veterinary profession, and outside of it?

"I've done a rotating small animal internship, worked in 24 hour ER practice, done a medical oncology internship, and been a full time associate veterinarian in an extended hours and urgent care GP. Outside of vet med, I've done a lot of biomedical research and have an MS in genetics."
Dr. Deborah Hirschmann

What made you switch to relief practice?

"I got fired. At the time, it was devastating, but being let go turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to my professional life."
Dr. Deborah Hirschmann

What is your most memorable relief job?

"The morning I came in to do surgery and found out I was supposed to remove a basketball sized mass from a lab's chest. I wasn't sure how that incision was going to come together, but it did. That's still the biggest mass removal surgery I've ever done."
Dr. Deborah Hirschmann

How do you feel relief practice supports the veterinary profession as a whole?

"We fill in the gaps, whether that's covering for a maternity leave, a vacation, or for a practice that's down a doctor. We can also provide services, like surgery and dentistry, that the practice may need extra help with."
Dr. Deborah Hirschmann

What are your favorite things about being a relief vet?

"I absolutely love the flexibility of setting my own schedule, although I have a bad habit of overscheduling myself and then regretting it. I get to focus on the patients and the medicine, not the hospital politics or drama. I get to spend a larger proportion of my schedule doing soft tissue surgery and dentistry, which I love. Also, by charging hourly, I'm compensated appropriately for my time without stressing about making production."
Dr. Deborah Hirschmann

What are your least favorite things about being a relief vet?

"The lack of employer health insurance is a real bummer. I miss the relationships I had with long term patients and clients, especially my chemo patients. Also, as an introvert who absolutely detests talking on the phone, that first phone call with a potential new clinic is really hard for me. Maybe in a few years I'll have a large enough pool of established practices to keep my schedule full through text and email bookings."
Dr. Deborah Hirschmann

What do you look for in a practice when deciding to cover shifts for them?

"Right now, I'm only booking with places that are practicing proper social distancing and allowing adequate time for curbside appointments. I usually only book one or two shifts with a new practice, to see if we're a good fit before committing to a longer relationship."
Dr. Deborah Hirschmann

What supplies or equipment do you bring with you on the job?

"My stethoscope, Pilot Precise V5 RT pens, and a cell phone with both my calculator and the Plumb's drug app. I also have a bag in my car containing Plunkett, JorVet microscope slides, Yunnan Baiyao, a full set of dog muzzles, and my personal dental kit."
Dr. Deborah Hirschmann

Have you picked up any unique practice tips along the way?

"It's really nice to have cross trained staff members working at your front desk who are familiar with the medicine. Also, I've seen some practices get so bogged down in paperwork trying to capture every charge that their staff members don't have time to do anything else."
Dr. Deborah Hirschmann

What advice would you give new relief vets?

"Make sure you have a solid foundation and are confident in your skills. It's also helpful to learn that there's no one right way to do something, and many paths to get to the same endpoint."
Dr. Deborah Hirschmann

How has the pandemic affected your relief practice?

"Except for a few cancellations at the very beginning of the pandemic, my practice really hasn't been affected. I've been busier than ever."
Dr. Deborah Hirschmann

What states are you licensed in?

"Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Virginia. I may want to expand that in a few years."
Dr. Deborah Hirschmann

Aside from English, what languages do you speak?

"I took twelve and a half years of French in school. I'd like to think I can still sort of speak it."
Dr. Deborah Hirschmann

What are your hobbies and passions outside of work?

"I'm a big supporter of art and artists, and I visit craft fairs whenever I can. I wear my craft jewelry to relief jobs along with my scrubs, how else would I get to enjoy it? Travel is a big passion that's obviously on hold right now. My last trip was to Iceland in March 2020, right before the pandemic closed everything down. Otherwise, I spend my time reading, knitting, cooking, watching cross country skiing and biathlon, and waiting for kayak season."
Dr. Deborah Hirschmann