Dr. Jeff Klemens founded Reliable Relief Services in Northwest Indiana in 2017, four years into burning out on overnight ER shifts at a 24-hour practice. His path to veterinary medicine started with an eighth-grade classroom visit and a magnet that ended up on a toolbox, and it eventually led him back to the very clinic on that magnet as a kennel assistant. Now he sets his own schedule doing full time relief work, which frees up plenty of time for board games, craft beer, and cheering on the Purdue Boilermakers. 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?
"When I was in eighth grade, a veterinarian from a local clinic came to talk to our class. She brought a lovebird and a cat and talked to us about being a veterinarian. She gave us all a magnet with the hospital logo on it, and I put mine on the inside of a simple toolbox I made in industrial arts class. That was when I decided professional chef wasn't it anymore, and my genetic predisposition for being a veterinarian was switched on. I say genetic predisposition because of my maternal grandfather, who very much wanted to be a veterinarian, so much so that he ran away from home as a teenager and joined the Brownie Bros. Circus and became a horse groom. He was deployed during World War II and never made it to being a veterinarian. In high school, like many of us, I got a job at a local clinic as a kennel assistant. That was where I cut my teeth in the profession, and I worked over 2,000 hours as an assistant before applying to vet school. It was also the same clinic with the logo on my magnet from eighth grade, so perhaps it was fate."
Dr. Jeff Klemens
What states are you licensed in, or working toward?
"Indiana and Illinois."
Dr. Jeff Klemens
What roles have you had within the veterinary profession, and outside of it?
"As a veterinarian, I have always been an associate until starting my relief practice. I've worked as a kennel and grooming assistant, as well as a room and surgery assistant, and I even spent a few days as a CSR while getting experience before vet school. Outside of veterinary medicine, I've spent a few short stints in the restaurant industry as a server and busser, including two months working the late shift as a sandwich artist at the Subway near Purdue West. Serving sandwiches to drunk college kids at midnight is not a good time. I was rescued by a data entry position at the beef cattle research farm at Purdue. It was great, and I could hit numbers on a keyboard really fast. One day the study coordinator gathered the six of us on the project and said thanks for the work, but we wouldn't be needed after that day. The company running the study had changed leadership and the study was scrapped. That was the first and only time I've ever been laid off, a dose of perspective at an early age. The good news is that shortly after, I landed my final non-veterinary job and spent three years in the catering department at the Purdue Memorial Union. Free meals, a short walk to work, and a paycheck. What more could a college kid ask for? Plus, now I can set a mean table at the holidays."
Dr. Jeff Klemens
What made you switch to relief practice?
"I was ready for a change. I had already dipped my toe into the thought of ownership and realized that water wasn't where I wanted to be swimming. I had been doing full-time ER work, mostly nights, at a 24 hour non-specialty practice. After four years I was feeling the burnout that a lot of ER vets feel. I just wanted to vaccinate a puppy, maybe meet a client who wanted to be at the clinic that day. The mortality rate and the grind were getting to me. However, I loved the personal freedom my 14 to 16 shifts a month were giving me. I had been doing some relief work on the side and was enjoying the change of pace. I felt I could make a run at full time relief work in any metropolitan area, given what I was finding in my part of Northwest Indiana. It seemed the perfect marriage of what I wanted, I could have my cake and eat it too. So I made a six month battle plan and started working on a name in June of 2017. Six months later, Reliable Relief Services LLC was born."
Dr. Jeff Klemens
What are your favorite things about being a relief vet?
"Number one, and still champion, is control of the schedule. I have hobbies and goals outside of my profession, and they're getting a lot more attention these days. I've been asked, as I'm sure many of you have, if I would consider a full time position at a hospital. My canned response is, 'Absolutely, but my asking price is a quarter million a year. You shouldn't pay me that much, it's not a reasonable salary, but it's your money.' That's what having control of the schedule means to me. Beyond that, I enjoy the variety. I'm a pretty extroverted person, so I enjoy working with different people. I enjoy the challenge of not always having my go-to therapeutics available. I think I'm becoming a better clinician having to utilize the variety of clinics I work in. Having complete control of your work schedule, you should try this."
Dr. Jeff Klemens
What are your least favorite things about being a relief vet?
"Honestly, it's paper records, particularly paper records without PE stickers. I think a lot of people would say lack of case follow up, but I got used to that working in ER. I do get to follow up at some clinics when I'm there for several weeks or covering maternity leave. I type so much faster than I write, but I've learned to print quickly and come prepared with my own PE stickers now."
Dr. Jeff Klemens
How do you feel that relief practice supports the veterinary profession as a whole?
"I look at my role as part of a local support system. My hope is that as more clinicians choose relief work, this support system grows for our colleagues. As relief vets, we are there when you need a mental health break or are feeling burned out. We are there when you want more time with your family, or more time for hobbies, or you just want to go on a vacation. I think collectively the relief community can really improve the quality of life for our profession as a whole."
Dr. Jeff Klemens
What supplies or equipment do you bring with you on the job?
"I carry a shoulder bag with my stethoscope, nametag, a change of scrubs, a tablet that contains a small digital library in case the library in the clinic is sparse, a pair of tiny nail trimmers for cats, a pair of 8.5 sterile gloves, a signature stamp, a set of well-sharpened Mayo scissors, a set of calipers for VHS measurement, and an assortment of over the counter cold and pain meds. There's also an average amount of random paperwork, a rotating assortment of energy and granola bars, my water bottle, and a tiny first aid kit."
Dr. Jeff Klemens
What do you look for in a practice when deciding to cover shifts for them?
"I'm an adventurous person by nature, so I'll try just about anything once. I do a practice visit before my first shift at any clinic. If the request is just for a day or two, I'll likely agree to the work without an onsite visit, because I've already done my due diligence online. If the request is for a prolonged period of time, I try to visit the practice first and make sure my instincts don't get uneasy before committing."
Dr. Jeff Klemens
Have you picked up any unique practice tips while being a relief vet?
"I've seen some creative forms of scheduling, and clinics that use a call center, which is a great idea if you can do it. There are CSRs who only answer the phone, in an area away from clients, while in-room staff or front desk CSRs handle payment. It really helps get clients in and out more smoothly. I've also seen clinics set up an in-hospital pharmacy with a dedicated tech for refills and prescription diet pickup. I was at a clinic that used its social media for a pet photo contest, and turned the winners into photo canvas art for their lobby. It's not very expensive, and they rotate it every two to three months. The client gets to keep the photo canvas if they want when it comes down. It's a great way to bond your clientele with your clinic."
Dr. Jeff Klemens
What is your most memorable relief job?
"I think it's more about the cases than the shifts themselves. I've met a cat with six limbs, a double pelvis and four rear limbs, I have photos and radiographs, seen a dog with a gum wrapper nasal foreign body, and a double rear limb amputee with a custom Harley Davidson wheelchair, just to name a few. I've had some great pitch-ins with some of the clinics too. I'm always down for a hospital potluck. I make a mean black bean salad dip for tortilla chips."
Dr. Jeff Klemens
What advice would you give new relief vets, or someone thinking about becoming one?
"The most important thing is, don't do this if you can't say no. If you don't protect your personal time, no one is going to do it for you. I've found myself looking at the schedule and thinking, who did this, why am I working 13 out of 14 days? Well, it was five months away and I wasn't paying attention. You have to be a forward thinker and a good planner to maximize the benefits of controlling the schedule. You also need to not mind commuting. If you don't like driving regularly, you might reconsider. How do you feel about meeting new people, all the time? This is probably not the job for the ultra introvert. Lastly, you have to be the Swiss. Neutral. You will hear the drama, you might see the drama, don't be the drama. Be on time, be friendly, leave clear and concise medical records, and keep your opinions to yourself."
Dr. Jeff Klemens
What are your hobbies and passions outside of work?
"I love to travel. I love craft beer. I love all things gaming, especially board games, and I really love doing all those things at the same time. I'm a die hard Miami Dolphins fan and still follow my Boilermakers. I'd rather spend my money on experiences, not things. I love to cook, and have aspirations for some culinary instruction or a night class. Official work holidays include the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, GenCon, and the owner's birthday. I love all things sci-fi, I'm Marvel, not DC, and Star Wars, not Star Trek. I'm a conservationist, and I love a good hike. In a private moment, I may enjoy late 90's pop music, but my Spotify library is all over the place. I'm a pocket gardener, and I'm remarkably crafty for someone with a Y chromosome, I get that from my dad. I can make you a Christmas caroling Snoopy out of a pinecone, some cotton balls, and some felt. You should see my scrapbooking, seriously."
Dr. Jeff Klemens