Dr. Kate Swindell didn't set out to become a veterinarian. She graduated with a degree in philosophy and art history, then spent three years as a research lab technician performing small rodent surgeries before realizing how much she loved being in a medical environment. After a decade at one Chicago practice, she built a mobile, multi state relief practice centered in Western Colorado, where she and her partner Mike chase mountain trails between shifts. 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?
"Ultimately, I was inspired by a job I took right after undergrad as a lab tech in a medical research lab. But that is the short version of a longer story. I loved animals growing up, but I did not really consider becoming a veterinarian until after I graduated from college with a B.A. I had a strong interest in undergrad in evolutionary biology and animal behavior and was considering graduate school in neuroscience or evolutionary biology. That interest connected me to a job right out of undergrad at the university's medical school as a laboratory technician in a neuroscience lab, where I worked directly with research rodents, performing small surgeries and socializing them prior to studies. My favorite days were surgery days, and I quickly realized I really enjoyed being in a medical environment. I had considered veterinary medicine for about five minutes in undergrad, but I shied away from the science and math prerequisites, since they were not my strength the way humanities studies were. I always thought, in college, why complete boring classes in chemistry and physics when I could be learning about philosophy and art history, my minor? I loved to learn, and I was not very concerned with grades in college. When I had to go back to school to work on my post baccalaureate premedical courses, I learned that if I committed to the goal and worked hard, I could do well enough in these boring classes."
Dr. Kate Swindell
What states are you licensed in, or working to obtain licensure within?
"Illinois and Colorado, and I am interested in Washington."
Dr. Kate Swindell
What roles have you had within the veterinary profession, and outside of it?
"When I was younger, I was a sleep away camp counselor and worked in retail. I was also a full time laboratory technician in medical research before vet school, for three of my four years between undergrad and vet school. I did this at two different labs in two different cities, but both were human neurologic disease labs. I was a veterinary assistant at a general practice prior to vet school, and at an ER and specialty clinic one summer during vet school. I also volunteered at a zoo hospital, so much fun for me, which was mostly cleaning and feeding, but I observed a lot. After vet school, I worked in a general practice, high quality and low volume, at a hospital that provided close training and mentorship. I worked there for 10.5 years. Since becoming an independent contractor, I have worked in shelter medicine, general practice, and emergency at a specialty hospital. I have always had an interest in public health or lab animal medicine, and explored those options during vet school. I have not ruled out moving to a completely different, less clinical or less client focused veterinary related job in the future."
Dr. Kate Swindell
What made you switch to relief practice?
"For me, it was situational and professional. My partner, Mike, and I aimed to spend more and more time in the mountains. After many years of living in Chicago, we made a goal to eventually become only part time residents of the city. Eventually, after a few years of traveling and visiting lots of locales, we settled on Western Colorado, for now at least. I am considering additional state licenses. Because we wanted a more mobile lifestyle, I needed my work to be versatile. His work allowed him to work from home, so I was the one who had to make a change for our dream to be realized. Additionally, after 10.5 years at the same practice, I craved a massive professional change. I wanted to develop and nurture my own individual practice style and philosophy, and that was not possible in the environment I was in."
Dr. Kate Swindell
What are your favorite things about being a relief vet?
"So many things. Variety. And being able to make my own schedule, as well as the constant learning involved with using different pharmaceuticals, protocols, and ways of running a clinical day. I enjoy being a chameleon and trying my best to blend into whatever environment I am in."
Dr. Kate Swindell
What are your least favorite things about being a relief vet?
"I do not consider business management and accounting to be my strong suit, and while it is wonderful to have my own business, these are my least favorite things about the profession. Thankfully, I can hire people to help me with business management."
Dr. Kate Swindell
How do you feel that relief practice supports the veterinary profession as a whole?
"Improving quality of life and aiding business growth. If a practice can use relief vets well, they should be able to increase the quality of life of their staff DVMs by allowing them to feel comfortable taking time off without causing the practice to suffer. That can make work-life balance more attainable. I also think we are an important part of growing a practice, since we can help small businesses thrive during transitional periods while they grow from one DVM to multiple DVMs."
Dr. Kate Swindell
What supplies or equipment do you bring with you on the job?
"A bag with a few essential books, a name tag, my tools (stethoscope, indirect ocular lens, pen light, pens), a few notepads, and a lab coat. Also a few essential veterinary smartphone apps, like the Plumb's formulary app."
Dr. Kate Swindell
What do you look for in a practice when deciding to cover shifts for them?
"First, I look to see if they are AAHA accredited. If they are, I know I will feel at home and will not find many surprises in terms of medical care, drugs available, and anesthesia. Otherwise, I look for well managed clinics that have used relief vets in the past and feel they can trust them, and clinics whose staff is leveraged and contributing well to the overall efficiency of a practice. Most of these qualities are evident from a conversation and a visit to the clinic. I also send a detailed questionnaire to a new clinic, which is very helpful for me. Fingers crossed my luck continues, but I have yet to work somewhere I would consider a disaster."
Dr. Kate Swindell
What is your most memorable relief job?
"The first clinic where I worked as relief, because of what it meant to me. It was in a dramatically different setting, with a different client and patient population than I was used to, and the staff was wonderful. It was a great experience, and it was so important for me to be excited about my new career choice."
Dr. Kate Swindell
What advice would you give new relief vets, or someone thinking about becoming one?
"For someone thinking about doing relief, I think it is really important to have enough experience behind you to be confident in your skills, to work independently and make clinical decisions as the only doctor, and to understand the value of a detailed medical record. When you add flexibility, an open mind, and positivity to that clinical confidence and experience, you will do great. And if there is any question, it is easy to do some networking and pick up a few shifts on your days off to test your skills before you fully commit."
Dr. Kate Swindell
How has the global pandemic affected your relief practice?
"Not dramatically, from a business standpoint, since I think some increase in demand recently has canceled out some lost work in the spring. Regarding safety, I try to avoid new environments with large staff numbers and make sure the clinics where I work are all following CDC recommendations. My work last spring at a feline shelter was affected the most by loss of work, but it was amazing to see how much the cats thrived living in foster homes instead of the shelter, and it was wonderful that they were adopted in record numbers during the pandemic. We had a lot less medical work to do, since there was a lot less stress related and infectious illness."
Dr. Kate Swindell
What are your hobbies and passions outside of work?
"I am a mountain outdoor sports lover. When I am in Colorado, I hike, road bike, downhill ski, snowshoe, nordic ski, and spend as much time outdoors as I can, no matter the season. I take my athletic dog with me on many of these adventures. I am also a birder and really enjoy birding during spring migration in the Midwest. When I am in the city, I enjoy trying so many tasty restaurants and staying in shape with indoor fitness classes."
Dr. Kate Swindell