Dr. Rebecca Goldston traces her path into veterinary medicine back to a childhood loss, her family's first puppy died of distemper after a breeder lied about his vaccination status, and she has spent her career trying to spare other families that same grief. In North Carolina she splits her focus between behavior, dentistry, and soft tissue surgery, and she paints wildlife and pet portraits in her off hours. She has also learned the hard way that honesty is the best policy in relief practice, once fielding an angry call about her own supposed incompetence without the client realizing she was the doctor in question. This profile first ran on Relief Rover, the relief-vet community platform that joined Hound in 2023.

In Her Own Words

Name your niche: large animal, small animal, pocket pets, and/or exotics? ER, GP, and/or shelter?

"Small animal GP, behavior, dentistry, and soft tissue surgery."
Rebecca Goldston

Everyone has a story, what's yours? What inspired you to become a veterinarian?

"Tragedy as a child. Sad, I know, but experiencing my family's first puppy dying was a career catalyst. The puppy died of distemper when the breeder was dishonest about his vaccination status. This created a spark in me, making me want to help animals and ensure that no child had to experience that same pain. I have also always been fascinated by anything science or animal behavior related."
Rebecca Goldston

You've made the switch to relief practice. Why?

"There are two main reasons I switched. I grew tired of the office politics that came along with working as an associate, and it was frustrating not having the time off I needed."
Rebecca Goldston

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

"I think relief fills a huge role in allowing practices to continue to function when they become short staffed, whether from doctors being on maternity or paternity leave, vacation, or even quitting. Relief allows us to share our experiences with other hospitals."
Rebecca Goldston

Outside of the veterinary realm, what types of positions or professions have you been involved in?

"I have worked on a great many farms. I also currently have an art business working with acrylic and digital paintings."
Rebecca Goldston

What roles have you had within the veterinary profession?

"I have been a kennel worker, farm hand, vet assistant, vet tech, and vet associate."
Rebecca Goldston

Keeping it PG, what is your most memorable relief job?

"I definitely have one of those. The gist is that an owner misunderstood the medications her pet was prescribed. The next day, she called to discuss the case with a doctor. I often go by my first or last name when I introduce myself to clients, so when I answered the phone, I guess I used a name I had not given her. She began ranting about the incompetency of the previous doctor, me, to me. I had to pretend to be a different doctor while explaining the medications. She, in turn, appreciated the talk and felt better, stating that the first doctor was surely too young to be a real vet. Nothing like getting yelled at about yourself while trying to pretend you're not you."
Rebecca Goldston

What are your favorite things about being a relief vet?

"I love being able to create my own schedule. I get to choose where to work, how long of a shift to work, and what days of the week I work. It's amazing. I am no longer dependent upon income from a single hospital, and I'm not tied to a salary. And when I'm done, I'm done, no working from home."
Rebecca Goldston

Have you picked up any unique practice tips while being a relief vet? These could be related to medicine, workflow, practice organization, or anything really.

"The best advice is to be honest with a big smile. Staff and clients are very understanding if you don't have all the answers. Forgot where something was? Ask, they truly don't mind. A client asks for a price? Tell them you need to check because you're there to provide relief. Clients and staff are genuinely just so happy you're there providing support."
Rebecca Goldston

How about your least favorite things about being a relief vet?

"Oddly enough, deciding when I want to work becomes a hassle. Creating a schedule while juggling all the emails I need to respond to is sometimes daunting. I am also not the greatest at remembering to make invoices, my nemesis."
Rebecca Goldston

What advice would you give new relief vets, or someone who is thinking about being a relief vet?

"I would take one of two approaches, either talk with someone who does relief or just go for it and give it a try. The worst thing that could happen is that a clinic you contact says no. And I honestly haven't had people say no, they just might not need you at that time. In that case, you made a contact because they keep you in mind for the future. Also, be sure you have a few hospitals in your area to ensure that you have work."
Rebecca Goldston

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

"I approach a practice with the same level of expectations I would if I were interviewing as an associate. I make sure to ask what diagnostics, tools, and medications are available. I ask how they run the practice. I am observant and aware of how easy it is to learn, how the staff is treated, and how quick the manager is to respond. I want to make sure that I can practice medicine comfortably so that I can focus on the pet. I don't want to worry about commission, management, or lowering my standard of care to fit a practice."
Rebecca Goldston

Pathologically prepared or minimalist, what supplies or equipment do you bring with you on the job?

"Pretty minimalist. I bring my stethoscope, copies of my licenses, insurance, and contracts, a binder of handy notes, tips, and articles from when I was an associate, handouts for Spanish speaking clients, pens, and not much else. I also always make sure to get at least one phone number from a consistent employee at the hospital I will be working at. It has really helped to have that communication line in case the person who hired me isn't working that day."
Rebecca Goldston

What states are you licensed in, and or states you are working to obtain licensure within?

"North Carolina."
Rebecca Goldston

Aside from English, what language or languages do you speak?

"Spanish."
Rebecca Goldston

What are your hobbies or passions outside of work?

"I love to work on my art. I am doing a lot of pet portrait commissions at the moment, but I also love painting wildlife and scenery. Spending time outside, training my dog, reading, playing video games, and solving puzzles are other fun things I do."
Rebecca Goldston

Anything else you'd like to share?

"We can sometimes be oblivious to how much of our job we take home, and how much of our personal lives we bring to our jobs. If you have the ability to do so, I recommend a good therapist. They are amazing and can be a huge asset for anyone in our field."
Rebecca Goldston