25 Nov 2024
Image © iStock.com/gorodenkoff
Like most industries in this day and age, corporate businesses are becoming increasingly more prevalent in the veterinary world. Gone are the days where all vets were independent practices, run by someone who grew up in the same town or city.
These days, it is more likely you’ll find a veterinary practice inside a large pet supermarket or, if there is another locally, it may be a part of a corporate group.
Of course, plenty of independent vets are still out there, so are there benefits to seeking a role in one type or practice over the other?
Corporate practices tend, by nature, to be more homogenous than independents. The reasons why are fairly evident in that they are striving for an identical staff and client experience, regardless of location.
These types of businesses pride themselves on their ability to provide a very similar service for all who walk through their doors and have created a formula by which this can be recreated time after time.
Although this sounds like a winning plan, it could potentially mean several things for someone working in a corporate practice:
With all of this being said, it is important to remember that each practice, regardless of the ownership structure, is an individual place to work with its own dynamic.
The factors listed here are to act as a guide for those seeking the difference between working in a corporate or independent practice, and this list is, by no means, exhaustive.
Nothing is a replacement for seeking to understand the working dynamic of a practice, being aware of the benefits that you will receive as an employee and understanding how the business is structured.
At the end of the day, there will be pros and cons to whichever path you choose. The most you could hope is to fully appreciate these before you sign on the dotted line.