Veterinary Staff Burnout: What the 2024 Merck-AVMA Wellbeing Study Reveals

The State of Veterinary Wellbeing in 2024

Burnout in veterinary medicine is no longer an emerging concern — it is a defining challenge. The 2024 Merck Animal Health Veterinarian Wellbeing Study, conducted in partnership with the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), surveyed over 10,000 veterinary professionals and found that approximately 50% of veterinarians report experiencing burnout (Merck Animal Health & AVMA, 2024).

This figure has remained stubbornly high over three consecutive study cycles, signaling that awareness alone is not enough — structural changes in how practices operate are essential.

What Drives Veterinary Burnout?

The Merck-AVMA study identifies several compounding factors:

1. Documentation Overload

Veterinarians spend an estimated 30–40% of their working hours on medical record documentation rather than direct patient care (JAVMA, Vol. 264, 2024). Incomplete records, after-hours charting, and redundant data entry are consistently cited as top stressors.

2. Staffing Shortages

The AVMA reports that veterinary support staff turnover exceeds 30% annually in many markets (AVMA Veterinary Workforce Study, 2024). When technicians and receptionists leave, the documentation and administrative burden shifts to veterinarians.

3. Compassion Fatigue

Repeated exposure to euthanasia decisions, financial limitations of pet owners, and emotionally charged client interactions contribute to compassion fatigue — distinct from burnout but often co-occurring.

4. Lack of Work-Life Boundaries

On-call schedules, emergency walk-ins, and the expectation of constant availability erode personal time, particularly in single-doctor and rural practices.

How Practice Management Technology Reduces Burnout

While technology is not a substitute for organizational culture change, the right tools can directly address the administrative burden that fuels burnout:

AI-Powered Clinical Documentation

AI SOAP scribes can reduce documentation time by 50–70% by generating structured medical notes from voice or shorthand input (AAHA Digital Health Task Force, 2024). This returns hours per week to direct patient care.

Smart Triage and Scheduling

Automated triage questionnaires and intelligent scheduling reduce appointment chaos, ensuring the right patients are seen at the right time without overbooking.

Task Management and Delegation

Digital task boards with role-based assignments ensure support staff can handle follow-ups, lab callbacks, and prescription refills without verbal handoffs that get lost during busy shifts.

Automated Client Communication

Broadcast messaging, appointment reminders, and discharge summaries sent automatically reduce the phone call volume that disproportionately burdens front-desk staff.

What Practice Owners Can Do Today

1. Audit documentation time: Track how many hours per week your team spends on charting vs. patient care
2. Implement AI documentation tools: Even partial adoption reduces after-hours charting
3. Create clear task delegation workflows: Use digital systems rather than verbal handoffs
4. Establish communication boundaries: Automated messaging handles routine client inquiries
5. Monitor wellbeing metrics: Anonymous staff surveys quarterly, modeled on the Merck-AVMA framework

Sources

• Merck Animal Health & AVMA. (2024). Merck Animal Health Veterinarian Wellbeing Study III.
• AVMA. (2024). Report on Veterinary Workforce. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Vol. 264.
• AAHA. (2024). Digital Health Task Force Recommendations.

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