A side hustle is not only a good way to bring in some extra money, but it can also introduce some variety to your life. Doing the same thing day in and day out can quickly lead to boredom and even burnout. Adding a job on the side can help to combat this by breaking the monotony.
In this blog, we list five side hustles you can do that utilize your unique skill set as a veterinarian.
Pick Up Relief Shifts
With veterinarians in short supply, most hospitals are looking for some extra help. Picking up some relief shifts at other clinics, especially emergency hospitals, can net you a decent sum of money in a short amount of time.
The drawback is that this may involve sacrificing your nights or weekends. And you want to be sure to check your contract for any non-compete that may prohibit you from working in a certain area.
Work a Vaccine or Spay & Neuter Clinic
Similar to relief work, vaccine clinics or spay and neuter clinics require you to give up some weekend time. But, the upside is that it requires little to no setup on your part. You only have to bring yourself and your skills for the allotted time.
Vaccine clinics can also be a lot of fun! They are fast-paced and allow you to help a lot of people. You can even use them as an opportunity to drive pet owners to your clinic if they have questions or concerns about their pet that can’t be addressed in five minutes.
Work Remotely with Telemedicine
Remote work is becoming more and more common and telemedicine is increasingly being used in veterinary medicine. Most involve assessing patients and consulting with pet owners over video call, making recommendations for simple treatments, or referring to an emergency or specialty hospital as needed.
Telemedicine is a great side hustle if you are looking for a more flexible gig that allows you to work from home. Some companies allow you to even set your own hours and work as much or as little as you want.
Provide In-home Euthanasia
Helping pet owners say goodbye to their companions is no doubt one of the tougher aspects of the job. But, providing humane euthanasia services at home allows them to say goodbye on their terms, in a calm and peaceful environment.
It takes a little work upfront to set up this side gig. You will need to check with federal and state requirements for setting up the business, obtain a DEA license, open accounts with vendors to purchase supplies, and partner with local crematoriums. However, once this is all set up, providing in-home euthanasia services can be an extremely rewarding side hustle, in more ways than one.
Share Your Knowledge as an Expert Blogger
Do you enjoy writing? Many companies online are seeking licensed veterinarians to help them produce educational content for pet owners. Others are seeking vets to fact-check content that they have already written.
After years of schooling, you already have the knowledge base to write an entire library. Why not put it to use with this flexible side gig that you can do at home (or from anywhere) in your spare time?
This list of side hustles is by no means complete and vets are finding new and creative ways to monetize their skills outside of the clinic every day. But, these are some of the most common and reliable ways to earn a little extra money on the side.
The concept of a side hustle doesn’t just have to be about financial gain, however. It’s also about injecting variety into your life, allowing for new experiences that you can learn from and grow both personally and professionally.
Meredith Jones, DVM, CSLP®, AFC®