How to hire a veterinary surgeon

How to hire a veterinary surgeon, step by step

Here's a step-by-step veterinary surgeon hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a veterinary surgeon job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new veterinary surgeon
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a veterinary surgeon, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a veterinary surgeon to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a veterinary surgeon that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of veterinary surgeon salaries for various roles:

   Type of Veterinary Surgeon	Description	Hourly rate
   Veterinary Surgeon	Veterinarians care for the health of animals and work to improve public health. They diagnose, treat, and research medical conditions and diseases of pets, livestock, and other animals.	$89-333
   Neurosurgeon	A Neurosurgeon is responsible for diagnosing conditions related to the nervous system, determining treatment plans, and administering medications. Neurosurgeons perform surgeries and conduct further laboratory tests to track their progress and adjust treatment plans as needed... Show more	$90-340
   Orthopaedic Surgeon	Orthopaedic surgeons are healthcare professionals who are responsible for treating pain related to the musculoskeletal system of the body. These licensed medical experts are required to examine, diagnose, and treat diseases and injuries related to the musculoskeletal system such as dislocated joints, back pain, and arthritis... Show more	$60-208

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • PET
   • Animal Hospital
   • Diagnostic Tools
   • Physical Exams
   • Clinical Procedures

   Responsibilities:

   • Attain proficiency in high volume spay/neuter surgeries in order to support the mission of fighting pet overpopulation.
   • Perform dental procedures like fabrication of complete dentures, removable partial dentures, crowns, root canal treatment etc.
   • Practice include investigation, diagnosis, and treatment of most dental relate problems.
   • Perform general dentistry services, including the diagnosis, treatment of diseases and injuries.
   • Perform restorative procedures including amalgam and composite fillings, crown bridgework, veneers, partial and full acrylic dentures, implants.
   • Obtain primary USAF training to perform occupation examinations on aircrew

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the veterinary surgeon job description is a good way to get more applicants. A veterinary surgeon salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a veterinary surgeon in Arizona may be lower than in North Dakota, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level veterinary surgeon. Additionally, a veterinary surgeon with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average veterinary surgeon salary

   $360,645yearly

   $173.39 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level veterinary surgeon salary

   $187,000 yearly salary

   Updated February 1, 2026

   Average veterinary surgeon salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Oregon	$379,568	$182
   2	Washington	$361,865	$174
   3	Colorado	$320,806	$154
   4	New York	$306,692	$147
   5	Utah	$306,404	$147
   6	Massachusetts	$303,314	$146
   7	Maryland	$298,188	$143
   8	Illinois	$298,154	$143
   9	Ohio	$295,234	$142
   10	Indiana	$283,874	$136
   11	Tennessee	$269,739	$130
   12	Florida	$252,279	$121
   13	North Carolina	$251,784	$121
   14	California	$248,626	$120
   15	South Carolina	$245,880	$118
   16	Texas	$245,583	$118
   17	Georgia	$239,910	$115
   18	New Mexico	$235,291	$113
   19	Alabama	$228,279	$110
   20	Arizona	$223,061	$107

   Average veterinary surgeon salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Animal Friends of the Valleys	$496,178	$238.55	2
   2	PCC Airfoils	$368,502	$177.16
   3	Southern Veterinary Partners	$357,140	$171.70	1
   4	National Veterinary Care	$347,485	$167.06
   5	MedVet	$266,239	$128.00	135
   6	CVS Health	$254,045	$122.14	28
   7	National Veterinary Associates	$244,619	$117.61	678
   8	Connecticut Veterinary Center	$229,455	$110.31
   9	BluePearl Vet	$221,027	$106.26	215
   10	County of Riverside	$188,423	$90.59	14

4. Writing a veterinary surgeon job description

   A good veterinary surgeon job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a veterinary surgeon job description:

   Veterinary surgeon job description example

   Blue Ridge Veterinary Associates is a 24-hour veterinary campus, located in Purcellville Virginia, featuring three buildings, ten exam rooms, two dental stations, two surgical suites, and a specialty surgical suite. Our goal is to provide our clients with access to the full spectrum of high-quality medical services from boarding and daycare to MRI, sophisticated surgical procedures, and emergency services for their household pets, exotics, and large animals.
   
   This hospital is owned and operated by PetWell Partners (PWP). At PWP, our hospitals and our Veterinarians make decisions about medicine and treatment choices. PWP is a fast-growing and the first AAHA accredited network of veterinary hospitals. We currently operate over 50 hospitals across eight states with over 750 employees.
   Job Description
   
   Board Certified Surgeon (DACVS)
   
   At Blue Ridge Veterinary Associates in Purcellville, VA, we are a collaborative team of Veterinarians who enjoy providing the highest quality of medicine, outstanding client service, and a desire to establish relationships within the veterinary community. Our specialty services include a 24/7/365 Emergency and Critical Care service, Internal Medicine, Surgery, Dentistry, and Diagnostic Imaging. We are looking for a Board Certified Surgeon (DACVS) to join our team. We are interested in speaking with individuals who would like to focus on the orthopedic, neurological, dental, ophthalmic, and foreign body and tumor removal.
   
   Your Role:
   
   Your skills are highly valued and make you a critical part of our diagnostic and care team.
   
   You will be the primary surgeon for advanced procedures with the support of our team of Doctors and Licensed Veterinary Technicians. With our in-house pharmacy, lab, blood bank, and diagnostic tools; including MRI, digital x-rays, ultrasound, and ECG, you will have the vital tools and support you'll need.
   
   Qualifications
   
   Requirements and preferences:
   
   You must meet the minimum requirements of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Active Virginia License or ability to acquire one, and Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (DACVS).
   
   Stronger consideration will be given to candidates with significant experience in traumatic, general, and invasive soft tissue surgery, Experience medically treating acute and chronic cases, Excellent communication and client relation skills, and a Flexible schedule to promote work, life balance.
   
   Additional Information
   
   Salary Range and Benefits:
   
   The salary for your position is competitive and open for negotiation. Benefits including Paid Time Off, Health and Ancillary Insurance, Maternity/Paternity leave, moving bonus, and Continuing Education Reimbursement.
   
   After review, you will be invited to a phone interview, followed by a tour of the facilities and an in-person interview with the Practice Manager and Medical Director before receiving an offer.
   
   Interested in the opportunity to advance your surgical skills and the freedom to practice the best medicine? Apply today for immediate consideration!
   
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5. Post your job

   To find veterinary surgeons for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any veterinary surgeons they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level veterinary surgeons with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your veterinary surgeon job on Zippia to find and recruit veterinary surgeon candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit veterinary surgeons, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new veterinary surgeon

   Once you have selected a candidate for the veterinary surgeon position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new veterinary surgeon first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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