Veterinarian

Are you a Primary Care Veterinarian looking for a non-corporate, learning environment where you can provide clinical service while developing and advancing your companion animal primary care medicine and surgical skills?  

From our Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) on the charming and conveniently located UPEI campus in Charlottetown – a cutting-edge tertiary referral centre for Atlantic Canada – you can enjoy life on beautiful Prince Edward Island, filled with wandering trails, endless beaches and unique experiences everywhere you look!

We can offer you:

• On-campus access to our sports and fitness centre, swimming pool, restaurants, cafes, health and wellness, physiotherapy, and rehab facilities.
• A comprehensive benefits and insurance package (in accordance with UPEIFA, BU2), including health and dental, RRSP, tuition waivers, progressive paid vacation and leave allowances, access to Employee Family Assistance Program and access to professional development funds and opportunities.
• Competitive salary (in accordance with UPEIFA, BU2 and UPEI)
• PEIVMA membership paid.
• Staff discounts on veterinary services and pet food.

We have a supportive teaching environment across our Small and Large Animal Hospitals, offering state-of-the-art technology with advanced imaging modalities including CT and MRI, and boasting over 20 specialist veterinarians alongside talented primary care veterinarians with a highly skilled team of veterinary technicians and support staff.

This is a new full-time term position (BU FA2) with a primarily professional/clinical service mission within the Community Practice service.  Operating from the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, this position will be responsible for providing excellent customer service-led veterinary services through an efficient and pragmatic approach to consultations, skilled and confident diagnostics and surgery, and a compassionate and caring service.

In a learning environment for DVM students, this position will engage with students and may (in accordance with BU FA2) also require clinical teaching duties and responsibilities, including participation in clinical rotations, supervising and/or coordinating students in various clinical settings, assisting in the planning and evaluation of course content in collaboration with Faculty coordinators and evaluating students in courses for which this position is responsible.  

This position will work collaboratively with colleagues in support of team development and to provide a safe, encouraging learning environment for students to prepare them for contemporary practice as graduate veterinarians.

We are seeking a primary care veterinarian to join the Community Practice team working within the AVC-VTH in a 1.0 FTE full-time term position from May 1, 2025 until April 30, 2026, with the possibility of extension. 

Responsibilities and Requirements:

• To provide clinical service across companion animal species in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s Community Practice service, delivering efficient, high-quality, patient-centered care and customer service, supporting caseload and revenue generation. 
• To offer contextualized care to dogs, cats and exotic pets, ensuring evidence-based decision making, working confidently, competently and efficiently across all primary care Community Practice service areas, including consultations (wellness, vaccinations, sick patients, urgent/emergency cases), diagnostic investigations, surgical procedures, dental procedures, and in collaboration with specialty services.
• To contribute to clinical teaching on clinical rotations, including supervising, coordinating and/or evaluating final year DVM students as required, and assisting in the planning and evaluation of course content in collaboration with course Faculty coordinators (in accordance with BU FA2).
• To demonstrate professional, collaborative, collegial and supportive working relationships with all colleagues in the VTH, supporting teamwork to ensure optimal client and patient care.
• To provide clear, respectful and concise communication, with varied audiences, including pet owners, hospital staff, primary care and specialty service colleagues, students and other members of the VTH team.
• To provide leadership in encouraging a proactive and collaborative approach with all colleagues and clients, for planning daily activities and reorganization as needed when unforeseen circumstances arise.
• To work efficiently to TRIAGE, assess, and treat urgent and emergency Community Practice service case presentations, working independently and in collaboration with the VTH’s Primary Urgent and Emergency service and other hospital services. 
• To demonstrate a proactive approach to client communication, including education, clinical recommendations, preventative medicine advice, treatment plans, prognosis, and discharge instructions, specialty referral options, financial case-management considerations and hospital policies.  
• To ensure high standards of clinical governance are demonstrated by prompt and accurate completion of all medical records, documents, communication logs and case rounding, including where required for colleagues to ensure continuity of care and the smooth, efficient referral of specialty cases.
• To comply with VTH, AVC and UPEI policies, including ensuring that clients (i) are given accurate estimates, (ii) provide informed consent, (iii) a deposit is received prior to hospitalization, diagnostics and treatments and (iv) are given regular estimate/billing updates with (v) billing completed accurately prior to discharge and that payment is received.
• To contribute to the training of Client Service Representatives and other hospital staff, to ensure thorough understanding of relevant products and clinical services (pet husbandry, preventative healthcare advice, dental care, feeding regimes, weight management). 
• To efficiently and effectively manage the unpredictable caseload and operational challenges associated with companion animal primary care medicine, working constructively with colleagues to implement solutions.
• To practice lifelong and self-directed learning, with a strong commitment to developing companion animal primary care medicine and surgical skills, knowledge and techniques in a specialty teaching hospital setting.
• Willingness to work in an assigned shift schedule averaging approximately 40 hours per week, which may include rotating shifts and shifts scheduled to accommodate consultations outside of UPEI office hours (including some Saturday mornings) to provide additional appointment opportunities for Community Practice clients.
• Willingness to participate in on-call duties to respond to out-of-hours Community Practice inpatient care and Community Practice client primary emergency presentations (following triage). 
• May be required to work occasional university closures to provide Community Practice service coverage.

Qualifications:

• Graduation from an accredited veterinary college resulting in DVM certification (or equivalent)
• Successful completion of the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam (NAVLE) resulting in a Certificate of Qualification from the CVMA (or equivalent)
• Eligibility for licensure and to practice veterinary medicine in Prince Edward Island
• A minimum of 3 years’ small animal primary care clinical experience, including preventative medicine, skilled diagnostics, surgery (routine elective and common non-elective), dental procedures (including dental extractions).
• Sustained track record of efficiently managing a high primary care caseload providing an evidence-based and contextualized approach to case management and a compassionate service.
• A demonstrated commitment to providing a contemporary standard of clinical service, through the pursuit of continuing education, self-directed learning, and expansion of clinical services.
• Able to demonstrate a strong understanding of the financial implications to clinical and service decisions and promote changes to provide cost-effective options to clients while supporting revenue sustainability.
• Able to demonstrate a good understanding of the importance of preventative health plans and their implementation.
• Able to demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills with clients, colleagues, and students, and the ability to quickly build rapport to ensure client retention.
• Ability to balance priorities in a hospital setting, to efficiently work with colleagues and delegate tasks appropriately to manage multiple cases simultaneously.
• Dynamic and service-oriented attitude with the ability to lead by example, promoting life-long learning, cooperation and teamwork, with commitment to contribute positively to a professional and collegial work environment.
• Excellent time management and attention to detail; ability to work in an efficient and organized manner with the ability to handle multiple tasks concurrently.
• Ability to participate in the assigned shift schedule and on-call duties.  
• Excellent computer skills in both windows and iOS applications, with experience in electronic medical records

Assets: 

• Experience in working both as a solo practitioner, with limited resources, and as part of a team of veterinarians and support staff, is preferred.
• Experience supervising, coaching or training students in the practical aspects of primary care practice, including consultations, surgery and dental procedures.
• Experience providing primary care to exotic pets. 
• Evidence of post-DVM training (such as certificates) relevant to the position

Salary: 

In accordance with UPEIFA, BU2 collective agreement for Clinical Veterinary Professionals.

Hours:  

Hours averaging approximately 40 hours per week (1.0 FTE).  Assigned schedule may include rotating shifts and shifts scheduled to accommodate consultations outside of UPEI office hours (including some Saturday mornings), and occasional university closures.

This appointment will be made at the Clinical Veterinary Professional (UPEIFA, BU2) level, FA2 Step 1 and is subject to final budgetary approval.  Eligibility of Clinical Veterinary Professionals for benefits will be in accordance with the FA2 collective agreement.

Please contact Dr. Oliver Falconbridge by email if you have any questions about the position.

To apply, please submit:

• A letter of intent
• A curriculum vitae
• A statement of professional services philosophy outlining your core beliefs and values regarding the delivery of professional services, your approach to client interactions and teamwork

Three letters of reference Applications should be sent to:

Dr. Oliver Falconbridge, Hospital Director
Atlantic Veterinary College – Veterinary Teaching Hospital
University of Prince Edward Island
550 University Avenue
Charlottetown, PE
C1A 4P3
Email: owfalconbridge@upei.ca