Associate Veterinarian

Petco; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Petco in Phoenix, Arizona is looking for a dedicated Veterinarian to join our Vetco Total Care full-service veterinary hospital. This role provides excellent patient care, including diagnosing, treating, and performing surgeries on pets. The successful candidate will possess a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and be licensed to practice in Arizona.

The role includes patient examinations, treatment plan development, and participation in a cohesive team environment. Petco offers support for continuous education and a collaborative work atmosphere.

Qualifications

• Must be able to perform routine and complex surgeries.
• Comfortable performing anesthesia and routine surgeries.
• Ability to develop treatment plans for hospitalized patients.

Responsibilities

• Provide excellent patient care and perform physical examinations.
• Document all patient observations and treatments.
• Participate in rounds and disseminate knowledge to staff.

Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Compassionate attitude under stress

Team player willing to learn

Education

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree

Current DEA license

Active veterinarian licensure

Job description

Petco is looking for a dedicated Veterinarian to join our Vetco Total Care Full‑Service Veterinary Hospital. If you want to help pets live their best lives and contribute to a high‑quality practice, this role is for you.

Essential Job Functions

Listed are the essential duties and responsibilities that are required of this position. The incumbent must be able to perform all the following duties and responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodation:

• Provide excellent patient care by performing physical examinations, diagnosing and treating diseases, and providing preventive care according to patient signalment, lifestyle, and environment.
• Utilize a problem‑based approach that includes developing a complete problem list for every patient examined, a complete list of differential diagnoses for each problem identified, a complete diagnostic plan, and appropriate treatments based on interpretation of diagnostic test results leading to confirmed or suspected diagnoses.
• Document all patient observations, findings of exams and diagnostics, treatments and medications, client interactions, and tentative and confirmed diagnoses in the medical record in a concise and detail fashion, according to practice convention.
• Perform routine and complex surgical procedures including (but not limited to) spays/neuters, abdominal exploratory, and mass removals.
• Perform routine and complex dental procedures including full dental examination, evaluation of dental radiographs, as well as simple and complex extractions and oral surgical procedures.
• Develop treatment plans for patients undergoing day hospitalization based on complete problem‑based assessment. Transition patients to overnight care as needed and communicate effectively with referral hospitals to ensure continuity of patient care.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• Participate in rounds as incoming or exiting doctor at beginning and end of shifts.
• Disseminate knowledge throughout staff to improve the level of care and communication provided hospital partners, to both the patient and the client.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Nature of Supervision

The Veterinarian will take direct supervision from the Hospital Medical Leader or Area Medical Director. The Veterinarian has discretion related to decisions regarding patient care, but must uphold the standards set forth in Petco Veterinary SOPs.

Planning and Problem Solving

Problem solving is at the heart of veterinary medicine, and it is expected that any successful candidate will possess excellent problem‑solving skills that allow expeditious diagnosis of patient problems.

Impact

This position will impact the organization by contributing to the growth of a productive practice while focusing on a high‑quality standard of care. From an overall hospital organizational standpoint, the position is critical to ensuring a cohesive, well‑trained, and motivated team, employee retention, patient well‑being, and customer satisfaction.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities; however, the Veterinarian is a de facto leader in the hospital.

Education/Experience

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree or equivalent from an AVMA‑accredited veterinary school.
• Active licensure as a veterinarian without contingencies in the state in which the hospital is located or ability to obtain by start date.
• Current DEA license.
• Current Controlled Substance license, if applicable, in the state in which the hospital is located or ability to obtain by start date.
• USDA Category I accreditation or completion within two months of hire date.
• Comfortable performing anesthesia and routine surgeries including canine and feline spays, neuters, mass removals, and dentals.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Compassionate, sympathetic, and able to maintain a professional attitude during emotional and stressful situations.
• Telephone and computer skills.
• Team player willing to learn new techniques and treatments, offer creative ideas, and accept change.

Work Environment

The majority of duties are conducted in the Vetco Total Care veterinary full‑service hospital. Position requires bending, kneeling, lifting (up to 30 pounds as necessary), and standing for long periods of time. A large amount of time will be spent in direct contact with clients and their pets.

Contacts

This position will regularly communicate with clients, veterinary specialists, and companies that provide products and/or services that the practice utilizes.

Petco Animal Supplies, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or any other protected classification.