Associate Veterinarian Privately Owned Small Animal Practice

AzVMA; Palatine (IL); On-site; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary: $140k–$170k + production

Health insurance $500/mo

401(k) retirement plan

CE allowance $1,500/yr

PTO 15 days

Sick days

Paid holidays

Licenses covered

Pet care discounts

Parental leave 1 month

Professional liability insurance

Job summary

New Frontier Animal Medical Center in Palatine, IL is seeking a full-time Associate Veterinarian to join our three-doctor, privately owned AAHA hospital. We treat dogs and cats with high-quality care in a warm, family-style environment that respects doctor autonomy.

We schedule 30–60 minute appointments to allow thorough exams, offer a four-day workweek, and provide competitive pay plus production bonuses, health insurance, CE allowance, and generous time off.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive care for dogs and cats, including wellness and preventive medicine.
• Perform diagnostics, surgery, dentistry, and behavioral consultations.
• Schedule appointments with sufficient time and coordinate with owners.
• Rotate through surgery while prioritizing patient-focused care.

Job description

Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary of $140,000–$170,000 plus production bonuses
• No negative accrual
• $500/month contribution toward health insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan
• $1,500 annual continuing education allowance
• 15 days PTO
• Paid sick days
• Paid holidays
• Professional licenses, dues, and memberships covered, including AVMA, VIN, and PLIT
• Personal pet care discounts
• One month paid parental leave
• Professional liability insurance

About Our Practice

We are a privately owned, AAHA-accredited small animal hospital that has been serving our community since 1975. We are looking for a full‑time Associate Veterinarian to join our three‑doctor team.

We treat dogs and cats and take pride in providing high‑quality medicine while maintaining the comfortable, personal atmosphere of an independent practice. We have invested in modern equipment and technology, but we have worked hard to keep the feel of a smaller, family‑style hospital where people know each other, help each other, and enjoy coming to work.

Just as importantly, we believe veterinarians should have the time and freedom to practice good medicine. Our doctors have clinical autonomy, are not micromanaged, and are encouraged to make the decisions they believe are best for their patients. When a patient would benefit from specialty care, we are very comfortable referring.

What Your Day Looks Like

Our veterinarians provide comprehensive care for dogs and cats, including wellness and preventive medicine, sick-patient care, diagnostics, surgery, dentistry, nutritional counseling, and behavioral consultations.

We intentionally schedule appointments so our doctors don't feel rushed. Appointments are never shorter than 30 minutes, and sick or more complicated cases may be scheduled for 60 minutes. We want our doctors to have enough time to evaluate their patients thoroughly, talk with owners, and provide the kind of care they feel good about.

Mornings generally consist of either appointments or surgery. We then have a two-hour break in the middle of the day, giving everyone time for lunch, medical records, phone calls, and other administrative work before all of our doctors see appointments in the afternoon.

Our doctors rotate through surgery, but we are flexible. If you enjoy surgery and would like to do more of it, we can accommodate that. If your preference is to focus more heavily on appointments and medical cases, we can work with that as well. We want our veterinarians to be able to develop and practice in the areas they enjoy most.

Schedule

We believe a sustainable schedule is an important part of enjoying a career in veterinary medicine.

Full‑time veterinarians work approximately 36–40 hours over a four‑day workweek. Saturday hours are only 8:00 a.m. to noon, with each doctor typically working one Saturday every three weeks.

Our hospital hours are:

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday: 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
• Wednesday: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
• Saturday: 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Our Hospital

We have continued to invest in equipment and technology that help our doctors provide excellent care efficiently. Our hospital includes:

• Digital radiography
• Dental radiography
• Ultrasound
• Endoscopy
• Comprehensive in‑house laboratory equipment
• Cytology analyzer
• Fully equipped dental area
• Dedicated surgical suite
• Therapeutic laser
• Paperless medical records
• AI medical scribe

We provide a wide range of services, including preventive and wellness care, vaccinations, surgery, dentistry, diagnostics, allergy care, microchipping, nutritional and behavioral consultations, pharmacy services, and online prescription and food ordering.

We are AAHA accredited, and one of our veterinarians is individually Fear Free certified.

Our Team

We currently have three veterinarians and provide a one‑to‑one technician‑to‑doctor ratio, along with an additional technician who handles technician appointments. We are also in the process of adding more technicians to further strengthen our support team.

One of the things we are most proud of is the longevity of our staff. Several members of our team have been with us for many years, with some here for more than 17 years. We believe that says a great deal about the environment we have created.

We are a close‑knit group, and people genuinely help each other. We value good communication, mutual respect, teamwork, and giving our doctors the support they need without telling them how to practice medicine.

Who We're Looking For

We would be happy to talk with either an experienced veterinarian or a new graduate.

For an experienced doctor, we offer the opportunity to practice with a great deal of independence while having an experienced team and strong support staff around you.

For a new graduate, we understand that the transition from veterinary school into practice takes time. We have worked with veterinarians at the beginning of their careers before and are comfortable providing support and guidance while allowing confidence and independence to develop at an appropriate pace.

Ultimately, we are looking for someone who wants to practice good medicine, treat clients and coworkers well, and become part of a practice where people enjoy working together.

If you are looking for an independently owned hospital where you can have clinical autonomy, enough time with your patients, a four‑day workweek, and a supportive team around you, we would be happy to talk with you.