Reinventing Your Veterinary Career: Is Industry in Your Future?

(or Should It Be)?

You have been reading the AVMA Journal diligently and notice there are ads for a position in your area in

the veterinary industry. What to do?

You enjoy practice, but always wondered what else is out there.

During this session, we will talk about what types of jobs are available in industry, what qualifications are

needed, and how to transition into the corporate world.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe skills needed to transition from private practice to the corporate environment.

• Explore opportunities available outside of traditional clinical practice.

Opportunities Outside of Private Practice

• Government• Academia• Military• Non-Profit Organizations• Associations• Industry

What Is Veterinary Industry?

Make products

Offer services

Pet Owners

Veterinarians

Industry Companies

• Pharmaceuticals• Vaccines• Medical Equipment• Medical Supplies• Pet Foods

• Insurance• Laboratory/diagnostic

services• Laboratory

supplies/equipment

* Veterinarians are hired in almost every business that makes, provides or sells these

types of products and services.

Why Do Veterinarians Leave Practice To Work In Industry?

• Looking for a new challenge (want to broaden skills)

• Disillusionment• Allergies• Injury

• Partial retirement• Better

compensation/benefits or quality of life

• More flexibility

Considerations:• Companies want to hire people who have a positive reason

for change such as they are looking for a greater challenge or want to move to the business side.

• Employers are not looking for those who just want to escape practice or are running away from something.

• Transition to industry may require you to be farther away from working with animals.

• You may feel that you are wasting your veterinary school if you are not in practice but you may actually have the opportunity to impact more animals.

“I realized I could do more good, and help more animals, by spreading the

information about new treatments in veterinary medicine than I had done in 18 years of emergency medicine. I touch so many veterinarians and hopefully inspire them to do better quality medicine”.

Dan Green, DVM

Source: Career Choices for Veterinarians Private Practice and Beyond Carin A. Smith, DVM

Types Of Industry Job Opportunities

• Professional Services • Pharmacovigilance• Regulatory Affairs• Sales and Marketing• Liaison / Cross functional• Business Development• Research and Development

Professional Services:• Positions exist for

different species– Companion animal– Equine– Beef cattle– Dairy cattle– Poultry – Swine

• Good entry level position in industry – Can advance to other jobs

• Heavy travel– Can be up to 75% – +/- Company car or

car allowance

• Require 5+ years of private practice experience

Professional Services Is:• Providing product information

to veterinarians• Giving seminars for sales staff and

practicing veterinarians• Speaking about their organization’s

products or services• Providing technical support to

marketing• Providing technical training• Riding with sales reps

Veterinary Affairs ManagerResponsibilities

• Positioning the organization as a leader among the academic community and practicing veterinarians

• Provide technical training and development of sales and distribution

• Assisting on calls with key accounts• Delivery of technical presentations

Veterinary Affairs Manager Qualifications

• Veterinary degree • MBA, advanced training and

board certification preferred

• 2-5 years practice or academic experience

• Current veterinary license preferred

• 1-3 years in industry

• 1-3 years public speaking experience

• Sales, communications or marketing experience

• Excellent communication skills, presentation skills and computer proficiency required

• Up to 80% travel including overnights and some weekends

Specialty Account Veterinarian

Responsibilities:• Make sales calls and

presentations– Boarded veterinary specialists

in specialty referral hospitals throughout the region

Qualifications:• DVM or related degree• P&L responsibility• Ability to effectively sell to

boarded veterinary specialists

• An outgoing confident individual is desired

• Approximately 75% travel including overnights is required

PharmacovigilanceResponsibilities

• Handle complaints about a product and follow up on the complaints.

• Handle the reporting and tracking of these complaints.

• Work with regulatory agencies on the reporting.• Work with a database such as PV Works.

Pharmacovigilance Veterinarian

• Review adverse event and product defect claims for accuracy, completeness and consistency prior to being submitted to the Regulatory Affairs Group.

• Apply regulatory knowledge to all Pharmacovigilance practices, assist with the formation of assessments in adverse event cases and ensure those assessments are included in the case report.

• Collaborate with QA and Regulatory Affairs to analyze the trending results and will communicate results internally.

• Assist US Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance in the generation of product reviews for submission and will assist Veterinary Technical Services.

Pharmacovigilance Veterinarian Qualifications

• DVM or equivalent degree • 5+ years private practice/

clinical experience • Valid license to practice

veterinary medicine in the U.S.

• 1 year pharmacovigilance experience

• Computer literate

• Understanding of – companion animal veterinary

medicine and practice– equine and livestock experience

beneficial • Knowledge of current U.S.

regulations relating to post-marketing product safety

• 5% travel requirement – +/- international travel

Regulatory Affairs • In charge of all

communications with appropriate regulatory body– FDA– EPA– USDA – Foreign regulatory agencies

Example:• A regulatory affairs

manager takes a new drug concept to the FDA and negotiates with the agency about the work that must be done to get it approved.

Senior Regulatory Affairs Manager

Responsibilities• Provide leadership/direction

– manage regulatory goals through interactions with federal and state regulatory agencies

– Ensure all products receive regulatory approval

– Post approval regulatory issues

– Input on strategic planning as related to regulatory issues

Qualifications• Advanced scientific

degree (ex. DVM, PhD)• 7-10 years in industry• 3+ years in leadership

capacity

Sales and MarketingSales• Travel to potential buyers

(veterinary clinics)– Present product

information – Take orders

• Well suited to people who enjoy working with people and travel

Marketing• Present the company’s

products or services to the veterinary profession

• May include– Advertising– Promotions– Presentations

• Requires some travel but not as much as sales

Specialty Sales RepresentativeSwine or Bovine

Responsibilities• Promote and sell products

in the U.S. market• Provide technical support• Set up/perform product

demonstrations• Build relationships with

key opinion leaders• Respond to customer

complaints

Responsibilities (cont.)• Represent company at trade

shows• Domestic and international

travel required

Qualifications • DVM degree• experience in Herd Production• Knowledge of the swine or

bovine market in the U.S.

Senior Technical Service Veterinarian – MarketingResponsibilities

• Collaborates with the Manager of Technical Services• Reviews marketing material for technical accuracy and trade

appropriateness • Works with marketing

– Marketing strategies– Advertisement – Product promotions for medical and technical accuracy– Develop technical product profiles – Participate in the technical aspects of product positioning

• Act as medical authority– Scientific articles and presentations– Assist in technical product training

Senior Technical Service Veterinarian – MarketingResponsibilities

• Review national animal health conditions• Advise senior management of specific requirements• Make recommendations toward present/future needs• Collaborate with the manager to aid in contacts with key

opinion leaders in the Animal Health Industry through veterinary organizations and technical associations

• Represent the company at technical associations • Keep abreast of scientific/political changes and will help

to influence change

Senior Technical Service Veterinarian – MarketingQualifications

• DVM or equivalent degree

• 5 years clinical practice experience

• 3+ years industry experience and/or related business experience

• Understand disease control, animal requirements

• Ability to develop prevention programs

• Strong organizational and communication skills

• Ability to analyze research and diagnose serious animal health problems

Liaison / Cross Functional Positions

• Trends– Particularly in large

organizations– Veterinarians serving as

a link or bridge between• Sales• Marketing• R&D• Technical services• Executive function

• Veterinarians with a strong background in– business management,

organizational skills– people skills

Marketing Liaison Veterinarian

Responsibilities

• Support for companion animal products– Marketing strategies– Product communication– Technical support

• Interface with R&D and marketing to develop market support trials

• Resource for pharmaco-vigilance department in handling difficult cases

• Discuss/report adverse reactions, efficacy problems and formulation complaints.

• Prepare/deliver technical lectures

• Teach sales reps• Alert the business

– Emerging diseases– New trends

• Develop key opinion leader support

• Attend trade shows

Marketing Liaison Veterinarian Qualifications

• DVM degree• 3+ years of private practice

work experience • 3-5 years of industrial

experience• Expertise and key focus

– Immunology– Vaccinology– Shelter medicine and/or

diabetes

• Excellent communication skills [verbal, written and listening skills] and presentation skills

• Work effectively with cross-functional teams

• Marketing experience strongly preferred

• 30-50% travel requirements

Business Development

• Look for potential new products• Make deals with other companies• Business degree is typical• Technical background is necessary

Director of Business Development

• Foster relationships and negotiate deals with companies in the US and abroad

• Track record in a business development leadership role with capabilities to manage and support all business development activities

• Human or Veterinary Pharmaceutical experience required

Research and Development

• Explore if you still want– hands-on work with

animals– have an interest in

clinical medicine

• Many positions are open to veterinarians, although some require additional training.

Manager of Clinical DevelopmentResponsibilities

• Develop and execute comprehensive plans for products in clinical development

• Design and write study protocols

• Select veterinary investigators to execute clinical trials

• Oversee and monitor studies

• Interpret study results• Write study reports• Prepare submissions to

regulatory agencies• Provide support to

commercial operations• Present results of studies

to the scientific community

Manager of Clinical DevelopmentQualifications

• DVM and/or a PhD in an animal health related area

• Good organizational and time management skills

• 1+ years of experience in product development within or closely associated to the animal health pharmaceutical industry (preferred)

• Self-motivated, possess good interpersonal skills and ability to lead and work within and across interdisciplinary teams.

• Travel– Approx. 25% in U.S.– +/- limited international travel

YOU CAN SEE CURRENT OPEN JOB

OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THESE AND

OTHERS ON OUR WEBSITE:

WWW.THEVETRECRUITER.COM

Dr. Thompson• Education:

­ Bachelors in Chemistry/Biology­ DVM

• Associate Veterinarian• Account Manager/Consulting

Veterinarian­ Responsible for growth of sales territory,

product support and educational training for veterinarians and team members

• Professional Services Veterinarian­ Supported regional sales team with

technical product support, training and management of pharmacovigilance needs

Dr. Thompson• Director of US Professional Services

­ Led team of veterinarians to provide technical product support and training for the commercial business.

• Regional Sales Director­ Lead sales team strategies and business support for North Sales

Region

• Vice President of Companion Animal Business Sales ­ Lead US sales operations for companion animal business

• Global Head of Professional Services­ Leads and coordinates technical services information among the

global business, supporting global Key Opinion activities and international project teams.

Dr. Hopkins• Education:

­ VMD

­ MBA

• Research Assistant

• Associate Veterinarian

• Regional Technical Manager

• Regulatory Affairs Specialist

• Regulatory Affairs Manager­ Responsible for new product approvals and

product dossier maintenance, advised manufacturing, marketing and management on regulatory requirements.

Dr. Hopkins• Associate Director of Regulatory Affairs-US

– Lead a team of Regulatory Affairs and Quality Assurance professionals through the separation from the larger R&D organization.

• Senior Brand Manager– Managed a 30 million dollar brand.

• Director, Regulatory Affairs-Canada, Quality Assurance and Pharmacovigilance

• Head, Global Regulatory Affairs-Animal Health– Lead global team of Regulatory Affairs professionals in supporting the business

by registering and maintaining products worldwide.• Head, Global Regulatory Affairs-Consumer Health

– Lead global team of RA professionals to support consumer care products• Global Technical Brand Manager

Dr. Reuben• Education:

­ DVM• Private Practice• Professional Services Veterinarian

­ Develop and deliver sales presentations to associations, distribution and veterinarians.

­ Provide technical support at trade shows.­ Author articles.

• Director, Field Veterinary Services­ Created and management department of

field based veterinarians for sales support.­ Developed sales presentations­ Delivered presentations to veterinarians,

technicians, trade organizations, distribution and animal owners

­ Interacted with R&D

Dr. Reuben• Director of Professional Services

­ Supervision of veterinarians and veterinary technicians­ Provide technical support of product line­ Responsible for pharmacovigilance­ Track and report product trends to R&D and senior management

• Director of Sales and Marketing­ Responsible for sales­ Director marketing budget and activities­ Supervise National Sales Manager, Product Managers and National

Account Managers­ Indirect supervision of salespersons­ Interact with R&D

Dr. Reuben• Director of Business Development

­ Role was to identify clinical and non-clinical third-party research opportunities

­ Review scientific literature and interact with leading researchers­ Review and report emerging trends in veterinary practice­ Identify and in-license new products and technologies­ Coordinate research and marketing organizations for negotiation of all

phases of agreements.

• Executive Vice President­ Provide organization strategy consulting with regard to infrastructure

and sales force­ Provide training on biological and pharmaceutical products­ Provide input to Research and Development Strategies

How Do I Land a Job in Industry?• Need a resume– Must include

• Name, contact information and job history in reverse chronological order

• Skills and experience, special abilities, honors and awards, groups or associations to which you belong

– Two pages at most

• Networking or word of mouth– Talk to sales reps who come in your practice or other

contacts you may already have in industry

How Do I Land a Job in Industry?• Attend industry meetings

– Chat with exhibitors– Speak with other people in industry who are doing the job you would

like to have– Invite them to lunch, ask if you can talk with them

• Join the AACPPV– American Association of Corporate & Public Practice Veterinarians

• Attend meetings, breakfast and luncheons held at veterinary conferences

• Develop a relationship with a good recruiter who specializes in the animal health industry

When Should I Establish A Relationship With A Recruiter?

• Long before you need one – you never know when you may need them – you could be happily employed right now, but who would not leave for

a better offer?

• When you are ready to move your career forward• Your relationship with a recruiter is one of the most critical

relationships you will have as you navigate your career• Recruiters can open doors for you. They have more contacts

with hiring managers than you could ever have• The most sought after jobs are not posted; many can only be

obtained through a recruiter

• World’s largest professional network in existence– > 200 million members and growing

• Get found by recruiters and employers – Is used by 98% of recruiters– 48% of them use LinkedIn® exclusively

• Build your credibility and personal brand• Get recommendations from current and former colleagues• Is a great tool but you should not rely on this exclusively• Nothing can replace the value of:

– Networking face-to-face– Having a good recruiter to partner with you throughout your career

Working in a Larger Organization

• Industry jobs require the ability to work within the structure of an organization where there are typically many policies and procedures.

• There can be a great deal of bureaucracy associated with working for a large organization.

• Previous organizational and interpersonal skills will be a definite plus.

Performance Reviews

• Employees are typically evaluated annually for performance.

• You will normally set goals with your manager each year and some of your compensation can be based on whether you meet these goals.

• This is typically tied to a bonus or a merit increase.

Corporate Culture

• Need to be able to deal with uncertainly such as cultural changes or mergers and acquisitions which can lead to decreased jobs or new opportunities.

• This requires flexibility and keeping options open.

Mobility• You may need to be able to live or move to the city

where the position is. • Be willing to get your foot in the door. • Don’t turn down a position because it is not the ideal

job you would like to have. • Once you have industry experience your options are

wider. Once you are “in the door”, the opportunities increase. Some companies will cross train their employees.

Assess Your Knowledge and Skills

• Pharmacology, disease prevention, surgery, understanding of medical terminology

• Administrative and managerial skills−Employee supervision−Clinic management−Budgeting

Veterinary Skills

Other Areas of Expertise

• Areas of study• Volunteer work• Speaking/media interviews• Writing for publications

• Generally don’t have to have a degree beyond DVM

Critical Nontechnical Competencies

• Builds relationships• Acts autonomously and confidently• Drives for results• Demonstrates integrity• Pursues development• Demonstrates adaptability and resilience• Communicates effectively

Nontechnical Competencies Underlying Career Success as a Veterinarian JAVMA 6/15/03

Critical Nontechnical Competencies

• Motivates others• Influences others• Coaches and develops others• Business oriented• Uses sound judgment• Thinks innovatively

Nontechnical Competencies Underlying Career Success as a Veterinarian JAVMA 6/15/03

Job Responsibilities

Stacy Pritt, DVM, MS, MBA, CPIA

Skills For Success

Stacy Pritt, DVM, MS, MBA, CPIA

Basic Skills Required in Veterinary Industry

• Oral communication skills• Written communication skills• Business knowledge• Computer literacy• Leadership skills• Flexible attitude• Team player

Oral Communication Skills• Offer to give talks– Local clubs – Veterinary meetings

• Join Toastmasters– Non-profit organization– Can teach you to speak more confidently

• Keep a list of your speaking engagements for your resume.

Written Communication Skills• Write articles– Local club– Newsletter– Magazine – Veterinary publication

• Take a course in technical writing

• Publish case reports in peer-reviewed journal

Business Knowledge • Understand the business end of your career niche

− If you want to work in industry, understand how their business works

• Understand client relations, record keeping and financial management

• Learn how to manage a budget.• Go to veterinary meetings; visit with those in the

exhibit hall• Attend lectures on practice management

Computer Literacy• Microsoft Office

– Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint

• Basic and advanced internet searches• Web-based services for business

purposes– GoToMeeting, Yahoo and Google Groups

• Skype and Google Hangout• Practice management software

Leadership Skills• Become an officer in a veterinary association or civic

group• Volunteer to help organize a veterinary meeting• Learn time management skills• Toastmasters• Hire a business coach• Take courses on leadership

Flexible Attitude• Must be willing to adapt to the employer’s changing

needs– If their needs change, your job may change

• Must be willing to continually learn– Start now if you aren’t– Track your learning efforts– Talk to potential employers about your efforts

• Be able to work as part of at team

Other Learning Opportunities

• Shadow someone who is involved in a career you would like to pursue

• Webinars• Find a mentor• College courses via satellite

TV and cable• Community college

offerings

• Attend workshops• Read magazines, books and

journals• Foreign language training• Evening and weekend

classes• Volunteering• Attend veterinary seminars

What Does the Market Look Like?

# of Veterinarians by Job Category 12/31/12

Private

Practice

College

or Univ

ersity

Federa

l Gov

ernmen

t

State o

r Loc

al Gov

t

Uniform

ed Serv

ices

Indus

try

Other P

ublic/

Corpora

te

Unkno

wn

Not list

ed0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000 64,489

6,5631,823 1,064 766 3,282 2,187

20,748

1,822

2013 AVMA Report on Veterinary Compensation

67

2011 Average Earnings

Private

Practice

College

or Univ

ersity

Federa

l Gov

ernmen

t

State o

r Loc

al Gov

t

Uniform

ed Serv

ices

Indus

tryOthe

r$0

$20,000$40,000$60,000$80,000

$100,000$120,000$140,000$160,000$180,000$200,000

$118,726 $122,794 $115,575 $91,207

$113,881

$171,512

$136,888

2013 AVMA Report on Veterinary Compensation

68

2011 Industry Position Earnings by Percentile

25th Percentile 50th Percentile 75th Percentile 90th Percentile$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

$250,000

$300,000

$124,000

$160,000

$196,000

$264,745

2013 AVMA Report on Veterinary Compensation

69

Salary Info by Position

• Professional services: $65K-$125K (base salaries-typically have a bonus target and company car or car allowance in additional to “normal” benefits)– $65-75K for capital equipment companies– $65-$90K with pet food companies– $100-$125K with pharmaceutical companies– $125-$150K for Specialty Account Veterinarians

• Pharmacovigilance: $90K-$120KThe Pursell Group LLC, The VET Recruiter ®

Salary Info by Position• Regulatory: wide range from $75K-$200K

(Regulatory specialist to manager to Director to VP)

• Marketing: $90-$125K– Director level $125-$150K– VP $150-$250K– Size and type of company are factors; occasionally

geography influences salary

The Pursell Group LLC, The VET Recruiter ®

Earnings Increase With:

• Years since graduation• Board certification• Advanced degrees (masters, PhD)

Benefits

None

Assoc D

ues

CE Expense

CE Leav

e

Dental In

suran

ce

Disabilit

y Insu

rance IRA

Liabilit

y Insu

rance

0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%90.0%

100.0%

IndustryPrivate Practice

Benefits

Life In

suran

ce

Medica

l Plan

Paid Vac

ation

Paid Si

ck Tim

e

Pension Plan

Personal

Use of V

ehicle

Profit S

haring P

lanOth

er0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

120.0%

IndustryPrivate Practice

2011 Hours Worked

Industry Private Practice42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

49.1

47.5

50.0

45.0

MeanMedian

2013 AVMA Report on Veterinary Compensation

Outlook for Industry Veterinarians

• 2012: Supply (3,210 FTE) and demand in equilibrium

• Estimated 3.75% average annual growth rate between 2008-2016 (120/year); 1.9% between 2017-2025 (61/year)

2013 U.S. Veterinary WorkforceStudy: Modeling Capacity

Utilization

Helpful Websites• www.aacppv.org American Association of Corporate and

Public Practice Veterinarians• www.thevetrecruiter.com The VET Recruiter ®– In addition to jobs that we are actively searching, our

website has information on current events and topics in the industry as well as interview tips.

• www.animalhealthcareers.com Animal Health Careers Job Board

• www.animalhealthjobs.com Animal Health Jobs Job Board

Helpful Websites

• www.avma.org American Veterinary Medical Association• http://www.vetmed.vt.edu/org/md/cpcvm/The Virginia-

Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine has a Department of Corporate and Public Practice. They help prepare those who are interested in industry.

• www.linkedin.com LinkedIn is a social networking site that is geared towards business use.

Stacy Pursellwww.thevetrecruiter.com

stacy@thevetrecruiter.com918-298-7025

Karen E. Felsted, CPA, MS, DVM, CVPMFelsted Veterinary Consultants, Inc.

Karen@FelstedConsulting.com214-862-3802

Sources