Decreasing Stress and Burnout in Veterinary Medicine: An Evidence-Based Approach
Date/Time
Date(s) - Wed, Apr 15, 2026 MDT
10:00 am - 11:30 am

Location

Although the majority of veterinary personnel describe their occupation as stressful, little research has examined strategies to ameliorate systemic sources of distress in veterinary healthcare teams. Compassion fatigue, moral distress, overwork, and frustration with unrealistic client expectations and non-compliance are common in the field. Work from our lab suggests that difficult interactions with veterinary clients who are experiencing distress in the context of a companion animal’s illness (i.e., caregiver burden) are central to many such stressors. “Burden transfer” posits that caregiver burden in the veterinary client leads to a variety of difficult interactions with providers, transferring some of the client’s burden to the veterinary healthcare team. That burden transfer, in turn, is associated with greater stress and burnout for people working in the field. Accumulating research from our lab shows it is possible to reduce burden transfer and associated distress using a tailored, evidence-based approach. Results will be shared from a series of randomized trials demonstrating efficacy and effectiveness of a novel and highly scalable educational program to reduce burden transfer, stress, and burnout in veterinary personnel. A brief overview of the approach and description of techniques used in the program will be provided.

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