Control your schedule and choose the shifts you want with no minimum shift requirements.
Quickly find what you’re looking for with thousands of shifts and a variety of hospitals.
A Relief Veterinarian (sometimes called a locum tenens veterinarian) is a freelance employee who provides healthcare to pets while filling in for veterinarians when they're sick, vacationing, or out on leave — like a substitute teacher for the animal healthcare industry.
No need to submit a resume. We’ll meet with you to review your skills and experience to find great hospitals that fit your preferences.
Roo costs nothing to join and there are membership fees.
You set your own schedule and choose the shifts you want with no minimum shift requirements, non-competes, commitments, or mandates.
Yes! Even if you're employed full-time, you can always pick up relief shifts to earn extra money.
Relief work is also a great way to try new hospitals and specialties, learn from other doctors, and search for your next full-time veterinarian job if you're looking to make a change.
Roo is free to join with no membership fees and no penalties for inactivity so you have nothing to lose!
Hospitals have no visibility into your profile, contact info, or search activity until you request a shift. Hospitals also have no way of seeing who is on the platform. Your activity is hidden from all Roo hospitals until you reach out to them.
Getting paid with Roo is fast and easy — immediately after you work a shift, you’ll be paid via direct deposit in as little as two business days!
When you first join Roo, you’ll be prompted through a one-time setup where you fill out a W-9 form and link your bank account. After that, all payments are sent to you automatically, no waiting around and no chasing it down!
No. As a relief veterinarian, taxes are not taken out of your income, so you’ll get paid every cent you see listed on the shift card. However, you will be responsible for paying taxes on this income at a later date, so we recommend setting some of your Roo earnings aside for tax payments.
Roo provides a number of resources and significant help with your taxes as an independent contractor, which you can find in our Tax Center. Roo's platform automatically keeps track of your earnings and milage to help you file taxes each year.
No! You have complete control over your schedule. Only work when you want, period. Take as much time off as you like, Roo will always be here for you.
No! It’s completely free for vets. It costs nothing to join, and there are no membership fees or other costs. You’ll only make money with Roo.
No! Roo stands for the freedom of vets everywhere. Therefore, Roo does not require vets to sign a non-compete to work through our platform.
While Roo does not require you have personal liability insurance, we highly recommend getting your own coverage as you won’t be covered under the hospital’s policy as an independent contractor. Roo has teamed with the AVMA to offer PLIT plans that are affordable and convenient. You can get covered for a whole year for less than half of what you’ll make working just one shift!
As an independent contractor with Roo, you’ll be responsible for your own health benefits and workers compensation insurance. Roo has teamed with Stride Health to provide a number of options for health benefits.
Veterinary School — To become a veterinarian in the United States, attend an AVMA-accredited Veterinary College and earn a degree as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM).
Undergraduate Education — Complete veterinary school prerequisites at your undergraduate university. Recommended majors include: biology, animal science, biological sciences, and biomedical sciences.
Animal Healthcare Experience — Build your resume working with animals. You'll need around 180 hours to get into vet school. Volunteer where you can, especially at local clinics and shelters. Letters of recommendation go a long way.
GRE Exam — A high score will help you overcome tough competition to get into vet school.
What you’ll need:
Updated 8/21/23
Roo gives you the opportunity to earn as much or as little as you want. It’s up to you to balance your scheduling priorities with your income goals.
Whether you work relief part-time or full-time is entirely up to you — use Roo however works best for your schedule to obtain the salary you desire.
Unlimited Vacation: You'll never be penalized for taking time off. In fact, we encourage it!
As a 1099 contract employee, when you get paid, you'll receive every penny. This can be a helpful way to continue to earn income while you job search! However, you'll be responsible for paying taxes on any Roo income you earn so we recommend planning ahead by setting some money aside for taxes.
Roo offers a wide variety of tax resources to help relief vets manage their taxes while saving as much as possible through a variety of tax write-offs.
