It's your move! Transition from hospital relief to full time.

Meet Dr. Kayce Kobs, Associate Veterinarian, Vetco Total Care, Kansas City

Pet ownership in the U.S. has jumped significantly over the past three decades. As of 2024, around 90 million households have a pet. As such, the demand for veterinary services continues to climb. Veterinary medicine has adapted to meet growing demand, giving veterinarians more ways to practice medicine than ever – from full-service hospitals to emergency-only, from specialty care services to low-cost spay-and-neuter clinics and everything in between.

Vetco offers doctors three ways to work: part- and full-time roles in our Vetco Total Care general practice hospitals and a bid-your-own shift model as a Vetco hospital relief or Vetco mobile clinic doctor offering preventive care. This flexibility and freedom to choose makes it easy to find a team and schedule that is right for you.

Dr. Kayce Kobs worked with Vetco Total Care in Petco’s Kansas City pet care center as a hospital relief doctor before joining the same hospital full-time. We sat down with her to learn more about her experience.

Q: With so many options for veterinarians, why did you make the decision to join Vetco Total Care (VTC) full-time?

Dr. Kayce Kobs:
I’ve worked many clinic and relief roles, and I was weighing several options for full-time roles before joining Vetco Total Care (VTC). My decision to switch to VTC came down to salary plus benefits plus the open time-off. Our flexible time-off policy was a big part of my decision. It allows me to take personal time off when I need it. Another major benefit is the paid liability insurance – as a relief doctor that can really add up!

Q: What was the transition from a clinic role to a full-time hospital job like?

Dr. Kayce Kobs:
It was a pretty seamless transition for me. I personally find it less stressful to have set hours. And with our flexible time-off policy and the support of my area medical director, if I have to be out for a personal appointment, I can take it. Even if it’s something that’s unplanned. The whole team is really flexible – that's not as easy to facilitate in some clinics.

Q: What do you enjoy about your role as a VTC veterinarian?

Dr. Kayce Kobs:
My hospital team works really well together. Everyone is very work-life oriented. We get things done and we don’t stay after the hospital closes. And we’re really stringent about taking our scheduled lunch breaks!

My team is also great with client education. They take the time to explain the importance of preventative care and the value of our services to client. So, for example, if we have to do more extensive bloodwork on a pet, the client understands why it’s necessary – because we have taken the time to explain the “why.” This level of client education leads to better outcomes for our patients.

Q: What’s a benefit of working with Vetco Total Care that you didn’t expect?

Dr. Kayce Kobs:
The network of doctors – there’s always someone to ask for a second opinion.

I also really like our hospital software – it’s easy to order meds and add meds to our formulary. And our charting system allows you to upload patient photos to a chart which is a great reference to track a patient’s progress.

Q: What would you tell another clinic/relief doctor who might be considering a direct part-time or full-time role?

Dr. Kayce Kobs:
Not all companies or practices are created equal. Culture, medicine, management techniques, equipment, tools, and resources can vary from practice to practice. Everyone has unique needs, so I recommend working a few hospital-relief shifts to get a feel for these aspects so you can find the right fit, as I did with Vetco Total Care.

Dr. Kayce Kobs received her DVM from Iowa State University in 2015. She has worked in large and small private practice and non-profit veterinary medicine. Dr. Kobs has two cats and four guinea pigs, and enjoys west coast swing dancing, singing, reading, and CrossFit.

To speak with a member of our Veterinary Talent team, or if you have a general career-related inquiry, please email talent@petco.com.