What Is a Locum?

Sometimes in a vet clinic, you need some extra help, and you need to seek it from outside your regular group of staff. This helper is known as a locum.

A locum is a person who stands in temporarily for someone else of the same profession, especially a cleric or doctor.

Thus, a licensed veterinarian that works at various places for coverage at times of need is what we get for help here. They are fully capable and qualified to do what is needed here in the clinic. It is especially important to have them available to us here at the clinic.

It is often difficult for these locums as each clinic they go to has a different set of staff, a different list of medications and vaccines, different booking schedules, and obviously different clients. They need to do the best they can for your pet, without having the benefit of a previous rapport with you. It can be tough.

Why is it important to have them?

It offers us the chance to let our regular doctors have some time off. Whether to have holidays and recharge, for emergencies or for continued education, they get a break. We let them have the time away from the stresses of the clinic.

It is equally as important though for you, as having them here lets us make sure that we are able to continue to offer our clients and their pets veterinary care. We can still give appointments for pets that may be sick or need their routine vaccines. Without these locums we would be very limited in the times we could offer up for us to see you.

Luckily here at Manitou, we have managed to get locums that come back to us. In our favour, it offers up a bit more stability for our clients as it is now someone who knows the place a bit more. We do our best to get help for you and your furry family members.

If you have any questions, give us a call at 519-893-1360.

Written by: Lisa, RVT