When we talk about the evolution of veterinary surgery, we’re usually discussing the significant strides in surgical techniques and medical technologies that have come into play over the past few years. But a different major evolution is happening outside our clinical conversations – have you also noticed the growing trend of veterinary surgeons transitioning to mobile-based careers?
My name is Dr. Kim Tong, and I’m a board-certified veterinary surgeon based in the San Francisco Bay Area. For the first seven years of my career, I worked as an associate surgeon in traditional “brick-and-mortar” specialty hospitals. Recently, I’ve observed many colleagues embracing the mobile model, driven by the promise of better work-life balance, strong earning potential, and no on-call shifts. Earlier this year, I began reflecting on my professional goals and considered whether I should make the jump too. The prospect of greater autonomy was appealing, but I questioned if I was ready to trade my existing stability.
Earlier this year, I began reflecting on my professional goals and considered whether I should make the jump too.
The promise of improved work-life balance and strong earning potential is undoubtedly enticing. However, transitioning to mobile surgery has its challenges. For instance, mobile surgeons rely on clinics to provide cases, often face extensive travel, and don’t have the safety net of a guaranteed salary. Additionally, mobile surgeons are responsible for securing their own insurance and lack traditional employee benefits. After much thought, I realized I still enjoyed working in a collaborative, specialist-centric environment. I loved meeting clients, managing complex cases, and performing challenging surgeries. So, I decided to do both!
Earlier this year, I joined TruVet Specialty and Emergency Hospital in Petaluma, California. The opportunity there allowed me to pursue both paths. At TruVet, I helped build a new in-house surgery department while simultaneously launching my own mobile surgery business—Golden Gate Mobile Surgery. The mobile business services San Francisco and south, away from Petaluma, so as not to cannibalize TruVet cases. Five months into this dual venture, here are the highlights of what I’ve learned so far.
Launching a mobile surgery service required a deep dive into startup needs and expenses. Many surgeons, particularly those just out of residency or without experience starting a surgery department, might not fully understand the capital investment and decision-making involved. Examples include selecting the right enzymatic cleaner for your instruments or deciding how much is reasonable to invest in a high-quality orthopedic drill.
When I started, I didn’t even know the exact steps in sterilizing all my instruments. The whole thing was rather daunting. I could have joined a group like SURGE, where paid members receive access to coaching and webinars, but instead, I leaned on advice from some of my fellow residents who had mobile surgery experience. They helped me make cost-effective decisions and provided a bare-bones inventory checklist.
I also found the MovoraGo program and my representative, Justin Barker, who offered startup templates for surgical packs and items, a generous interest-free payment plan, and even savings for the investment I was making. Having trusted colleagues and an experienced company supporting my business saved considerable time, stress, and money.
The next step was finding clinics interested in my services. Instead of competing directly with other mobile surgeons, I focused on hospitals with which I had established relationships or those that didn’t already use a mobile surgeon. These targets included practices run by former classmates and doctors I had connected with through referrals. Since I retained the stability of my primary position at TruVet, I was able to approach cultivating my partner clinic base deliberately and methodically.
The prospect of greater autonomy was appealing, but I questioned if I was ready to trade my existing stability.
As a mobile surgeon, I aim to foster collaborative relationships with these hospitals rather than transactional ones. My standard pitch highlights ways I can enhance their surgical capabilities and confidence in managing cases. To support this, I provide client handouts for various procedures, case-specific anesthetic protocol recommendations, detailed discharge instructions for owners, and timely and direct communication with referring veterinarians. As long as I support them in the background, they will grow their confidence in managing these cases and retain more cases in-house.
Five months in, I am continuing to build my referral base. While I’ve established a solid group of partner practices, I continue to strengthen these partner relationships, building through experience their confidence in identifying and managing surgical cases. As this grows, I’m sure more hurdles will come, but creating this hybrid model for myself has been a rewarding journey. I’m optimistic about what lies ahead for both Truvet and Golden Gate Mobile Surgery!