Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG) logo
Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG)
Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Medical Director - Chapel Hill, NC

Veterinary Emergency MedicineIncludes callIncludes weekendsFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

About VEG

In 2014, VEG was born with a mission to help people and their pets when they need it most. This meant challenging the status quo and fixing everything that was wrong with the ER experience. Since then, we’ve expanded rapidly, with hospitals nationwide open 24/7, 365 days a year, and created a better emergency experience—not only for people and their pets, but also for everyone who works here—our VEGgies!

At VEG we find a way to say yes to the career you want in veterinary emergency medicine. This means transforming how ER works, from our open-concept hospitals, where you can handle emergency cases of every kind (even exotics!) to our immersive, customer-focused experience, which helps us give people and their pets the care they deserve.

This also means saying yes to creating the greatest experience possible for our VEGgies. Yes to working in an environment where you can find your place and feel valued for the amazing work you do. Yes to having unparalleled opportunities for learning and mentorship so you can grow where you want to go in your career. And yes to making an impact here in ways you never thought possible.

VEG is a 2025 and 2026 certified Great Place to Work®.

The Job

Our Medical Directors (MDs) are not only exceptional emergency veterinarians and criticalists. They’re also visionary leaders, who take pride in guiding each hospital to medical excellence, the VEG Way.

In a culture that places them on the frontlines of change, VEG MDs have true ownership over their careers and the autonomy to make impactful decisions that are right for their hospitals. They build and grow their hospitals and teams in alignment with VEG's core values, from triage through discharge.

As servant leaders, they prioritize the needs of their people; lead with integrity, authenticity, and humility; and always find a way to say YES to our VEGgies.

Passionate about mentorship and unwavering in their support for their teams, our MDs create an environment where openness, togetherness, heroic helping, and meaningful moments define every interaction and elevate the VEG experience.

What You’LL Do

Establish and maintain a positive culture through team huddles, recognizing achievements and demonstrating appreciation for performance of the VEG Spikes, our unique, customer-centered way of doing things—like ensuring people see a doctor right away and allowing families to stay with their pets

Create a culture where doctors and technicians collaborate to deliver clinically excellent care

Lead team meetings for your VEG with a focus on relationship building, medical quality, team member concerns, hospital performance, and clinical team well-being

Aid growth and development of the doctor team through 1:1 meetings and creation of personalized development plans

Head VEG’s patient safety initiative in your VEG to ensure you are delivering safe and clinically excellent care

Establish a strategy for doctor recruitment, candidate experience, and succession planning in collaboration with your talent partner

  • Partner with your market owner to establish and implement a marketing strategy
  • Create and maintain the doctor schedule
  • Ensure your VEG is compliant with federal, state, and local regulations

What You Need

  • A DVM, VMD, or equivalent degree
  • 5+ years of traditional 24/7 ER experience and critical case management
  • Unrelenting passion for customer satisfaction through providing the highest medical care to patients
  • Training in emergency surgery/endoscopy preferred
  • Leadership skills training and mentorship experience preferred
  • Must be willing to work in a noisy environment with strong or unpleasant odors
  • Availability to work nights, weekends, and holidays on a rotating or as needed basis based on hospital needs
  • Work well in a fast-paced environment with people from all backgrounds and different personality types

Who You Are

Empathetic, instinctively taking a people-centric approach, whether supporting your colleagues or making an effort to understand different perspectives

Have a sense of humility; acknowledging mistakes, sharing credit with others, and lifting up your team’s’ accomplishments

Feel a strong sense of ownership over your work, taking responsibility for outcomes and staying committed to achieving long-term, impactful results

Curious by nature; you ask insightful questions and continuously seek out opportunities to learn and grow your skills and knowledge

How We Invest in You

Competitive compensation, including base and 401K match

Comprehensive health and wellness benefits that start on day one, including QPR training and access to free therapy or counseling

Based on your role, you may be eligible for equity after one year of full time, active employment with VEG, so you can share in our growth and success

A BIG focus on learning and growth, from VEG-created clinical and leadership programs to unlimited ER CE + travel stipend (no really!). Full-time credentialed VEGgies receive a $2,500/year travel stipend. Full-time uncredentialed VEGgies receive a $1,000/year travel stipend.

  • Clinical student loan repayment so you don’t need to worry about your student debt
  • Paid parental leave, up to 12 weeks at 100% of regular salary and inclusive fertility and family-building care for all types of families
  • Flexible work schedules to support your life outside of work
  • Generous employee referral program, so our awesome people can bring in more awesome people
  • And the little (big) things, like comfy scrubs, cool VEG swag, and food in the fridge for when you’re hungry
  • DEI

At VEG, diversity is not just a word—it's a strength that fuels innovation and kindness. Our mission is “Helping people and their pets when they need it most.” And we do that better when our VEGgies (employees) feel valued, respected, and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. That's why we're devoted to creating an environment that reflects the diverse communities we serve—where different perspectives are not only welcomed but celebrated.

We are focused on providing equitable opportunities for growth, promoting inclusive decision-making, and ensuring that everyone's perspective is considered. Saying yes to VEG means helping us build a culture where your unique experiences and background contribute to a shared vision: being the world’s veterinary emergency company.

Key Responsibilities

The Medical Director is responsible for leading the hospital team to achieve medical excellence while fostering a positive, collaborative culture. They oversee clinical operations, doctor development, patient safety initiatives, and hospital performance in alignment with company values.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a DVM, VMD, or equivalent degree and possess at least 5 years of experience in 24/7 emergency medicine and critical case management. Strong leadership, mentorship skills, and the ability to work in a fast-paced, rotating shift environment are required.

Qualifications

Education
Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
5+ years of experience

Key Skills

Emergency veterinary medicineTeam managementClinical excellenceStrategic planningRegulatory complianceCommunicationConflict resolution

Veterinary Emergency Medicine — Physician Career Context

Of the 47 active Physician listings this role was benchmarked against, 6% are remote, 85% have no call, 43% require no weekends.

Physician pay on WeekdayDoc is up 4.8% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).

The cost-of-living index for North Carolina is 94.3 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 59.2% of North Carolina clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Veterinary Emergency Medicine Jobs

31 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution31 jobs · 10 employers

8
<$340k
14
$350k
2
$390k-440k
5
$440k-490k
2
$490k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks30 jobs · 10 employers

401k / retirement match
73% this job
CME allowance
33%
Relocation assistance
20%
Sign-on bonus
17%
Loan repayment
13% this job

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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Team Health · Woodbridge, Virginia

$238-$278/hr
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Team Health · Marlton, New Jersey

$220-$240/hr
#3

SISTERS OF CHARITY HOSPITAL - EM - STAFF PHYSICIAN

$225-$230/hr
#4

MERCY AMBULATORY CARE CENTER - EM - STAFF PHYSICIAN

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+ 29 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 5.4this job 1.5
Better work-life than 10% of Physician roles listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 19,720 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes call
  • Includes weekends

Living in Chapel Hill

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$544k
Typical market rent
$1,690/mo
Residents’ average commute
20 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
97.6
State income tax
Up to 4.8%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG) logo

About Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG)

Veterinary Services
White Plains, New York
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

401K match
Health and wellness benefits
Equity after one year
Unlimited ER CE + travel stipend
Clinical student loan repayment
Paid parental leave (up to 12 weeks)
Flexible work schedules
Employee referral program