Owner & Medical Director Veterinarian - Chicago, IL

VeterinarianFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Veterinary Practice Co-Owner & Medical Director

Chicago, IL Area | General Practice & Urgent Care

Lead the Medicine. Shape the Practice. Share in the Success.

Have you thought about owning a veterinary hospital but weren't sure how to get there?

At Veterinary Practice Partners (VPP), we believe veterinarians should have the opportunity to own the hospitals they lead. We're looking for a veterinarian interested in becoming a Doctor Partner and Medical Director of a general practice and urgent care hospital in the Chicago area.

This is more than a Medical Director position. It's an opportunity to have an ownership stake in the hospital, help shape its future, and build something you're proud to call your own.

  • What Does Partnership with VPP Look Like?
  • Our model is built around keeping veterinary medicine in the hands of veterinarians.
  • As a VPP Doctor Partner, you'll have the opportunity to:
  • Become a co-owner and share in the financial success and long-term growth of your hospital.
  • Lead the medicine, with clinical decisions guided by you and your veterinary team.
  • Shape your hospital, from the services you offer to the team you build and the culture you create.
  • Maintain a local identity, with a hospital that reflects its community rather than a corporate brand.
  • Have a team behind you, with VPP providing support in operations, finance, recruiting, HR, and marketing.

You bring the medical leadership and vision. We bring the business support and resources to help you succeed.

With more than 190 hospitals and 200 Doctor Partners nationwide, including over 100 first-time owners, we've helped veterinarians take that next step in their careers.

About the Opportunity

VPP is exploring partnership opportunities in the Chicago area for veterinarians interested in ownership and medical leadership. We're looking for someone who is excited about helping shape the future of a general practice and urgent care hospital, with the opportunity to build a strong team, influence the direction of the practice, and grow alongside VPP.

Compensation & Benefits

As a Doctor Partner, you'll have the opportunity to earn income as a practicing veterinarian while also participating in the financial benefits of ownership.

  • Competitive base salary plus production
  • Medical Director stipend
  • Monthly profit distributions
  • Long-term equity growth potential
  • Health, dental, and vision insurance
  • Employer retirement plan contribution
  • Generous PTO and continuing education time
  • Annual CE allowance
  • Relocation assistance
  • Licensing, DEA, AVMA PLIT, AVMA, and VIN covered

What We're Looking For

  • DVM degree and active Illinois veterinary license, or ability to obtain one
  • 3+ years of clinical experience preferred
  • Interest in medical leadership and practice ownership
  • Strong communication and team-building skills
  • Passion for quality veterinary medicine and client relationships

Previous ownership experience isn't required. We're just as interested in veterinarians exploring ownership for the first time as those who have already held leadership roles.

Let's Talk About Ownership

Whether you've been thinking about owning a hospital for years or are just starting to explore the idea, we'd love to connect.

At VPP, you don't have to figure out practice ownership on your own. We're here to help you build something meaningful while continuing to do what you love: practicing veterinary medicine.

Key Responsibilities

Serve as the Medical Director and co-owner of a veterinary hospital, leading clinical operations and medical decision-making. Build and mentor a high-performing team while shaping the hospital's culture and service offerings.

Requirements

Requires a DVM degree and an active Illinois veterinary license. Candidates should have at least 3 years of clinical experience and a strong interest in medical leadership and practice ownership.

Qualifications

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

Certifications

DEA License

Key Skills

Practice managementClinical decision makingStrategic planningOperations managementFinancial management

Veterinary Medicine Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Illinois is 100.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 62.6% of Illinois clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 50 active Veterinary Medicine listings this role was benchmarked against, 90% have no call, 70% require no weekends.

What does the Veterinary Medicine market look like in Illinois?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed paynot listedVeterinary Medicine median $130k (middle half $123k–$160k)19 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost of livingIllinois index 100.0US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Veterinary Medicine listings in Illinois168 active3,422 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 90% no call · 70% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedIllinois healthcare professional listings (all specialties): 33% state a sign-on bonus (median $50k) · 8% offer loan repayment220 active listings, Nov 2026
New Veterinary Medicine listings1,251 in the last 30 days492 the 30 days before (+154%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Veterinary Medicine pay trend+3.7% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Veterinarian Jobs

21 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

10 jobs · 6 employers
4
<$140k
2
$150k
1
$160k
1
$185k
2
$200k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

10 jobs · 6 employers
Sign-on bonus
80%
401k / retirement match
80% this job
CME allowance
70% this job
Relocation assistance
50% this job

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Veterinarian - Madera, CA

Vet Cor · Madera, California

$150k-$200k
#2

Associate Veterinarian- GP/ Urgent Care- Lombard Veterinary Hospital

Dvm Launch · Lombard, Illinois

$140k-$200k
#3

Veterinarian - Gloversville, NY

$130k-$185k
#4

Veterinarian - Grass Valley, CA

$130k-$160k
+ 19 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 1.5
Below most Veterinary Medicine listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 3,083 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Veterinary Practice Partners logo

About Veterinary Practice Partners

Veterinary Services
Centreville, Virginia
201-500 employees

Benefits & Perks

Competitive base salary plus production
Medical Director stipend
Monthly profit distributions
Long-term equity growth potential
Health, dental, and vision insurance
Employer retirement plan contribution
Generous PTO and continuing education time
Annual CE allowance

Living in Chicago

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$354k
Typical market rent
$2,311/mo
Residents’ average commute
33 min
State income tax
Up to 5%
Sources & methodology

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

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