Small Animal Hospitalist

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Small Animal Hospitalist – Inpatient Medicine and Clinical Teaching

Job Profile Title

Staff Veterinarian

Job Description Summary

The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine is seeking a Small Animal Hospitalist to support inpatient care and clinical teaching at the Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital.
This role provides daily oversight of hospitalized ward patients, mentors veterinary students on the Patient Care rotation, and collaborates closely with specialty services to ensure continuity, safety, and efficiency of inpatient care.
The Hospitalist serves as a central clinical resource within the hospital, supporting nursing teams, facilitating communication across services, and helping maintain high standards of patient care within one of the nation’s busiest academic veterinary hospitals.

Job Description

The Hospitalist provides structured daily medical oversight for ward patients, supports nursing teams, and directs the Patient Care rotation for veterinary students. The position bridges specialty services to ensure continuity, safety, and efficiency of inpatient care.

How you will contribute:

As patient volume and case complexity continue to grow at the Ryan Veterinary Hospital, the Hospitalist role strengthens inpatient continuity of care while enhancing veterinary student education.

The Hospitalist bridges specialty services, supports nursing teams with real-time clinical guidance, and mentors veterinary students as they develop clinical reasoning and patient management skills. By maintaining daily oversight of ward patients, the role helps improve communication, patient safety, and workflow across the hospital.

Responsibilities:

Patient Care Rotation Director

• Provide direct supervision and mentorship to veterinary students on the Patient Care rotation.
• Ensure students understand and fulfill their responsibilities as primary caregivers under appropriate medical oversight.
• Foster clinical reasoning, accountability, and professional growth.
• Collaborate with clinical services and academic leadership to align ward workflow with curricular objectives.
• Provide formative feedback and participate in student evaluation.

Inpatient Medical Oversight

• Serve as the designated medical advisor for the wards.
• Conduct daily rounds on ward patients in collaboration with primary and specialty services.
• Review, clarify, and update treatment plans in coordination with attending clinicians.
• Review Instinct treatment sheets for accuracy, clarity, and safety.
• Provide timely medical decision-making for routine and intermediate patient care issues within established protocols.
• Identify early clinical deterioration and escalate care appropriately.
• Monitor adherence to hospital protocols, documentation standards, and patient safety practices.
• Promote continuity of care and reduce communication gaps between services.
• A Hospitalist does not carry a primary specialty caseload and instead focuses on inpatient oversight, coordination of care, and clinical teaching.

Nursing Support & Clinical Education

• Serve as an on-site medical resource for nursing staff for routine inpatient care questions.
• Provide just-in-time teaching and ongoing clinical education to support nursing excellence.
• Ensure appropriate escalation of complex medical decisions to attending clinicians.
• Support a collaborative, respectful, and psychologically safe team environment.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

• DVM or VMD degree
• 3–5 years of clinical experience in small animal medicine, emergency, critical care, or inpatient hospital practice
• Demonstrated proficiency in small animal inpatient medicine
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated commitment to patient safety and collaborative practice

Preferred Qualifications

• Completion of a small animal rotating internship
• Prior experience in an academic teaching hospital or high-volume referral hospital.
• Experience supervising veterinary students or house officers
• Demonstrated interest in medical education
• Interest in protocol development, quality improvement, or patient safety initiatives

Position Details:

• Primarily weekday daytime schedule; may include rotating weekends and holidays as needed to support inpatient services
• No primary responsibility for outpatient appointments
• Reports to: Hospital Director
• Comprehensive university benefits package

Targeted Pay Range: $130,000 - $140,000

This Targeted Pay Range is only applicable to this job posting. All salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile.

Please contact Amy Shields, Talent Acquisition Specialist at [email protected] for further details.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

School of Veterinary Medicine

Pay Range

$95,200.00 - $140,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job’s level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.

Equal Opportunity Statement 

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin(including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protectedunder applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements 
Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

• Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

• Flexible Work Hours:Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

​

To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay