Living and Working at Energy Vets Taranaki with Mixed Animal Veterinarian - Dr Sam Armstrong - pt 2/2 - 1028

Energy Vets | What Makes the Job Work Long-Term (Part 2)

Settling into a role is one thing.
Staying in it — sustainably — is another.

In this episode, Julie South continues her conversation with Dr Sam Armstrong, a mixed animal vet at Energy Vets in Taranaki, looking at what work feels like once the initial settling-in period has passed.

Sam talks candidly about after-hours, workload, seasonal pressure points, and how the structure around him makes the job feel manageable over time. He also reflects on commuting, working across clinics, and what overseas vets benefit from knowing before making the move to New Zealand.

This is Part Two of a two-part conversation with Energy Vets, offering a grounded look at how support, systems, and everyday decisions shape whether people stay — not just how they start.

In This Episode

00:00 – Introduction and context for Part Two
01:01 – Life after the settling-in period
02:04 – After-hours work and how it’s managed
03:59 – Recovery time, sleep, and safety
04:51 – Using a regional after-hours clinic
05:43 – Commuting, call-outs, and New Zealand roads
07:49 – What overseas vets benefit from knowing
09:22 – Visas, residency, and practical logistics
11:27 – Team culture and why people stay
12:08 – Closing reflections on sustainability and support
14:04 – Final sign-off

If you’re an experienced small animal vet exploring your next step, you can find out more about current opportunities at Energy Vets at:
vetclinicjobs.com/energyvets

About Julie South

Julie South is the founder of VetClinicJobs and host of Veterinary Voices.

She works with forward-thinking veterinary clinics that want to show what working there is really like — not just list job requirements. Through VetClinicJobs, Julie helps clinics make their culture recognisable and familiar, so vets and nurses can tell whether a clinic is Their Kind of Clinic long before a vacancy appears.

Struggling to get results from your job advertisements?
If so, then shining online as a good employer is essential to attracting the types of veterinary professionals who're a perfect cultural fit for your clinic.

The VetClinicJobs job board is the place to post your next job vacancy - to find out more get in touch with Lizzie at VetClinicJobs