Associate Veterinarian

Atlas is excited to be working with a long-standing small animal general practice in the Cedar Rapids metro area, which is looking for an Associate Veterinarian to join its six-doctor team. The practice runs several neighborhood hospitals across the metro, and you can base yourself at one location or rotate between sites if you prefer variety in your week.

The practice traces its roots back to the early 1960s and has grown from a single partnership into a group of hospitals serving families across the area. It is now supported by a larger veterinary group that handles back-office operations, while all patient care decisions and medical protocols stay with the doctors. That means the people who know the patients and clients are the ones setting the standard of medicine, without the administrative load falling on them.

The caseload reflects the range of interests within the doctor team. Alongside wellness and preventive care, the hospitals see a solid volume of internal medicine, soft tissue and orthopedic surgery, and dermatology. Cardiac and abdominal ultrasound has been performed in-house for more than 25 years, there is a regular exotics caseload including ferrets and small mammals, and spinal manipulative therapy is offered as a complementary option for neck and back cases.

Tenure here is unusual. Two partners have each been with the practice for over 25 years, another doctor has been on the team for nearly two decades, and a veterinarian with more than ten years of small animal experience joined in 2022. The two most recent hires graduated in 2024 and 2025, so mentorship is something the team is actively doing rather than promising. Senior doctors have held roles in state and local veterinary associations, including ethics committee work and local association leadership.

Client relationships sit at the center of how the practice works. Many families have been coming here for years, and doctors are expected to take the time to explain findings and recommendations clearly. New graduates will find structured support from experienced clinicians, while established veterinarians can work independently and bring their own clinical interests into the caseload. Access to the wider group’s clinical development programs adds further options for building skills over time.

Key highlights

• Small animal general practice with roots going back more than 60 years
• Six-doctor team with a mix of long-tenured partners and recent graduates
• Choose one location or rotate between neighborhood hospitals in the Cedar Rapids metro
• Full medical autonomy, with patient care and protocols set by the doctors
• In-house cardiac and abdominal ultrasound with over 25 years of experience behind it
• Varied caseload including internal medicine, soft tissue and orthopedic surgery, dermatology and exotics
• Complementary spinal manipulative therapy offered for neck and back cases
• Hands-on mentorship from doctors who are currently guiding new graduates
• Clear referral approach for cases that need specialist care

About you

• DVM degree
• Licensed in Iowa, or eligible to obtain an Iowa veterinary license
• New graduates and experienced veterinarians are both welcome to apply
• Clear communicator who enjoys educating clients and building long-term relationships
• Comfortable working across general practice medicine and surgery, or keen to develop with support
• Works well with colleagues of all experience levels and values a steady, respectful team
• Open to feedback and ongoing professional development

Benefits

• Salary based on experience plus ProSal production bonus
• Signing bonus
• Generous paid time off and paid holidays
• CE allowance
• Professional dues and license fee reimbursement
• Medical, dental and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Pet care discounts
• Access to clinical development programs through the wider group