Pros
The people are the best part of working here. The medical staff are incredibly skilled, compassionate, and generous with their knowledge. If you're eager to learn, you'll gain invaluable experience and witness exceptional medicine every day. The employee discount on emergency and specialty veterinary services is also meaningful, and the benefits include free mental health care, which is a huge plus.
Cons
Emergency medicine is inherently demanding, and moral distress is part of the job. Unfortunately, the challenges at DoveLewis extend far beyond the nature of the work. In my experience, the culture created by upper management is the primary reason for their high turnover.
Over six years, I watched many talented, dedicated coworkers depart after feeling unsupported, singled out, or dismissed. Favoritism was evident, and employees outside a small inner circle often felt they had little psychological safety or ability to advocate for themselves. I also personally witnessed instances of racist and ableist behavior from management, which was deeply disappointing.
Management frequently operated through fear rather than support, creating a workplace where employees felt undervalued instead of empowered. In a profession already plagued by burnout and compassion fatigue, this leadership approach only made those challenges worse.
Moving between departments was also surprisingly difficult for an organization that promotes itself as a teaching hospital.
Compensation is on the lower end of industry standards and is difficult to live on in Portland. Health and dental insurance are solid, but they do not offset the workplace culture.
By the time I left, the chronic migraines and IBS symptoms I had developed while working there improved dramatically. While that's only my personal experience, it reinforced how much the work environment had affected my overall well-being.
