Veterinary Criticalist

Clarksville Veterinary Emergency & Specialty (CVES) is recruiting a board-certified or residency-trained criticalist to establish and lead critical care at our 24-hour hospital in Clarksville, Tennessee.

About the Role

This is a founding role: you would be the critical care authority in a growing hospital, leading the development of the service, shaping the technician team, and defining what ECC medicine looks like here. CVES is a well-established 24-hour emergency hospital serving northern Middle Tennessee and southern Kentucky, including the large military community at Fort Campbell. The hospital currently has an on-site internist, a surgery service, and an emergency caseload that has outgrown what emergency clinicians alone should carry. The sickest patients in this region currently transfer 45 minutes or more for criticalist-level care—your arrival changes that on day one.

As our criticalist, you will play a key role in shaping and advancing critical care at CVES while practicing within a highly collaborative specialty network. You'll have ready access to the boarded specialists at our sister hospital, Nashville Veterinary Specialists (NVS)—including critical care, surgery, internal medicine, cardiology, neurology, oncology, and anesthesiology—for real-time consultation, shared decision-making, and seamless patient transfers when advanced specialty care is needed. Ophthalmology is also available on-site through our partnership with The Eye Vets.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate on shaping protocols, standards, and service identity from the ground up
• Lead complex critical care cases in a busy 24-hour emergency hospital
• Develop and grow the critical care service with the support of a strong regional caseload
• Work alongside an on-site internist and surgery service for multidisciplinary care
• Consult and coordinate with the NVS specialist bench for advanced care and transfers

Facilities & Support

• Designated ICU staffed by a highly skilled and experienced veterinary team
• CT, ultrasound, endoscopy, blood products, and in-house lab (including cytology scanner for same-day pathology reports)
• Leadership team prioritizing doctor recruitment, retention, and sustainable schedules

Qualifications

• Board certification or residency training in emergency and critical care (ACVECC)
• Residents finishing in 2027 and 2028 are welcome to start the conversation

Benefits

• Competitive base salary plus production
• Sign-on bonus and relocation assistance
• Health, vision, and dental coverage
• 401(k) and long-term benefits
• Generous CE allowance with dedicated CE time; license and dues reimbursement
• Pet care discount
• Yearly scrub allowance

Location

Clarksville is one of the fastest-growing cities in Tennessee, offering a vibrant downtown with local coffee shops, restaurants, and venues. The city features the Riverwalk along the Cumberland, Dunbar Cave State Park, and a strong military community from Fort Campbell. Nashville is 45 minutes away, providing access to major airports, professional sports, and a renowned live music scene. The area boasts no state income tax and a housing market where a veterinarian’s salary affords land, space, and a short commute.