Choose which work to handle internally
Job advertising and recruiting can complement one another. A board placement does not necessarily include sourcing, screening or interview coordination; confirm the actual features and terms of any provider you evaluate.
- Consider the staff time available to manage incoming applications.
- Identify whether direct candidate outreach is required.
- Compare the complete scope and cost instead of comparing headline prices alone.
Prepare the role brief
Write down the information a candidate needs to evaluate the position before the search begins.
- Separate clinical sessions from protected leadership time.
- Define authority over standards, mentoring and clinical decisions.
- Explain reporting lines, budget input and measures of success.
Plan the work location in Memphis.
Name the street address, municipality and county. Memphis is the large central city, while Germantown, Collierville, Bartlett, Lakeland, Arlington and Millington are separate Shelby County municipalities, and Atoka, Munford, Covington, Oakland, Somerville and Piperton are separate Tipton and Fayette county places. Cordova, Raleigh, Hickory Hill, Whitehaven, East Memphis and Midtown are neighborhoods inside the City of Memphis. The Memphis metropolitan statistical area also reaches into Mississippi and Arkansas, and coverage on this site is limited to Tennessee, because a hospital in another state falls under a different licensing authority.
Give the hiring team one brief for each facility, with clinical work, technician delegation, weekend duties and location commitments stated together. Tennessee asks veterinarians for 20 hours of continuing education each calendar year, so state the support the practice provides. O*NET OnLine, using Bureau of Labor Statistics 2025 wage data, lists a Memphis-area median annual wage for veterinarians slightly above the Tennessee median and below the national median, which is context candidates may bring to an offer. The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in Knoxville and Lincoln Memorial University’s veterinary college in Harrogate are Tennessee-based programs, and the Lincoln Memorial site hosts a job board for its graduates. This site describes employer hiring coverage without claiming a Memphis recruiting office.
Review Memphis-area recruiting coverage →Local context for this role
The Tennessee Board’s responsible supervision statement says supervised persons must be employees of the supervising veterinarian, who need not be on the same premises, and the premises permit application asks for a supervising veterinarian’s name and license number and the type of practice. A Memphis medical director brief should state which hospital the director supervises, how many Memphis-area sites the premises permits cover and how technician supervision works on days the director is elsewhere. The Board’s page recommends that facilities submit renewal applications 90 days before expiration, so the brief should also name who owns that date.
Plan Tennessee credential checks before the start date.
Tennessee licenses veterinarians and Licensed Veterinary Medical Technicians through the Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners within the Department of Health. The Board’s application instructions list the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination score for the examination route, and proof of recent practice and continuing education for a veterinarian licensed in another state. Assign a person to verify license status and the expiration date, record the verification date and resolve questions with the Board. Check any specialty credentials the employer requires with the issuing organization.
Tennessee Department of Health license verification · Tennessee Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners applications and rules page
Compare the work, responsibility and fee.
| Decision | Job advertising | Recruiting engagement |
|---|---|---|
| Candidate sourcing | A published opening invites responses; features vary by board. | Agree whether direct outreach and sourcing are included. |
| Screening | The employer typically needs a process for reviewing responses. | Define the screening criteria and who verifies credentials. |
| Payment | Review the board's advertising terms and any add-ons. | Review BEGHR's placement estimate and written milestones. |
| Hiring decision | The employer selects the candidate. | The employer selects and directly hires the candidate. |
Confirm the service and terms with BEGHR.
Recruit a veterinary medical director with a clear balance of clinical care, team development and hospital leadership responsibilities.
Read the service scope · Review the recruiting process · BEGHR veterinary placement