Board-Certified Veterinary Ophthalmologist, West Texas Veterinary Specialists (WTVS), Lubbock TX

Veterinary Ophthalmologist — Build and Lead Your Own Ophthalmology Service

Established Referral Network | Underserved market of 1.4M+ | 3–4 Day Workweek | Pathway to Ownership | Part-time/Locum considered

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The Opportunity

West Texas Veterinary Specialists (WTVS) is looking for a board-certified ophthalmologist who wants something different from the traditional specialty-hospital model: the opportunity to build and shape your own ophthalmology service — backed by an already established referral network in a significantly underserved market.

WTVS has provided referral-only specialty care throughout West Texas and Eastern New Mexico for the past eight years, with internal medicine at the core of an established regional referral network. In early 2027, we will open a brand-new outpatient specialty center in Lubbock, allowing us to expand into multidisciplinary specialty care.

WTVS is independently owned, referral-only, and intentionally designed around collaboration with primary care veterinarians. Our goal is to work alongside them to help their patients receive advanced care without being forced to travel over 300 miles to a major metropolitan area.

WTVS was founded by a board-certified small animal internal medicine specialist with nearly 20 years of specialty practice experience. Our referral relationships are already established throughout the region, and our founder is currently the only full-time board-certified specialist within a 325-mile radius.

This isn't about stepping into someone else's ophthalmology program; we want you to help build and shape the program around the way you believe specialty ophthalmology should be practiced.

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Build the Practice You Want

Our vision is straightforward: exceptional specialty ophthalmology without requiring your career to revolve around an emergency hospital schedule.

Our goal is to support a comprehensive medical and surgical ophthalmology service, including cataract surgery if it aligns with your interests and vision for the service.

We envision:

• 3–4 day workweeks, with flexibility if you want more

• No nights

• No weekends

• No on-call

• No ER or overnight hospitalization responsibilities

• Primarily scheduled appointments (urgent cases only on your approval)

• Stable patients appropriate for outpatient or short-stay care

• The autonomy to help determine case selection, scheduling, equipment, workflow, and how the ophthalmology service develops

We believe you can work hard, practice excellent medicine, build a successful ophthalmology service, and still have boundaries around your life outside of work.

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The Facility

Our new purpose-built specialty center is expected to open in early 2027 and will include advanced diagnostic and procedural capabilities including 64-slice helical CT, ultrasound (including ocular ultrasound), digital radiography, fluoroscopy, endoscopy, laparoscopy, a full in-house laboratory, and dedicated specialty support staff.

Importantly, we would value your expertise in selecting the ophthalmic equipment and designing the service around your specific preferences. Rather than inheriting someone else's setup, you'll have the opportunity to help determine the equipment, workflow, and capabilities of the service from the beginning—including phacoemulsification equipment if desired.

You'll work alongside a board-certified small animal internist. In addition, surgical and oncology services are currently being developed, with plans to add additional specialties as the center grows.

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Who We're Looking For

The ideal candidate will be:

• Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (DACVO) or ACVO residency-trained veterinarian pursuing board-certification

• Veterinarian licensed or eligible for licensure in Texas

• Comfortable independently managing a broad medical and surgical ophthalmology caseload

• Collaborative colleague who values strong relationships with referring veterinarians

• Clinician committed to evidence-based medicine and excellent patient care

• Clinician who is excited by the opportunity to build something rather than simply join something

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Why West Texas?

The regional population centers that are geographically closer to Lubbock than to other major veterinary specialty markets represent more than 1.4 million residents – and that figure does not include the many smaller communities and rural counties between them. Combined with the lack of a regional veterinary ophthalmology service, the opportunity to quickly develop a busy ophthalmology caseload is significant.

Lubbock offers a quality of life that can be increasingly difficult to find in larger metropolitan areas. It has been recognized as a top-10 U.S. city to raise a family and combines the amenities of a growing regional city with an affordable, family-friendly lifestyle. Lubbock offers a cost of living approximately 7% below the national average, with housing costs substantially below the national average.

Lubbock is also home to Texas Tech University and Big 12 athletics, bringing Division I college sports, performing arts, cultural events, and the energy of a major university to the community.

This is a rare opportunity to establish an ophthalmology service in a region with significant unmet demand for veterinary specialty ophthalmology care — while starting with an established referral network built over eight years.

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Compensation and Long-Term Opportunity

We recognize that the right ophthalmologist may value more than a traditional compensation package. WTVS offers competitive compensation with significant earning potential in an underserved referral market, with flexibility to structure compensation around the right candidate and their professional goals. Relocation assistance is available for the right candidate.

For an ophthalmologist interested in putting down roots and helping build WTVS for the long term, there is also a potential pathway to practice ownership/equity. We are independently owned and open to discussing a future buy-in opportunity with the right ophthalmologist.

Our goal is to find someone who doesn't simply want another job, but who may ultimately want to help build, shape, and have a stake in what we're creating.

So if you've ever thought, “I'd love to build an ophthalmology service my way,” we'd like to talk. We’re also happy to have a confidential and informal conversation if you are simply curious about the opportunity — including those interested in part-time or locum work.