The Cova Protocol
Matching is not a transaction.
It is a structure.
The right match changes the arc of a career. It determines whether a veterinarian stays in emergency medicine or leaves it. Whether a practice builds a team or keeps rebuilding one. That kind of match cannot be made on instinct. It requires a structure. This is ours.
How It Works
Both sides of every match are held to the same standard.
Most assessment in this industry flows one way. Cova assesses both sides. The veterinarian is evaluated across 17 dimensions. The practice is evaluated across the same 17 dimensions. When the profiles meet, the match is structural rather than coincidental. Both sides have been understood before anyone is introduced.
We don't just evaluate candidates.See the full methodology ↓
We evaluate practices.
The Methodology
Six categories. Seventeen dimensions.
Every veterinarian and every practice is assessed across the same framework. No assumptions. No shortcuts.
01
Clinical Fit
Specialty alignment, case complexity preferences, equipment and support requirements. The foundation of every match.
02
Cultural & Values Alignment
Practice philosophy, team dynamics, communication style, and decision-making culture. How a practice operates day to day.
03
Lifestyle & Schedule Compatibility
Shift patterns, flexibility, geographic preferences, and work-life boundaries. What the role actually requires outside the clinic.
04
Compensation & Career
Base compensation, production bonuses, benefits, growth trajectory, and ownership potential. Every number that matters.
05
Operational Environment
Support staff ratios, technology, physical plant, patient volume, and mentorship structure. The conditions that determine daily experience.
06
Purpose & Moral Identity
Approach to care economics, pro bono philosophy, moral distress history, and ethical alignment. The dimensions most matching ignores entirely.
Before the Match Begins
Six gates. Binary. Non-negotiable.
Before dimensional scoring begins, every potential match passes through six dealbreaker gates. If any gate fails, the match does not proceed. This protects both sides from investing in something that cannot work.
Schedule
Shift structure, hours, and on-call requirements must fall within the candidate's documented boundaries.
Gate 01Compensation
Base salary and total compensation must meet the candidate's minimum threshold before any introduction is made.
Gate 02Geographic
Location, relocation requirements, and commute must align with the candidate's stated preferences and constraints.
Gate 03Equipment
The practice must have the clinical equipment and support infrastructure the candidate requires to work effectively.
Gate 04Moral Injury Risk
The practice's approach to care economics and ethical decision-making must be compatible with the candidate's documented values.
Gate 05Verified Practice Data
The practice's profile must be complete and verified before any candidate is introduced. Incomplete data disqualifies the match.
Gate 06Some things are not negotiable. The dealbreaker gates exist to protect both sides from investing time and trust in a match that cannot hold. If a gate fails, we go back to the practice before anyone is introduced.
The Guarantee
The Protocol does not end at placement.
The 90-day guarantee is not a safety net bolted onto a placement process. It is a structural outcome of the matching rigor that precedes it. When both sides have been assessed across 17 dimensions, the guarantee is not a bet. It is a reasonable expectation.
Post-placement check-ins are built into every engagement. Each one feeds back into the model. Every placement makes the next match better.
90-day
Placement Guarantee
If the match does not hold within 90 days, Cova rematch at no additional fee. The guarantee is backed by the same Protocol that created the match. Structure in, structure out.
Why It Works
The Protocol tells us where to look. Experience tells us what we are seeing.
No algorithm places a veterinarian. No software advocates for her terms. The Protocol creates the conditions for good judgment. Our team exercises it. Every match is reviewed by someone who understands what is at stake on both sides.
Structure without rigidity
The 17 dimensions are a framework for understanding, not a scoring system that replaces judgment. Every match is reviewed by a person who knows both sides.
Advocacy without agenda
Cova does not earn more by placing faster or higher. The fee structure removes the incentive to rush. The only agenda is the right match.
Transparency without exception
Pricing is published. Guarantee terms are published. The Protocol categories are on this page. If we cannot explain it openly, we do not do it.
Ready to see what a structured match looks like?
Whether you are a veterinarian exploring representation or a practice building a team, the Protocol starts the same way. With a conversation.
No obligation. No recruiter follow-up. No pressure.