How to Plan a Veterinary Team Retreat with CE

By The Vet Passport team · Updated October 28, 2026 · 6 min read

A team retreat with CE does two jobs at once: your people earn the hours they need, and they come home more connected and more rested. Done well, it's one of the most effective retention tools a practice has. Here's how to plan one.

1. Decide what the retreat is for

Pick one or two goals and let them shape every choice: a thank-you for a great year, skills in a specific area, leadership development for your managers, or simply time together away from the clinic. A dentistry-focused trip for the whole team looks very different from a leadership retreat for three associates.

2. Choose who goes and how many

Smaller groups of 8 to 20 are easier to schedule and feel more personal. Decide early whether it's the whole team, a department, or a group of top performers, and whether partners are invited. Partners usually skip the CE sessions and join everything else.

3. Plan coverage first

The hardest part of a practice retreat is usually the schedule back home. Lock in dates 6 to 12 months ahead, arrange relief coverage, and consider splitting a large team across two trips so the clinic stays open.

4. Make the CE count

Match the CE topic to your caseload, and make sure sessions are RACE-approved so they count toward licenses. Most US state boards accept RACE CE, but each board sets its own rules, so ask team members to check theirs. Half-day sessions leave the afternoons for the experience that makes the trip memorable.

5. Pick a destination that fits the group

Close to home: shorter flights, fewer days away, easier coverage
Mexico, Canada and much of the Caribbean: these count as "North America" for IRS convention rules
Further afield: bucket-list trips like South Africa or Peru make the biggest impression, with more planning and time

6. Budget and taxes

Budget per person for lodging, meals, CE, excursions and ground transport, plus flights. Many practices cover the CE portion or the whole trip as a benefit. CE a practice pays for is generally a deductible business expense and can be tax-free to employees as a working condition fringe benefit. See do veterinary practices get a tax break for paying for employee CE?, and talk to your accountant.

7. Build in real rest

A retreat packed from dawn to midnight sends people home tired. Leave free afternoons, add wellness like yoga or massage, and plan one or two great group dinners rather than every meal together.

8. Pitch it to your team

Share the dates, the CE topic, what's covered and what's optional as early as possible. Being clear about who pays for what, and whether partners can come, prevents most questions.

Let us plan it

Vet Passport designs custom CE and wellness retreats for practice teams, study clubs and associations of 8 or more. Pick the destination, CE topic, wellness and dates in a few quick steps and we'll send an itinerary idea and price range within 3 business days. Design your team's retreat.

Frequently asked questions

How far ahead should a veterinary practice plan a team retreat?

Ideally 6 to 12 months ahead, mainly to arrange relief coverage and give team members time to plan. International trips benefit from the longer end of that range.

How many people should go on a veterinary team retreat?

Groups of 8 to 20 are easiest to plan and feel personal. Larger teams can split across two trips so the clinic stays covered.

Can a team retreat count as CE?

Yes, if it includes approved CE sessions. Most US state boards accept RACE-approved CE, but each board sets its own rules, so team members should check theirs.

Who pays for a veterinary team retreat?

It varies. Many practices cover the CE portion or the whole trip as a benefit, and team members pay for partners and personal extras. Practice-paid CE is generally deductible for the practice and can be tax-free to employees.

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About us. We build small-group CE and wellness retreats for veterinary professionals. More about Vet Passport.