Preparing students for careers in food-supply veterinary medicine: a review of educational programs in the United States

The real and/or perceived shortage of veterinarians serving food-supply veterinary medicine has been a topic of considerable discussion for decades. Regardless of this debate, there are issues still facing colleges of veterinary medicine (CVMs) about the best process of educating future food-supply veterinarians. Over the past several years, there have been increasing concerns by some that the needs of food-supply veterinary medicine have not adequately been met through veterinary educational institutions. The food-supply veterinary medical curriculum offered by individual CVMs varies depending on individual curricular design, available resident animal population, available food-animal caseload, faculty, and individual teaching efforts of faculty. All of the institutional members of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) were requested to share their Food Animal Veterinary Career Incentives Programs. The AAVMC asked all member institutions what incentives they used to attract and educate students interested in, or possibly considering, a career in food-supply veterinary medicine (FSVM). The problem arises as to how we continue to educate veterinary students with ever shrinking budgets and how to recruit and retain faculty with expertise to address the needs of society. Several CVMs use innovative training initiatives to help build successful FSVM programs. This article focuses on dairy, beef, and swine food-animal education and does not characterize colleges' educational efforts in poultry and aquaculture. This review highlights the individual strategies used by the CVMs in the United States.     

Importance-performance analysis of food-supply veterinary medicine career commitment

This study presents the results of an analysis that identifies factors important to veterinary students in making a lifetime commitment to a particular career area. Using an importance-performance framework, the study evaluated 28 veterinary career attributes. Results indicate that to develop greater lifetime commitment among students, careers in food-supply veterinary medicine need to improve in the areas of health care and retirement benefits, free time available for family, opportunities to become authorities in the field, opportunities for advancement, and more contact with peer veterinarians.     

Work conditions, job preparation, and placement strategies for food-animal veterinarians

This study examines the responses of 1,047 human-resources personnel who recruit veterinarians for positions in their organizations. Work conditions in the organization, lifestyle and time-management issues, job benefits, job expectations, supervisor relations, and the physical demands of veterinary work are studied. Comparisons are made between four different occupational areas: food animals, mixed animals, companion animals, and industry positions in veterinary medicine. The findings portray a career in food animal medicine as very positive. Recruiters also make recommendations to colleges of veterinary medicine for strategies to improve the preparation and placement of their graduates.     

Veterinary school consortia as a means of promoting the food-supply veterinary medicine pipeline

Ideas about centers of emphasis and veterinary medical teaching consortia have resurfaced to attract students into food-supply veterinary medicine (FSVM). From 1988 to 2000 a multiple veterinary school consortium approach to food-animal production medicine (FAPM) teaching was conducted to handle regional differences in case load, faculty strengths, and student interests. Six universities developed a memorandum of understanding to provide a wide variety of in-depth, species-specific clinical experiences in FAPM to balance their individual strengths and weakness in addressing food-animal agriculture, to provide for student exchange and faculty development, and to conduct research in food safety. Changes in leadership, redirection of funds, failure to publicize the program to faculty and students, and a focus on research as opposed to teaching led to dissolution of the consortium. However, this approach could work to improve recruitment and retention of students in FSVM if it focused on student exchange, fostered a more integrated curriculum across schools, encouraged faculty involvement, garnered institutional support, and used modern technology in teaching. Private veterinary practices as well as public/corporate practices could be integrated into a broader food-animal curriculum directed at building competency among FSVM students by providing the in-depth training they require. Requirements for the success of this type of program will include funding, marketing, leadership, communication, coordination, integration, and dedicated people with the time to make it work.     

A longitudinal study of veterinary students and recent graduates: 1. Backgrounds, plans and subsequent employment

Objective To examine factors that influence career choies by veterinary graduates.
Design Longitudinal study.
Population Students – 77 female and 77 males - who began studying veterinary science at The University of Queensland in 1985 and 1986.
Procedure Questionnaires were completed in the first and fifth year of the course, and in the second year after graduation. The data were arranged into an aggregated data set, then analysed using the SAS System for Windows.
Results These students chose veterinary science, many cases at an early age, because of their attitude towards animals rather than advice from other people. Most had extensive experience with animals, and many gained this in cities rather than on farms. Between half and two-thirds of them looked forward to a career in private practice when they were in first year. The proportion planning a career in private practice was highest for those who chose veterinary science before they were 12 years old. One-quarter of those in first year were undecided about what they would do after graduation. When they were surveyed in fifth year, most planned to enter mixed private practice at least initially. In fact, 59% entered mixed practice and 28% small animal practice. There were no significant relationships between prior experience with animals and either career plans or success in the job market. When asked in their second year after graduation, about half planned to continue in private practice over the longer term, and a quarter were undecided.
Conclusions The decision to study veterinary science is often made at a young age, and is influenced mainly by attitudes towards animals. The career path planned by the majority involves private practice, but for about a quarter the future is unclear, both when they enter the course and after they have worked as veterinarians.     

SPIKE and D-PIKE: innovative experiences that engage students early and position them to succeed in food-supply veterinary medicine

Recent trends in urbanization of the population, increased need for bio-security on large farms, and more food-animal or mixed-animal practitioners approaching retirement age are forcing a renewed focus on recruiting and training veterinary students with an interest in production-animal medicine. The increasing number of veterinary students coming from urban backgrounds has led to a need to expose these students to standard animal-production practices and to interest them in a career involving food animals. This article describes one such program developed at Iowa State University, in which 14 students obtained hands-on experience in all aspects of swine and dairy production across a wide sampling of herd size, housing style, bio-security levels, and production phases. The participating students, ranging from senior undergraduates to third-year veterinary students, gained valuable insight not only into daily farming practices but also the knowledge and skills necessary to provide quality veterinary care to these clients. The first year of this program has yielded positive feedback from all participants, including the veterinary practices, private producers, corporate sponsors, and students. Current applicants cite positive comments from past participants as motivating their interest in the program. This program has the potential to expand as an opportunity to educate selected students in the field of food-supply veterinary medicine and to help fill the anticipated void in this area.     

Epidemiological study of the characteristics of veterinarians who pursue a research career: part 2

This retrospective study investigated the characteristics associated with being a veterinary surgeon employed in veterinary research during 2001 to 2003. The main reasons for graduates entering a research career were having opportunities for more intellectual stimulation than was available in practice and having the opportunity to try a research career. Lack of funding and job insecurity were cited as the main factors that might cause a veterinary surgeon working in research to change career. The main reasons given by veterinary surgeons for not considering a research career were that they enjoyed veterinary practice, they liked the contact with animals and their owners, they considered they were not sufficiently academic, and they thought the salary associated with a research career was poor. The graduates working in research stated that the best aspects of their work were the greater intellectual stimulation and the more varied workload; the worst aspects were the conflicting work pressures and the lower salary.     

Native American tribal cultures: implications for veterinary medical education

This article reviews the literature from veterinary medicine, tribal education, career development, and psychology to focus on the reasons that Native people are currently under-represented in the field of veterinary medicine. Educational implications and recruitment strategies are suggested. Local, state, and national resources are provided to help veterinary medical educators make their programs more culturally competent for Native veterinary students and faculty.     

Occupational stress,work-home interference and burnout among Belgian veterinary practitioners

There have been few formal studies on stress in veterinary surgeons and, in the rare studies available, stress is not examined jointly through the levels of job strain and job engagement, the sources of stress in the issue of work environment and the work-home interference. The authors' goal in this study was to analyse job engagement, job strain, burnout, work-home interference and job stress factors among 216 Belgian veterinary surgeons. Rural practice was compared to small animal and mixed activity. The mean job strain and job engagement level in veterinary surgeons was not higher than what we found in other working populations. However, 15.6% of the group were found to be suffering from high burnout. Rural practitioners had a lower level of job engagement than small animal veterinary surgeons. These small animal practitioners had a lower level of job strain than the mixed practitioners. The level of burnout did not differ significantly across the three types of activity. In comparison to other Belgian and Dutch workers, veterinary surgeons perceived more negative work-home interference. Bovine and mixed practitioners were the most concerned with this problem. The two most important sources of stress reported by bovine practitioners were relations to farmers and working time management (including emergencies and availability).     

Longitudinal study of veterinarians from entry to the veterinary course to 10 years after graduation: attitudes to work,career and profession

OBJECTIVE: To describe the attitudes of veterinarians to their work, career and profession during the 10 years after graduation. DESIGN: Longitudinal study of students who started their course at The University of Queensland in 1985 and 1986, and who completed questionnaires in their first and fifth year as students, and after one, five and 10 years as veterinarians. METHODS: Data from 129 (96%) questionnaires completed after 10 years as a veterinarian were coded numerically then analysed, together with data from previous questionnaires, with SAS System 7 for Windows 95. RESULTS: After 10 years, almost all respondents were either very glad they had done the veterinary course (57%) or generally glad, though with some misgivings (37%). Despite this, only 55% would definitely become a veterinarian if they 'had to do it over again'. The responses for about one-third were different from those given five years earlier. The views of many were related to the level of support and encouragement received in their first job after graduation. There were 42% who were working less than half-time as veterinarians, and their main reasons were, in order, raising children, long hours of work, attitudes of bosses and clients, and poor pay. A majority was concerned about the ethics and competence of some colleagues, and almost all believed that consideration of costs must influence the type of treatment animals receive. CONCLUSIONS: Most veterinarians were glad to have done the veterinary course, but for about one-quarter their career had not lived up to expectations and almost half would not do it again in another incarnation. Stress, hours of work, difficulties in balancing personal life with career and low income were important concerns for many. Low income may contribute to the low number of males entering the veterinary profession.     

Veterinarians and public practice at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine: building on a tradition of expertise and partnership

The Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine (VMRCVM), a regional veterinary college for Maryland and Virginia, has a long and unique tradition of encouraging careers in public and corporate veterinary medicine. The VMRCVM is home to the Center for Public and Corporate Veterinary Medicine (CPCVM), and each year approximately 10% of the veterinary students choose the public/corporate veterinary medicine track. The faculty of the CPCVM, and their many partners from the veterinary public practice community, teach in the veterinary curriculum and provide opportunities for students locally, nationally, and internationally during summers and the final clinical year. Graduates of the program work for government organizations, including the US Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as in research, in industry, and for non-governmental organizations. Recent activities include securing opportunities for students, providing career counseling for graduate veterinarians interested in making a career transition, delivering continuing education, and offering a preparatory course for veterinarians sitting the board examination for the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine. As the VMRCVM moves forward in recognition of the changing needs of the veterinary profession, it draws on its tradition of partnership and capitalizes on the excellence of its existing program. Future plans for the CPCVM include possible expansion in the fields of public health, public policy, international veterinary medicine, organizational leadership, and the One Health initiative. Quality assurance and evaluation of the program is ongoing, with recognition that novel evaluation approaches will be useful and informative.     

Factors influencing veterinary students career choices and attitudes to animals

The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of demographic and experiential factors on first-year veterinary students career choices and attitudes to animal welfare/rights. The study surveyed 329 first-year veterinary students to determine the influence of demographic factors, farm experience, and developmental exposure to different categories of animals on their career preferences and on their attitudes to specific areas of animal welfare and/or rights. A significant male gender bias toward food-animal practice was found, and prior experience with particular types of animals--companion animals, equines, food animals--tended to predict career preferences. Female veterinary students displayed greater concern for possible instances of animal suffering than males, and prior experience with different animals, as well as rural background and farm experience, were also associated with attitude differences. Seventy-two percent of students also reported that their interactions with animals (especially pets) had strongly influenced the development of their values. Animals ranked second in importance after parents in this respect. The present findings illustrate the importance to issues of animal welfare of the cultural context of past experience and influences on attitude development. The results also suggest that previous interactions with animals play a critical role in guiding veterinary students into their chosen career, as well as in helping to determine their specific employment preferences within the veterinary profession. From an animal welfare perspective, the dearth of women choosing careers in food-animal practice is a source of concern.     

Consortia and centers of excellence: issues and answers

As the demand for food-supply veterinarians changes, while the level of expertise necessary in this field markedly increases, there is a need to examine alternative modalities for delivering food-supply veterinary education. It seems clear that not all veterinary schools in the United States can sustain optimally sized facilities for the broad-based training in all species of food animals that the current and future food-supply veterinarian needs. An alternative model is for select schools to establish consortial centers of excellence in specific food-animal species, to which students from other schools can go for optimum final-year education. This alternative mode of food supply-veterinary medical education is discussed here.     

Two differentiated programs of veterinary medical education at the university of veterinary and pharmaceutical sciences in the Czech Republic

This article describes the two separate programs of veterinary education offered at the University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Brno, Czech Republic, which are directed to clinical veterinary medicine and to veterinary food safety, hygiene, and ecology, respectively. Both programs provide a level of training such that all graduates are competent for veterinary practice in any area of veterinary medicine; however, each offers an extended and deepened emphasis of training in clinical medicine, on the one hand, and food safety, on the other. A key feature is that the cohort of students for each program enters having pre-selected a career in one of these two areas. One of the important end results of this structure is that it fulfills the growing and important mission of providing a critical number of veterinarians in food safety and all of its allied fields.     

Factors that influence the decision to pursue an internship: the importance of mentoring

The purpose of the present study was (1) to determine if students from one veterinary school who participated in a mentoring/employment program with clinical faculty were more likely to pursue internship training than their peers and (2) to determine factors via survey that were influential to veterinary interns in making their decision to pursue post-graduate clinical training. Our hypothesis was that a mentoring relationship with clinical faculty was an important influence on the decision to participate in an internship. From 2006 to 2010, graduating students who participated in a mentoring/employment program with a clinical faculty member were 6.3 times more likely than non-participating students to pursue an internship. The majority of the participating students (90%) were initially hired/mentored as first- or second-year veterinary students. In the survey, interns ranked clinical faculty as having a greater influence than basic science faculty, private practice veterinarians, or house officers on their decision to pursue an internship; 82.8% reported that clinical faculty were most responsible for encouraging them to apply for an internship. Employment by their veterinary teaching hospital (41.5%) or directly by clinical faculty (26.2%) was commonly reported. Most interns (37%) decided to pursue an internship during their fourth year of veterinary school, 29.2% decided during their first year, and 15.3% decided in their second year. These results suggest that clinical faculty play a key role in a student's decision to pursue an internship and that it might be valuable to inform students about internships early in the veterinary curriculum.     

The attitudes of minority junior high and high school students toward veterinary medicine

There is a documented lack of racial diversity in veterinary medicine. It has been suggested that lack of animal ownership by minorities, cultural and ethnic biases relating to animals, and a lack of role models of color within the veterinary profession are reasons for the lack of racial diversity in veterinary medicine. The purpose of this study was to survey the attitudes of minority junior high and high school students toward veterinary medicine. It was hypothesized that African American and Latino students in New York City (NYC) would have limited experience with veterinary medicine and would not have a favorable attitude toward the profession. In fact, the survey, which was sent to several NYC schools, found that minority students have a positive view of animals and of veterinary medicine. The survey also showed that a deficiency of minority role models for students, a lack of interest in and enjoyment of veterinary medicine on the part of students, a perception on the part of students that veterinary medicine does not provide a satisfying lifestyle, and inadequate student exposure to the profession are key factors in the lack of racial diversity in veterinary medicine.     

Experiential learning in the animal sciences: development of a multispecies large-animal management and production practicum

Students enrolled in an introductory animal science course (ASG 3003) at the University of Florida were surveyed (n = 788) over a 3-yr period to ascertain their current experience and career goals in animal agriculture. Sixty-one percent of the students indicated that they were from an urban background. Only 4% were raised on a farm or ranch where the majority of family income was attributed to production agriculture. Eighty-six percent of the students had minimal or no experience working with large domestic farm animals, but nearly 64% of the students wanted to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. Disciplinary and species interests of the students were highly associated with previous background experiences. Students from nonagricultural backgrounds, who were most likely to indicate a career interest involving veterinary medicine, were most interested (P < 0.05) in animal behavior, whereas the students of rural background were more interested (P < 0.05) in animal management. Thirty-three percent of students were primarily interested in small companion animals; 22% in horses; 20% in domestic farm animals, including beef, dairy, swine, or sheep; and 24% in undomesticated zoo animals or wildlife. The career goals indicated by most students necessitate practical application of animal husbandry skills that are often assumed as general knowledge. Thus, a multispecies large animal management and production practicum (ANS 3206) was developed to provide students with hands-on experience. It was an elective course, and students were encouraged to enroll for two consecutive semesters. Teams of students rotated responsibilities among four livestock species (beef, dairy, equine, and swine). Daily responsibilities at each of the units included feeding and monitoring growth of feedlot cattle and finishing swine, farrowing assistance and baby pig processing, and equine training and foaling assistance. Students were also involved with all facets of a working dairy. Additionally, students completed written assignments specific to their individual species responsibilities that included daily journals, worksheets, or calculation of performance measures. Weekly class meetings allowed for instruction and were used to manage the varied course activities. Using a 5-point scale (1 = poor, 5 = excellent), students indicated that the course further stimulated their interest (4.73) and facilitated their learning (4.63) of animal science concepts. Overall course evaluations ranged from 4.54 +/- 0.55 to 4.85 +/- 0.38 over a 4-yr period. As more students enter animal science programs with nonagricultural backgrounds, it will become necessary to reemphasize basic animal-handling skills and practical applications through experiential learning activities.     

Factors associated with client, staff, and student satisfaction regarding small animal euthanasia procedures at a veterinary teaching hospital

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors influencing satisfaction with procedures for small animal euthanasia and to compare the relative importance of those factors among clients, staff, and students at a veterinary teaching hospital. DESIGN: Survey. SAMPLE POPULATION: 18 nonclinical hospital staff members, 13 clinical staff members, 10 veterinary technicians, 19 veterinary students, and 91 clients. PROCEDURE: Participants were asked to complete a survey that was designed to assess satisfaction with various aspects of the euthanasia procedure. RESULTS: Overall response rate was 48% (151/313). Respondents most strongly agreed with the statements that clients should have the option to be present, that having a private place was important, and that employees should be trained to attend to the emotional needs of the client. When asked to place factors in order of importance, those that were ranked the highest included compassionate and caring attitudes of the hospital employees, the option for the client to be present during the euthanasia, and the client being informed and well prepared. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Overall, all groups (nonclinical staff, clinical staff, veterinary technicians, veterinary students, and clients) identified the same factors as being important in the euthanasia of a pet. Results may help facilitate healthy euthanasia experiences.     

Response of a veterinary college to career development needs identified in the KPMG LLP study and the executive summary of the Brakke study: a combined MBA/DVM program, business certificate program, and curricular modifications

In the present market, veterinarians with a strong background in career development, practice management, and business skills have a clear advantage in achieving financial success. Although there is ample evidence that the scientific and clinical skills of veterinary college graduates are high, there are also data that suggest that additional capabilities in the business realm may promote greater economic success. As noted in the KPMG executive summary, the field of veterinary medicine must make changes in its "current business practices and attitudes" to be successful in the future. Furthermore, the KPMG study found that 36% of industry employers reported that some jobs within their companies had specific job requirements that were not met by a veterinarian with only a veterinary medical degree. The areas of additional training most often cited included business, administration, personnel management, sales and marketing, and financial skills. Yet, Lewis and Klausner found that veterinarians reported challenges in the business realm, such as "how business works and how business goals are translated into action. This challenge held true for veterinarians in industry, academia, government, and private practice." The present gender trends in the field of veterinary medicine provide additional impetus to make career development and business skills training more prevalent. Presently, women comprise >65% of the veterinary student population and approximately 45% of all practicing veterinarians. In some areas of practice, the rate is much higher. For example, in 2002, women comprised 48.2% of all small animal exclusive private practitioners. Unfortunately, the KPMG study found that female veterinarians in private practice report lower self-evaluation of business management and financial skills, compared with their male cohorts. Female veterinarians in nonprivate practice report lower self-evaluation in communication, personnel management, business management, and marketing skills than that reported by males. As a result of these pressing needs, CSU CVMBS has undertaken a major initiative to improve the veterinary practice management and business skills training of veterinary students by offering a variety of options to gain this knowledge: a combined MBA/DVM degree program, a Business Certificate Program for Health Professions, and core curriculum courses. In this way, students can select the amount of focus they want to place on career development and business skills as they earn their DVM degree, to best ensure that they become successful veterinarians.