Behavioral medicine as a part of a comprehensive small animal medical program

The rationale of incorporating behavioral medicine into veterinary practice is that it can expand the range of medical services offered, help obtain happier, more acceptable pets, and lead to longer pet ownership. In doing so, veterinarians should be able to increase their business both through an actual increase in pet ownership and retention and through increased services for individual pets. The range of services offered can differ from practice to practice but may include preventive, interventive, and ancillary services, as with other areas in contemporary veterinary medical practice. Each area of behavioral practice can be an economically feasible addition to veterinary practice from the perspective of medical services rendered, as a method of practice promotion, or as an area of public service. The choice depends on the level of competence of the practitioner, the practice philosophy, and the need for the services in a given service area.     

Perceptions of veterinarians regarding privatization of veterinary services delivery in Ghana and Jamaica

There are on-going reforms in the delivery of veterinary services in many developing countries, with privatization of certain veterinary activities as one of the approaches. In Jamaica, with the support of veterinarians, clinical aspects of veterinary services were privatized in 1992. In contrast, Ghanaian veterinarians are generally wary of the government's on-going privatization process. The objective of this study was to find out if perceptions of the veterinarians from these two countries on certain issues of privatization were sufficiently different to explain the willingness or reluctance to go into private practice.

The response proportions for predominantly self-administered questionnaires were 83% (121/145) and 92% (35/38) for Ghana and Jamaica, respectively. There was a very good (92%) agreement in the perceptions of veterinarians in Ghana and Jamaica on a battery of 24 responses pertaining to privatization of veterinary services. Generally, the perceptions of the veterinarians in Ghana and Jamaica were similar even though the predominant delivery systems for animal health services were different. Therefore, reasons other than those examined in this study may explain the differences in willingness to go into private practice. The need to account for these other reasons is discussed.     

Veterinary medical manpower: supply-demand projections to 2020.

A supply projection model to estimate the number of veterinarians available through the year 2020 was developed. When projected available manpower was compared with the need for veterinary medical services, as estimated in a National Academy of Science study, a net shortage was indicated in each year between 1976 and 2020. The manpower supply available if 3 additional veterinary colleges were developed in the United States was also estimated. It was concluded that, even with the additional output of these colleges, the supply of veterinarians will not keep pace with future needs for veterinary services.     

Global veterinary leadership.

The public needs no reminder that deadly infectious diseases such as FMD could emerge in any country at any moment, or that national food security could be compromised by Salmonella or Listeria infections. Protections against these risks include the knowledge that appropriate and equivalent veterinary education will enable detection and characterization of emerging disease agents, as well as an appropriate response, wherever they occur. Global veterinary leadership is needed to reduce the global threat of infectious diseases of major food animal and public health importance. We believe that the co-curriculum is an excellent way to prepare and train veterinarians and future leaders who understand and can deal with global issues. The key to the success of the program is the veterinarian's understanding that there is a cultural basis to the practice of veterinary medicine in any country. The result will be a cadre of veterinarians, faculty, and other professionals who are better able (language and culture) to understand the effects of change brought about by free trade and the importance of interdisciplinary and institutional relationships to deal effectively with national and regional issues of food safety and security. New global veterinary leadership programs will build on interests, experience, ideas, and ambitions. A college that wishes to take advantage of this diversity must offer opportunities that interest veterinarians throughout their careers and that preferably connect academic study with intensive experiential training in another country. At its best, the global veterinary leadership program would include a partnership between veterinarians and several international learning centers, a responsiveness to the identified international outreach needs of the profession, and attention to critical thinking and reflection. The global veterinary leadership program we have described is intended to be a set of ideas meant to promote collaboration, coalitions, and discussion among veterinarians and veterinary educators who may be intrigued by the concept. The impact of the program can be summarized as follows: Outreach Programs: The global veterinary leadership program will establish new partnerships between veterinarians and veterinary college faculty as they supervise the international internships and see a relationship between their goals and the value of food safety to this country. Strategic Opportunity: The program will build on the critical role that US veterinarians and veterinary colleges already play in strengthening the safety of free trade in this hemisphere. Diversity in an Age of Specialization: The program will combine a global orientation, language ability, and access to comprehensive, research- and economic-related work/study opportunities to expose veterinarians to the expanding world market for veterinary expertise. New Linkages Through Corporate Partners: Through the success and high visibility of current research and education programs, most veterinary colleges are well positioned to engage industry, government, and university leaders in ways to use the proposed program to increase the flow of new ideas and talent into the world food enterprise. International Funding: A new partnership among veterinarians, industry, government, and university leaders can coordinate strong multilateral requests for funding from national and international sources. An Interdisciplinary Strategy that Benefits Veterinary Medicine: The program will combine the diverse veterinary research and education system with our strong national and international network of collaborators to provide globally competent veterinarians who will be needed for the corporate and public opportunities of the future.     

Outcomes assessment of an alternative career choice program

OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcomes of an alternative track program designed to address shortages of veterinarians in nonpractice areas of the veterinary profession. DESIGN: Telephone survey. STUDY POPULATION: Recent veterinary graduates. PROCEDURES: A telephone survey of recent graduates from the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Alternative Career Choice program was conducted. Respondents were asked to give open-ended responses to a list of 9 interview questions. RESULTS: Of the 21 alternative career choice students who graduated between the years 2000 and 2005, 17 were interviewed. CONCLUSION: Analysis of the data suggested that it may be possible to decrease the total number of weeks allotted to the alternate career choice program without impairing the ability of graduates to find employment in their chosen career fields.     

Current economic trends affecting the veterinary medical profession.

This article explores the economic trends affecting the future of the veterinary medical profession. Key aspects of demand and supply are considered, as are several broad-based institutional factors. Demand for veterinarians and veterinary medical services is demonstrating a definitive upward trend across the profession, led by a remarkable in-crease in consumers' willingness to spend on animal health care.Supply is also expanding through increased enrollments at colleges and schools of veterinary medicine and increased productivity and efficiency in private practice. Veterinarians' incomes are increasing, and some sectors of the profession offer outstanding financial opportunities.Provided that critical needs are met for 1) increased diversity and 2) continued improvement in the nontechnical capabilites of veterinarians, the outlook for the economic future of the veterinary medical profession is strong.     

Skills,knowledge, aptitudes,and interests for veterinary practice management: fitting personal characteristics to situational demands

Recent studies of veterinary practices and services have suggested that more attention must be focused on business practices and on the skills, knowledge, and abilities (SKAs) of veterinarians related to veterinary practice management (VPM). Responses to these concerns have been directed at the selection and education of veterinarians in veterinary school. While this position is supported in the present article, it is argued that the values and interests of persons who are likely to enter the field, as well as the nature of the experiences encountered across the career of veterinarians, will moderate the potential effectiveness of veterinary school practices and experiences regarding SKAs in VPM. The paper explores some potential implications of these moderators on the effectiveness of selection and education for increasing SKAs in VPM.     

US market for food animal veterinary medical services

American agribusiness is undergoing significant change and stress. In the future, agriculture faces continued instability and uncertainty because of ever-changing global economic conditions, rapid technological advances, increasing production efficiencies, shifts in demand for agricultural products, and a growing dependence of US producers on increasingly competitive world markets. In order to better understand changes and trends facing food animal veterinarians, the AVMA's Executive Board at its March 1986 meeting approved a proposal from the Council on Public Relations for a study of the US food animal market for veterinary medical services. The objectives of the study were to describe the current market for veterinary medical services, products, and information; determine and explain the demand for food animal veterinary services provided by private practicing veterinarians; and identify markets representing potential demand for which marketing strategies could be developed.     

Veterinary medical education in Iraq

Iraq is an agricultural country with a large population of animals: sheep, goats, cattle, water buffaloes, horses, donkeys, mules, and camels. In the 1980s, the successful poultry industry managed to produce enough table eggs and meat to satisfy the needs of the entire population; at one time, the thriving fish industry produced different types of fish for Iraqis' yearly fish consumption. There are four veterinary colleges in Iraq, which have been destroyed along with the veterinary services infrastructure. Understandably, improvements to the quality of veterinary education and services in Iraq will be reflected in a healthy and productive animal industry, better food quality and quantity, fewer zoonotic diseases, and more income-generating activities in rural areas. Thus, if undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs are improved, the veterinary medical profession will attract more competent students. This will satisfy the country's increased demand for competent veterinarians in both public and private sectors. Although Iraq has an estimated 5,000-7,000 veterinarians, there is a need for quality veterinary services and for more veterinarians. In addition, there is a need for the improvement of veterinary diagnostic facilities, as zoonotic diseases are always highly probable in this region. This article provides insight into the status of veterinary medical education and veterinary services in Iraq before and after the 1991 Gulf War and gives suggestions for improvement and implementation of new programs. Suggestions are also offered for improving veterinary diagnostic facilities and the quality of veterinary services. Improving diagnostic facilities and the quality of veterinary services will enhance animal health and production in Iraq and will also decrease the likelihood of disease transmission to and from Iraq. Threats of disease transmission and introduction into the country have been observed and reported by several international organizations.     

Current status of aquatic veterinary services for ornamental fish in Australasia

ABSTRACT

The ornamental fish industry is growing quickly globally. Asia represents 51% of the export market for this industry and in Singapore alone, it has an estimated market value of US$66 million. Despite the economic importance of this industry for Australasia, aquatic veterinary support for the ornamental fish sector is scarce. In many cases, ornamental fish owners do not seek advice from veterinarians. While the reasons behind this are difficult to elucidate, the low perceived value of fish compared to the cost of consulting a veterinarian, and limited knowledge about the availability of veterinary services for aquatic animals may contribute to the lack of interaction with veterinarians. Considering the growing importance of the ornamental fish industry, more education and data are needed about the services offered by veterinarians with aquatic animal health expertise. Knowledge on aquatic veterinary medicine is limited, reinforcing the need for more educational programmes and dissemination of aquatic veterinary services within the Australasian region.     

History of the Australian college of veterinary scientists

The Australian College of Veterinary Scientists (ACVSc) has been promoting the advancement of the veterinary profession for 40 years through the provision of continuing education of Australian and New Zealand veterinarians. Formed in 1971 through the Australian Veterinary Association, after many years of debate over its role and necessity, the ACVSc became an independent entity in 1985. It currently provides examination-based qualifications of Membership and Fellowship of the College in 37 disciplines and has over 100 applicants every year. Highly valued as a mark of superior achievement in a veterinary field in Australia and New Zealand, the ACVSc is now working to have its Fellowship and Membership qualifications recognised in Europe and North America, thereby increasing the standing of Australian veterinarians around the world.     

Continuing professional development for veterinarians

Continuing professional development for veterinarians is expected to commence in the year after graduation and continue until retirement. The World Organisation for Animal Health standard for veterinary services is based on principles of an ethical, organisational and technical nature, and a mix of regulation, self-regulation and quality assurance approaches are used. Few jurisdictions have made a minimum requirement of continuing professional development, measured in hours or units, mandatory in 2004, however, there is an increasing expectation of veterinarians to keep a personal record of their continuing professional development activities. Such records might assist in defending complaints about professional misconduct, and provide a basis for planning and monitoring personal professional growth. Continuing professional development can be obtained by a variety of means through structured and unstructured learning activities. The rapid advances in communication technologies and ready access to available electronic databases at the beginning of the 21st century is rapidly changing the way students learn in veterinary schools and how they will acquire continuing professional development during their careers. Universities, governments, professional associations and special interest groups all have roles to play in the delivery of continuing professional development to the veterinary profession and to ensure a structure is in place to monitor improvements in the delivery of quality veterinary services.     

Factors influencing choice of veterinary service provider by pastoralist in Kenya

This study analyzed the determinants for choice of animal health providers in a semiarid pastoral area with an aim of identifying specific attributes that could be targeted for intervention to enhance pastoralist access to quality veterinary services. The data were collected through administration of semi-structured questionnaires to 350 randomly selected household heads in different locations in Narok County of Kenya. Most of these respondents had no formal education (66.9 %), and most households were headed by men (88.9 %). The men were in control of sales (84.2 %), purchases (83.7 %), and treatment of sick cattle (70.3 %), while women were responsible for milking (83.8 %). Animal health services were delivered by drug stockists (87.76 %) and government veterinarians (12.24 %). The time spent while seeking animal health services and transport cost were specific attributes with impact on the probability of choice for service providers. Although distance covered to the preferred service provider was a significant attribute, it was inversely related to the probability of choice. The other factors including herd sizes, age and sex of household head, cost incurred per visit, level of education of household head, and the number of visits did not have significant impact on choices. These findings support commercialization of veterinary services in marginalized areas where the delivery of essential animal health services such as disease control programs are often viewed as a public good. In order to enhance delivery of veterinary services in these areas, it is proposed that public and private means are investigated to support qualified veterinarians and to strengthen the activities of untrained personnel operating drug outlets.     

Perceived constraints to private veterinary practice in India

We used an exploratory study in two districts of West Bengal State, India to find out the constraints of private veterinary practice. Privatization of veterinary services is being seen as an alternative to government-sponsored veterinary services to livestock. In December 2000 to February 2001, 50 private veterinary practitioners were interviewed from the districts. Their opinion was that weak regulations about competition from illegal practitioners and the use of veterinary drugs, competition by animal-health technicians (who are likely to charge less than veterinarians), absence of efficient diagnostic-laboratory support, and lack of commercial livestock farming were the main constraints faced.     

The marketing of herd health and production management services on Dutch dairy farms: perceptions of dairy farmers and their veterinary surgeons

A questionnaire-based survey on veterinary herd health and production management services was conducted on 194 specialist dairy veterinarians and 466 dairy farmers. The farmers were randomly selected from greater than 6,000 farmer clients of the surveyed veterinarians. This paper reports these survey findings and the findings of an earlier survey conducted among the veterinarians. The survey included questions on the attributes of the service itself, the practitioners delivering the service, reasons for participation and the expected future of herd health and production management services. Reasons farmers participated in herd health and production management programmes included; access to routine screening of their herd; increasing profits; and receiving regular veterinary advice or solutions to remedy existing problems. Advantages of participation named included: good management support; higher profits; structural solutions to problems; and being better informed. Differences between farming styles were observed, pointing to the different needs and goals of farming styles. Farmers cited high costs and the time investment required as major disadvantages. The proportion of farmers citing these reasons was lower than expected by the veterinarians. In the future, preventive healthcare will be the main reason of farmers to participate. Farmers who are not using the service can potentially be encouraged to engage the services after gaining increased insight into the herd health and management service structure, the planning of activities, the cost-benefit of the service, veterinary surgeons being more co-operative with other farm advisors and veterinarians being more willing to pay attention to quality issues on the dairy farm.     

New developments in veterinary education in the republic of Azerbaijan

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the agrarian sector in the former member states fell into a steep decline, and veterinary training and education came to a standstill. Before the collapse, veterinary care was free, but thereafter few could afford to pay for the services of a veterinarian. Veterinary science became an unpopular study and attracted less motivated students. However, some veterinarians started Private Veterinary Units (PVU) and became successful. It will take time for veterinary training and education to catch up with modern developments. In the meantime, the establishment of a Private Veterinary Unit connected to the Veterinary Faculty could play an important role in accelerating the availability of competent veterinarians.     

Perceptions of Livestock Owners of Private Veterinary Practice in Ghana

Using the participatory appraisal approach, a study was designed to assess the perceptions of livestock owners on private delivery of veterinary services in two districts in the major livestock-producing area in Ghana. A significant proportion (74%, n = 180) were willing to patronize locally established veterinary practices. However, the respondents emphasized that the fees charged had to be reasonable and affordable. Factors identified as likely to discourage the use of the private provider included the inability of the provider to speak the local language; non-availability of credit facilities for services rendered by the provider; unreliability of personnel; poor interpersonal skills; lack of technical know-how; inability of the provider to make house calls or farm visits; and poor personal and work ethics. These findings provide information for prospective private veterinarians on the expectations of their clients and could be used in the preparation of veterinarians for private practice.