Demographics and career path choices of graduates from three Canadian veterinary colleges

The classes of 2007 from the Atlantic Veterinary College, Ontario Veterinary College, and Western College of Veterinary Medicine were surveyed to determine what factors influenced the respondents’ career path choices. Seventy percent (166/237) of those contacted participated in the survey of which 89.1% were female, 62.7% had an urban upbringing, and 33.0% expected to be employed in a small center (population ≤ 10 000). Half (52.5%) of the respondents reported that they were interested in mixed or food animal practice at the time of entry into veterinary college, but this proportion declined to 34.2% by the time of graduation. Three factors were significantly associated with choosing a career in mixed or food animal practice: having been raised in a small center, being a male, and having a good to excellent knowledge of food animal production at the time of entry into veterinary college, as determined by a self-assessment.     

A new approach to teaching veterinary public health at the Ohio State University

Public-health practitioners with expertise in the area of veterinary public health are expected to understand the prevention and control of zoonotic infectious diseases in both human and animal populations. This focus on multiple species is what makes the veterinary public health (VPH) official unique. The development of a new VPH specialization within the existing Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program at the Ohio State University represents a significant new collaboration between the College of Veterinary Medicine and the College of Public Health. The main objective of the VPH specialization is to educate and train professionals to provide them with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to protect and improve human health using a One Medicine approach. The program targets a population of students who will likely enter the professional veterinary medicine curriculum but have one year available to enhance their preparatory training in health sciences before beginning the program. A core series of VPH courses was initiated to complement the existing MPH course requirements. The program has been successful in attracting students from the primary target population, but it has also attracted students wanting the MPH as a terminal degree and veterinarians returning to school to expand their career options.     

The motivations and practice-area interests of first-year French veterinary students (2005-2008)

Concerns about new trends in the veterinary profession in several industrialized countries have received significant attention recently. We conducted an online survey among first-year veterinary students enrolled between 2005 and 2008 in France's four National Veterinary Schools (Ecoles Nationales Vétérinaires [ENV]) to inquire into what determined future graduates' practice-area interests and how they built a concept of their future work. A total of 1,080 students-or 70% of first-year students-responded to the survey. These students were predominantly of middle and higher social classes and most of them lived in urban areas. About 96% of the respondents had made the ENV their first choice when taking the entrance examination. In total, 39.7% declared "vocation" as the leading factor influencing their career choice. Together, the three leading practice types (wild animals, pets, and mixed) contemplated by students after graduating amount to 64.7% of the points awarded. Practice types that are not directly related to animal health were disregarded in this analysis. The results convey both how early and how firmly the choice of the veterinary career is made. They highlight the preponderance of the image of the veterinarian as an "animal doctor," the gap between the respective proportions of practice areas in the current employment pattern of veterinarians, and the aspirations of students upon admission to the ENV. A longitudinal study after one year is needed to test whether or not these career choices change during the five years of the ENV program under the influence of teaching and extramural studies.     

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.     

New approaches for education and training in veterinary public health: the SAPUVET projects

Continued contact between humans and animals, in combination with the ever-increasing movement of human and animal populations that is one effect of globalization, contributes to the spread of diseases, often with detrimental effects on public health. This has led professionals involved in both animal health and public health to recognize veterinary public health (VPH) as a key area for their activities to address the human-animal interface. Veterinarians, a profession with major involvement in this field, are in need of specific knowledge and skills to prevent and control public-health problems. As a result, VPH must be directly integrated into veterinary educational programs. At present, only few veterinary schools have specific VPH programs; in most institutions, VPH does not feature as a specific subject in either undergraduate or post-graduate curricula. SAPUVET and SAPUVETNET II are network projects supported by the ALFA program of the European Union (EU). Their main objectives are to reach a common understanding between European and Latin American universities in the definition of the areas in which VPH is important in their respective countries, and to design a harmonized training program for veterinarians in VPH, by making use of new technological applications and innovative teaching methodologies. The elaboration of educational material in combination with case studies presenting real-life problems provides a basis to apply the knowledge acquired on VPH. It is envisaged that the material and modules developed during the two projects will be integrated into the veterinary curricula of the participating universities, as well as in other partner organizations.     

Tasks of public veterinary affairs in environmental hygiene]

The involvement of official veterinarians in tasks of environmental hygiene is demonstrated under differentiation of the following working-fields: animal waste-removal, animal health protection, animal welfare, and controlling of foods of animal origin. Thereby it results that nearly all sections of public veterinary affairs are connected with environmental aspects to a high degree.     

Survey of the views of graduates (1993 to 1997) on the undergraduate veterinary clinical curriculum in the British Isles

In 1998 a questionnaire was sent to graduates from all the veterinary schools in Great Britain and Ireland who had obtained their veterinary degree within the previous five years, to assess their opinions of the undergraduate clinical veterinary curriculum. Ninety-five per cent of the graduates who responded were working full time in veterinary practice, with small animal work occupying 90 per cent of them for a median of 70 per cent of their time. Their assessment of the curriculum suggested that they were generally satisfied, but that there were some subjects they considered important in which the teaching and extramural studies had failed to provide adequate learning opportunities. Twelve subjects were rated as 'very important', two subjects, small animal medicine and anaesthesia, were considered to be 'very well' taught, and extramural studies were considered to be 'very useful' for three subjects, small animal surgery, cattle medicine and cattle surgery. The survey provided evidence that graduates are keen to continue learning and specialise after they graduate.     

Veterinary medical education and veterinary involvement in aquatic-animal health and aquaculture in Mexico

This article analyzes curriculum offerings related to aquaculture and/or aquatic-animal health taught in veterinary medical schools or colleges in Mexico. The information database of the Mexican Association of Schools and Colleges of Veterinary Medicine and the Web sites of veterinary institutions indicate that 60% of veterinary colleges include courses related to aquaculture in their curriculum, but most of these are optional courses. There are few specialized continuing education programs or graduate level courses. There is also a lack of veterinary participation, in both public and private sectors, in aquatic-animal health. It is evident that there should be a greater involvement by the veterinary profession in Mexico's aquaculture to ensure food production in a safe and sustainable manner; to achieve this, veterinary medical institutions must include more aquaculture and aquatic-animal health courses in their curricula.     

Perceptions of animal physiotherapy amongst Irish veterinary surgeons

The aim of this study was to investigate veterinary surgeons' perceptions, knowledge and use of animal physiotherapy in the Republic of Ireland. A questionnaire was developed and sent to 200 veterinary surgeons, of which 97 were returned. Results indicated that 77 (79%) of respondents were aware of animal physiotherapists. Common sources of information included veterinary colleagues, owners and professional journals, with physiotherapists themselves and undergraduate training being less commonly cited. Awareness of animal physiotherapy was greatest amongst those working in equine practice (χ2 = 5.7, df 1, p = 0.017); they were more knowledgeable about its techniques (t = 2.806, df 75, p = 0.006) and more likely to refer (χ2 = 48.36, df 1, p = 0.0001). Seventy-four respondents (96%) thought that more research was necessary to increase the evidence base for animal physiotherapy. If this branch of physiotherapy is to develop, there needs to be increased interaction and co-operation between veterinary surgeons and chartered animal physiotherapists.     

Meat inspection education in Finnish veterinary curriculum

This article describes the Finnish meat-inspection curriculum and presents an expert-panel evaluation of meat-inspection education. The work tasks of the meat-inspection veterinarian are challenging and include classical meat inspection, meat hygiene, hygiene control, and animal disease and welfare. The meat-inspection veterinarian is not only an inspector, which by itself is very demanding, but also an expert or "consultant" on food safety. The significant role of the meat-inspection veterinarian in society puts high demands on meat-inspection education, which should provide veterinary students with sufficient tools to perform meat inspection and hygiene control in slaughterhouses, cutting premises, and further processing plants. To be of high quality, such education must be evaluated from time to time. An expert panel evaluated Finnish undergraduate meat-inspection education and found that it provides veterinary students with good knowledge of meat inspection. The structure of the curriculum, with theoretical studies followed by four weeks of practice in a slaughterhouse, was considered vital for learning and for creating interest in meat inspection. The evaluation also revealed that certain subjects should receive greater emphasis and some new subjects should be introduced. Hygiene-control tasks, in particular, have increased and should receive more emphasis in education. Personnel management and interaction skills should be introduced into the curriculum as these skills influence all the duties of the meat-inspection veterinarian. This article outlines the subjects to be included in the modern, high-quality meat-inspection curriculum recommended by the expert panel.     

Rural veterinary services in Western Australia: Part B. Rural practice

OBJECTIVE: To determine the current status of rural veterinary services in Western Australia. PROCEDURE: A questionnaire was sent to all eligible rural practitioners registered in 2006 and the replies were transferred to Microsoft Excel for analysis. RESULTS: Of the rural practitioners invited to participate in the survey replies were received from 67%. There were equal numbers of females and males. Their mean age was 44 years. Ninety per cent of respondents considered knowledge gained as an undergraduate was sufficient to equip them for practice, but only 60% considered their practical skills adequate. Thirteen per cent of those in rural practices in 2005 had left by 2006. Eighty-nine per cent of respondents were in mixed practice, the balance in specific species practice, such as equine, large animal and production animal consultancy. The majority of rural practitioners relied on servicing companion animals for their viability; 7% earned their income from servicing production animals only. Seventy per cent utilised merchandising and the sale of pet foods to supplement the income received from the traditional veterinary services and 34% found it necessary to earn an independent income. A quarter considered that rural practice did not have a future. CONCLUSION: The majority of rural practitioners in Western Australia depend on companion animals, not production animals, to remain viable, with very few operating production animal services. Poor remuneration is a major reason why veterinarians leave rural practice, and many find it necessary to supplement their income or develop an independent income.     

Results of a national survey of US veterinary college faculty regarding attitudes toward farm animal welfare

OBJECTIVE: To examine attitudes toward farm animal welfare among veterinary college faculty. DESIGN: E-mail survey. STUDY POPULATION: 157 US veterinary college faculty with large animal or food animal emphasis. PROCEDURE: Veterinarians from 27 US veterinary colleges were contacted via e-mail and asked to complete a 7-page survey relating to farm animal welfare issues. Thirty-one percent of those contacted responded. RESULTS: 71% of respondents self-characterized their attitude toward farm animal welfare as "we can use animals for the greater human good but have an obligation to provide for the majority of the animals' physiologic and behavioral needs." An additional 19% of respondents were more concerned about animal welfare than was indicated by that statement, and 10% were less concerned about farm animal welfare than was indicated by that statement. Significant relationships among demographic variables and attitude scores were observed, including more concerned attitudes among females, those with more liberal political views, and those who cited lower religiosity. No relationship between attitude and age was observed. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Veterinary college faculty have the opportunity to impact many stakeholders within the animal agriculture industries (eg, future veterinarians and policy makers looking for a veterinary science perspective). Results indicated that a considerable level of concern toward farm animal welfare is present in this population. Although the process of change may not be rapid, it is likely that the influence of these respondents will factor heavily into enhancing farm animal welfare.     

Training the veterinary public health workforce: a review of educational opportunities in US veterinary schools

This article presents the results of an Internet-based review conducted in January and February 2003 to assess the educational opportunities available in veterinary public health, epidemiology, and preventive medicine at the 27 veterinary schools in the United States. Most professional veterinary curricula are designed to train students for careers as highly qualified private practitioners, although there is an increased need for veterinary perspectives and contributions in the public health sector. The future of veterinary public health relies on the opportunities available in education to teach and encourage students to pursue a career of public service. The results of this review indicate the availability of a wide variety of required courses, electives, and post-graduate training programs to veterinary students in the United States. Veterinary students are exposed to a median of 60 hours of public health, epidemiology, and preventive medicine in required stand-alone courses in these areas. Four veterinary schools also have required rotations for senior students in public health, preventive medicine, or population medicine. Contact time for required public health, epidemiology, and preventive medicine courses ranges from 30 to 150 contact hours. Advanced training was available in these subjects at 79% of the 27 schools. Greater collaboration between veterinary schools, schools of public health, and the professional public health community will increase exposure to and opportunities in public health to all future veterinarians.     

Attitudes of veterinarians to undergraduate education in genetics and the use of genetics in veterinary occupations

A questionnaire regarding attitudes to undergraduate education in genetics and the subsequent use of that education was sent to 1000 veterinarians registered in New South Wales. Three hundred replies to the questionnaire were received and analysed. No significant difference in the perceived adequacy of courses at the four universities involved in teaching veterinary science was observed. Opinions on adequacy of education in genetics were not affected by age, sex or years since graduation. The major reason cited for lack of adequacy was that undergraduate genetics courses were not practical. Only 17 respondents stated that they were never approached for information on genetics or animal breeding, while 76 were approached more than 20 times annually for information. Eighty-three respondents claimed to deal with more than 20 cases annually that required some knowledge of genetics. The results of the questionnaire highlight the importance of genetics instruction in undergraduate veterinary education. The questionnaire responses also provide insight into how working veterinarians consider that courses in genetics could be improved.     

The scope of a laboratory animal program needed at a veterinary school.

The discipline of laboratory animal medicine is one of the most rapidly expanding specialties within the veterinary profession. Veterinary schools should fully accept the responsibility for introductory instruction in laboratory animal medicine in the professional curriculum. Such instruction should articulate the varied opportunities that exist for the laboratory animal veterinarian within the biomedical research community, and provide an overview of the normal biological characteristics and pathologic conditions of the common laboratory animal species. In addition, the opportunity should exist within the veterinary school for graduate and undergraduate students utilizing experimental animals to receive a comprehensive introduction to laboratory animal biology, care, and management. Instructional responsibility for such courses should be accepted by faculty veterinarians with advanced training in laboratory animal medicine. Veterinarians with advanced training in this specialty are uniquely qualified to make substantial contributions to biomedical research by promoting the health and welfare of the research animal.     

Survey of western Canadian veterinary practices: A demographic profile

A mixed-mode survey was used to describe the demographics of the veterinary profession in western Canada and to assess the demand for veterinary practitioners. Data were received from 655 practices (response rate = 52%), providing demographic data on 1636 individual practitioners. Most (60%) respondents self-classified their practices as exclusively small animal, while 25% and 4% were mixed animal or exclusively food animal practices, respectively. Across all practices, 77% of practitioners’ time was devoted to small animals and the average mixed animal practice devoted 60% of practitioners’ time to small animals. After accounting for practices that did not respond, there were ~300 full-time equivalent (FTE) vacant positions for veterinary associates; however, only 12% of practices were in urgent need of hiring an associate veterinarian. This report informs both prospective employees and employers on the state of the marketplace for veterinary associates, and provides an overview of the demographics of the veterinary profession in western Canada.     

Food animal veterinary medicine: leading a changing profession

The veterinary profession has gone through periods of profound change in response to economic and social changes. We are currently in another such period: profound change is required in order for the profession to remain relevant in a marketplace where a rapidly expanding knowledge base and new technologies demand an ever-increasing level of expertise in a greater variety of areas. However, the veterinary profession is perceived both internally and by the public as possessing a narrow set of skills that supports a narrow group of careers focused on salvaging ill or injured companion animals. It will be necessary to dramatically change the way veterinary students are recruited and trained, as well as how graduate veterinarians are licensed and provided continuing education, in order for the veterinary profession to capitalize on our historical strengths and provide service and leadership in a greater diversity of career paths. Even though the number of veterinarians needed to provide primary care for livestock is decreasing, both the level of expertise demanded by livestock owners and the value of veterinary involvement on livestock farms are increasing. Colleges of veterinary medicine appear challenged to meet the changing needs for veterinary services in animal agriculture because of the declining percentage of veterinary students interested in food animal careers. Fortunately for animal agriculture, the skill set needed by food animal veterinarians is also needed by several emerging segments of the veterinary profession that have tremendous potential for rapid growth, including employment in all segments of food production systems, environmental monitoring and management, bio-security and disease eradication, laboratory diagnostics, and federal regulatory and bio-defense roles. Like previous periods of profound change, this moment in history will require creative thought, open discussion, and a willingness to step into the unknown.     

社会需求与兽医系统实验室能力提升

兽医系统实验室在指导动物疫病防控、维护公共卫生安全等方面占有举足轻重的地位。随着动物疫病防控工作的不断深化,加强兽医系统实验室能力建设显得尤为紧迫。本文着重介绍了近年来重庆市兽医实验室体系建设的一些实践措施,以期为其他省份兽医系统实验室的进一步发展提供参考。     

Survey of Saskatchewan beef cattle producers regarding management practices and veterinary service usage

Saskatchewan cow-calf producers (n = 2000) were surveyed to determine what factors were associated with their uptake of veterinary services; how and where they access nutritional information and animal health advice; and whether they were comfortable with having non-veterinarians perform veterinary procedures. The survey response rate was 18.1%. Veterinarians were seen as a primary source of nutritional information and animal health advice. Over the past decade producers have shifted their veterinary service usage from individual animal events to herd-level procedures. Producers who pregnancy check were more likely to be large producers (OR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.2 to 3.1; P = 0.007), to semen test their bulls (OR = 3.4; 95% CI = 2.0 to 5.8: P < 0.001), analyze their forages (OR = 2.3; 95% CI = 1.7 to 4.0; P = 0.006), and to farm in the brown versus the gray or dark brown soil zones (P = 0.004). Most (94.0%) respondents had adequate veterinary services within an hour’s drive of the farm and 90.4% were satisfied with their veterinary service provider. Approximately 25% of respondents would be comfortable with having a non-veterinarian pregnancy check and attend to prolapses.