Large Animal Veterinarian Shortage

[medicinewoman]

Large Animal Veterinarian Shortage
http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/New ... 278274.htm

According to American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) 2010 market research statistics, in the U.S.:
Approximately 6 percent of veterinarians specialize in equine veterinary medicine,
Less than 2 percent of veterinarians practice exclusively on food animals,
Just over 6 percent of veterinarians practice predominantly on food animals, and
And 7 percent of veterinarians have mixed animal practices.
In comparison, over 67 percent of veterinarians in the U.S. practice exclusively on companion animals (i.e. dogs, cats, and other small animals).4 Unfortunately, recent years have seen a shortage of large animal veterinarians entering the workforce. Various government entities, organizations, and rural communities, are pushing to increase the number of large animal veterinarians in this country. A major concern associated with the shortage is the lack of veterinarians relative to the amount of livestock in the U.S.
With the growing push for a better national food safety system, there is a need for veterinarians who have large animal veterinary medicine expertise and who can work with food animals. There are counties in the U.S. where there are greater than 25,000 food animals and no food animal veterinarians.

 

[Bigfoot]

A vet could probably treat many many old womens lap dogs in the same amount of time it would take to treat one prolapsed cow. I would also assume most farmers are just like me. Cheap, and experienced enough to handle most things that pop up unexpectedly. I don't blame them for going where the money is.

 

[Alan]

That's just how it was explained to me, people are much more willing to pay the dollars for their dogs or/and cats with much less complaining about the price. The same for equine practices. On top of that a small animal Vet has folks waiting to spend money in the Vet clinic rather than traveling around to a few farms a day treating a few head and listening to some tight fisted folks complain about charging for a farm call.... It's only an half hour each way and the red heifer out by that tree needs preg check, watch out for the bull.

We have two mixed animal Vets in the area, both encourage or expect you to load the animal and go to them, which I gladly do..

BTW, welcome Med Woman, I have read most of your post and enjoy them.

Alan

 

[medicinewoman]

Rural veterinarian shortage affecting area ranchers
http://www.newschannel10.com/story/1731 ... a-ranchers

Amarillo, TX - It's a growing problem in Texas that's affecting area ranchers. There's a shortage of rural veterinarians in our area.
More urban veterinarians are now trying to help. Large animals are not getting the attention they need.
Every year, around five to ten students go to veterinary school at West Texas A&M, but only around thirty percent specialize in the rural field.
The USDA has a program in which they repay the student loans of veterinary school graduates if they work in designated locations with veterinarian shortages.

Remedy for Veterinary Shortage
http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_Stories.asp?news=56620

Henderson is a graduate of Tuskegee University in Alabama. She came out of vet school with $140,000 in student loans and headed straight to North Dakota. After three years of work as a large animal veterinarian in rural areas of the state she`ll be given $55,000 of tuition relief.

 

[milkmaid]

From what I hear on this end, the problem actually isn't a shortage of veterinarians willing to work on food animals, the problem is that food animal jobs for DVM graduates are hard to come by. Rather than venture out on their own and start a practice, many choose to work for someone else - in a small animal practice.

 

[TexasBred]

The USDA has a program in which they repay the student loans of veterinary school graduates if they work in designated locations with veterinarian shortages.

Remedy for Veterinary Shortage
http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_Stories.asp?news=56620

Henderson is a graduate of Tuskegee University in Alabama. She came out of vet school with $140,000 in student loans and headed straight to North Dakota. After three years of work as a large animal veterinarian in rural areas of the state she`ll be given $55,000 of tuition relief.

[/quote]


Sounds about right. Don't want anybody around that has been hangin onto the gov't tit. Let her do like other responsible adults and pay the student loans with money earned from hard work.

 

[JSCATTLE]

Just what we need more government hand outs .

 

[Double E]

Not only the handouts that WE pay for, care to guess what will happen in three years when the student gets the money? My bet is right back to small animal practice where the money is. This has been tried to get young MDs in small towns, and a lot of them only lasted through their obligation, and then moved on to the bigger paychecks. Besides that, you have someone doing a job for the money, and not because it is what they chose to study for and become.

 

[highgrit]

All the dang money this country waste I don't see a problem helping young people out. If a student makes all A's in school why should they have to carry a loan for going to school. They will pay their fair share in TAXES. One person on welfare will cost us more in their lifetime than the students loan. And thats not including their kids. The way I see it school is work. I don't mind helping people that are helping themselves.

 

[TexasBred]

All the dang money this country waste I don't see a problem helping young people out. If a student makes all A's in school why should they have to carry a loan for going to school. They will pay their fair share in TAXES. One person on welfare will cost us more in their lifetime than the students loan. And thats not including their kids. The way I see it school is work. I don't mind helping people that are helping themselves.

You're not helping young people. You're letting them think all of life is going to be a free ride and creating the next generation of welfare parasites in the process...the very people you don't like.

 

[highgrit]

I will not choose to beleive people that spent 7 to 10 years in college , busting their butts to make good grades are going to turn into welfare parasites. Smart people make smart choices, and they know there is no such thing as a free ride. Welfare deadbeats only make how much??? A veternarian should make at least 50k-100k and way more once they get and established, if they want to work.

 

[Lucky_P]

I'm a former mixed (predominantly food-animal) animal practitioner. I have mixed feelings about both the alleged 'shortage' of food-animal veterinarians, and the government-subsidized loan repayment programs.

There are areas of the country that are 'underserved', with regard to availability of food-animal veterinarians - but IMO, they're typically 'underserved' because there is not enough 'business' to allow a veterinarian to make a decent living. I can fully see - and understand - these new graduates moving to an 'underserved' area to receive assistance in paying down their loans - but at the end of their obligation period, if there's not enough work to pay the bills, I can't fault them for moving on.
$140K is the average indebtedness associated with attending veterinary school for new veterinary graduates(some have much more debt) - earning the DVM does not confer immediate riches; those new grads with that sort of student loan debt will have a monthly student loan payment of over $1600(10-yr repayment schedule) per month that they have to make before rent/mortgage, food, transportation, family expenses, etc. I don't see how these 'kids' are gonna make a go of it.
I no longer encourage youngsters who express an interest in veterinary medicine as a career choice; I've recently stopped trying to discourage them, but I don't encourage them.

I've seen the AVMA study, referenced above. But, the American Association of Bovine Practitioners has a different perspective on the purported shortage - and part of the problem is, as milkmaid indicated - jobs in established food-animal practices are difficult to come by - but other factors also play a role. Read the position statement for a broader perspective that most producers probably haven't considered.
http://www.aabp.org/resources/pdfs/Summ ... .19.11.pdf

I understand folks' distress when they need veterinary help to deliver that oversized or breech calf at 10pm on Saturday night, but if that's the only time you utilize that veterinarian's skills and expertise, and you b!tch about the bill being more than $35...well, after a while, they may not be around when you need 'em. You oughta consider fully utilizing that veterinarian, and not just relying on them for your emergencies/disasters. Give 'em some 'gravy' work, too - they can help you 'make money'.

I have a colleague who was, for many years, a solo mixed-animal practitioner, and she's stated on more than one occasion, "There's no shortage of large(food) animal practitioners Mon-Thursday, just on Friday and Saturday night." And, to some degree, I think she's right.

 

[dun]

I'm a former mixed (predominantly food-animal) animal practitioner. I have mixed feelings about both the alleged 'shortage' of food-animal veterinarians, and the government-subsidized loan repayment programs.

There are areas of the country that are 'underserved', with regard to availability of food-animal veterinarians - but IMO, they're typically 'underserved' because there is not enough 'business' to allow a veterinarian to make a decent living. I can fully see - and understand - these new graduates moving to an 'underserved' area to receive assistance in paying down their loans - but at the end of their obligation period, if there's not enough work to pay the bills, I can't fault them for moving on.
$140K is the average indebtedness associated with attending veterinary school for new veterinary graduates(some have much more debt) - earning the DVM does not confer immediate riches; those new grads with that sort of student loan debt will have a monthly student loan payment of over $1600(10-yr repayment schedule) per month that they have to make before rent/mortgage, food, transportation, family expenses, etc. I don't see how these 'kids' are gonna make a go of it.
I no longer encourage youngsters who express an interest in veterinary medicine as a career choice; I've recently stopped trying to discourage them, but I don't encourage them.

I've seen the AVMA study, referenced above. But, the American Association of Bovine Practitioners has a different perspective on the purported shortage - and part of the problem is, as milkmaid indicated - jobs in established food-animal practices are difficult to come by - but other factors also play a role. Read the position statement for a broader perspective that most producers probably haven't considered.
http://www.aabp.org/resources/pdfs/Summ ... .19.11.pdf

I understand folks' distress when they need veterinary help to deliver that oversized or breech calf at 10pm on Saturday night, but if that's the only time you utilize that veterinarian's skills and expertise, and you b!tch about the bill being more than $35...well, after a while, they may not be around when you need 'em. You oughta consider fully utilizing that veterinarian, and not just relying on them for your emergencies/disasters. Give 'em some 'gravy' work, too - they can help you 'make money'.

I have a colleague who was, for many years, a solo mixed-animal practitioner, and she's stated on more than one occasion, "There's no shortage of large(food) animal practitioners Mon-Thursday, just on Friday and Saturday night." And, to some degree, I think she's right.

Well said!

 

[JSCATTLE]

Not to mention state colleges are already subsidized by tax payer money . If you are giving hand outs then I'll have my kids in line for one as well even if being a large animal vet isn't in their plans . If your giving to one kid or one group then give to all of them .

 

[highgrit]

Well I don't know what your property tax bill looks like. But I know what mine looks like, and almost 50% goes to school taxes. And would like to see all students be able to go to school as long as they need to if they make the grade. And yes JS all students I feel should qualify.
I would rather my federal tax dollars go to the students, than to the post office, and welfare.

 

[TexasBred]

Well I don't know what your property tax bill looks like. But I know what mine looks like, and almost 50% goes to school taxes. And would like to see all students be able to go to school as long as they need to if they make the grade. And yes JS all students I feel should qualify.
I would rather my federal tax dollars go to the students, than to the post office, and welfare.

Since Uncle Sam is going to be picking up the tab, so to speak or at least make you think he is, do you think he might also want to tell them what they should major in. (Pretty much what the Vet Program is already). Then he can tell you where you can live, where you will work, what you can drive (or walk) and who or IF you can marry and how many children you can have. Your kid might be an world champion gymnast. Then what???

 

[JSCATTLE]

Well I don't know what your property tax bill looks like. But I know what mine looks like, and almost 50% goes to school taxes. And would like to see all students be able to go to school as long as they need to if they make the grade. And yes JS all students I feel should qualify.
I would rather my federal tax dollars go to the students, than to the post office, and welfare.

That's my point don't give to some kids and not others . Im all for helping kids just help all of them and not some . Same with entitlement programs give all of us some money or dont give anyone any .

 

[TexasBred]

I keep thinking of that ol' Ernie Ford song "Sixteen Ton"....last words..."I owe my soul to the company store".