Happy World Veterinary Day to the veterinarians, technicians, and supportive staff members who work tirelessly to ensure our pet’s health and meet them in times of need, whether it be a mild illness or an emergency situation requiring life-saving treatment.
Veterinary medicine is a rewarding career with a wide variety of opportunities within the field! Did you know there are over 40 distinct veterinary specialties? And the opportunities don’t just stop there! I mean, think about it- in order for veterinarians and technicians to be able to practice medicine, a lot has to happen before then. This has only created more vital jobs within the field.
Academia might be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of veterinary medicine. According to the American Association of Veterinary Colleges, there are 32 schools or colleges of veterinary medicine (CVMs) in the U.S. that are accredited or have accreditation pending. During these pivotal years, the professors and doctors are providing years of educational training. The American Veterinary Medical Association reports that “more than 3,000 veterinarians graduated from the 30 U.S. veterinary colleges in 2018, and approximately 750 U.S. citizens graduate from foreign veterinary colleges every year.”
In addition to academia, veterinary research and regulatory medicine are crucial components within the field. Peer-reviewed scholarly articles allow for veterinarians to be up to date and properly informed on various topics such as infectious diseases, protocols, and appropriate medical treatments. The term “peer-reviewed” refers to “the system used to assess the quality of a manuscript before it is published. Independent researchers in the relevant research area assess submitted manuscripts for originality, validity, and significance to help editors determine whether the manuscript should be published in their journal.” (Source: Veterinary Research)
With staffing shortages and issues such as economic euthanasia, it is also important to recognize the struggles that veterinary professionals face with their emotional mental health. In an article by the Wisconsin State Farmer, journalist, Colleen Cottke shares, “According to American Medical Veterinary Association (AMVA) statistics, 1 in 6 veterinarians have contemplated suicide. In a report released last year by the AMVA in partnership with Merck Animal Health, veterinarians are 2.7 times more likely than the general public to die by suicide.”
With our organization focusing on keeping families together, a part of this goal directly revolves around this very topic. Every year, an overwhelming number of pets are euthanized because their loving families don’t have the financial means to pay for their treatment- even if treatment is available and possible. Time and time again, veterinarians see this scenario and aren’t able to help, even if they so desperately want to. We are thankful for our veterinary partners with whom we work closely with to keep families together and provide an additional resource for professionals to offer to help end economic euthanasia.
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New to our page? Compassion Animal Project is a nationwide, donor-funded, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides financial assistance for life-saving treatments for pets and helps keep families together. Be sure to follow along with us by clicking the links below!
