Animal Welfare Professionals

I read this recent article about British Columbia increasing subsidized vet student seats as a solution to vet shortage crisis. While this is potentially a long term solution, it makes me wonder what we need to do now to mitigate this acute shortage crisis and where our industry can/should push for some change. The article mentions that the Canadian Vet Med Association is working to get foreign vets and techs into the workforce. Have you heard of any movement on this topic in your state? Licensing for foreign vet grads is logistically and financially very hard here in the States. During COVID, the human medical field granted many temporary waivers to foreign grads to  increase physician capacity. If vet med could make some headway on this, I think it could really help. My friends at MCVMA (Multicultural VMA) relayed that they get a good number of inquiries about licensing challenges from foreign grads who are seeking support in navigating the process - so there are definitely vets interested in becoming licensed here. The other question I'm wondering about is student debt. Student debt in America disproportionately effects women (which vet med is primarily composed of) and BIPOC colleagues (black veterinary students graduate with a higher debt:income ratio compared to other students). Eliminating student debt, which is a huge mental and financial burden in vet med, could significantly improve our workplace culture challenges.

Curious what others are thinking about these topics (faclitating foreign vet licenseing and student debt cancellation) as tools for addressing our vet shortage crisis.  Have you heard of any talk in your state around facilitating licensing or has your org attempted to ease student debt for your vets (has anything worked or been particularly successful in recruiting vets)? 
#AccesstoCare
#Medicine,SurgeryandSterilization
#PeopleManagement(includingVolunteerIntegration)

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Chumkee Aziz, DVM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine Practice)
Outreach Veterinarian
UC Davis
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I have wondered if the option to become a Veterinary Nurse Practitioner would ever be available for a Veterinary Technician.  It could work similar to a Nurse Practitioner in the human field.  Since this shortage is not only in shelter medicine but also rural practices I wonder if that would ever be an option. I've had mixed opinions from Veterinarians I have talked to about it.

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Vickie Grantz
ED Enid SPCA
Enid SPCA
Enid OK
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-07-2022 01:28 PM
From: mehnaz aziz
Subject: vet shortage solutions

I read this recent article about British Columbia increasing subsidized vet student seats as a solution to vet shortage crisis. While this is potentially a long term solution, it makes me wonder what we need to do now to mitigate this acute shortage crisis and where our industry can/should push for some change. The article mentions that the Canadian Vet Med Association is working to get foreign vets and techs into the workforce. Have you heard of any movement on this topic in your state? Licensing for foreign vet grads is logistically and financially very hard here in the States. During COVID, the human medical field granted many temporary waivers to foreign grads to  increase physician capacity. If vet med could make some headway on this, I think it could really help. My friends at MCVMA (Multicultural VMA) relayed that they get a good number of inquiries about licensing challenges from foreign grads who are seeking support in navigating the process - so there are definitely vets interested in becoming licensed here. The other question I'm wondering about is student debt. Student debt in America disproportionately effects women (which vet med is primarily composed of) and BIPOC colleagues (black veterinary students graduate with a higher debt:income ratio compared to other students). Eliminating student debt, which is a huge mental and financial burden in vet med, could significantly improve our workplace culture challenges.

Curious what others are thinking about these topics (faclitating foreign vet licenseing and student debt cancellation) as tools for addressing our vet shortage crisis.  Have you heard of any talk in your state around facilitating licensing or has your org attempted to ease student debt for your vets (has anything worked or been particularly successful in recruiting vets)? 
#AccesstoCare
#Medicine,SurgeryandSterilization
#PeopleManagement(includingVolunteerIntegration)

------------------------------
Chumkee Aziz, DVM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine Practice)
Outreach Veterinarian
UC Davis
------------------------------

Right! Lincoln Memorial Vet School in TN has proposed a masters degree in vet clinical care, but I don't know if any big updates have been made. AVMA does not yet seemingly support the idea. This VIN article includes a lot of perspectives on the issue. I think it's critical we focus on tangibly improving  veterinary workplace culture, esp if we want to start bringing more folks into the fold.

------------------------------
Chumkee Aziz, DVM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine Practice)
Outreach Veterinarian
UC Davis
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-07-2022 03:04 PM
From: Vickie Grantz
Subject: vet shortage solutions

I have wondered if the option to become a Veterinary Nurse Practitioner would ever be available for a Veterinary Technician.  It could work similar to a Nurse Practitioner in the human field.  Since this shortage is not only in shelter medicine but also rural practices I wonder if that would ever be an option. I've had mixed opinions from Veterinarians I have talked to about it.

------------------------------
Vickie Grantz
ED Enid SPCA
Enid SPCA
Enid OK

Original Message:
Sent: 04-07-2022 01:28 PM
From: mehnaz aziz
Subject: vet shortage solutions

I read this recent article about British Columbia increasing subsidized vet student seats as a solution to vet shortage crisis. While this is potentially a long term solution, it makes me wonder what we need to do now to mitigate this acute shortage crisis and where our industry can/should push for some change. The article mentions that the Canadian Vet Med Association is working to get foreign vets and techs into the workforce. Have you heard of any movement on this topic in your state? Licensing for foreign vet grads is logistically and financially very hard here in the States. During COVID, the human medical field granted many temporary waivers to foreign grads to  increase physician capacity. If vet med could make some headway on this, I think it could really help. My friends at MCVMA (Multicultural VMA) relayed that they get a good number of inquiries about licensing challenges from foreign grads who are seeking support in navigating the process - so there are definitely vets interested in becoming licensed here. The other question I'm wondering about is student debt. Student debt in America disproportionately effects women (which vet med is primarily composed of) and BIPOC colleagues (black veterinary students graduate with a higher debt:income ratio compared to other students). Eliminating student debt, which is a huge mental and financial burden in vet med, could significantly improve our workplace culture challenges.

Curious what others are thinking about these topics (faclitating foreign vet licenseing and student debt cancellation) as tools for addressing our vet shortage crisis.  Have you heard of any talk in your state around facilitating licensing or has your org attempted to ease student debt for your vets (has anything worked or been particularly successful in recruiting vets)? 
#AccesstoCare
#Medicine,SurgeryandSterilization
#PeopleManagement(includingVolunteerIntegration)

------------------------------
Chumkee Aziz, DVM, DABVP (Shelter Medicine Practice)
Outreach Veterinarian
UC Davis
------------------------------