The Case of the Missing Vets


Sub-topic
What's happening to them?
What the experts are saying

Startling Evidence

What's happening to them?
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Large animal vets are dissappearing and not being replaced. There are many reasons, and they are displayed below. Why do we want to know this? Remember: Knowing the                        problem(s) helps you find the solution(s).

Older vets
  • Half of large animal vets are ready to retire (if they ever do-most vets work to the end)
  • 1/3 of government vets are likely to retire in the next 3 years

Lack of interest
  • Only 2% of vet students plan to work with large animals
  • Most graduates of vet schools want to live in the city
  • Few students have a background in agriculture or experience with food animals
               - not many children know what a healthy animal looks like or acts like
  • Rural vets have physically demanding job and long, unpredictable hours
  • Large animal vets earn smaller salaries than small animal vets

Education problems
  • There are 28 vet schools in 26 states in the U.S.A.
  • There are only 5 in Canada.
  • Large animal vet students have an average college debt of $134,000
  • 2,500 vets graduate in the U.S.A. each year.
  •  U.S. vet schools have had no growth in size for 20 years
  • Federal funding to vets hasn't increased in 30 years
  • Economy related budget cuts resulted in a loss of $50,000,000 to veterinary education
  • Admission to vet school is highly competetive
                -There are 15,000 applicants per year for only 2600 spots in vet schools
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Different types of vets in the U.S.A.