Landmark Veterinary Workplace Study Launches & Needs Your Participation

VetX International have launched a survey for veterinarians and vet students to assess the key drivers of career happiness, stress, and mental wellbeing amongst the vet workforce. 

The study, titled The Veterinary Employment, Engagement and Retention Survey (VEER), opened this week and aims to collect data from thousands of veterinary professionals across the world. 

Speaking about the survey, VetX head of research and partnerships Dr. Dermot McInerney said, “We hope to use the data collected to understand if there are factors that can predict what makes people happy so that we can educate the veterinary world on how to build better, more sustainable job roles and begin to understand the retention issues we have in the profession in many parts of the world.”

The study findings will be published and made available to all industry stakeholders from education to employment and beyond. All participants will receive an advance copy of the results with career advice and be entered into a weekly prize draw to win one of 16 prizes each week. 

To take the survey and have your say in the future of veterinary medicine, click here. 

 

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association Estimates That 30 Percent of Canadian Veterinarians Are Burnt Out

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association has estimated that around 30 percent of Canadian veterinarians and 50 percent of veterinary technicians are in the advanced stages of burnout.

Whilst the pandemic has partly been to blame for the increased shortage of veterinary professionals, the high cost of education and large debt is also contributing factor.

It is estimated that around 380 veterinarians graduate in Canada every year, which fails to meet the demand of growing clientele, let alone any anticipated retirements in the profession. 

“I was not able to be the veterinarian that I wanted to be, and I did burn out,” said Dr. Karissa Mitchell, a Canadian veterinarian who quit her full-time job as a vet in 2021 due to being overworked. “It was just really frustrating to realize that I couldn’t do it anymore.”

To read the full story, click here.

 

The British Veterinary Association Matches UK Veterinarians to Ukraine Refugees 

A new initiative, set up by the British Veterinary Association (BVA), is set to help ‘match’ UK veterinarians (who have their own accommodation) with Ukrainian vets and their families seeking residence in the UK.

In a statement, Justine Shotton, the BVA President said: “We continue to be deeply shocked and saddened by events in Ukraine, and appreciate the huge outpouring of support from UK vets who want to do whatever they can to help those affected. It can be difficult to find named Ukrainian refugees, and as a professional association we recognise we can play a useful role in connecting UK vets with Ukrainian veterinary professionals seeking refuge here.”

In order to be matched, the BVA has created a survey to collect the data of UK vets wanting to help.

To find out more, click here, and to take the survey, click here. 

 

Galaxy Vets Introduces a 24-Hour Work Week to Tackle Burnout

Galaxy vets, an employee co-owned veterinary healthcare system, has announced its plans for a 24-hour workweek in order to fight against burnout.

In the new scheme, Galaxy Vets employees (who commit to at least 24 hours over 7 days in general practice, ER, or telemedicine) will receive a full benefits package and equity. 

This new way of working comes as a result of the increasing evidence correlating veterinary working hours to burnout. In recent research by VetsPanel it was found that veterinarians are only receiving 1.8 hours of break time per week!

In an interview with DVM360, Galaxy Vets CEO Ivan Zak said: 

“We arrived at this decision because we know the rate of burnout [in the veterinary profession]… We are taking this step because we want our people to be able to afford a better work-life balance and still enjoy all the benefits and perks. At the same time, we will limit and strictly monitor the maximum number of working hours to 40 per week to make sure our employees don’t overwork”.

To read the full story, click here. 

 

The Australian Veterinary Association Calls on Government to Get Vets Back to the Bush

The Australian Veterinarian Association has proposed the federal government invest $13.6m in helping graduate vets stay in regional areas in their latest Pre-Budget submission. 

The Rural Bonding Scheme aims to introduce rural placement incentives for graduates in order to target the shortage of rural veterinarians. 

The proposal is expected to cost around $13.6m across 5 years.

In a statement the AVA head of Veterinary and Public Affairs Dr. Cristy Secombe said:

“Veterinary practices across the country are struggling to find veterinarians and this is even harder in rural and remote areas… A rural bonding scheme, similar to that offered to medical graduates, would be a strong incentive for early-career vets to fill non-metropolitan positions.”

To read the full story, click here. 

 

How to Manage Stress As a Veterinary Professional?

As we all know, being a vet can be stressful, and finding ways to overcome this can seem overwhelming. So how can we cope with stress in four easy steps?

The Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit American academic medical center, suggests these four strategies:

• Avoid: Firstly, it’s important to recognize if your stressors can be avoided altogether. This may sound simple, but it’s easy to forget, especially in a busy clinic. For example, if you and a colleague struggle to see eye-to-eye, try creating more of a physical distance between you and them to avoid unnecessary stress.
• Alter: Sometimes there are ways to alter your situation to reduce your stress. For example, if management is causing you stress, perhaps it’s worth asking them to alter how they are treating you. Using “I” statements when addressing someone about how you feel can help them see your view. It’s also possible to alter your own thinking and behavior – for example, if you say a particular situation ‘stresses’ you, no doubt it will, whereas if you go in with an open mind, you may feel less tense.
• Accept: there may also be other times when you simply need to accept things the way they are. Accepting, and forgiving the situation (or yourself) can help you move on rather than stressing about uncontrollable situations.
• Adapt: Lastly, adapting by changing your standards and expectations of stressful situations can help you cope with stress. For example, instead of striving for perfection, make reasonable substitutes, and focus on the positive achievements rather than what has been missed.