Veterinary Recruitment Outlook Looks Bleak With US Job Openings At Record High

Job openings have hit a record high in the US. While this is great for veterinary professionals looking to change careers, this is not so great news for veterinary leaders already struggling with recruitment woes. 
‘This is a super tight job market,’ said Jennifer Lee, a senior economist at BMO Capital Markets. 
‘The ongoing struggle to find the right worker for the right role continues.’
On the last day of July, job openings jumped by 749,000 to 10.9 million, the highest level since records began. The rise in job openings has been a continuing trend since January 2021. 
This rise has been attributed to changes in the labor market post-Covid. 
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‘We Will Not Rest’ Until Veterinary Staff Are Safety Out Of Kabul Vows Charity Lead

The charity Nowzad has vowed that they will not stop campaigning until they can rescue their veterinary team from Afghanistan. 
The 26 vets and nurses (along with their families) were stranded in the country after being turned away from the airport at gunpoint. The charity’s founder, Pen Farthing, was able to return to the UK alongside 69 cats and 94 dogs, causing controversy in the press. 
Operation ark, headed by veterinarian Dr. Ian McGill, aims to rescue the workers and resettle them in the UK. 
‘There are loads of offers from the large veterinary groups in terms of jobs for these people and getting validation for their qualifications, as well as jobs and housing and social support.’
‘But it is not just that; the veterinary profession is all lined up shoulder to shoulder to support this mission – the presidents of the RCVS, BVA, and BVNA; the big veterinary groups; NOAH; and lots of drug companies and veterinary labs. The support was simply amazing.’
‘It is a good news story for the veterinary profession that has been blighted by that false narrative about pets before people – but our mission will not be finished until all 68 Nowzad staff are safely out of Kabul.’
Among the staff left, many are the first women in the country to become qualified veterinarians. 
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Hundreds of Vets Needed To Sign Off Exports At European Border

An already strained profession is looking to be stretched to its limits amid a shortfall of vets needed to complete border checks post-Brexit.  
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) president James Russell has said between 400 and 500 vets will be needed to fill in additional Export Health Certificates for meat and fish products to be shipped to Northern Ireland. 
The profession is already struggling amid puppy surges, EU worker shortfalls, and border demands. 
‘We’re really up against it here,’ said Mr. Russell.
‘We’re working very closely with the Government and the Royal College [of Veterinary Surgeons] to ask what can be done to help support those vets carrying out these important functions.’
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Australian Vets Report Cases Of Clients Asking For Ivermectin To Treat Covid-19

Reports from Australian vets have revealed that a rising number of clients have been requesting ivermectin to treat symptoms of covid-19.
False claims that the drug can cure disease have been circling social media, causing many public health bodies to speak out. 
Dr. Garnett Hall, an Australian veterinary surgeon, told The Feed that earlier that week an elderly man had come into his clinic asking for the drug. 
‘He was honest about wanting it for himself because he heard it might cure Covid, rather than pretending he wanted it for a cow or horse’ Dr. Hall said.
‘We said we don’t sell medication for humans and our nurse encouraged him to call the poisons hotline.’
‘He seemed unimpressed when he was told it comes as an apple-flavored horse paste.’
Other vets reported being contacted on social media, one vet stating that she had a client reach out to her on Facebook requesting the drug.
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An Entire Region Of Farmers Have Been Left Without Veterinary Care Due To Shortage

An entire region of Farmers in northern New Brunswick, Canada, have been left without veterinary care after two of the region’s large animal vets went off on maternity leave. 
Although worried farmers from the area were assured they would still have access to proper care, this has not happened. 
Reports of farmers being unable to get emergency care have been prevalent. One farmer, Jim MacCurdy, told CBC that one of his cows (alongside her calf) died after being unable to see a vet.
Although clinics in the area have been offering telehealth consults, often this is insufficient. 
‘We’ve kind of given up, honestly,’ said Russell Kaye, a member of the board of directors for the New Brunswick Cattle Producers.
‘If you have questions and stuff [you can] call, they try the best they can to talk you through it on the phone, but nine times out of 10 when one of us calls a vet, it’s not for a phone consult, it’s because we need a visit.’
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Ensuring Emotional Wellbeing At Work Is Important- But Have You Considered Financial Health?

Though money can be a bit of a taboo subject, it is undoubtedly a fundamental need for most people.
Particularly in the veterinary profession, where many people struggle with debt, teaching your team about how to maintain their financial wealth (and hence, health) has never been more of an imperative.  
You don’t need a degree in economics to do this- perhaps consider hosting some webinars or even providing several resources for your team on how to maintain financial wellbeing. Helping your team during tough times (hello covid) can help ensure everyone is present at work, rather than stressing about money woes at home. 
For more on how to educate your team about their financial health, click here.