The Outlook Is Bright For Veterinarians, Veterinary Specialists
Veterinarians Are In Demand Because People are paying more attention to their pets.
If there’s anything positive to come out of the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s the fact that people are taking better care of their pets and animals. People and animals are having to spend more time with each other, in lockdown and in general, and pet owners are becoming more sensitive to their pets’ needs. It also appears there are increasing numbers of lonely folks, and many of them are seeking the company of pets, particularly man’s ever-loyal best friend, the dog. And the demand for more and higher quality care translates into a need for greater numbers of qualified veterinarians.
The New York Times reports that Dr. Margot Vahrenwald, a veterinarian who co-owns Park Hill Veterinary Medical Center in Denver, revealed “We’re probably seeing 25 percent more new pets than what we would normally. It feels busier, and we’re seeing increased revenue.”Dr.Vahrenwald was obliged to hire five new employees, and has vacancies for more. And her clinic has had to install new phone lines to cope with the demands of pet owners.
Increasing Demand For Skilled Veterinary Services Is Not Just the Result Of The Corona Virus
Of course, the increasing demand for skilled veterinary services is not just the result of the corona virus. The University of California, Davis, reports that other factors include developments in aquaculture and in the care of food animals, and increasingly scientific methods of breeding and raising livestock, poultry, and fish. Greater diligence in disease-control disciplines as a result of environmental and public health factors also plays a role. And it is predicted that specialists in animal toxicology, laboratory medicine, and pathology will be in increasingly high demand in metropolitan areas.
The Veterinary Economics Division of the American Veterinary Medical Association predicts that the population of veterinarians practicing in the US will reach 124,257 by 2027; a 2.8% annual increase (1). Like today, 60% of practitioners will be women. California will show the steepest rise, with jobs for veterinarians expected to increase there by 20.3% between 2016 and 2026.
Vets Are In Demand
This expectation is endorsed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, which expects the employment of veterinarians to grow 16 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Overall job prospects are expected to be very good.
So good that US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT reveals that veterinarians now rank 10th in the ‘100 best jobs’ list, with an unemployment rating of 0.1%.
To cope with the increasing demand, three new schools of veterinary medicine are under construction in Texas, Arizona and New York, and Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee plans to double its enrolment, which will make it the largest veterinary program in the country.
Six Digit Salaries Becoming Common For Veterinarians
So how does this newfound popularity impact the graduating student?
Six months before graduating veterinary school, Ricky John Walther posted his resume on a job board. The response was overwhelming. “at least seven emails in the first 12 hours,” he revealed. The proposed salaries ranged from $100,000 to $120,000, more than he expected. Perks included signing bonuses, student-loan payoff assistance and shortened workweeks. Pushing his luck, he told recruiters he’d like a four-day workweek and would rather not work nights or both weekend days. No one blinked.
These days, being a veterinarian is definitely not a dog’s job.
Interested in finding out how it’s like being a vet? Watch the video below to get an understanding.