|
|
Veteran
Posts: 282
 
Location: southcentral pennsylvania | In the April, 2007 Pennsylvania Equestrian an article titled "Is there a Doctor in the House? Experts Say "Maybe Not for Long" was featured on the front page. It is a disturbing scenerio. Putting everything in a nut shell, 70+% of vet students are female, with a large animal practice and emergency calls not compatable with having a family. Also, most students have huge debt loads, with small animal practices offering a higher monetary reward, for both men and women. At the Timonium Horse Expo, I questioned doctors from a university facility that was represented at the expo. They have great difficulty getting resident students from U.S. vet schools to apply for post graduate opportunities at their equine center. When I had to take my mare to the center, I observed residents from England, Argentina, and several other countries that the names escape me. As for local horse vets, the practice I have used for over 30 years is no longer doing any large animals as of June 1. There is ONE vet practice that I know of locally that will come for equine emergencies. Thank goodness they agreed to take me as a client! I honestly do not know what will happen if they forgo equine practice. Does anyone have any creative ideas how to recruit equine vets to an area? Are equine vets sparse in your area? Thanks! Brenda |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 474
Location: White Mills, Ky. | I wish I had some recruiting ideas. Even though this is "horse country" we are seeing fewer large animal vets in this area as well. We live less than 20 miles from the local vet's office and the "trip fee" is $100. That's before he even get out of his truck! We have started using another vet who has given up his office and only does farm calls. His trip fee is $45 and he lives twice as far as the other vet's office. However, he owns a dairy and is sometimes hard to reach. We had a wonderful young vet that liked to work with horses and was very knowledgeable. Unfortunately he is doing time for running a meth lab in his basement!!! I guess he was trying to pay off his school debts. Stupid, stupid, stupid. His father is also a vet and has an established practice but is getting on in years and prefers the small animals and the regular office hours. "Junior" could have had the whole shebang if he had just waited a few years for Dad to retire. It just proves that sometimes smart people do dumb things. I sure would like to have about 10 minutes with him out in the woodshed! RIDE ON! |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 378
Location: Nebraska | Try paying for a portion or all of their schooling in exchange for a term to stay in the area. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 500
Location: West TN | When I was in college, those that entered the vet field had a hard time getting in. Most from around here either go to UT or Auburn. They only take a limited number each year. There are plenty that would like to get in, but the admissions is so tough that they are having to go in other areas. I know of one guy that would have made a good large animal vet, but did not make the cut this year. Now, he either waits another year or starts out on finding a new career path. His GPA was high as well. It sounds like the pressure needs to be put on these Land Grant Universities to overhaul their system and expand their numbers as well.
Edited by robdnorm 2007-04-15 4:42 PM
|
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 2453
Location: Northern Utah | Maybe I'm just lucky, But I have four Equine vet prectices within 20 minutes drive of my home. And I'm pretty sure they all have more than one vet in the practice. Usually the owner of the practice and younger doctors getting experience. So no I have not seen a shortage of Equine vets. Now cattle vets are disappearing as all the feed lots and dairy farms turn into homes. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 644
Location: Odenville, Alabama | I do feel fortunate. I am only 12 miles away from one of the top Equine Clinics in the Southeast. Coosa Valley Equince Center. Dr. Ed Murray has had this practice for at least 20 years. I believe there are usually at least 4 full time vets on staff. There are 2 that are "resident" vets along with Dr. Murray, and several that are just out of college. I know there are a couple from Auburn University here in Alabama, and one from Purdue University in Indiana. 2 of the vets are women. We also have 2 other women equine vets in the area. One of them (she also worked with Dr. Murray) is strictly mobile. I'm so very fortunate (or maybe UNfortunate) to be on a first name basis with all these vets. They are wonderful, and I'm grateful for them. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1989
Location: South Central OK | This is why they limit females in Medical schools, statistically they only practice on average 5 years...then marry, have kids, quit, etc. I'm all for women ruling the world, but holy crap don't spend all that time and money doing medical school and then quit 5 years later! Our local female vet just pulled her "5 year stunt" and I nearly drove to her house and chewed her out for giving men more ammunition to keep us(women) out of medical schools! You'll be seeing a huge change in human medicine too. In about 15 years there will be a huge shortage of family practice physicians. They get paid more in other specialties and therefore we'll have tons of specialists and no-one to treat our bumps, bug bites and the flu. The trend has already started... |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 294
Location: Fort Worth, Tx | We are definetely noticing this situation in the Fort Worth area. My vet is one of the few that will go to the farm anymore. Frankly, who can blame them....long, late hours, hard work, low pay. I would suggest to everyone who has a on call vet to treat them well!! Be there when your vet comes out, have your horse ready and QUIET, have a good area for them to work (under the shade tree in the pouring rain is not acceptable), and most of all, PAY THEM PROMPTLY with a check that won't bounce. I can't believe how many people treat their vets (and other service people as well) poorly and then complain how no one wants to help them. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 544
Location: Claxton, Ga. | This is a sore spot for sure!!!! I have 2 vets. One that does horses only that I normally use and another in town that can finally make farm calls again. He just hired a lady vet to help him in the office. People don't pay like they are supposed to so they don't like to do horses for that reason. |
|
| |
|
Elite Veteran
Posts: 602
Location: md | We have THE BEST vets. True, they are women, we rarely have to wait more than a day or two. Emerg, they come right out. One is older and has a family, the other younger already just had 2 kids and hardly missed a day. We are very fortunate to have these two. They make farm calls. I have a different dr for cat and dog. |
|
| |
|
 Expert
Posts: 1885
Location: NY | the vet office in my area NY just lost a vet surgen, she went to small animal becouse the hours are normal and the animals come to her. I thank my vet for coming everytime and i would be lost if he closed his office |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 11
| Simple Solution: Pay them more. |
|
| |
|
 Regular
Posts: 50
Location: Tamarack, PA, USA | I can relate to the woes. We live in an area that is a trail riders dream in northcentral Pennsylvania but...an equine emergency nightmare. We have nearly a million contiguous acreas of State Forest to ride on but we are 70 miles from the nearest large animal clinic and WE HAUL our emergencies TO THEM. Sometimes I am tempted to move just because of that! Each year, a bunch of us horse owners (my 2, a small breeding farm of 15, and 2-3 others) beg and plead the vet to do a clinic day here for annual shots, castrations and whatnot. They usually come through luckily. The overall situation is very scary indeed...and I sometimes wish I had followed through myself and gone to vet school. BUT, those long hours sure don't appeal to me either! |
|
| |
|
Regular
Posts: 79
| I would have loved to become a vet... about half way through my college career I started to look into what it would take to change my major. Unfortunately, as a business and equine science major, I would have had to basically start from scratch. That wasn't an option at an expensive private school. Then I looked at the cost of vet school on top of that... OUCH! I'd still be in school if I went that route... but I still kinda wish I did it. Maybe some day in the future... |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1885
Location: NY | I was in pre vet school and ran out of loans to get the vet in this area still make barn call the hospital is about 2 hour away that is why I got a trailer just in case |
|
| |
|
Regular
Posts: 67
Location: Alberta | Guess I should consider myself lucky...My ranch is about 5 miles from a top vet clinic and a barn call is only 35, if they charge... They have 12 large animal vets on staff and about double that for techs. http://www.mooreandco.com/company.html All exams are now completed on a wireless tablet PC (both in the clinic and on farm calls) you can even view x-rays on them! |
|
| |
|
Regular
Posts: 95
Location: Nashville, TN | As the father of a son preparing to apply to vet school, the ratio of male to females in most vet schools is shocking. So much so, the first time I heard a class of 90 students had 14 males, I thought they were kidding. All the journals will show females scoring higher in science and math, most females serious about the profession don't waste their freshman year in college. I am lucky, my son has a 4.0 and will be able to get in most any school he likes, but last I spoke with him, he was considering medical school.....I don't need a doctor....I need a vet. There are presently 28 schools of veterinary medicine in the United States graduating about 2,100 students a year, with more than 8,500 students enrolled. Approximately 75% of entering students are women. I know one vet family where the husband and wife are vets, the husband practices and the wife teaches science at the local private school so the kids get a break on tuition. I don't have a simple solution or answer other than to say, there will be a shortage, if there isn't already, of large animal practitioners....not much fun tubing a cholicing horse at 3 in the morning. |
|
| |
|
Regular
Posts: 70
Location: Northern, CA | Interesting...not feeling a vet shortage here, and we are "few and far between" (local population less than 2,000). We've just gotten a couple of additional new ones. Farm calls are not a problem, and they do regular clinics, at your ranch, for shots, etc. HOWEVER, all of the vets we've worked with have complained about clients who are clueless as to their animal's health and those who don't pay promptly! There are a couple of vets that, if you don't use them routinely, they aren't coming out for your "emergency". Who can blame them?! |
|
| |
|
 Veteran
Posts: 225
Location: Kansas City | Let's see. A small animal vet has an office where everyone comes to them. When they finish with one client, they step next door and see another. They generate fees back-to-back and are only limited by the number of clients they see.
A large animal vet who travels must have both an office and a duplicate office in an expensive truck with an expensive box on the back. Duplicate the equipment. Now the vet at your farm gets paid and instead of walking next door and generating more fees, he/she must get in vehicle and drive with $3 gasoline. You would never be lucky enough to have two farms 10 minutes apart - so you figure whatever you want -- 20 minutes, 30, etc. Then you show up and have to visit, walk in the barn examine, go back to the truck and unload what you need. All this time is done without generating money for the practice.
In reality a farm visit can take up an hour or two between leaving one farm and finishing at another and thus the trip fee probably does not generate what a small animal vet can extract from city folks who are willing to pay for x-rays, diet supplements, blood tests, and someone to hold their hand and tell them poor pussy cat is short of time on this earth. |
|
| |
|
 Veteran
Posts: 274
Location: Memphis, TN | Originally written by barry on 2007-05-10 10:42 AM Let's see. A small animal vet has an office where everyone comes to them. When they finish with one client, they step next door and see another. They generate fees back-to-back and are only limited by the number of clients they see. A large animal vet who travels must have both an office and a duplicate office in an expensive truck with an expensive box on the back. Duplicate the equipment. Now the vet at your farm gets paid and instead of walking next door and generating more fees, he/she must get in vehicle and drive with $3 gasoline. You would never be lucky enough to have two farms 10 minutes apart - so you figure whatever you want -- 20 minutes, 30, etc. Then you show up and have to visit, walk in the barn examine, go back to the truck and unload what you need. All this time is done without generating money for the practice. In reality a farm visit can take up an hour or two between leaving one farm and finishing at another and thus the trip fee probably does not generate what a small animal vet can extract from city folks who are willing to pay for x-rays, diet supplements, blood tests, and someone to hold their hand and tell them poor pussy cat is short of time on this earth. I just had this conversation with my small animal vet this week. While getting my cat checked she asked why I was off work that day? I responded that it was dental day at the horse barn. She laughed and told me about her experience as an intern in PA working with Draft horses. She has a successful small animal practice here now and is having trouble finding new vets who want to "work". None seem interested in learning to build a business, just give them 30 hours and a paycheck. She has spoken to others about the shortage of large animal vets in sparsley populated places, and has considered going back to that, but says she is older now and probably could not keep up the work. I am fortunate to have several excellant Equine vets within 30 minutes drive. My regular vet is actually only 3 miles from my barn and I love them.
Edited by Ike 2007-05-10 1:24 PM
|
|
| |
|
 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385
Location: high desert, CA. |  
This is very timely...I had one of ONLY 3 vets out to do Vaccinations, check teeth, for the horses, and check the young goats and does. We are a rural type valley of over 250,000 people, and encompass at least 350 sq miles. A farm call costs $65.00, and an emergency means you will trailer AT LEAST 50 miles, or MORE! Nearest horse hospital is over 85 miles, and you must cross thru the mountains to the San Gabriel Valley, or Chino. Many colic cases don't make it. I for one, would love to make a deal to help with tuition for a student, and even help them set up a practice site in exchange for a term of practice here. We have about 50 small animal vets, and they are always running specials on vacinnations, grooming, dental work, ect.
Edited by siseley 2007-05-10 10:27 PM
|
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 11
| I have put the word out to local vets, and a letter is U Penn New Bolton that I will donate/lease land for a vet's building, and offer a rental house on the farm below market value to an equine vet willing to practice in our area AND on site farm emergencies. As of yet, no takers. I plan to contact all vet schools in U.S. "If it is to be, it is up to me!" Brenda |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 378
Location: Nebraska | The neurologist that fused my neck back together when offered the job at the hospital was guaranteed a pretty healthy salary plus they paid off his student loan in exchange for unkown years stay at the hospital. |
|
| |
|
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385
Location: high desert, CA. | 
Thank you Brenda!! I am sure that your neighbors and the whole community will benefit greatly by your generous offer! Good luck on your search for the right candidate. Steve |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 5
Location: Newport, NC | i am starting vet school at north carolina state university in august. im planning on going the large animal/equine route! i also plan on NOT having kids, unless they are 4 legged! hehe |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 282
Location: southcentral pennsylvania | Please keep southcentral Pennsylvania in mind upon graduation. A small group of local horsewomen have started to meet regularly to brainstorm ways to attract an equine vet. Brenda |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 5
Location: Newport, NC | i'll definately keep yall in mind! ;-) im recently engaged (as of may 25th) to my boyfriend of 5 years. he has a business here (rhino linings -- they do sprayed in bed liners). but hes planning on selling his part of the business or being a remote manager when i graduate and then coming to work for me! well, provided i start my own business. id love to start my own business, but that takes $$$! so maybe ill work for someone for a few years and then start my own. |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1885
Location: NY | The vet here have joined together and build one big hospital ,there keep they own practices but use the hospital for everything ells(MRI-x-rays surgery) this is a plus for us here in lower NY area -thank you new england equin practices |
|
| |
|
Expert
Posts: 1989
Location: South Central OK | dvmintraining, do yourself a favor and DON'T get married before you graduate vet school...professional schools ruin more marriages... |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 5
Location: Newport, NC | huntseat -- thanks for the advice! we've already decided to wait until after graduation from vet school. i'll be 3 hours from home. and i know if we got married, id wanna be where my home fires were and be with my newly wed husband! not only could school ruin a marriage, but marriage could be distracting from school as well! |
|
| |
|
Veteran
Posts: 219
Location: Mt. Clemens, MI 48043 | Good Luck with your schooling and with your upcoming marriage. I hope both work out. Where my horse is I have been blessed - two good vet places both about a half hour away. Each vet has it bad points and good. When stuff happens they know what to do. They also take payments and will help you out when necessary. They do not think questions are stupid and you can ask as many as needed. We also respect them whether we agree or not. Yep! I hope you become as good as my vet (even better). |
|
| |
Large Animal Vet shortage
