Key challenges in the veterinary profession

The world brings challenges for the veterinary profession on a daily basis, and it can help to know that what we experience as individuals is shared by our colleagues, wherever they may be – and by understanding the challenges faced by other stakeholders we can work together in a way that is mutually beneficial. 

Introduction

The world in which we live is changing rapidly, driven by many different factors, technologies and trials. In our own small microcosm change is inescapable. Although the main challenge we face as veterinarians – namely, the desire to enable animals to be as healthy and as happy as possible – has not altered since the profession was created, life for a veterinarian even twenty years ago was not the same as it is today, for many different reasons. And whilst today’s clinicians are unquestionably more knowledgeable about the animals they treat, and better equipped to tackle the diseases they combat than any generation before them, there is no escaping the fact that many of us find the daily workload stressful. Some will cope with this better than others, but the high dropout rate from the profession and the negative impact on the mental health of many veterinarians must serve as a warning that being an animal professional in the 21^st century carries with it burdens as well as rewards.

Royal Canin recently commissioned a wide-reaching international survey to look in-depth at the world of cats and dogs today, and one of the areas researched was the problems and concerns – sometimes referred to as “pain points” – that are experienced by the various stakeholders involved in the domain of companion animals. This short article reviews some of the key findings as they relate to the veterinary side of things and suggests some positive ways ahead.  [...]