The AVMA’s Board of Directors has given the green light to a strategic initiative aimed at combating the shortage of veterinary specialists within academic settings at veterinary colleges. Proposed by the AVMA Veterinary Specialty Organizations Committee (VSOC), the plan was formally endorsed during the Board’s April 5th meeting in Schaumburg, Illinois. This initiative establishes a dedicated task force charged with pinpointing and offering solutions to the barriers preventing veterinary specialists from pursuing careers in academia.
The VSOC envisions this task force generating a comprehensive report with recommendations for the AVMA, the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC), affiliated institutions, and AVMA-recognized veterinary specialty organizations. The objectives include:
- Fostering the growth of veterinary specialist educators to meet the increasing demands of veterinary education, encompassing both traditional and innovative educational models.
- Exploring alternative pathways for veterinary specialists outside academia to engage in veterinary education.
- Expanding professional veterinary students’ exposure to opportunities in specialized veterinary careers and academia.
- Implementing strategies to bolster recruitment, training, and career progression for veterinary specialists.
- Developing effective models and practices to attract and retain veterinary specialists within educational institutions.
- Offering insights into compensation structures that could attract veterinarians to academic careers in specialized veterinary medicine.
- Advocating at both state and federal levels to garner support for veterinary medical educators.
The VSOC underscores ongoing discussions regarding the general shortage of veterinary specialists, particularly the challenges faced by veterinary colleges in attracting and retaining such specialists. Factors contributing to this issue may include comparatively lower compensation in academic roles for veterinary specialists and a lack of awareness about academic career paths.
Furthermore, with the anticipated expansion of numerous new colleges and the increase in class sizes at existing institutions, the demand for veterinary faculty is expected to surge. Hence, the VSOC emphasizes the urgency for concerted efforts to address future needs.
The AVMA is deemed best positioned to lead this initiative, bringing together stakeholders to tackle the obstacles hindering the pursuit of academic careers by veterinary specialists. This includes exploring alternative educational models, especially for veterinary colleges employing distributive models where clinical education occurs off-campus at various external sites.
Comprising representatives from key organizations such as the AAVMC, AVMA Council on Education, American Association of Veterinary Clinicians, and AVMA Early Career Development Committee, alongside industry partners, the task force will spearhead this crucial endeavor.
