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在美国,为什么兽医不好当?

在美国,为什么兽医不好当?

Kristin Peck 2021-06-28
兽医行业正面临着复杂的挑战。

美国加州河滨市的河滨服务中心(Riverside Access Center ),加布里埃尔•罗萨医生(图右)正在救助一只达克斯猎犬和吉娃娃混血犬,它的主人陪在身边。图片来源:WILL LESTER—MEDIANEWS GROUP/INLAND VALLEY DAILY BULLETIN/GETTY IMAGES

Poppy和Sky是我的两条爱犬,它们一直给予我力量,慰藉我心灵。但在新冠疫情期间,我从未如此需要它们。我通常会通过遛狗来结束我的一天,这可以帮助我理清头绪。Poppy是一条混血的拉布拉多犬,它在疫情封城的那段时间里需要做一些肾脏感染的检查,而兽医做的一切让我感激不尽。他带了一些便携式设备来到我家,为了保持社交距离便在车库出诊。多亏得到他的悉心照料和快速诊断,Poppy很快又能够漫步在林间小路上。

这段经历让我思考疫情是如何进一步增强我们和宠物之间的纽带的,它也让我们更加依赖优质的兽医护理服务,特别是考虑到有越来越多的美国家庭开始养起宠物。

但是很多人没有意识到一个问题:兽医行业充满了挑战,最近几年尤其艰巨。如果我们没有采取措施促进动物医学的可持续发展,没有解决动物看病难的问题,那么这些挑战可能会劝退不少医疗服务人员和护理人员,导致兽医行业人手不足。

对硕腾(Zoetis)而言,兽医仍然是一切工作的核心。作为世界上最大的动物健康医药、疫苗、诊断程序和设备制造商,我们深知兽医对宠物来说有着重要的意义。但是,他们在投身于热爱的事业时遇到了越来越多的阻碍,这一点我们也有目共睹。

以下是兽医遇到的三大挑战:

教育债务高筑

根据《2020年美国兽医协会高级调查》(2020 American Veterinary Medical Association Senior Survey)的数据,兽医学校毕业生的平均债务为16万美元。更令人不安的是,美国兽医协会(American Veterinary Medical Association)的报告表明学生教育债务的增长速度是兽医应届毕业生收入增长速度的4.5倍。此外,默沙东动物保健公司(Merck Animal Health)在2020年的一项兽医身心健康研究(Veterinary Wellbeing Study)中指出,学生债务高筑是兽医们最为担心的问题,这也是他们不推荐其他人入行的首要原因。

心理健康受损

《美国兽医协会杂志》(Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association)的一项研究表明,兽医比普通人群的自杀风险要高得多。工作时间长、工作负荷强、学生债务多、客户期望高、实施安乐死压力大、工作生活平衡差,这些都对兽医的心理健康造成了不小的损害。

缺乏多元化

美国的兽医学生绝大多数都是白人(71%),执业兽医更是如此(91%)。与此同时,美国全国黑人兽医协会(National Association for Black Veterinarians)的数据表明美国黑人在兽医行业的比例从未超过3%。这一缺乏代表性的人种分布,造成了兽医和宠物主人群体的脱节。最近一份有关宠物饲养情况的报告指出,61.4%的拉丁裔/西班牙裔家庭和36.9%的黑人家庭都有宠物。

缺乏多元化是兽医行业的一大问题,而且并不限于种族。年轻男性的入行数量也在下降。美国兽医协会指出,美国在职兽医劳动力有63%是女性,而且这一比例呈现上升之势。美国兽医学院协会(American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges)的最新数字显示,美国兽医学校的女学生占81.6%,而男学生仅有18.2%。

归根结底,我们希望所有人都可以觉得自己在兽医学领域有一席之地,因为研究表明,多元化能够调动创造力,提高决策能力,并改善财务状况。

急需服务和支持

兽医面临的挑战不胜枚举。新冠疫情期间领养宠物的人数激增,现在比以往任何时候都更需要训练有素的专业人员。但现实比较残酷,我们可能没有足够的人手来应对这一工作负荷。据一项研究估计,到2030年,美国可能有7500万宠物因为兽医严重短缺而得不到所需的护理。

与此同时,业务管理和宠物护理本身的压力也在与日俱增。现在的客户更倾向于自己在网上购买药物,而不是前往动物诊所。另外,很多兽医缺乏数字技术的支持,也无法通过数据挖掘信息来提高诊所效率,增强与客户的联系。

越来越多的人开始领养宠物,寻求动物的慰藉。因此,我们需要拓宽兽医的从业渠道,提供他们急需的服务和支持,并确保这些专业人士也可以一直受到照顾。

为了达到这一目标,我们还需要做出很多改变。幸运的是,一些组织已经开始采取措施,朝着正确的方向前进。

兽医企业、机构和协会的领军者正在积极主动地应对兽医面临的心理问题,希望为个人和组织制定身心健康的全面解决方案。这些机构和倡议包括慈善组织Not One More Vet、美国兽医协会身心健康倡议(American Veterinary Medical Association’s Wellbeing Initiative)以及美国兽医学院协会为兽医学教职人员、学生和员工提供的资源。这一切为兽医行业提供了多方面的支持,也促进了行业的繁荣发展。

现在也有许多机构为兽医行业的多元化作出努力,包括多元化兽医联盟(Diversify Veterinary Medicine Coalition)、美国兽医协会和美国兽医学院协会联合领导的多元化、公平和包容兽医专业委员会(Commission for a Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Veterinary Profession),还有Pawsibilities Vet Med组织等。我们也要加入其中,一起提高并维持整个行业的多元化。美国需要这样一场跨合作运动来建立一个丰富多元的兽医行业,反映服务客户的需求。

在硕腾,我们对兽医怀有最深的敬意与感激。我们一直希望能够通过更多方式去帮助兽医关心自己的工作实践和身心健康,以及照顾那些让我们的家庭更加美满的动物伴侣。为了进一步表达对兽医的支持,我们成立了硕腾基金会(Zoetis Foundation),并承诺在五年内投入3500万美元,提高美国和世界各地兽医的发展机会。

基金会的初步做法是大力支持美国的奖学金、健康和多元化倡议,让兽医社区更加包容。2022年,基金会将把援手伸向其他国家,帮助解决兽医的债务、心理健康和生计问题。

兽医行业正面临着复杂的挑战,但我们的底线简单而明确:为了照顾好我们的动物家庭成员,我们必须照顾好兽医行业。(财富中文网)

克里斯汀•派克是硕腾公司的首席执行官。

译者:秦维奇

Poppy和Sky是我的两条爱犬,它们一直给予我力量,慰藉我心灵。但在新冠疫情期间,我从未如此需要它们。我通常会通过遛狗来结束我的一天,这可以帮助我理清头绪。Poppy是一条混血的拉布拉多犬,它在疫情封城的那段时间里需要做一些肾脏感染的检查,而兽医做的一切让我感激不尽。他带了一些便携式设备来到我家,为了保持社交距离便在车库出诊。多亏得到他的悉心照料和快速诊断,Poppy很快又能够漫步在林间小路上。

这段经历让我思考疫情是如何进一步增强我们和宠物之间的纽带的,它也让我们更加依赖优质的兽医护理服务,特别是考虑到有越来越多的美国家庭开始养起宠物。

但是很多人没有意识到一个问题:兽医行业充满了挑战,最近几年尤其艰巨。如果我们没有采取措施促进动物医学的可持续发展,没有解决动物看病难的问题,那么这些挑战可能会劝退不少医疗服务人员和护理人员,导致兽医行业人手不足。

对硕腾(Zoetis)而言,兽医仍然是一切工作的核心。作为世界上最大的动物健康医药、疫苗、诊断程序和设备制造商,我们深知兽医对宠物来说有着重要的意义。但是,他们在投身于热爱的事业时遇到了越来越多的阻碍,这一点我们也有目共睹。

以下是兽医遇到的三大挑战:

教育债务高筑

根据《2020年美国兽医协会高级调查》(2020 American Veterinary Medical Association Senior Survey)的数据,兽医学校毕业生的平均债务为16万美元。更令人不安的是,美国兽医协会(American Veterinary Medical Association)的报告表明学生教育债务的增长速度是兽医应届毕业生收入增长速度的4.5倍。此外,默沙东动物保健公司(Merck Animal Health)在2020年的一项兽医身心健康研究(Veterinary Wellbeing Study)中指出,学生债务高筑是兽医们最为担心的问题,这也是他们不推荐其他人入行的首要原因。

心理健康受损

《美国兽医协会杂志》(Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association)的一项研究表明,兽医比普通人群的自杀风险要高得多。工作时间长、工作负荷强、学生债务多、客户期望高、实施安乐死压力大、工作生活平衡差,这些都对兽医的心理健康造成了不小的损害。

缺乏多元化

美国的兽医学生绝大多数都是白人(71%),执业兽医更是如此(91%)。与此同时,美国全国黑人兽医协会(National Association for Black Veterinarians)的数据表明美国黑人在兽医行业的比例从未超过3%。这一缺乏代表性的人种分布,造成了兽医和宠物主人群体的脱节。最近一份有关宠物饲养情况的报告指出,61.4%的拉丁裔/西班牙裔家庭和36.9%的黑人家庭都有宠物。

缺乏多元化是兽医行业的一大问题,而且并不限于种族。年轻男性的入行数量也在下降。美国兽医协会指出,美国在职兽医劳动力有63%是女性,而且这一比例呈现上升之势。美国兽医学院协会(American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges)的最新数字显示,美国兽医学校的女学生占81.6%,而男学生仅有18.2%。

归根结底,我们希望所有人都可以觉得自己在兽医学领域有一席之地,因为研究表明,多元化能够调动创造力,提高决策能力,并改善财务状况。

急需服务和支持

兽医面临的挑战不胜枚举。新冠疫情期间领养宠物的人数激增,现在比以往任何时候都更需要训练有素的专业人员。但现实比较残酷,我们可能没有足够的人手来应对这一工作负荷。据一项研究估计,到2030年,美国可能有7500万宠物因为兽医严重短缺而得不到所需的护理。

与此同时,业务管理和宠物护理本身的压力也在与日俱增。现在的客户更倾向于自己在网上购买药物,而不是前往动物诊所。另外,很多兽医缺乏数字技术的支持,也无法通过数据挖掘信息来提高诊所效率,增强与客户的联系。

越来越多的人开始领养宠物,寻求动物的慰藉。因此,我们需要拓宽兽医的从业渠道,提供他们急需的服务和支持,并确保这些专业人士也可以一直受到照顾。

为了达到这一目标,我们还需要做出很多改变。幸运的是,一些组织已经开始采取措施,朝着正确的方向前进。

兽医企业、机构和协会的领军者正在积极主动地应对兽医面临的心理问题,希望为个人和组织制定身心健康的全面解决方案。这些机构和倡议包括慈善组织Not One More Vet、美国兽医协会身心健康倡议(American Veterinary Medical Association’s Wellbeing Initiative)以及美国兽医学院协会为兽医学教职人员、学生和员工提供的资源。这一切为兽医行业提供了多方面的支持,也促进了行业的繁荣发展。

现在也有许多机构为兽医行业的多元化作出努力,包括多元化兽医联盟(Diversify Veterinary Medicine Coalition)、美国兽医协会和美国兽医学院协会联合领导的多元化、公平和包容兽医专业委员会(Commission for a Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Veterinary Profession),还有Pawsibilities Vet Med组织等。我们也要加入其中,一起提高并维持整个行业的多元化。美国需要这样一场跨合作运动来建立一个丰富多元的兽医行业,反映服务客户的需求。

在硕腾,我们对兽医怀有最深的敬意与感激。我们一直希望能够通过更多方式去帮助兽医关心自己的工作实践和身心健康,以及照顾那些让我们的家庭更加美满的动物伴侣。为了进一步表达对兽医的支持,我们成立了硕腾基金会(Zoetis Foundation),并承诺在五年内投入3500万美元,提高美国和世界各地兽医的发展机会。

基金会的初步做法是大力支持美国的奖学金、健康和多元化倡议,让兽医社区更加包容。2022年,基金会将把援手伸向其他国家,帮助解决兽医的债务、心理健康和生计问题。

兽医行业正面临着复杂的挑战,但我们的底线简单而明确:为了照顾好我们的动物家庭成员,我们必须照顾好兽医行业。(财富中文网)

克里斯汀•派克是硕腾公司的首席执行官。

译者:秦维奇

My dogs Poppy and Sky have always been a source of strength and comfort, but never have I needed them more than during the pandemic. I so looked forward to our end-of-day walks to clear my head. So when my Labrador mix, Poppy, needed testing for a kidney infection during the COVID lockdown, I could not have been more grateful for my veterinarian. He brought portable equipment to my home for a socially distanced house call in our garage. Thanks to his care and quick diagnosis, Poppy was back on the trail in the woods in no time.

The experience made me think about how the pandemic has further cemented the bond we have with our pets. It also has increased our reliance on quality veterinary care, especially as more Americans have brought pets into their families.

But here’s a problem many people aren’t aware of: The veterinary profession is rife with challenges that have gotten particularly daunting in recent years. And those challenges could lead to a future shortage of these critical health providers and caregivers if we don’t take steps to make veterinary medicine a more sustainable, accessible career.

For Zoetis, veterinarians remain at the center of everything we do. As the world’s largest manufacturer of animal health medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, and devices, we see the incredible impact vets have on our pets. But we also see firsthand the mounting struggles that get in the way of doing what they love.

Here are three of the biggest challenges:

The burden of debt

According to data from the 2020 American Veterinary Medical Association Senior Survey, the mean debt accumulated during veterinary school is about $160,000. Even more disturbing, the AVMA reports that student educational debt is growing 4.5 times as fast as income for new veterinary graduates. And a 2020 Merck Animal Health Veterinary Wellbeing Study cited high student debt as a leading concern among veterinarians and the top reason they would not recommend the profession to others.

The toll on mental wellness

Veterinarians are at much higher risk of suicide than the general population, according to a study in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Long hours, work overload, major student loan debt, high client expectations, euthanasia procedures, and poor work/life balance all take a toll on veterinarians’ mental health.

A lack of diversity

U.S. veterinary students are overwhelmingly white (71%), and so is the percentage of practicing veterinarians (91%). Meanwhile, Black Americans have never made up more than 3% of the veterinary profession, according to the National Association for Black Veterinarians. That lack of representation creates a disconnect with the population of pet owners: A recent pet ownership report shows that 61.4% of Latino/Hispanic households and 36.9% of Black households have pets.

This lack of diversity is a big problem in the veterinary profession. And ethnic diversity isn’t the only diversity that’s lacking: There has also been a decline in the number of young men coming into the profession. According to the AVMA, women account for 63% of the nation’s active veterinary workforce. And that’s expected to increase: The latest data from the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) shows that women represent the vast majority, 81.6%, of enrolled students in U.S. veterinary colleges, while male enrollments make up just 18.2%.

Ultimately, we want all people to feel they have a place in veterinary medicine, because as research shows, diversity mobilizes creativity, better decision making, and improved financial performance.

Rallying services and support

The list of challenges facing veterinarians goes on. With pet adoption surging during the pandemic, trained professionals are needed more than ever. But the reality is we may not have enough to handle the workload. One study estimates that by 2030, 75 million pets in the U.S. may not have access to the care they need because of a critical shortage of veterinarians.

At the same time, veterinarians face the tension between the increasing pressures of managing a business and pet care itself, including a shift toward customers purchasing medicines online instead of at a clinic. Many vets also lack access to digital technologies and data-driven insights that could help improve clinic efficiency and strengthen vet-client connections.

As more people adopt pets and rely on animals for comfort, we need to build a broader pipeline of veterinary professionals and provide them with much-needed services and support to ensure continuous access to care.

To get there, a lot has to change—and fortunately, some organizations are taking steps in the right direction.

Veterinary business, institutional, and association leaders are proactively addressing mental well-being in hope to develop solutions for individuals and organizations that support overall well-being. These organizations and initiatives include Not One More Vet (NOMV), the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Wellbeing Initiative, and American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) resources for veterinary medical faculty, students, and staff. Together these options provide a range of support to help the veterinary profession thrive and flourish.

We also need to stand with diversity efforts, like the Diversify Veterinary Medicine Coalition (DVMC); the Commission for a Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Veterinary Profession, jointly led by the AVMA and the AAVMC; and Pawsibilities Vet Med—organizations that aim to increase and retain diverse representation across the profession. It will take a cross-collaborative movement to build a richly diverse veterinary profession in the U.S. that reflects all clients served.

At Zoetis, we have the deepest respect and appreciation for veterinarians. We are always looking for new ways to help them care for their practices, their well-being, and the companion animals that complete our families. To further demonstrate our support, we have created the Zoetis Foundation and committed $35 million over five years to improve opportunities for veterinarians to thrive in the U.S. and around the world.

Initially, the Foundation will support scholarships, wellness, and diversity initiatives in the U.S. to help drive an inclusive veterinary community. In 2022, the Foundation will expand to additional countries and address veterinary debt relief, mental wellness, and livelihoods.

The challenges facing the veterinary profession are complex, but the bottom line is simple: To take care of our animal family members, we must take care of the veterinary profession.

Kristin Peck is the CEO of Zoetis.

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