The veterinary shortage in the United States has reached an almost critical juncture, but those behind the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act believe they may be able to entice more vets to regulatory work with the promise of a work-life balance.
As an increased veterinary presence at tracks in California is required, the lack of veterinarians in the state – and throughout the United States – is becoming more apparent, reports Thoroughbred Racing Commentary.
There are multiple reasons why fewer students are studying veterinary medicine and even fewer are interested in pursuing large animal practice, including debt, stress, mental health concerns, and work-life balance. The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA), which is slated to launch in July of 2022, is hoping to entice more vets into the regulatory side of veterinary medicine.
In racing, veterinarians typically fall into two camps: vets employed by racetracks and vets employed by state racing commissions. In California, the veterinarian's scope of duties now extends well beyond that of a pre-race examiner: vets in the state now are asked to monitor training, help with entry review panels and sit on necropsy review programs.
Dr. Dionne Benson, chief veterinary officer for The Stronach Group (TSG), has a unique proposal to attract vets into regulatory work: The creation of a fellowship program aimed at vet school graduates who have completed an internship, but who would like to do something more before entering into full-time practice.
Benson suggests the fellowship be a two-year program split between academic studies and practical experiences, with the student graduating from the program with a master's degree in regulatory or sports medicine.
Proponents are hopeful the job of a regulatory vet may soon be streamlined through HISA's creation of a nationwide veterinarian database, which could better allow regulatory veterinarians to communicate about required tasks and prevent the role from being too overwhelming. Another potentially large draw for regulatory vet work is the standardized hours.
Read more at Thoroughbred Racing Commentary.
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