Legislators learn about veterinarian shortages, mitigation efforts.

From Kentucky LRC

FRANKFORT — Whether you’re a cat parent, race horses or raise cattle for food, you’re bound to need a veterinarian.

Legislators on the Interim Joint Committee on Agriculture heard testimony about a shortage of veterinarians in Kentucky and ways to mitigate the problem.

Representatives from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, longtime collaborators at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, and those interested in establishing a veterinary medicine school in Kentucky all spoke to the committee. 

Keith L. Rogers, chief of staff for the KDA, said addressing the shortage of veterinarians in the state has been a priority. The department launched stakeholder meetings in 2022 concerning large animal vets. This led to working group that was appointed this year, he said.

The 22 members come from a wide range of agriculture, veterinary industries, and higher education disciplines. They are focused on developing a stronger pipeline for Kentucky’s students to pursue careers as veterinarians. 

Efforts include working with students who participate in FFA and 4-H and collaborating with high school counselors to find ways to prepare them for veterinary medicine school, he said.

Rep. Matthew Koch, R-Paris, said there’s no doubt more veterinarians are needed in rural Kentucky, but students often graduate from veterinary school saddled with debt. That makes it difficult to practice in rural communities, he said. 

Rep. Chad Aull, D-Lexington, asked Rogers about other ways to attract and retain veterinarians.

“When you’re talking to other states – I’m assuming that other states are having the same problems – are they having any kind of out-of-the box unique ideas when it comes to retention and recruiting in this space that maybe are not just economically focused, like maybe forgiveness of debt and tuition and loans,” he said.

For 72 years, Kentucky and Auburn University in Alabama have had a regional contract for veterinary education. Through the arrangement, qualified students can pursue specific health degrees at out-of-state institutions and pay in-state tuition. Private schools offer reduced tuition.

Dr. Calvin M. Johnson and Dr. Melinda S. Camus, both of the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, testified at length about how the arrangement works. 

Johnson said Kentucky will pay the regional board $5.24 million this fiscal year for 152 seats at Auburn. 

Rep. Shawn McPherson, R-Scottsville, said he has spoken with veterinarians who said they wish they had more training on how to run a business. 

Camus replied that the students learn about inventory management, salaries, hiring and other business-related topics. Some students elect to pursue a Master of Business Administration degree during the summers while enrolled at Auburn. 

Dr. Brian Parr, dean of the Hutson School of Agriculture at Murry State University, said the school is well positioned to boost the number of veterinarians in Kentucky.

“(It’s) not the first time that this has been looked at. This was looked at at least one time 50 years ago and about three times in between that,” he said.

Parr said the shortage in veterinarians is compounded by some younger veterinarians who don’t want to work 40-hours a week, according to a national statistic.

Rep. Kim King, R-Harrodsburg, said she was haunted by some of the veterinarians who aim to work less than 40 hours a week. 

“I can’t even fathom how they expect to have a business model and have their own practice. I can assure them that they will put in three times that amount of work and hours every week,” she said. 

Parr described it as a “delicate issue,” and said the whole profile of what new veterinarians look like has changed tremendously over the last 20 years – with the average pre-veterinarian student at Murray State being a female from a suburban or urban environment. 

He also said the corporatization of veterinary offices across the United States causes challenges. 

“But often times in those contracts, it cuts out any large animal practice. And there’s two main factors that cause that. No. 1, the money is not there to go pregnancy check dairy cows as opposed to giving cancer treatments to Chihuahuas. It doesn’t compare,” he said.