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The Winds of Change in
Veterinary Medicine Recruitment and Admissions
 

James W. Lloyd, DVM, PhD and John E. Roane, Jr, BA

Abstract - Two recent studies of the veterinary profession gave high marks for medical knowledge and education, but raised concerns about non-technical skill levels, e.g. people skills and business acumen, exhibited by veterinarians.  The National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues (NCVEI) was established to examine characteristics exhibited by successful veterinarians and develop a definition for success.  In addition to the core competencies, data on the amount of time spent on different activities within the normal course of practice were also collected.  Subsequently, two groups within an “applicant pool” were examined: 1) actual applicants and 2) potential applicants with appropriate background, who did not ultimately apply.  It was found that the potential applicants scored better on the characteristics for success than the actual applicants.  Both groups underestimated the level of autonomy and prestige within the profession.  A measure of “attraction to” the professional activities found that accepted applicants actually scored lower than potential applicants.  These findings are leading to a change in how applicants are interviewed and to efforts to publicize the autonomy and prestige of the profession.

V23-5-7

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