Cutest Pet

Submitted by Sarah Henderson, Cornell University

Externs on The Hill

Submitted by Rebecca Rafalowski, Royal Veterinary College

As of December 31, 2023, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) estimated there are 127, 131 veterinarians in the United States. For comparison, the University of Michigan football stadium holds 109,901 people. Of the 127,131 practicing veterinarians, 64.9% work in clinical practice while only 11.4% work in public or corporate industries. 

Companion animal clinicians dominate the profession with 70.4% of veterinarians, while laboratory animal veterinarians represent 0.03% of veterinarians. Veterinarians working in academia and government represent 6.6% and 3.3% of the population respectively. Companion animal practice dominates the industry despite the vast array of career opportunities within veterinary medicine. 

As a part of the AVMA’s Government Relations externship, I have had the privilege of meeting with veterinarians who make up the minority of the industry working in public practice. Hearing their stories has deepened my understanding that there is no one-size-fits-all path in this industry. For instance, one person never practiced and went immediately into federal work for the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), where they have remained for the entirety of their career. Others practiced for almost ten years before transitioning to work at the federal level. Although many veterinarians pivot into government roles through fellowships with organizations like the AVMA or the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), numerous others find entry-level positions at agencies such as the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) and APHIS without fellowships.

Financial considerations play a significant role in career decisions. In 2023, the AVMA reported that the average educational debt for students reached $154,451. These figures are nuanced: 17% of graduates had no debt, while one in three graduates owed more than $200,000. The average starting salary for private practice was $125,416, compared to $87,417 in public practice. As a result, it is challenging to make career decisions without weighing financial factors alongside lifestyle considerations; many people cannot choose a job solely based on merit.

As a final-year veterinary student, I find life beyond graduation exciting and intimidating. After spending eight years immersed in my studies, I realize that opportunities are endless. There is immense pressure to “pick right” with your first job. Should I choose a clinical or non-clinical path? Private practice or corporate? There is no definitive answer. Everyone's journey is unique, and if you’re fortunate, you will have the chance to forge a unique path and become a guiding light for future students. 

https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/reports-statistics/market-research-statistics-us-veterinarians
https://www.avma.org/blog/chart-month-good-news-student-debt

Caption This Contest

Congratulations to Megan White, Michigan State University for winning one of our 'Caption This!' contests!

 "Can I pweaz have anuffer wun"

 Photo submitted by Miranda Carrisosa, Michigan State University.

Externs on The Hill

During the second week of my externship with the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Government Relations office, I had the privilege of meeting with members of the AVMA Board of Directors during their visit to Washington, D.C., attending congressional committee hearings, and attending multiple receptions (including Pet Night on Capitol Hill!) During the AVMA Board of Directors meeting, the AVMA’s advocacy team provided updates to the Board of Directors on the status of state and federal legislation important to the veterinary profession and shared the many advocacy-related accomplishments over the past year (including the AVMA Congressional Advocacy Network, the AVMA Ambassador program, and the AVMA Political Action Committee.)

Additionally, I had the opportunity to attend a congressional briefing on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) hosted by the American Society for Microbiology, where global stakeholders shared their perspectives on AMR detection, treatment, and prevention as key global health security priorities. While AMR is a growing animal and public health concern, it was great to hear about the commitments the United States has made to help address AMR and the opportunities for the United States to be a leader in supporting AMR countermeasures globally.

Meeting with veterinarians who work in a diverse range of public-facing roles has been such a valuable experience and an interesting contrast to the veterinarians I have worked with in clinical practice settings. A significant portion of our training in veterinary school is focused on developing the skills necessary for careers in clinical practice but many of the skills we develop translate to careers in public practice as well. As individuals trained to protect animal and human health, veterinarians possess knowledge and skills in a range of areas, including scientific communication, food safety and security, zoonotic and transboundary diseases, emergency management, and many more. Additionally, veterinarians are trained to manage the political, ethical, legal, and social challenges that present in all fields of veterinary medicine. It is this unique training that equips veterinarians with the skills necessary to play a significant role in public practice settings. This week I met with veterinarians working with the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges and the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.  

A portion of my week was also spent tracking technology-related legislation that could impact veterinary medicine, public health, or animal agriculture. As technology advances, veterinary professionals must have a seat at the table when legislation is being considered that could negatively impact these key areas. By staying engaged with public policy leaders, the AVMA can take appropriate action when the time is right and ensure the voice of the profession is heard and taken into consideration.

I am excited to see what the next two weeks of my externship hold. I look forward to learning more about the skills that veterinarians bring to public policy, the opportunities to advocate for the veterinary profession, and the career opportunities for veterinarians in public practice.  

The second week of my externship with the American Veterinary Medical Association’s DC office was filled with meetings from veterinarians working in public policy. Throughout my time in veterinary school, the focus is preparing veterinarians that plan on going into clinical practice. Refining your ability to manage pancreatitis or efficiently spay a dog or detect a heart murmur are skills most fourth year students are trying to soak up with only two months left until graduation. Meanwhile, I am getting lost on the metro and meeting every veterinarian involved in policy I can. And I love it. In the clinical setting, I can only treat one animal at a time, but in policy I can create a lasting impact that might prevent the disease from needing to be treated in the first place.  

I did not realize how many different jobs a veterinarian could do outside the clinical setting.

With the U.S. House of Representatives being out of session this week, a different genre of meetings filled my calendar. This week I met with veterinarians working with United States Agency for International Development, National Institute of Health, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and more! Yes, it is a lot of acronyms, but luckily vet school prepared me for that (I’m looking at you PTE, HCM, and GDV). Meeting with these veterinarians made me realize all the skills I learned in veterinary school I developed unknowingly. As veterinarians we are trained to negotiate, communicate, budget, compartmentalize, and how to use our instincts when responding to emergency situations. Veterinarians working in the government or other non-traditional roles have taken these transferable skills and built upon them. Other skills needed to work in this field include strong writing skills. Science communications in the form of writing and speaking is essential to be an effective advocate of important public health, food security, and food safety issues.   Another large portion of my week was spent following up with veterinarians across the United States to gauge their interest in advocating for veterinary issues with their state representatives. There is a strength in numbers when it comes to advocating for what our profession needs moving forward. So, while sending letters and making calls to your local representative may feel like a small drop in the pool, it is very meaningful when we all pitch in. This weekend I am going to take a trip out to explore the US National Arboretum and spend some time wandering around!

Student Abstract

Submitted by Danielle Chorba, Michigan State University

Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) myeloencephalopathy (EHM) is a detrimental disease affecting horses of all ages, but particularly elderly horses ages 15 and older.  Neurological deficits from EHV-1 infection occur in roughly 10% of infected horses but cause severe impacts. Determining what the differences are in the respiratory tract immune response between infected horses of young and older age groups is crucial for effective vaccine development of EHM. The purpose of this study is to utilize the equine respiratory epithelial cell (EREC) culture system to characterize and compare the respiratory immune response profiles of both horse age groups.

ERECs were inoculated with Ab4-GFP wildtype strain of EHV-1 and collected at 1-, 6-, 12-, 24-, and 48- hours post inoculation (hpi). The RNA from those infected cells were then extracted and converted to cDNA. Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was used to quantify inflammatory cytokines as a part of the respiratory tract immune response of these horses. Viral load was also determined for each horse using Real Time quantitative PCR from extracted DNA from the infected ERECs.

 We expect there to be a decrease in respiratory tract immune response of the older horse age group as compared to the younger age group. The virus avoids and hides from the host immune system by infecting or “hijacking” immune cells, such as monocytes and T-cells, to promote further infection of secondary lymphoid tissue. We suggest that older horse epithelial cells may be secreting insufficient amounts or types of cytokines, leading to an inappropriate immune response of the host. Determining exactly what those differences are is vital to developing a vaccine that will effectively target the underlying cause of this devastating disease.