Perspective on the economic state of companion animal practice

摘要

The following statements are reflective of the economic health of the companion animal practice segment of the veterinary profession in North America in 1996: The cost of gaining entry into the profession and into companion animal practice, in the form of a veterinary degree, is very high. The cost of educating veterinarians at the professional school level is higher than for any of the other health-care professions; As a result of the high cost of education, veterinary students are amassing huge debts to finance their educations. The indebtedness of new graduates is growing at a rate far greater than the rate of growth in starting salaries and far greater than the rate of growth in the consumer price index; For at least the past 5 to 6 years, the number of active veterinarians in the United States has grown at a rate more than twice that of the growth in the population as a whole. Further, during this same time period, there has been essentially no growth in the pet population.