New Graduates Enter Workforce With Well-Defined Job Expectations:Part One: Healthy Work-Life Balance and Team-Oriented Work Culture

摘要

Many new graduates enter the veterinary medicine field withfresh perspectives, optimism and an eagerness to soak up as much veterinary medical knowledge astion of veterinarians and their overall outlook on veterinary medicine post-graduation, the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA) Practice Management Committee, led by Randy Carsch, DVM, and Karen Cornell, DVM, PhD, surveyed 150 third- and fourth-year students at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine (TAMU-CVM). (Although there were 150 study participants, many didn't respond to all of the questions, so the number of students who answered each question varies.) The New Graduate Employment Preferences Survey identifies students' preferred attributes of employment. The results paint a picture of their ideal job characteristics, such as desired salary and benefits packages and preferred patient population, clinic size and work culture. Findings show that recent graduates seek jobs with mentorship opportunities, benefits packages that foster a healthy work-life balance and a grounded, team-oriented work culture. Future and current employers of recent graduates can make informed hiring decisions based on these results, which may ultimately prevent high turnover, boost employee morale and guarantee high-quality medicine for patients. This article explores two of the findings: preference for a team-oriented work culture and benefitspackages that foster apossible. They also join the workforce with specific job expectations. To gain insight into the expectations of the next genera-healthy work-life balance. Both of these findings bring attention to mental health concerns in the veterinary profession.