Analysis of the employment of veterinarians in Flanders and perception of the quality of veterinary training at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Ghent University

摘要

By means of a survey, the authors attempted to determine the work situation of graduated veterinary students and the perception of the quality of education at the Ghent University. Three veterinarian cohorts were contacted who graduated at different time intervals: between 2002 and 2004, 2009 and 2011 and between 2014 and 2016. Out of 488 completed surveys (47% of the contacted respondents), it became apparent that veterinarians in Flanders work on average 47 hours per week and are relatively happy about their day-to-day tasks. Eighty percent (most recently graduated group) and 68% (longest graduated group) of the respondents work as a veterinary practitioner and 81% of these practitioners work in a group practice. Veterinarians with Belgian nationality are mostly self-employed, while most Dutch veterinarians work on the payroll of someone else. The results of the survey show that the respondents are happy with the theoretic part of the veterinary study, but believe that there is not enough focus on the practicing part, which is too limited. According to the respondents, veterinary training should be more focused on first-line veterinary medicine, on the developing of communication skills with clients and colleagues and on business management.