Challenges Faced by Veterinarians Today

Charlotte Lacroix, DVM, JD, editor-in-chief of American Veterinarian, explains the challenges of being a veterinarian today.

Interview Transcript (slightly modified for readability).

“I think veterinarians, what’s still important to them, is doing the best for their patient that they can within the parameters that they’re working in. There are a lot of challenges to being a veterinarian these days. If you are a [veterinary] student, high student debt is weighing on [you].

I think what’s also weighing on veterinarians is the increased complexities of running and operating a veterinary practice. It’s not like [how] you used to be able to just have your stethoscope and your ophthalmoscope and you just went out into your practice. There are so many other forms of technology that we have to master; there’s a data collection, or computerization, also, expensive equipment. That requires more people, more paraprofessionals that work with us, that understand how to use these technologies and can embrace them, but also can do client education and teach clients [about] the wonderful technology and how medicine has evolved. We can really prolong pets’ health and improve pets’ health, and of course, that all comes with complexity, so that’s a challenge as well.”