FAST looks to November to commission manpower study

Cleveland-The Food Animal Summit Taskforce (FAST) says it's expecting proposals from six auditing firms to conduct a large-scale study on economic issues for food animal veterinarians.

Dr. Rod Sydenham, past-president of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP), who is actively involved with the task force, tells DVM Newsmagazine that the requests for proposal have been sent and now the group awaits responses from various independent research firms that specialize in conducting independent, market-based studies. Sydenham believes the firm will be named in early November.

The group also hopes to have preliminary reporting of its findings as early as May 2004, and the completed project finished in late 2004, Sydenham says.

FAST was organized to study and take action on manpower issues facing food animal practitioners. One of the group's goals is to find out why fewer veterinary students are opting for food animal practice. Officials also want to better understand why practitioners leave food animal practice. Sydenham adds that once the study has identified trends, the group's next challenge will be to develop strategies to positively impact change.

FAST is represented by AABP, American Association of Swine Veterinarians, Academy of Veterinary Consultants, American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners, the American Association of Avian Pathologists, the National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues and the American Veterinary Medical Association.