For veterinarians in the United Kingdom, the veterinary profession has a bright future, despite a few clouds on the horizon

A new Vet Futures survey of 623 British veterinarians and veterinary students shows that most of them are fairly positive about the future of their veterinary profession: 59% say they are very or somewhat optimistic. However, when it comes to choosing among the proposed strategic objectives, two priorities are highlighted by nearly one in five respondents (19%): the need to reduce stress and to ensure greater public recognition of the profession.   This survey, conducted as part of the Vet Futures research project—a joint initiative of the BVA and the RCVS—aims to identify the major challenges facing the profession, both today and in the future. Its goal is to develop an action plan to help veterinarians prepare for and take control of their future. The survey assessed their level of satisfaction with their profession and asked them to identify and prioritize key strategic issues, as well as to rank the main threats and opportunities facing the profession. While the priorities chosen by respondents vary depending on their practice settings and years of experience in the veterinary profession, they are united by one major goal: to gain recognition for the role of veterinarians at all levels. While they are highly aware of their responsibilities in non-clinical areas such as research, health security, public health, and so on, they believe that the general public underestimates these contributions. Thus, looking ahead to 2030, four of the top five goals are linked to this quest for recognition, extending far beyond pet health:

• veterinary leadership in animal welfare;
• a respected and valued role in society (according to a Vet Futures survey of some 2,000 people, 94% of the general public trusts the veterinary profession, either generally or completely);
• a recognized role in educating the public about responsible pet ownership;
• greater visibility on animal-related issues that affect public health.

The fifth objective—reducing stress—is among the top priorities for many respondents. Regarding their own careers, 59% of respondents say they are satisfied because they have met or exceeded their initial ambitions, while 41% feel that not all of their expectations have been met (38%) or none at all (3%). The reasons cited by this minority of dissatisfied veterinarians are primarily related to limited opportunities for advancement, compensation deemed insufficient, excessive working hours, and pervasive stress. Recent graduates are overrepresented among those who feel disappointed with their professional lives, which is a cause for concern for future generations. When it comes to ranking potential opportunities for the future of the profession, three major areas emerge from the responses:

• increased and innovative opportunities in customer service: this area is even considered crucial;
• the structure and content of the curriculum: veterinarians want the training to reflect the diversity of career choices and allow students to specialize earlier;
• public health issues related to animal diseases: respondents want to increase awareness and understanding of their contributions in this area.

  As for the greatest threats to the profession, they are perceived as the result of market changes, the main factors of which are:

• the growing commercialization of veterinary practices, which jeopardizes the independence of the profession;
• an oversupply of graduates, which poses a potential threat to the job market;
• competition from the Internet;
• public perception of veterinary costs.

  Ultimately, the Vet Futures project aims to address the general public’s lack of awareness regarding the variety of roles undertaken by veterinarians, as well as to increase communication and access to this diversity of career choices within the veterinary profession. Strategies for 2030 will also need to unite the profession around common challenges. However, divisions exist in terms of job satisfaction and aspirations for the future between canine practitioners (nearly half of the respondents) and their colleagues who work outside of clinical practice. The goal, therefore, is to enable all veterinarians to feel not only optimistic but also confident about their future.   * http://vetfutures.org.uk/download/surveys-filebase/Vet%20Futures%20-%20report%20of%20the%20BVA%20Panel%20Survey%20June%202015.pdf