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Critical Needs for Research in Veterinary Science (2005)

Chapter: Appendix L Issues and Concerns about Recruiting Students for Research Careers in Veterinary Science from AAVMC Symposium on Veterinary Graduate Education

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Suggested Citation:"Appendix L Issues and Concerns about Recruiting Students for Research Careers in Veterinary Science from AAVMC Symposium on Veterinary Graduate Education." National Research Council. 2005. Critical Needs for Research in Veterinary Science. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11366.
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Appendix L
Issues and Concerns about Recruiting Students for Research Careers in Veterinary Science from the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges Symposium on Veterinary Graduate Education

The following points are excerpts from papers given at a symposium sponsored by the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges on The Future of Veterinary Graduate Education: Quality, Challenges and Opportunities. The papers are published in the 2005 issue of Journal of Veterinary Medical Education.

  • Colleges of Veterinary Medicine (CVMs) do a poor job of recruiting students into veterinary research, as many of them are unaware that research is a career option. By the time students apply for entry into veterinary college, almost all of them are committed (or at least think they are committed) to careers in practice. Quoting Freeman (2005), “Although colleges of veterinary medicine are biomedical research institutions that contribute significantly to the national research effort, these endeavors are virtually invisible to constituencies outside of the profession. Only 11 to 24% of the general public is aware that veterinarians are employed in areas such as medical research, environmental protection, public health, and food safety. As a result, most applicants to veterinary school are more interested in the human-companion animal bond than either basic or applied research. Moreover, many pre-college students and undergraduates interested in scientific investigation do not even contemplate a career in veterinary medicine. In fact, a recent survey of the potential veterinary school applicant pool revealed not only that this group is poorly informed about careers in veterinary medicine beyond companion animal practice, but also that a subset of the students who choose not to apply to veterinary college are interested in research opportunities and environmental issues.”

Suggested Citation:"Appendix L Issues and Concerns about Recruiting Students for Research Careers in Veterinary Science from AAVMC Symposium on Veterinary Graduate Education." National Research Council. 2005. Critical Needs for Research in Veterinary Science. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11366.
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  • CVMs have addressed the issue that clinical practice, especially small-animal (pet) practice, dominates the curriculum to the detriment of veterinary research.

  • Visibility, excitement, role models, and mentoring for research careers are all deficient. Freeman described a number of programs aimed at addressing these issues, many of which seem successful and all of which can be adopted or adapted for application at many of the nation’s CVMs.

  • The best science in CVMs often is supported by agencies (such as the National Institutes of Health) whose main interest is human health, leaving veterinary students wondering how this excellent basic science contributes to animal health and therefore is related to their career aspirations.

  • There are some welcome and appreciated opportunities for veterinary students to gain research experience, during both the summer months and the regular academic year, but they are too few and may fail to provide stipends sufficient to meet veterinary students’ financial needs.

  • The time and costs involved in obtaining adequate research training and experience after earning the veterinary degree seem to deter students from pursuing graduate education. There are too few sources of adequate support for combined PhD-DVM and post-DVM training.

Suggested Citation:"Appendix L Issues and Concerns about Recruiting Students for Research Careers in Veterinary Science from AAVMC Symposium on Veterinary Graduate Education." National Research Council. 2005. Critical Needs for Research in Veterinary Science. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11366.
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Page 215
Suggested Citation:"Appendix L Issues and Concerns about Recruiting Students for Research Careers in Veterinary Science from AAVMC Symposium on Veterinary Graduate Education." National Research Council. 2005. Critical Needs for Research in Veterinary Science. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11366.
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Page 216
Next: Appendix M Recommendations in the NRC Report National Needs and Priorities for Veterinarians in Biomedical Research that Apply Broadly to Veterinary Research »
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Research in veterinary science is critical for the health and well-being of animals, including humans. Food safety, emerging infectious diseases, the development of new therapies, and the possibility of bioterrorism are examples of issues addressed by veterinary science that have an impact on both human and animal health. However, there is a lack of scientists engaged in veterinary research. Too few veterinarians pursue research careers, and there is a shortage of facilities and funding for conducting research. This report identifies questions and issues that veterinary research can help to address, and discusses the scientific expertise and infrastructure needed to meet the most critical research needs. The report finds that there is an urgent need to provide adequate resources for investigators, training programs, and facilities involved in veterinary research.

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