8 JUNE 2023IN MY OPINIONIN MY OPINIONBy Michael Podell, DVM, MSC, DACVIM (Neurology), Chief Medical Officer, MedVet"Compassion fatigue" and "burnout" are the two most commonly searched terms online to describe the result of a medical professional's well-being battle. Veterinarians have particularly been impacted due to the challenges presented by the rapid growth of pet ownership during the pandemic, coupled with workforce shortages at all levels of the veterinary profession. The critical importance of the human-animal bond was highlighted even more so during the social isolation period of the pandemic years. As a result, the role of the veterinarian as a family caregiver has been elevated to levels not seen previously.Along with this added responsibility comes the challenge of preserving the well-being of veterinary caregivers. More pets with stronger family bonds equate to higher demand to provide basic and advanced veterinary care and the need to provide more social support to families struggling with the emotional and financial impact that can come with pet ownership. Similar to human healthcare, the veterinary profession, in general, was ill-prepared to meet the intensity of the demand to provide more people resources and resilience to overcome the associated emotional toll of managing through all of the factors related to the delivery of more care to more pets and families in a compassionate way.As a result, veterinarian well-being has suffered and become a major focal point for preserving the profession's integrity. Compounding these challenges are sobering facts about the profession:Thirty-three percent of veterinarians surveyed stated they would choose another profession if starting again, and another 26% were unsure if they chose the correct profession. Nearly one in 10 veterinarians are thought to suffer from serious psychological distress, with one in six having experienced suicidal ideation. And most alarming, a higher suicide prevalence compared with the general U.S. population. Enhancing Veterinarian Well-being Benefits Pets, People, and Your Business
< Page 7 | Page 9 >