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PersPectives The Future of Veterinary Medicine Travis Meredith, DVM, MBA, Diplomate ACT In the March/April 2013 issue of Today's Veterinary Practice, Dr. Travis Meredith discussed the New York times' article, High Debt and Falling Demand Trap New Vets, in our The Back Page column and let readers know that today's veterinary Practice would be examining the issues raised in the article in a roundtable format. Dear Colleagues, W hen I was asked by the team at Today's Veterinary Practice (TVP) to coordinate a roundtable addressing The New York Times (NYT) article by David Segal, I jumped at the chance. Here was an opportunity to tackle the issues that have captured the attention of individuals both inside and outside of our profession. I never imagined the complexity of the challenge I accepted. The first thing I discovered when reaching out to the profession was that there is no shortage of perspectives on these issues; some more passionate than others. Rather than treating this as a normal roundtable, I tried to construct something a little different. TVP has adopted the philosophy: Read It Today, Use It Tomorrow—a contemporary and practical approach to the practice of veterinary medicine. In keeping with this perspective, my goal was to identify real people— those directly facing the issues identified by the NYT's article—as participants. If you're expecting to find solutions to all the challenges facing veterinary medicine in the following pages, I apologize. There are no easy answers. But what you will discover is a collection of intelligent and different perspectives that hopefully make you stop and think. Each one of the roundtable participants has his or her own unique impact on our profession, but it's important to remember that each one of us has an impact as well. It's vital to keep the channels of communication open at all levels of veterinary medicine and examine the issues with the same thoroughness we use to evaluate our patients. Let the discussion begin. Travis Meredith, Contributing Medical Editor read High Debt and Falling Demand Trap New Vets at nytimes.com/2013/02/24/business/highdebt-and-falling-demand-trap-new-veterinarians. html?pagewanted=all&_r=0. ROBERT BRADY St. George's University, DVM Candidate 2016 robert Brady is a first-year veterinary student at st George's University school of veterinary Medicine in Grenada. Originally from Greenville, North carolina, he received a Bs and Ms in kinesiology and biomechanics, respectively, from eastern carolina University. robert has always had a strong interest in orthopedics and his graduate research was recently published in the May 2013 issue of the American Journal of Veterinary Research. Much has been made about the cost of veterinary education. For you and your peers, do you view the costs of veterinary education as out of control? i believe the overall cost for veterinary education—for both out of state or out of country students—makes students especially uncomfortable with the debt load they are accruing. resident tuition in the vast majority of states is a much more reasonable option, if you can gain entry. However, if veterinary medicine is truly your passion, as it is mine, i still recommend this career to anyone willing to endure the debt load. How aware are you of your student debt as you continue through your education? How do you manage now and how do you foresee your ability to repay these obligations in the future? i am very aware of my student debt and have made an effort to keep it to a minimum by working multiple jobs through undergraduate and graduate school. At my current institution, we are not allowed to work outside of school; that, in and of itself, has been an adjustment. My summers, however, will include considerable work at the emergency veterinary hospital where i have been working since 2007. Once i complete veterinary school, i anticipate supplementing my base income early in my career by either working additional shifts at a local emergency practice or pursuing relief work. i realize that every little bit of additional income will be important during those years. i understand that debt forgiveness programs exist, but am not yet well versed in the qualifications, tax laws, and other factors May/June 2013 today's veterinary Practice 71