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Issue link: http://todaysveterinarypractice.epubxp.com/i/133843
| PersPectives that influence eligibility. recent legislation will hopefully ease some of the concern associated with debt but, again, i haven't been able to access specifics of the repayment programs. Do you view your student debt as limiting your future financial success? Yes: i will be paying approximately $1500 to $2000 per month ($18,000–$24,000 annually) for approximately 25 to 30 years. i realize this obligation will influence my ability to purchase a home, vehicle, or start a business. this issue is most critical early on in my career, considering starting salaries are typically between $40,000 to $70,000 (before taxes). As someone who intends to return home to practice veterinary medicine after graduation, do you perceive an over or under supply of veterinarians in your local market? in my hometown of Greenville, there seems to be an over supply of veterinarians: few full-time associate positions are posted and most practices are not currently hiring. However, NIKHITA PARANDEKAR Cornell University, DVM Candidate 2015 Nikhita Parandekar, from Gaithersburg, Maryland, is a second-year veterinary student at cornell University college of veterinary Medicine and is considering a career in equine medicine. she is an active participant in volunteer programs, such as the World vets international veterinary Medicine Program, and a regular opinion columnist with The Cornell Daily Sun. Now, halfway through your professional education, has your perspective on the value of veterinary education changed? Would you still recommend your path to someone considering a career in veterinary medicine? i don't think the cost of a veterinary education is specifically the cause for concern. My friends in medical school tell me a medical education results in a similar debt burden after graduation. veterinary professionals may have a harder time paying off the debt due to the lower salaries in veterinary medicine compared to human medicine but, in terms of education cost, i don't believe veterinary medicine is overinflated compared to other degrees. the crux of the issue is likely the cost of a nonstipended, nonsubsidized postgraduate degree in general. veterinary medicine is a fantastic industry with a lot of potential, and i would encourage an interested student to consider applying to veterinary school as long as they were aware of the current issues being discussed in the profession—the amount of education debt accrued, projected job market, and potential starting salaries. Do you believe student debt will limit your financial success? As a second-year veterinary student, my view on this topic is probably a little skewed. At this point, i think student debt is a motivation to be financially successful, not a limitation. students should graduate and have certain nonnegotiable ideas about what they want out of their first jobs—i've been told by current veterinarians to think about this. From the way the situation has been portrayed to me at 72 today's veterinary Practice May/June 2013 this situation seems to be reversed in outlying communities, smaller towns, and rural areas: jobs seem to be posted for long periods of time and fewer practices have younger veterinarians on staff. When challenges facing veterinary medicine are highlighted in the national news, how do you feel this news, and the veterinary community's response, impacts consumers' views of our industry? My concern is how significant an effort is required to communicate our value to the general public. Many people, whether they own pets or not, often perceive veterinarians as "rich," lumping us in with medical doctors and that is simply not the case. Any time consumers can become better educated and receive a glimpse into the real-world struggles many young veterinary professionals face, it is always helpful with regard to influencing how they view the profession. this point, the job market is not so terrible that you have to take whatever you can get—there still appears to be room for negotiation. realistically, though, what happens when we graduate might be a different story. i can also understand that graduating with a large amount of debt could deter younger veterinarians from committing to further debt by pursuing practice ownership, which is said to be the most successful long-term option. in the end, it depends on how you define financially successful; student debt limits short-term financial success, but i believe we can dig ourselves out of that hole. Several studies in recent years have documented a shift in workforce demographics. How do you see these changes affecting you? Do you see those effects today? i think the increasing percentage of female veterinarians in the workplace will change the current practice model into one in which several women co-own a practice and work part time. this lessens the financial struggle to buy in to a practice, and will allow women to attain a better work/life balance, if they choose to do so. i don't think this is happening yet, but i believe it will over the next decade or so as more seasoned veterinarians retire and look to sell their practices. You were proactive in your response to The New York Times article through the Opinion column in The Cornell Daily Sun. Is broader exposure to financial issues in veterinary medicine impacting how consumers view our industry? consumers are, at best, minimally aware of these issues, much less our responses to them. The New York Times article was one of few articles about the issue that has been published in a widely-read periodical, and i'm not sure how much interest it generated outside the veterinary community. Many people (even those with pets) don't realize that a veterinarian has a four-year postgraduate degree; therefore, i don't believe consumers react to our responses related to veterinary education issues. i think the only thing consumers care about is, what they consider, the over-priced cost of veterinary care for their pets. My youthful enthusiasm ieads me to hope that the veterinary profession finds a way to market itself more effectively to the public.