Nearly 9 out of 10 veterinary students are “very” or “somewhat” concerned about the availability of clinical hours — a key educational requirement — during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey conducted by the networking website Harbor.vet.
The survey of 184 students representing 24 veterinary schools found that all of the third-year students are worried about getting hands-on experience before their scheduled graduation.
Among other findings:
- Among 29 veterinary students who said they had a job offer in hand before the COVID-19 crisis, just over 1 in 4 is either “no longer moving forward with the position” or has a delayed start date. The remainder expect to begin their employment on time.
- First- and second-year students are generally confident that they will find jobs upon graduation. About 81% and 76%, respectively, were “not concerned at all” or “not too concerned.”
- 98% of all the students surveyed “believe it is important to have a structured mentorship program when searching for job opportunities.
- Practice ownership is a top priority of 25% of students, while 1 in 10 has no interest.
“Veterinary students are arguably one of most affected groups by COVID-19 in the industry,” said Courtney Post, a founding partner of Harbor. “It’s important that we understand their concerns and create an environment that empowers them as they build their careers.”
The complete survey results are available at https://bit.ly/2SEs8Lr.
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