Veterinary practice ownership, student loan debt, and job fulfillment
A review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21423/aabppro20183296Keywords:
practice owner, early career practice ownership, veterinary student debt, veterinary starting salary, veterinary job satisfactionAbstract
Veterinary medicine is a dynamic field that has long enjoyed high rates of personal fulfillment often supported by perceived or achieved social mobility, honor and respect, stable career prospects, and good income potential. However, job satisfaction and career expectations pale in comparison to contemporary veterinary graduates with veterinary student debt levels nearly 200% greater than average starting salaries. This widening income-to-debt ratio has disillusioned modern recent graduates with withering job fulfillment and some exodus from private practice veterinary medicine. However, early career private practice ownership stands out as a viable means to positively direct one’s student debt, work environment, and personal fulfillment.
