Future plans of veterinary graduates: an online survey
Provisionally accepted for publication, a recent study sheds light on the future plans of veterinary graduates in Germany amid growing concerns about a shortage of veterinarians—a challenge that affects animal health and welfare nationwide.
The study, conducted through an online survey of 2023 veterinary medicine graduates, aimed to determine what career paths new veterinarians intend to pursue immediately after graduation, how their aspirations may have evolved during their studies, and whether factors such as gender, rural or urban origin, or prior animal ownership influenced those plans.
Researchers collected and analyzed responses from 157 graduates, representing a response rate of approximately 17%.
Key findings include:
48% (n=76) of respondents planned to work in a veterinary practice immediately after graduation.
63% (n=98) envisioned themselves in practice within five years.
Small animal medicine was the most popular field, followed by equine medicine.
Only 42% (n=66) expected to remain in the same veterinary field they initially aspired to before starting their studies.
Interestingly, neither gender nor geographic origin (urban vs. rural) had a significant impact on future career planning. However, ownership of certain animal species before studying showed a significant association with the field graduates aimed to work in after graduation.
These insights provide an important foundation for workforce planning and could inform admission requirements and recruitment strategies in German veterinary education—particularly as universities and policymakers look for ways to attract young veterinarians to underserved fields and regions.
For more details, see the full article on the original publisher’s website once it becomes available.
