No Dire Shortage of Veterinarians Anticipated in the Next Few Years, New Workforce Study Finds

October 15, 2024

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), the nation’s leading advocate for the veterinary profession, recently commissioned a new workforce STUDY performed by Brakke Consulting — the report reveals that demand for veterinary services adjusting after the COVID bump and more veterinary colleges opening will result in no shortage of veterinarians in the coming years. The report, “Forecasting Supply and Demand Indicators for US Veterinarians 2024-2035,” looked at trends in the number of veterinary graduates and pet-owning households as well as consumers’ disposable income and pet spending.

RELATED:

  • U.S. Veterinary Groups Clash Over Need for More Practitioners (5.7.24)
    • American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) leaders sharply criticized a report commissioned by a group that represents the nation’s veterinary schools, maintaining that it overstated an apparent need for more practitioners – AAVMC report titled “Demand for and Supply of Veterinarians in the U.S. to 2032” (March 10, 2024).
  • American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges Statement on U.S. Veterinary Workforce (3.13.24)
    https://www.aavmc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/AAVMC-Statement-on-Workforce-March-2024-version-3-18-24.pdf

    • “Significant shortages of veterinarians exist across all sectors of professional activity and at all levels of specialization. Although precise numbers are difficult to quantify and specific predictions about future needs are subject to interpretation, the available evidence indicates that these shortages are a result of systemic, long-term trends in pet ownership and demand for veterinary services, along with limited capacity for training veterinary professionals, and are expected to continue unless the veterinary medical profession takes action.”
  • Chronic Veterinarian Shortage
    https://www.pets.care/veterinarian-shortage/

    • Mars Veterinary Health, a division within Mars Petcare, commissioned a new study to quantify the chronic shortage of veterinarians at companion animal hospitals — the nation will need as many as 55,000 additional veterinarians by 2030.