Australian veterinarians who work with horses: attitudes to work and career.
Abstract: To describe the attitudes to their work and career of those Australian veterinarians who work with horses. Methods: Questionnaires were mailed to 866 veterinarians who had been identified as working with horses, and 87% were completed and returned. Data were entered onto Excel spreadsheets, and analysed using the SAS System for Windows. Results: The main attractions of veterinary work with horses were the horses themselves and the equine industries, but working outdoors and with rewarding clients, and the satisfaction of successful outcomes were attractions for many. The list of disadvantages was longer, and included unreasonable and disagreeable clients as well as those who provided inadequate facilities, could not control their horses or did not care for them. The physical demands and risks of injury, the amount of time required, low rates of return and difficulties in collecting payment, were other major disadvantages. Some mentioned concerns about litigation, unethical behaviour, and recruiting and retaining veterinarians competent with horses. For many in mixed practice, the difficulties in affording modern equipment, and of developing and maintaining their own competence with horses, was a real concern. More than three-quarters of the respondents reported that their careers had lived up to expectations and that they would become veterinarians again; 70% of equine veterinarians would become an equine veterinarian again. Almost all (93%) of the respondents were either very glad, or 'generally glad though with some misgivings' that they had done the veterinary course. Older veterinarians reported suffering less stress, and being more content with their career, than younger colleagues. Conclusions: The advantages of doing veterinary work with horses outweigh the disadvantages for most veterinarians, especially those well advanced in their careers.
Publication Date: 2004-09-10 PubMed ID: 15354846DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.2004.tb11125.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research paper explores the attitudes of Australian veterinarians who work with horses towards their work and career. The study finds that, despite several challenges, most of these professionals are satisfied with their careers and would choose the same path again.
Methods
- The researchers used questionnaires as their primary data collection tool.
- These questionnaires were sent out to 866 veterinarians identified as working with horses.
- A high response rate of 87% was achieved.
- The data collected was processed and analyzed using the SAS System for Windows and Excel spreadsheets.
Results
- Most of the respondents cited their love for horses and the equine industries as key motivations for their career choice.
- Several also mentioned the reward of working outdoors, satisfactory client relationships, and the satisfaction derived from achieving successful outcomes as attractions of the career.
- However, a number of disadvantages were listed, including difficult clients, inadequate facilities provided by clients, clients who could not control their horses or do not care for them.
- The physical demands of the job, risk of injury, time demands, low financial returns, and difficulties collecting payment were also listed as drawbacks.
- Some responses highlighted fears relating to litigation, unethical behavior, and the challenges of recruiting and retaining competent horse veterinarians.
- The survey also revealed concerns among mixed practice veterinarians about the affordability of modern equipment and maintaining their competency with horses.
- Despite these challenges, a significant 75% of respondents reported their careers lived up to their expectations and they would choose to be veterinarians again. This percentage increased to 70% among those specifically in equine veterinary practice.
- There was a high level of satisfaction with the veterinary course, with 93% of respondents expressing that they were glad they had taken it, though some had misgivings.
- The level of job-related stress reported seemed to decrease with age, with older veterinarians reporting less stress and more career satisfaction than their younger colleagues.
Conclusions
- The researchers conclude that despite the challenges, the career of a horse vet has more advantages than disadvantages for most practitioners.
- Additionally, the study indicates that career satisfaction in this field is generally high, and that practitioners tend to appreciate their training.
- It also suggests that with experience (which comes with age), practitioners tend to become less stressed and more content with their career.
Cite This Article
APA
Heath TJ.
(2004).
Australian veterinarians who work with horses: attitudes to work and career.
Aust Vet J, 82(7), 404-408.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-0813.2004.tb11125.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- t.heath@uq.edu.au
MeSH Terms
- Adult
- Aged
- Animals
- Attitude of Health Personnel
- Australia / epidemiology
- Career Choice
- Female
- Horses
- Humans
- Job Satisfaction
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Surveys and Questionnaires
- Veterinarians / statistics & numerical data
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Wolframm IA, Douglas J, Pearson G. Changing Hearts and Minds in the Equestrian World One Behaviour at a Time.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Feb 19;13(4).
- Yeh YC, Lin BY, Lin WH, Wan TT. Job stress: its relationship to hospital pharmacists' insomnia and work outcomes.. Int J Behav Med 2010 Jun;17(2):143-53.
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