Kansas State University is joining a new pilot program from Farm Journal Foundation to support veterinary students in their career development and address the national shortage of rural, food-systems veterinarians.

 The university is one of nine schools participating in the Veterinary Workforce Solutions Program, which seeks to address structural challenges facing the food animal veterinary industry. The program, backed by support from the Zoetis Foundation, supports veterinary students across a number of areas, including tackling student debt and financial planning, developing business management skills, and learning how to engage with rural communities.

 “This program was designed to aid students to advance their careers, and in turn, students also provide key insights of how to make the educational components of this program better,” said Dr. Clint Neill, Veterinary Program Manager at Farm Journal Foundation. “We are excited to see this resource evolve with student feedback, and we look forward to continuing to help them build robust future careers.”

 The U.S. is currently facing a nationwide shortage of veterinarians to treat livestock and poultry in rural areas, threatening public health, food safety, and economic growth in communities that depend on agriculture, according to a recent report commissioned by Farm Journal Foundation. More than 900 counties across the U.S. currently face shortages of veterinarians, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Only 3-4% of new veterinary school graduates pursue livestock or other food animal practice areas, a stark decline from 40 years ago when about 40 percent of graduates specialized in this area.

 Expanding the role of universities and partners increases the opportunities for students and early career professionals to support a strong pipeline of industry professionals as the need grows. Through the program, participants will also get advice from Farm Journal Foundation’s Veterinary Ambassadors, a group of experienced veterinarians and educators who serve as mentors and champions of workforce development.

 A robust supply of food-systems veterinarians is critical to rural agricultural production,” said Dr. Brad White, Kansas State University professor and Farm Journal Foundation Veterinary Ambassador. “The Veterinary Workforce Solutions program is bringing together expertise from a variety of areas to address current challenges and identify opportunities to promote rural veterinary services. I think this program will be beneficial to current and future rural veterinary practitioners.”

 To date, the pilot program has reached 450 students and early career professionals. Feedback from students shows more than 50 percent know where they want to practice and 70 percent know they want to start their own business in the future. Sixty percent of students say they would like mentorship after graduation.