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Tag: money

  • The value of a vet degree

    2015 general election TV debate
    Image ©iStock.com/Akabei

    With the general election fast approaching, there’s been a big push to encourage 18 to 25-year-olds to vote, since a huge proportion of us didn’t last time.

    I’m not well versed in the intricacies of politics, but general consensus among young people after the last election was disappointment with regards to the tripling of university tuition fees.

    This time round, the topic seems to have been swept under the carpet a bit, with Labour promising to reduce them again (but not quite as low as they used to be) and UKIP promising to abolish them for degrees in certain fields. But little has been mentioned on the matter by the other parties.

    What does it matter to us anyway? We’re already at uni, with our fees fixed from our enrolment date. So perhaps it doesn’t, and perhaps the young voters, already in further education, should prioritise other issues when musing over the various policies.

    But students, often skint (especially at this time of year, with eight days until Student Finance comes in – not that I’m counting), like to know they’re getting their money’s worth. Instead of standing in a supermarket, deliberating whether its okay to spend an extra quid on branded cereal, maybe we should think about what we’re paying for in the long term.

    Whether we’re paying nothing (the Scottish), £3,000 (friends in my school year were the final students to have these fees), £9,000 (most undergraduates now) or even more as postgraduates, is it worth it?

    You could discuss the philosophy of investing in your future, and whether spending so much on education will be worth it for a fulfilling career, higher wages or being able to achieve the dream of being a vet, but what about the face value? Per year, term or even day, what do we get for our money? A lot. That’s what.

    vet students learning
    Vet students get 9am to 5pm, five-days-a-week contact time with lecturers who are leaders in their respective fields

    Some of us may be paying a staggering total of £45,000 for tuition alone, but what is that paying for? Almost 9am to 5pm, five days a week, contact time – and not just with anyone. Many of our lecturers are leaders in their respective fields; extremely experienced clinicians with more letters after their names than the alphabet itself. Plus practicals – labs, dissections, animal handling/examination and clinical skills sessions.

    Without putting a price on practical sessions, it already sounds like we’re getting a fair bit for our cash, especially when you compare our course to a non-science degree, such as English or history. These often comprise just a few hours’ teaching a week, and yet can cost the same as the veterinary degree.

    Involvement in the organisation of Association of Veterinary Students Congress earlier this year opened my eyes to the cost of basic equipment for practical sessions, such as needles and syringes.

    One particularly costly element was paying for the actor for a communication skills section of one of the practicals. The veterinary school employs these actors for teaching purposes because they contribute to a more realistic scenario than just practising communication with our classmates.

    As such, when we had a revision practical, with boxes of syringes, catheters, blood tubes, fluid therapy giving sets and fluid bags left out for us to practise as much as we needed, I couldn’t help but feel that the veterinary degree is one of the best value for money.

  • What makes a good vet?

    Supervet
    Vets aren’t superheroes… or are they?
    Original image ©iStock.com/VasjaKoman

    As a student on placement, I’m often in awe of the vets I’m working with. The ability to take a history, examine an animal, run through differentials and come up with a diagnosis or action plan within 10 minutes – all while listening to an owner commenting on the weather or traffic – seems superhuman.

    This may seem an exaggeration (after all, vets aren’t superheroes), but when considered like that, it is pretty impressive.

    While seemingly intangible at the moment, I know the ability to do this with such ease comes with practice – and clearly some presentations are far more complex than that.

    However, while I find this impressive, others have a different opinion…

    A family friend recently commented on their own vets, claiming they would avoid seeing the partners if possible because – in their opinion – they see an animal for five minutes and see it as a money making exercise, whereas the younger vets spend a bit more time with the clients.

    Obviously I can’t comment on the vet/client rapport, which may have a huge influence on this opinion, but I can’t help but think that a younger, newly qualified vet would spend more time during consultations purely due to experience, or lack thereof.

    It has become evident recently that the profession has an image problem and we must try to change that for the better. But what do the public consider as a “good vet”? Apparently the opinion differs depending which side of the table you’re on.

    This is just one example, but in general, do clients want the vet to spend more time with their animal? They probably do – but, at the same time, they don’t want to be kept waiting and they want to be able to get an appointment. There has to be a balance between the three.

    As for cost, I’ve seen some vets charge meticulously, whereas others would try and keep prices as low as possible to please customers. In the clients’ eyes, the cheaper the better. But a vet practice has to function. It’s no good offering neutering for £10 because the practice would be bankrupt within a week.

    House
    “The most highly qualified and experienced surgeon in the practice might not be the best at client communication,” claims Jordan.

    Surgical skills and experience are perhaps something that the client will never fully appreciate. For a start, the vet seen in the consultation room may not be the same one who performed the operation, particularly if it’s something fairly routine. Also, the most highly qualified and experienced surgeon in the practice might not be the best at client communication.

    A vet can have such a diverse set of skills and knowledge that it is difficult to pinpoint which of these defines a “good vet”. Many vets have certain areas of expertise and will be better than others in certain situations, but not all.

    The key to time and money is striking the balance between what the client desires and what is realistic.

    Communication, however, doesn’t need to be compromised and can be the difference that alters the client’s opinion. For example, the manner in which an examination is conducted and the attitude of the vet during a 10-minute consult could leave the client feeling rushed, whereas a different vet with a different approach could leave the client with a far more positive impression.

    Client opinion is important, but at the end of the day, the welfare of the animal in front of you is your priority, whether or not the client values you highly.

    While the profession as a whole should take heed of what clients want, the customer is not necessarily always right, and at the end of the day, it is the welfare of the animal in front of you that should be paramount.