The “wicked” problem of our workforce shortage

I have not really known anything else in my career other than staff shortages. Even 20 years ago when I graduated, finding work was not a problem, at least not here in Quebec. It was one of the upsides of going into our profession: job security. So, when I would speak with colleagues in other parts of the world, such as Spain and Brazil, I was taken aback to hear they had too many vets. How was this even possible?

In the spring of 2020, the CVMA took on a very considerable mandate: a Canada-wide workforce study (full study available to members only via the CVMA website). The study demonstrated that the demand for veterinary services will outpace the supply of veterinarians by 2040. As an independent practice owner, I can assure you this is not a WILL, this is a NOW. It is not a regional problem; it is vast and encompasses all regions of our country. It affects all areas of the profession, from equine vets in rural communities to small animal urban vets. There is a need and we feel it deeply.

Throughout the years, I have been asking myself, is it simply a case of supply and demand? Do we really not have enough vets or are there other factors that are influencing our shortage? Increasing Canadian population, increasing household income, more pets (large and small!), and more food needing to be produced all result in more animals requiring medical care. A + B = C. So why do I still hear so many of my colleagues, and truth be told, sometimes myself, commenting on generational differences?

The workforce study clearly demonstrates that vets age 29 or less work long hours. Thirty-seven percent of them are working 45 hours or more! Having hired and mentored quite a few new graduates in the past 20 years, I can say that millennials and Generation Z do prioritize good work/life balance. They tend to ask for more vacation, improved work schedules, less on-call, etc. They are advocating for their health, and so should they!

While working with our CVMA team on the “It’s Time to Talk Mental Health in Vet Med” campaign and closely with Dr. Kathy Keil, our mental health champion, a disturbing study came across my desk. In 2020, out of the 1403 veterinarians surveyed across Canada, 26.2% had considered suicide in the past year (1). This is substantially higher than is documented in the general population in which it is generally considered to be 10%. As we can clearly see, the old fashioned 60 hours a week and on-call 6 days a week… isn’t going to fly. There is a reason why it is called overtime — because it is OVERDOING IT.

In the past 8 months the CVMA Workforce Working Group, which Council mandated last summer, has been diving into the depths of the issues and has identified some key strategies and solutions. It is clear to all that this is a complex problem. We need to be looking intrinsically and extrinsically at the issue, as well as for short- and long-term solutions.

In the short term, we need to prioritize keeping our teams safe and well or we will not have any teams with which to work. Perhaps our present practice models and current delivery systems are problematic and inefficient. Could we do more with less? I am a firm believer that many practices today continue to underutilize veterinary technicians. However, we have a serious shortage of veterinary technicians as well! With the added pressures and change in workflow because of the pandemic, the shortage is touching all of us. Our hospital alone has increased support staffing by 20% in 8 months!

Our future depends on all of us advocating for change. As your national Association, we are fully committed to prioritizing and supporting the development of a national workforce strategy. Provinces need our support as they bid to obtain more financing, and universities need our support as they investigate innovative ways to increase the number of graduating veterinarians. Canadian students studying abroad need to be encouraged to come home when they graduate. Should we not be developing more clinical programs and encouraging graduates to come to Canada from non-accredited veterinary programs? These graduates are more likely to obtain their Certificate of Qualification and be truly prepared to practice in Canada if they have clinical experience IN Canada.

It certainly sounds as though we are dealing with a “wicked” problem; one in which there are so many interdependent factors it seems impossible to solve. But I am an optimist and I believe in the creativity and commitment of the leaders in our profession who are dedicated to solving this problem. It may not happen overnight, but we will get there.