LENGTH OF VETERINARY WORKING LIFE

Objective To estimate the time veterinary graduates spend in private p ractice and in veterinary work generally, and to determine what factor s influence this. Methods Questionnaires were completed in the sixth y ear after graduation by 119 veterinarians who had participated in this longitudinal study since starting the veterinary course, and the data were analysed using the SAS System for Windows. Results Of those who started the veterinary course, 90% graduated, and 96% of these then en tered private practice. Five years later 94% (73% in lull-time equival ents) were working as veterinarians, and 64% (50% in full-time equival ents) were still in private practice in Australia. Hours, attitudes of principals and clients, and inadequate rewards were the main reasons for leaving private practice. The likelihood of being still in private practice was greater for those who had had significant responsibility far animals before they entered the course. but it was not related to geographical origin (city vs country), age at entry or gender. Women were, however, more likely than men to be working part time as veterin arians. Predictions of veterinary working life were not affected by ge ographical origin or by previous experience with animals or on farms, but men expected to work longer than women. Conclusion The average vet erinary career, estimated by veterinarians who graduated 5 years earli er, is 24 years in full-time equivalents for men, and 16 years for wom en. Almost all (94%, representing 73% in full-time equivalents) still work as veterinarians after 5 years, most of them (76%, representing 5 9% in full-time Equivalents) in private practice. The likelihood of re maining in private practice is related to previous responsibility for animals.