Statistics and Stories: Making Sense of the Veterinary Workforce Today for a Brighter Tomorrow

Veterinary practices are busier than ever, and our teams are feeling overworked and overwhelmed. To determine where we go from here, it’s crucial to let the data inform us. There are many questions circulating about the economics of veterinary practices, stress on the veterinary workforce, and veterinary teams’ wellbeing and burnout. To answer these questions, the presenters take a data-informed view on why our practices are so busy, how it’s impacting veterinary wellbeing, and what solutions are most likely to address the root causes of our challenges.

Speakers

Gail C. Golab, PhD, DVM, MANZCVS, DACAW
As Chief Veterinary Officer for the American Veterinary Medical Association, Dr. Golab heads the AVMA’s Professional Policy and Practice Unit, which includes the association's Animal Welfare, Animal and Public Health, and Global Outreach Divisions. Prior to her current appointment, Dr. Golab served as Chief Advocacy and Public Policy Officer, and in a variety of other roles in the AVMA's Publications, Education and Research, Communications, and Animal Welfare Divisions. Prior to her appointments at the AVMA she enjoyed seeing patients and clients in a private veterinary clinical practice. She graduated with a PhD from Texas A&M University, a DVM from the University of Illinois, is certified as a member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists, is a charter diplomate of the American College of Animal Welfare (an AVMA-recognized veterinary specialty board), and a Distinguished Practitioner in the National Academies of Practice. Work experiences in academia, industry, and private practice set the stage for a well-balanced approach to difficult issues.

Matt Salois, PhD
Dr. Matthew Salois worked in private industry, government and academia before joining the AVMA in 2018 as director of veterinary economics. From 2016 to 2018, he served as director of global scientific affairs and policy at Elanco Animal Health, supervising a team of scientists in veterinary medicine, human medicine, animal welfare, economics and sustainability. Before joining Elanco, Dr. Salois was chief economist with the Florida Department of Citrus, where he led economic and market research activities to drive industry growth and profitability for citrus growers. He previously served as an assistant professor at the University of Reading in the U.K., and also has held positions with the University of Florida and University of Central Florida. Dr. Salois earned his PhD in Food and Resource Economics from the University of Florida.