Name
Well Being of Non-Domestic Animal Veterinarians
Date & Time
Monday, August 26, 2024, 1:40 PM - 2:05 PM
John Griffioen
Description

The veterinary profession has well documented concerns regarding the wellbeing of its members, including burn-out, empathy fatigue, and suicidal ideation. Although other studies evaluated wellbeing parameters in the profession as a whole, veterinarians working with non-domestic species face unique challenges. In 2021, an online survey was sent to professional veterinary organizations representing veterinarians working with non-domestic species utilizing questions modeled on previous wellbeing studies. There were 147 participants with 42.5% working in zoos as associate/staff-level veterinarians and the remainder representing a wide breadth of other positions. A high percentage (22%) of respondents scored having psychological distress according to the Kessler Psychological Distress scale, higher than in the 2018 Veterinary Wellbeing Survey (MAHVWS; 5.3%). Non-domestic veterinarians documented higher burnout scores (3.95) than MAHVWS participants (3.10) or physicians (2.24) according to the 7-point Mayo Clinic Physician Burnout and Wellbeing Scale. Interestingly, 62-82% of respondents indicated satisfaction with their lives on several questions. Work-life balance was rated the most stressful aspect at work (83%) and 85% reported some degree of empathy fatigue. Nearly 70% of respondents said the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic impacted their stress at work, with work-life balance the most commonly impacted (70%). When asked if they would recommend their career, 38% would recommend, 32% would not recommend and 30% were unsure. These findings have implications for the development and implementation of resources provided by professional veterinary organizations working within this community.

Location Name
Galerie 1
Full Address
New Orleans Marriott
555 Canal St
New Orleans, LA 70130
United States
Session Type
Lecture (25 Min)