Auburn Grant (cont.)


senior veterinary students interested in large animal vet- erinary medicine with rural Kentucky veterinarians where additional veterinarian help is needed. Veterinarians will mentor senior veterinary students and can have their practice participate in the business practice management program.


“Te long-term goals of the program are to assist veter- inarians currently serving in rural underserved areas as well as to work with current students to transition into sustainable careers in rural areas,” said Givens. “Adequate- ly supporting current veterinarians and recruiting future veterinarians into sustainable careers will meet the needs to maintain the health and well-being of cattle, sheep and goat populations and ensure the provision of a safe and wholesome food supply.”


Tis program further solidifies an agreement between the Commonwealth of Kentucky and Auburn’s College of Veterinary Medicine, which began more than 65 years ago, essentially Auburn being Kentucky’s veterinary med- ical program.


Since 1951, Auburn has enrolled Kentucky students through a program managed by the Southern Regional Education Board, or SREB, by which a set number of seats in each incoming class at the college is reserved for Kentucky students, and guarantees that Auburn charges Kentucky students in-state rates, with the commonwealth providing Auburn the tuition difference. More than 1,900 contract spaces have been made available and filled with Kentucky students; currently 38 seats in each 120-mem- ber veterinary class are Kentucky students who pay resi- dent tuition and fees.


Veterinarian shortages in Kentucky have been identified within the last two years to include: • a 50-mile radius around Sandy Hook in Elliott County; • a 50-mile radius around Georgetown in Scott Coun- ty;


• a 50-mile radius around Morgantown in Butler County; • a 50-mile radius around Manchester in Clay County; and


• a 50-mile radius around Columbia in Adair County.


Te areas identified are based on high cattle-to-veterinar- ian ratios, demographics indicating that many of the cur- rent food animal veterinarians are older and have limited their practice, or are retired, and the number of practices which have a significant food animal focus but only one veterinarian, despite recruitment attempts.


For more than 40 years, Auburn’s preceptorship program has been a capstone educational experience for veterinary


Winter 2018 19


students. Te eight-week training experience at the end of fourth-year students’ academic career provides clinical practice experience under the supervision of a practicing veterinarian.


“Sustainability of the practice hinges on getting students in a practical setting, understanding life in a rural area, and that is where preceptorships and externships are im- portant,” said Edmondson.


“Trough programs like this, students who want to prac- tice large animal veterinary medicine or work in a mixed animal practice will have all the training they will need to be successful.”


Another key component, and highly sought-after by stu- dents and veterinarians, is the Veterinary Practice Man- agement rotation, which exposes students to business practices, disciplines and strategies including accounting, economics, finance, hospital design, marketing, manage- ment, negotiations, human resources or labor relations, law and taxation.


Te business practice management rotation, taught as an elective course to veterinary students, has evolved to provide students practical business management knowl- edge as well as assist the practicing veterinarian through students taking an in-depth look at the business side of veterinary medicine.


“Students, under the supervision of faculty, complete an in-depth analysis of the veterinary practice, write an ex- tensive report, meet with the practice owner to discuss their evaluation findings and present their ideas,” Sellers said. “Te recommendations in the comprehensive report are specific to each practice and, we believe, provide the practice owner ideas that help increase work efficiency and overall profits.


“Tis is truly a win-win for practice owners and students alike,” he added. “Tis opportunity provides veterinary students a view into a different side of the veterinary med- icine world, the business side, allowing them to see and learn about practice management in a way they have not been able to see or learn before.” 


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32