atlantic veterinary college in charlottetown to add 25 seats as demand for veterinarians grows
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anne marie carey, associate dean of academics and student affairs at the atlantic veterinary college, says a shortage of veterinarians in the region has been building for years, especially in food animal veterinary medicine. vivian ulinwa
vivian ulinwa
/
the guardian
the atlantic veterinary college at upei will increase the number of students it admits by 25 beginning in 2027.
the college says it will help respond to a growing shortage of veterinarians across canada.
the increase will bring the size of the incoming class from 70 students to 95. the additional seats will be open to canadian and international applicants and are expected to help train more veterinarians to serve atlantic canada and other parts of the country.
‘a really demanding job’
anne marie carey, associate dean of academics and student affairs at the atlantic veterinary college, said the shortage has been building for years, especially in food animal veterinary medicine.
“food animals have been experiencing a veterinary shortage for a very long time,” she said. “those veterinarians are often working long hours and are in rural areas, and it’s a really demanding job.”
as more jobs became available in small animal practices, carey told the guardian that many veterinarians chose that field instead, leaving students planning to work with farm animals such as cattle, dairy cows, pigs and poultry.
the college currently has 54 provincially funded seats. p.e.i. funds 11 seats, nova scotia funds 24, new brunswick funds 13 and newfoundland and labrador funds six. the remaining 16 seats are unsubsidized.
all 25 new seats will also be unsubsidized.
subsidized seats
carey said tuition for a provincially funded seat is about $16,000 a year, while tuition for an unsubsidized seat is about $85,000.
she said applicants from atlantic canada will continue to be considered for subsidized seats first. those who are not offered one can choose to be considered for an unsubsidized seat if they wish.
the increase in student spaces comes as veterinary schools across canada look for ways to help address workforce shortages.
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carey said several colleges have already expanded their programs, with some opening satellite campuses in rural areas to encourage graduates to stay and work in those communities.
“we’re a little late to the seat expansion party,” carey said. “we’ve seen different strategies for seat expansion happening at all of the canadian colleges.”
prepping for larger classes
to prepare for the larger class size, the college will work to improve already existing buildings rather than construct a new one.
while the veterinarian shortage is being felt across canada, carey said it varies by region. she said p.e.i has been able to fill many of its small animal veterinary positions, but there is still a need for more veterinarians in areas such as food animal and equine medicine.
carey said the college hopes the additional seats will help train more veterinarians who choose to build their careers in atlantic canada.
“we’re really excited about this. this is the way that we’re serving our community. we feel like we’re really taking steps to answer a growing demand.”
she added that the college would welcome discussions with atlantic provincial governments about funding more seats in the future.
“we’re always open to the atlantic provinces wanting to subsidize more seats. that is a conversation that we would always love to have.”
burnout across canada
the expansion comes as the profession continues to face workforce challenges across the country.
in a statement released in november, the canadian veterinary medical association called on federal and provincial governments to address several issues affecting the profession, including a shortage of veterinarians and veterinary technicians, shortages of essential veterinary medications, and growing mental health pressures on veterinary professionals.
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the association said canada is short by several thousand veterinarians, with the shortage expected to continue until at least 2031. burnout and mental health challenges remain a core challenge, continuing to drive veterinarians and technicians out of the profession.
“the veterinary community is proud to serve canadians,” said tracy fisher, president of the canadian veterinary medical association, in a news release. “but our patients and our profession need the full attention, investment, and partnership of the federal government now.”
the association is also calling on the federal government to help establish a national testing centre for internationally trained veterinarians to speed up their entry into the workforce. it also recommends more funding to support the mental health and well-being of veterinarians and veterinary technicians.
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vivian ulinwa is a reporter for the guardian in prince edward island. she can be reached at vulinwa@postmedia.com and followed on x @vivian_ulinwa.
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