Vet Futures: Should vets be as comfortable reading balance sheets as blood results?

Although the rise in employment within corporate practices has enabled young vets to focus on the veterinary science aspects of practice life, the latest guest blog from the Vet Futures project argues that business training should still be an integral and encouraged part of undergraduate vet training.

The blog is written by Nazrene Moosa (pictured), a small animal vet who works in a busy practice in West Sussex. In the last 20 years, she has worked as a sole practitioner and owner, as well as for independent and corporate-owned practices.

Nazrene argues that through offering an environment that concentrates on hands-on work instead of involvement in practice finances and management, young vets working in the corporate sector might be missing out on developing vital business skills. She argues that such skills are essential if they want to leave the corporate world and move into an independent practice or even strike out on their own.

“The usual mantra from the corporates is that they allow vets to be vets rather than managers, they enable them to concentrate on the stuff that matters, rather than the humdrum financial and management issues that many vets have little or no interest in,” says Nazrene, arguing that while such business issues may not be “the sexy end of the job” they require skills that are “sadly lacking in many vets today.”

Nazrene believes a shift in attitude is required, to ensure that gaining greater knowledge and insight into the running of a successful practice is seen as a positive opportunity to make the practice the best it can be both for staff and clients. She concludes: “Ideally vets would be as comfortable reading balance sheets as blood results.”

This month’s Vet Futures poll asks visitors ‘Do you feel that you were given adequate business training at vet school?’ If you have a view on this topic, please make sure to take part in the poll and leave a comment on the blog.

Last month’s poll asked readers if there is a need for another veterinary nurse training option. This was in response to the guest blog by Laura Kidd, who discussed how more vet nurses can be encouraged into the profession and how practices can keep those nurses they have already. Over 100 people took part in the poll, with 57% agreeing that there should be another option to train to become a veterinary nurse.

Vet Futures is joint Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and British Veterinary Association initiative and aims to help the profession prepare for and shape its own future.