AVMA Acknowledges Importance of Public Practice Veterinarians

July 16, 2023 — 

The AVMA House of Delegates (HOD) has requested that the AVMA issue a statement to the profession recognizing the importance of public practice to the entire veterinary community.

The National Association of Federal Veterinarians (NAFV), an HOD allied organization, introduced the resolution "New Policy on Recruiting and Retaining Public Practice Veterinarians" to bring greater awareness to its sector of the profession. It was approved by delegates Friday during the final day of the HOD's regular annual session, held July 13-14 in Denver in conjunction with AVMA Convention 2023.

The resolution reads as follows: "The AVMA recognizes the importance of public practice to the entire veterinary community. AVMA's Economics Division studied factors limiting private practice veterinarians from transitioning to public practice positions. Additional studies from AVMA and other veterinary organizations support efforts for recruitment and retention benefits from increased Congressional funding for all federal agencies' incentive programs such as the use of Special Pay (for specific hard to fill positions and locations), Specialty Pay (for Board Certification), Professional Pay (for pay equity with other medical professionals), removal of the annual salary cap in declared emergency disease outbreaks, student loan repayment bonuses and other incentives the agency deems appropriate to encourage more veterinarians to enter and remain in public practice."

Read more at AVMA Convention 2023 Daily News.

[Source: AVMA Convention 2023 Daily News 16 July 2023 by Scott Nolen]