Recently in the news, the Chris Kelly, qualified veterinarian and Chancellor of Massey University in New Zealand resigned over public outcry from statements he made about women in veterinary medicine. He asserted that ‘…one women graduate is equivalent to two-fifths of a full-time equivalent vet throughout her life… because she gets married and has a family…’ (Schroeter and Forrester, 2016). This whole issue has sparked great debate in New Zealand, not only about the moral implications of social media lynching, but also about the consequences of what seems to be an international trend toward women dominating veterinary medicine.
While other scientific fields struggle to attract female students, in veterinary medicine women enrolling in veterinary school have been the clear majority for nearly 20 years. The reasons for this gender imbalance is not entirely clear — it may have to do with visible female role models in the field, or it could be the general shift toward canine and feline medicine compared with the rugged large animal focus in years past which could have attracted more males to the profession. Some believe it is related to the lower pay scale that could be putting off male applicants from entering the field. Certainly though, the disparity in pay seen between men and women in the field could result in an overall lowering of the wage scale for veterinarians, and subsequently could affect wages in veterinary nursing. How we address this is a growing concern.
The overall trend towards a female dominated profession, both with veterinarians and with the prevalence toward female veterinary nurses undoubtedly is shaping the profession both in terms of potential wage ranges, and in terms of normalising a career that might be different than a traditional 40 hours work week. Certainly the needs of a women in the workforce can be different than those for men, but that doesn't mean that is a bad thing and that's where one of the main issues comes to point.
Women should be able to have it all when balancing motherhood with a high-powered career. It must be said that men are just as capable of being the principle child minder in a relationship and perhaps more women might consider a range of ways to have a family and a career. Work–life balance is increasingly important when raising a young family. In recent years the nature of veterinary practice is changing as fewer people are interested in owning a practice, possibly due to the long work hours and additional stress that business ownership brings. Corporate group practices are set to become the norm rather than the exception.
With fewer opportunities in roles of financial management (as is often found with practice ownership) how will this change our profile of industry leaders? There is a distinct need for leadership that addresses these issues and manages the change occurring from the shift in attitudes. Leadership development is imperative both for veterinarians and for veterinary nurses. Our industry is facing unique challenges around this gender imbalance and opening a dialogue that is considered and effective is an essential first step.
We hope you enjoy this issue.