Aerial view of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Utrecht
The role of a veterinarian in the next 30 years Anton Pijpers Utrecht University
Content What s happening around us In general Societal demands Food producing animals Companion animals Other Role of veterinarians Consequences for veterinary education
General trends Drivers of change affecting the food system (FAO, 2011) Global population increases Changes in the size and nature of per capita demand: meat, fish, regions Future governance of the food system at both national and international levels Climate change Competition for key resources: Land for food production Global energy demand Global water demand Changes in values and ethical stances of consumers: acceptance of modern technology, production methods, animal welfare, biodiversity protection, fair trade
General trends Need for animal proteins worldwide 9 billion people in 2040 Consumer spending power, BRIC-countries Growth in meat production and consumption, especially poultry Sustainable production systems Farm(er) specialisation Differences within Europe
General trends Information technology, open knowledge world Global world, all travelling around Global world market and trade (re)emerging diseases Value of animals is increasing Importance of biomedical research is increasing Quality systems are integrated and accepted in every part of the food chain or transparant for clients.
Societal demands Differences within Europe Healthy animals EU-notifiable diseases, vaccination policy Animal welfare Public health, One Health, food safety, sustainable production Emotions vs ratio Checks and balances, need for quality systems
Food producing animals Consolidation of animal agriculture, shift to eastern- Europe Larger livestock enterprises Fewer farms Great economic importance Non-acceptance in western society, in crowded regions Sustainability of the sector in discussion Dedicated care-givers, technicians to be trained Welfare issues and discussions Underserved rural areas for economic and social reasons Cost-driven vs added value: desire for locally grown food or biological products License to produce: suboptimal production due to differences in health status, housing conditions, management, well-being
Companion animals/ equine Increased importance of individual animals High expectations for services like in human health care 1e, 2e, 3e-line services Differentiation and specialisation continues Number of visits/yr/animal decreases Increasing costs, assurances?? More preventive healthcare DNA technology: genetic profile, personalised care Food technology: disease prevention, nutritional guidelines
Other Wildlife services and monitoring Biomedical research comparative medicine of multiple species Industry Pharmaceutical Food producing Human health, One health New diagnostic techniques
Animal Welfare animal centered? The five freedoms (Brambell, 1967) Freedom from thirst and hunger Freedom from discomfort Freedom from pain, injury, and disease Freedom to express normal behavior Freedom from fear and distress Negative emotions compromise welfare? Free from negative isn t positive still? What is biological functioning?
Animal Welfare animal centered: the freedom adequately to react to hunger, thirst or incorrect food, thermal and physical discomfort, injuries or diseases, fear and chronic stress, and thus, the freedom to display normal, species-specific behavioural patterns, which allow the animal to ADAPT to the demands of the prevailing environmental circumstances to enable it to reach a state which it perceives as positive. (Ohl & van der Staay, TVJ, 2012, 192:13-19)
Animal Welfare animal centered? cognition adaptive/nonadaptive perception of inner state positive emotion negative emotion environment
Public Health One Health (emerging) Zoönoses Antimicrobial resistance Food safety Environmental security Basic principles in biomedical research Vaccine-technology Cell-biology Regenerative medicine Cancer research etc
Content What s happening around us In general Societal demands Food producing animals Companion animals Other Role of veterinarians Consequences for veterinary education
Vet Public health servant Primary role in serving society!! Role at the interface of animals, humans and environment: - (emerging) Zoönoses - Antimicrobial resistance, what are the facts? - Food safety - Environmental health, sustainable food production - Not only in food producing animals but also in companion animals!!
Vet Animal health specialist Traditional role as a clinician knowledge of healthy and diseased animals Focus on prevention Monitoring and surveillance of diseases Population medicine, data-analist: epidemiology Supervising technical services Diagnostic innovations Risk analysis disease, public health Integrated problem-solving Academic approach
Vet Animal welfare protection Advocating the well-being of animals Scientifically founded position Knowing various animal welfare concepts Knowledge regarding the legal and social context of animal welfare Evaluating the welfare of the animal and recognises possible abuses (housing, stewardship) Advice how to improve welfare conditions
Others Basic: Comparative medicine in multi-species Wildlife Industry: Food, feed, pharma Biomedical Research: Vaccine-technology Cell-biology Regenerative medicine Cancer research Pharmacist? Distributor of vet.medicines?
The future veterinarian Is not anymore a single hard-working practitioner mainly busy with animal health in all species; A health care professional with self-confidence on serving society, problem-solving and integrating disciplines with other professionals Critical thinker with self-reflection Advisor in food production chains, plays a role to make food production systems sustainable Animal health and welfare specialist Focus on the concepts of One Health
The future veterinarian Based on knowledge and primary skills of public health and animal health and animal welfare for different species: is serving society as an advisor, coach, consultant with specialised added value, delivering higher value services collaborating with other professionals, and taking his or her role!!!
Professional competences Academic attitude, analyze and interprete Collaboration Communication Leadership: spokesman on animal issues, leader in animal/human interface Business management, marketing Ethical standards
New graduates The transition to first employment is a critical one. Early negative experiences demotivates working in (farm animal) practice Attractive work under supervision and working as vet-in-education can help Continuing professional development to improve and broaden professional skills and personal qualities
Content What s happening around us In general Societal demands Food producing animals Companion animals Other Role of veterinarians Consequences for veterinary education
General Added value of veterinarian Differentiation-tracks-Specialisation Life-long learning Competencies Centers of excellence?
Added value of the veterinarian Basic: Healthy vs diseased Basic biomedical clinical expertise related to the future differentiation Individual and population Comparative medicine in multi-species Animal Health specialist Animal welfare protection One Health: the role at the interface of animals, humans and environment
Differentiation-Specialisation The vet should have an added value for (specialised) clients Knowledge is exploding in an open world: study load? Basic biomedical expertise related to the future differentiation Basic general primary skills (MSc-) tracks to differentiate Recognised by clients/market Quality assesments of schools and vets!! Vet.schools together with profession in the lead. General diplome: certified vets, not qualified to perform all treatments (?differentiated diploma s?) Change in career: back to tracks, life long learning
Competences Veterinary expertise: Animal health Animal welfare Public health, One Health Communication Collaboration Business management, marketing Personal, leadership and academic attitude
Centers of excellence Can every School provide all differentiation? Basics and theory: yes All differentiations possible? Schools provide tracks depending on possiblities: clinical training, specialised crew (also international experience) Recognised and accepted quality assessment!
Change management of vet.schools There are changing external demands for the future veterinarian: How flexibile are we to react on changed demands? Other focus and new things in the curriculum are required! Too much to know and to learn: we have to choose, but what are we not going to choose or to do? Is our staff flexible in thinking about: the changing skills and outcome assessments of our graduates and the consequences for the curriculum? A thorough quality system is a must! Influenced by external circumstances: there must always be an open mind for change! That s quality management We, as deans, must tell the story and do it, that s strategic leadership!
Conclusion Beautiful profession with good image and reputation Lots of possibilities in the future Much more than a traditional veterinary practitioner More consciousness on serving society Leadership in animal health, animal welfare, One health, wildlife Other skills and competencies requested Basic veterinary knowledge combined with differentiation: added value!! Open mind for changing possibilities Recognised quality systems!
The future veterinarian Based on knowledge and skills of animal health, animal welfare and public health : is serving society as an advisor, coach, consultant with specialised added value, recognised by clients collaborating with other professionals, and taking his or her role!!!
Thank you