Summary: Happy New Year, Viewfinders! This week our hosts preview the veterinary profession’s toughest topics and trends we predict for 2022! Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, RVT join in a rapid-fire discussion of the top challenges they foresee for 2022 (and beyond). Some of the issues they discuss include: * Veterinary workforce shortages * Mental health issues (burnout, depression, compassion fatigue, substance abuse, etc.) * Veterinary staff wages and benefits * Student loans and the rising cost of DVM/RVT degrees * Inflation of vet services and products - what impacts will inflation have on patient care and client communications? * Social media complaints - We’re seeing reports of vets being charged with ethics and professional behavior violations when they engage clients online. Yikes! * Corporatization vs Independent Practices: How can we get along and compete? * Core vaccines - potential challenges post-pandemic vaccine controversies? * Politics - Veterinary Practices and 2022 Midterms * What happened to the Veterinary Nurse Initiative (VNI)? Our continuing plea for veterinary technician Title Protection * Telemedicine - Muddy waters ahead or smooth sailing? * Brachycephalic breeds - Will US veterinary professionals speak out as they are in the UK? * CBD - definitely maybe? * Climate change * Animal welfare and Food animal production, ventilation Shutdown (VSD) Looks like 2022 is going to be an exciting and promising year! Happy New Year, Viewfinders!
