Dutch veterinary graduates leaving practice: A mixed‐methods analysis of frequency and underlying reasons

Abstract

Background This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of veterinarians graduated between 2009 and 2019 in the Netherlands leaving practice, their reasons for leaving and the relative importance of these reasons. Methods Study 1 (focus group sessions, n = 14) of this project was aimed at defining the reasons Dutch veterinarians have for leaving veterinary practice within 10 years of graduation. In study 2, the frequency of veterinarians leaving veterinary practice and the relative importance of the reasons for leaving identified in study 1 were investigated through a cross‐sectional digital survey. A career in veterinary practice was defined as working in first‐ or second‐line veterinary practice. Leaving practice was defined as ending employment in veterinary practice. Results The results of study 1 yielded 20 reasons given by veterinarians to leave veterinary practice within 10 years of graduation. One of the reasons obtained by this study was not mentioned in literature before: leaving veterinary practice as a pre‐planned career path. Study 2 demonstrated that the mean percentage of respondents from graduation years 2009 to 2014 who left practice within 5 years of graduation was 16.8%. The most important reasons respondents gave for this career move were poor work–life balance, excessive workload, insufficient remuneration and perceived lack of employer support. Conclusion A substantial number of veterinarians leave veterinary practice within 5 years of graduation. The most important reasons for this decision are excessive job demands or insufficient job resources. Furthermore, these reasons are a result of negative experiences regarding organisation of work, management and remuneration.

The need for recovery: An investigation into short‐term work‐related fatigue in veterinary nurses

“…This research revealed a high turnover rate within the veterinary profession-almost one-sixth of graduates left the profession within 3.5 years-with multiple factors influencing individual decisions. 12 The authors highlighted how the JD-R model can be used to understand and explain employee wellbeing (including burnout, job satisfaction and performance) and how these factors may influence individuals' intention to leave the profession, supporting previous research linking exhaustion with increased job demands and insufficient resources among veterinary professionals. 14 However, while identifying common reasons for leaving practice may aid retention, it is unlikely that modifying a single factor will be sufficient; instead, a multifactorial individualised approach is required to reduce turnover.…”

“…However, when considering the free‐text comments, not all respondents intending to remain in the profession had positive opinions; some ( n = 23) highlighted a wish to leave the profession but felt limited by personal circumstances such as a lack of transferrable skills or other qualifications. As highlighted in previous studies, 11,12 numerous factors influence intentions to leave the profession. In this study, increased NFR score was significantly correlated with increased intention to leave the profession but it was not the sole influential factor.…”

“…9,10 Jeffery and Taylor 11 highlighted that surveys often focus on 'intentions to leave' rather than collecting retrospective data from those who have left the profession; actual reasons for leaving may be different from those suggested in the surveys and are often multifactorial. Sonneveld et al 12 conducted a focus-group study of veterinary surgeons who had left the profession and identified 20 main reasons for leaving, including poor work-life balance, low salary and excessive workload. Factors were categorised as 'excessive job demands', 'insufficient job resources' or 'other' using Demerouti et al's psychological job demands-resources (JD-R) model.…”

Veterinarian—Chasing A Dream Job? A Comparative Survey on Wellbeing and Stress Levels among European Veterinarians between 2018 and 2023

“…However, despite the hugely positive aspects of working in the various sectors of the veterinary profession, veterinary mental wellbeing (MWB) concerns have been linked to the challenging socio-economic and cultural working environment. Over the past decade, numerous reports have identified important stressors for veterinary professionals, such as long working hours [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ], a lower income compared to other medical professionals [ 6 ], insufficient development opportunities, a lack of mentorship [ 7 ], challenging client communications [ 3 , 6 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ], a demanding work–life balance [ 1 , 6 ], and high student debt [ 12 , 13 ], resulting in compassion fatigue [ 14 , 15 ], burnout [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ], veterinarians feeling that they have a life not worth living [ 18 ], moral dilemmas, and other forms of stress [ 19 ]. In particular, early-career female practitioners generally seem to experience more negative stressors compared to more experienced male colleagues [ 2 , 12 , 20 ].…”

Experiences and recommendations of veterinarians for the Dutch disciplinary system—a survey‐based study

“…[5][6][7][8]14 Whether there is a causal relation is unclear; one study reported that nearly 17% of recent (or new) graduates left private practice within 5 years of graduation. 15 Another study reported that around 23% of older veterinarians opted for early retirement. 16 Given previous studies, [4][5][6][7][8][9]12 we formulated a number of questions concerning the Dutch DS that have been in place since 1993.…”