CALLING Rural Veterinarians OSU AND OKLAHOMA WORK TO FILL RURAL VETERINARIAN POSITIONS
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he sun rises over rural Oklahoma. Tools neatly line the veterinary box, prepared to assist in a day of unknowns. The phone rings alongside the morning cup of coffee, and a rural veterinarian starts the day. Rural veterinarians are an enormous asset to a community, said Dr. Rosslyn Biggs, director of continuing education for the Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine and beef cattle specialist for OSU Extension. Veterinarians are critical in helping with not only animal health but also food safety, public health, education and military services, said Biggs, who is an alumna of the Ferguson College of Agriculture and the OSU-CVM. “Agriculture is one of the top industries in Oklahoma,” Biggs said. “It is at the heart of all things good in Oklahoma. Rural communities are focused largely on agriculture, especially animal agriculture.” A recent shortage of rural veterinarians has brought challenges to rural Oklahoma, Biggs said. However, rather than being discouraged, State of Oklahoma officials, the veterinary community, and OSU administrators and faculty are
committed to overcome these challenges in the most effective manner, Biggs said. Dr. Rod Hall, Oklahoma state veterinarian and OSU-CVM alumnus, said he attributes the state’s veterinarian shortage to the salary-to-student debt ratio, the need for emergency calls, the rural lifestyle, the misconception of fair pay for veterinarian services, and the hard work that goes into being a rural veterinarian. “We have to figure out how to help students get into veterinary school,” Hall said, “and how to help them be successful after graduation.” In 2021, 718 students applied to OSU’s veterinary medicine program, and 106 were accepted. Of these applicants, 171 Oklahoma residents competed for the 58 spots reserved for in-state students. The remainder competed for the 48 out-of-state spots. The OSU-CVM has implemented programs to allow veterinary medicine students the ability to gain hands-on experience as well as networking and job opportunities with an emphasis in fostering sustainable veterinary practices, Biggs said. “OSU’s Integrated Beef Cattle Program is a cross-disciplinary partnership across veterinary medicine,
In 2021, the USDA NIFA distributed $1,250,000 to rural veterinarians for the Rural Practice Enhancement program. Photo by Maddie Neuschwander. COWBOY JOURNAL 17
