Possible Vet School in Maine

Veterinary Science Graduate Certificate from UofI
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“By establishing a veterinary school, we encourage students to stay in state, and we tap into a valuable sector which develops highly skilled workers.”
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:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
Are we talking a value other than monetary, or...?
 
Does Main have a contract school? If not, make that legislation. Help reduce debt load on Maine students, without increasing the number of workers in the oversaturated field.
 
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Gwenevre said:
Does Main have a contract school? If not, make that legislation. Help reduce debt load on Maine students, without increasing the number of workers in the oversaturated field.
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I think they used to be contracted with Tufts, but I don't know that they are anymore. But the difference in tuition there is minimal, even for MA residents.
 
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Well, there are only 30 veterinary schools in the US. It will be nice to have another veterinary school in New England.
 
Lilly63 said:
Well, there are only 30 veterinary schools in the US. It will be nice to have another veterinary school in New England.
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Can't tell if you're joking, or....
 
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I am getting so sick of seeing the "reason" behind the new schools being created as, "we have a lack of vets in xyz podunk area"...

Seriously, I don't doubt that there aren't vets in that area. However, it isn't due to a lack of vets. You could produce a million new vets next year and none of them are going to work in xyz podunk town, Maine. Not because they don't want to, but because xyz podunk town, Maine doesn't have the economy to support a veterinarian. If a vet can't work and live somewhere without going bankrupt then they will never work in that area. It isn't due to a lack of vets. It is due to a lack of economy to support said vets. And it drives me nuts to see new schools or this idjit (whoever the hell he is) using that as a reason to build a vet school. No, that isn't a reason. It never will be. A more honest answer would be, "hey vet students spend lots of money on their education and our state can tap into that and suck students dry so we can get more money, so let's build a vet school." Because that is all they are doing. It won't make jack crap difference on the "no vets in xyz podunk town, Maine" but it will bring in more $$$$$ without any regard to the students and profession it will hurt in the process.
 
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DVMDream said:
I am getting so sick of seeing the "reason" behind the new schools being created as, "we have a lack of vets in xyz podunk area"...

Seriously, I don't doubt that there aren't vets in that area. However, it isn't due to a lack of vets. You could produce a million new vets next year and none of them are going to work in xyz podunk town, Maine. Not because they don't want to, but because xyz podunk town, Maine doesn't have the economy to support a veterinarian. If a vet can't work and live somewhere without going bankrupt then they will never work in that area. It isn't due to a lack of vets. It is due to a lack of economy to support said vets. And it drives me nuts to see new schools or this idjit (whoever the hell he is) using that as a reason to build a vet school. No, that isn't a reason. It never will be. A more honest answer would be, "hey vet students spend lots of money on their education and our state can tap into that and suck students dry so we can get more money, so let's build a vet school." Because that is all they are doing. It won't make jack crap difference on the "no vets in xyz podunk town, Maine" but it will bring in more $$$$$ without any regard to the students and profession it will hurt in the process.
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But think of all the new construction contracts and administrative positions we could have! :clap:
 
I'm just waiting for a Thanks, Obama reference that turns into a characteristic SDN pre-vet heated debate that is interrupted by someone saying we should stay on topic and that turning into yet another heated debate on threads being free to go in whatever direction the conversation takes them and that turning into a disgruntled poster becoming offended and that causing the infantry of longtime SDNers to be like whatever and then night falls and the sun rises and the day starts again.
 
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ameropean_chelsea said:
I'm just waiting for a Thanks, Obama reference that turns into a characteristic SDN pre-vet heated debate that is interrupted by someone saying we should stay on topic and that turning into yet another heated debate on threads being free to go in whatever direction the conversation takes them and that turning into a disgruntled poster becoming offended and that causing the infantry of longtime SDNers to be like whatever and then night falls and the sun rises and the day starts again.
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I don't think a Thanks, Obama reference would turn into a debate.. ;)
 
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ameropean_chelsea said:
I'm just waiting for a Thanks, Obama reference that turns into a characteristic SDN pre-vet heated debate that is interrupted by someone saying we should stay on topic and that turning into yet another heated debate on threads being free to go in whatever direction the conversation takes them and that turning into a disgruntled poster becoming offended and that causing the infantry of longtime SDNers to be like whatever and then night falls and the sun rises and the day starts again.
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:rofl:

This is probably one topic that unites us all. Anyone who thinks this is a good idea is either severely uninformed or a troll. Also...

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equinerider26 said:
Can't tell if you're joking, or....
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No I wasn't joking. New England is a beautiful area (I live here, so my opinion is biased ;)). For years, it was incredibly difficult to find a large animal vet in Massachusetts. The closest horse vet was 4 hours away from me only about 3 years ago. Things have improved a bit and a few large animal vets moved into NH and MA area. I couldn't imagine how bad it is in Maine, so I can see what they are saying. I do work for a LA vet, many people in NH are very grateful that they now have a "close" vet for emergencies.
 
Lilly63 said:
No I wasn't joking. New England is a beautiful area (I live here, so my opinion is biased ;)). For years, it was incredibly difficult to find a large animal vet in Massachusetts. The closest horse vet was 4 hours away from me only about 3 years ago. Things have improved a bit and a few large animal vets moved into NH and MA area. I couldn't imagine how bad it is in Maine, so I can see what they are saying. I do work for a LA vet, many people in NH are very grateful that they now have a "close" vet for emergencies.
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Consider that even with a vet school (Tufts) in Massachusetts, you still had trouble finding a LA vet. There is a reason there aren't as many vets in these areas, and the reason is not a lack of vet schools.
 
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Lilly63 said:
No I wasn't joking. New England is a beautiful area (I live here, so my opinion is biased ;)). For years, it was incredibly difficult to find a large animal vet in Massachusetts. The closest horse vet was 4 hours away from me only about 3 years ago. Things have improved a bit and a few large animal vets moved into NH and MA area. I couldn't imagine how bad it is in Maine, so I can see what they are saying. I do work for a LA vet, many people in NH are very grateful that they now have a "close" vet for emergencies.
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We don't have a shortage of vets issue. Period. We have a lack of economy to support vets with $150,000 or more in debt. It doesn't matter if the vet school is built in the same state that needs vets, there are going to be some areas that don't have a vet nearby because that location can't financially afford one with the high cost of education now. Heck there are areas in some states currently that do have vet schools that probably don't have a vet nearby. It isn't because there aren't any vets being educated there, it is because of $$. I can't work somewhere if I can't pay my loans back, pay my living expenses and still have money left over to oh I don't know... retire at some point.

You also really don't want another vet school being created. I mean, unless you really like competing against 50 or more people for one job, instead of only 20 or 30 people. But, hey, if you like to struggle finding a job after spending $200K in school, then by all means, enjoy that new vet school.
 
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Lilly63 said:
No I wasn't joking. New England is a beautiful area (I live here, so my opinion is biased ;)). For years, it was incredibly difficult to find a large animal vet in Massachusetts. The closest horse vet was 4 hours away from me only about 3 years ago. Things have improved a bit and a few large animal vets moved into NH and MA area. I couldn't imagine how bad it is in Maine, so I can see what they are saying. I do work for a LA vet, many people in NH are very grateful that they now have a "close" vet for emergencies.
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But... this school won't change that.
 
Rwwilliams said:
But... this school won't change that.
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If the school is a state school and not private, there may be a good chance that they can potentially increase the number of LA vets. Especially if they give a good in state tuition break. Tufts is a private school and 80% of the applicants are non-residants and the school is more wildlife/SA focused compared to other schools.
 
Lilly63 said:
If the school is a state school and not private, there may be a good chance that they can potentially increase the number of LA vets. Especially if they give a good in state tuition break. Tufts is a private school and 80% of the applicants are non-residants and the school is more wildlife/SA focused compared to other schools.
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If the local economies could support LA vets you can bet they would be there already. People tend to move where the jobs are available.

Do you honestly think there is economic support in the area for 80-100 (or more) new vets a year? Because I don't think so. Otherwise there wouldn't be a shortage in the first place.
 
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WildZoo said:
If the local economies could support LA vets you can bet they would be there already. People tend to move where the jobs are available.

Do you honestly think there is economic support in the area for 80-100 (or more) new vets a year? Because I don't think so. Otherwise there wouldn't be a shortage in the first place.
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This.

@Lilly63 there is absolutely a need for vets in rural areas. I don't think anyone would argue against that.

However, that is not the issue.

The issue is that there is not enough money in rural areas for a vet to live off of in order to pay off the exorbitant loans that the vast, vast majority of us have to take out. So even though there is a need for them, there is no support for them.

Even if you create more vets, they are not going to help those rural areas because they cannot make a living financially. THAT is the issue. For example, I can't tell you how many large animal vets, including colleagues of mine, have had to switch to urban and suburban small animal practice because rural economies just can't support them. Too many.

More vets won't solve things. Lowering debt and increasing government and state support via subsidy and loan forgiveness (the latter of which exists but is very paltry right now) for rural LA vets will.
 
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Lilly63 said:
If the school is a state school and not private, there may be a good chance that they can potentially increase the number of LA vets. Especially if they give a good in state tuition break. Tufts is a private school and 80% of the applicants are non-residants and the school is more wildlife/SA focused compared to other schools.
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That's not how that works though. I go to school in California. I am 100% not going to practice medicine in the state of California. Over 50% of my class will be actively trying to practice medicine somewhere other than the state of California.
 
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