Absolutely not trying to say you (or anyone else) is an idiot. Tone's hard online - I apologize if it came off that way.
I agree that it would be optimum if we would stop having new schools. However, I sincerely doubt that the AVMA just "rolled over and said 'OK'" at the threat of a lawsuit - usually when a large entity like that backs down, it is because they're relatively certain that they would not win the suit. So if they didn't back down, went to court and lost, then the ripple effect could quite possibly be loss of ability to accredit at all. I personlly don't want that, as I think that having an organization that sets standards specific to the veterinary program is important. I also think that the way we teach is changing, and I've heard great things from Western grads about the school (just not the debt)- so I'm not absolutely set in the thought that a facility needs a teaching hospital to make good vets.
They re-phrased their standards to fit the particular school that was suing them. How is that not backing down? I am not even going to go into discussion on if there does or does not need to be a teaching hospital to make a good vet because that is besides the point. The AVMA re-phrasing their wording in order to accommodate one school for accreditation at the threat of a lawsuit screams issues to me. Seriously. We can go back and forth all day on if they should have changed that or not. If a teaching hospital is needed or not and so on. The AVMA believes it is necessary. Whether the school has their own facility or they send students to another facility with one (that is the current rule). And western BARELY follows that currently. Their students can go to other vet schools for some rotations or to private practices (this is how it was explained to me when I interviewed). Now I am not saying anyone from western is bad or anything. I have heard great things about the students coming out of western, but according to CURRENT AVMA COE requirements, from what I see, it is questionable for them having accreditation. And the ONLY thing that the AVMA really showed when dealing with western was basically a, "sure go ahead schools and do what you want, we will probably accredit it anyway." If they are going to set standards they NEED to be willing to stick to them even in the threat of a law suit. They NEED to have solid reasons why they have those requirements and they NEED to show how the school is not meeting them. If they can do all of that (which should not have been difficult back when western was trying to get accredited) then they would have no need to be afraid of a law suit. This is a recommendation for what NEEDS to happen. This is a recommendation for lowering the number of schools opening. Stick to their guns and don't change things for one particular school, because if you do, the others will see how easy it was and take advantage of the opportunity.
Anyone can criticize policies, sure, and I don't mean to say that you can't do that. But what makes it helpful criticism is when you follow up and actually present other possibilities and courses they could take - and I think that's actually really freaking hard in this situation. Which is why I think the "lol avma u suck" sort of criticism that gets thrown around is silly and called it out. We can agree to disagree, though.
Guess what, "Lol, AVMA you suck." Sorry, I had to..
Let's be honest here though, why can't someone like me or you or any other vet student who at this point has ZERO control over what goes on in the AVMA, has ZERO say in what goes on (seriously, as students we have NO say) and is sitting at one of their lectures that they put on roll her eyes and go, "You are dense and this idea is stupid"? Why are you saying as a student I can't be fed up with some of their BS? I honestly don't think the AVMA believes this is an issue. I think they found "something" that they can "attempt" and present to students as a "solution" to appease the students. I am sure some students bought it as well. I didn't. I am not dense enough to sit there and go, "Oh yeah, increasing demand in a debilitated economy, BRILLIANT idea!" "Good job" "High five for you!" The first part of criticism is to sometimes point out how ridiculous something is and how ridiculous it sounds prior to actually thinking of what might work.
It would be like someone suggesting cerclage wire for a really complicated fracture. Your first response will be, "WTF? Are you stupid?" Then after some thought you might come up with an idea that would work. But dumb ideas ALWAYS deserve a "wtf are you serious right now" response. And the AVMA trying to drive demand in a ****ty economy is one of those times that response is needed. Do you think this is a good idea to "solve" this issue of too many vets and high student debt? I mean, really, do you?
Not only that, but as students we have ZERO say in anything. We also don't have the access to resources that those working at the AVMA do. They know what can and can't be done. They are being PAID to do this, this is their job. I am allowed to say this is the dumbest idea I have ever heard of and not only that but it is NOT working. They have been doing this for years and it is NOT working. Someone needs to point it out to them because it is clear they aren't getting it themselves. And then they can go and figure out what can be done using all the resources that THEY have that we, as students, don't have access to. They can go back and do the job they are making money to do.
I honestly have yet to see anything out of that agency that makes me think they believe this is an issue or that they even care to resolve the issue. As the guy stated in the meeting, they have other priorities they are working on that take precedence. Basically, we aren't their top priority. The future of vet med isn't their top priority. And that is sad.
I also agree with you that I do think we need an agency working for veterinary medicine. I think it is important. But I don't think they are taking the oversaturation of vets seriously. I don't think they are taking the massive amount of debt seriously. I really think these are low priorities to them and I am not convinced that they even see these as issues and are only doing minor things to attempt to appease students. Basically I think they can be doing much more and seeing as I am just a student with no access to the resources they have; I am going to ask them to get their act together and do their job. Come up with a better solution, one that isn't destined for failure from the start. Much like the US government needs to do. And no I don't believe there is a magic bullet solution to the problems, but I think recognition from the AVMA that their current idea to "solve" the issue is not working and will not work would make a very good starting point to maybe finding a real solution. One that makes sense in the current economy we have right now.
I think
@Caia said it best. Sometimes the things you hear are just so absurd you have to headdesk. As a vet student being told that this is the big "solution" to the problems in vet med from our "leaders". It doesn't give me much faith in them, at all (which is why I ranted in the first place). It makes me wonder if they are really thinking or if they are just blowing some smoke out their ass and hoping it might work or at the very least appease some vet students who don't realize that their "solution" is just... I can't even. I think I have seen our government make better moves in the last few years compared to the AVMA's solution and that is saying a lot.
. Not responding to any antibiotics though.
