A recent survey conducted among veterinary students from ULiège, UNamur, and ULB reveals that rural animal medicine is not popular among these students, who tend to prefer working in well-equipped clinics alongside colleagues.
Dr Léonard Théron, coordinator of the OBSVET project, notes that rural medicine is almost non-existent in the minds of students, neither rejected nor viewed negatively, but simply invisible.
Launched in 2024, the Veterinary Observatory aims to gather and analyse data on the profession to map out veterinarians in Wallonia. The survey, involving 1,300 undergraduate and master’s students, is a component of this project.
The decline in rural veterinary practice has been evident for several years and has generational roots. Less than 10% of those under 30 consider working in rural settings, while a third of veterinarians over 50 work in the countryside. “There is a rapid decline happening. In the province of Luxembourg, more rural veterinarians are leaving the profession than new ones entering. Hainaut and Namur are likely to experience similar trends within five years,” Mr Théron highlights.
Rural practice does not lack financial appeal, as practitioners there tend to earn more. However, surveyed students view rural veterinary work as exceptionally challenging, requiring considerable mental and physical strength due to irregular hours, interactions with farmers and large animals, constant travel, and lack of hygiene.
The authors of the survey believe this narrow and even caricatured view of the profession must be corrected. They suggest increasing the visibility of rural practices early in education and supporting internship and mentorship structures in agricultural areas.
Despite challenges, rural veterinary practice remains vital for the food chain due to the role of veterinarians with farmers and their part in monitoring animal diseases.
