Some Arizona educators are working to tackle the shortage of veterinary workers in the state.
Western Maricopa Education Center, or West-MEC, offers a veterinary science program. According to its website, the program provides them the opportunity to deliver medical care to domestic, exotic and large animals.
“The veterinary field is very emotionally and physically taxing. They also don’t make a lot of money so a lot of veterinarians and veterinary technicians leave 'cause they can make more money elsewhere. Both career paths have a lot of debt, too," said West-MEC instructor Hailey Adams on PBS’ “Arizona Horizon."
Adams also says there are post-secondary educational opportunities available for those interested in veterinary science, which involves Mesa Community College and Pima Medical Institute.
That includes student Sedona Price, who says animals come from the local animal rescue to West-MEC.
“We have our own clinic at West-MEC where we have animals from HALO come in, and we get to do intake and surgery on them and it just, like, shows you what it’s like to actually work in a clinic," she said.
The American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges says numbers related to the veterinary workforce in the future are difficult to quantify.
EDITOR'S NOTE: KJZZ is licensed to the Maricopa County Community College District.
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