Savo programme aims to draw veterinary students to rural work

A week-long programme bringing 10 University of Helsinki veterinary students to farms in Northern Savonia aims to make rural veterinary work more appealing, Yle reports.

The students are visiting cattle and sheep farms and a horse information centre in Kiuruvesi to learn about work with farm animals. The visits are part of the Elli project, launched this year by Ylä-Savo Vocational College to introduce students to the sector and promote rural life in Savo. Organisers hope the experience will encourage graduates to take municipal veterinary jobs in the region.

Olli Heino, an expert at the Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners, warned that it could become harder to recruit veterinarians to rural areas. A study by the Ministry of Education and Culture found that municipal veterinary work is often considered demanding.

Shortages are greatest in areas where farms are widely dispersed, Heino said. Large on-call service areas and long journeys can make the work less attractive, while limited farm-animal cases may make it difficult for veterinarians to maintain their skills.

Mikko Turku, chair of the Finnish Veterinary Association, welcomed the Savo initiative. The association launched a mentoring programme two years ago to support veterinarians at the start of their careers and improve their ability to cope with the work.

Turku said the challenge was not necessarily that clinic work seemed more glamorous than rural practice. Rather, farms are often far from population centres, creating what he called a “remote-area problem”. If a job is the only veterinary position available in a region, he said, a family may have to consider whether to relocate on the basis of one person’s employment.

The University of Helsinki increased the number of places for veterinary students this autumn. Riikka Lasonen, chief veterinarian at the university’s Production Animal Hospital, said many students are interested in farm animals and try out municipal veterinary work through summer placements. She said it was important that colleagues and farmers give each new summer intern a good welcome.

Anna Lähteenmäki, a student from Kaarina taking part in the programme, said she was not put off by the prospect of rural veterinary work. The hours might be longer, she said, but the work could feel less demanding if the subject was of interest.