The Australian Veterinary Association has "implored" the government to make vet science students eligible for a new federal payment designed to solve "placement poverty" faced by many undergraduates.
The call comes amid an Australia-wide and years-long critical vet shortage, exacerbated through slowed migration during the Covid-era, with financial and occupational stress cited as leading reasons for the profession's high attrition rate.
National accreditation standards mandate that veterinary students must undertake at least 52 weeks of placement through a five to six year course, a figure the AVA says exceeds the requirements of other degrees.
It was announced this week that Labor's Commonwealth Prac Payment will be established in the forthcoming Budget to ease financial pressures that currently force a significant number of students to exit studies prior to graduation. While other students give up part-time jobs to complete what are usually unpaid placements.
The new program seeks to financially assist students undertaking mandatory workplace placements that are required for university and vocational education and training qualifications.
However, veterinarian science students were not one of the five degrees eligible for a $319.50 per week chop out during clinical and professional placement periods.
Education Minister Jason Clare said the Universities Accord recommended the government focus the payment on teaching, nursing, midwifery, early education teachers and social work, "and that's what we're doing".
The payment will cover around 68,000 eligible higher education students and over 5000 VET students each year, with the government hoping that the paid placements will ease the care and teaching workforce skills shortages identified in its employment white paper.
There are currently about 3000 veterinary students in Australia.
AVA president Diana Barker said it was "a huge blow" that vet students had not been included.
She added that cost-of-living expenses were stopping some students from accepting practical work placements in rural and regional areas.
"Veterinary services are essential to the community, just like human health care or education," Dr Barker said.
"The veterinary profession is a key care profession that is experiencing a skills shortage, and the AVA urges the Government to provide financial support for veterinary students undertaking placements because the profession cannot afford to.
"We know that government subsidies such as those from the Northern Australia Biosecurity Surveillance Network program are the only way many students can afford to see the benefits of remote rural practice."
The payment is benchmarked to the single Austudy per week rate and will be means-tested.
It will be available from July 1 next year.
The AVA made several recommendations in its 2024-25 pre-budget submission relating to new graduates and veterinary education and urged the Federal Government to support strategies to build and retain the regional veterinary workforce.
It also said that evidence exists showing that students who had taken practical placements in the bush were more likely to return to the regions through their careers.
Mr Clare said governments might look at other areas, or that industry can provide assistance, "down the track".
"Placement poverty is a real thing. I have met students who told me they can afford to go to uni, but they can't afford to do the prac," he said.
"Some students say prac means they have to give up their part-time job, and that they don't have the money to pay the bills."
In 2022, vets called for uni debts to be wiped just like doctors and nurses moving to the country.
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Murray Watt said while vets play a crucial role in the agricultural supply chain "there are shortages in so many occupations".
"We employ a lot of vets through the Department of Agriculture when it comes to export certification and things like that as well. And there's no doubt that there is a shortage of vets across Australia," he told the ABC.
"But we are significantly increasing our investing in education and training across the board and I'm hopeful that that will start dealing with some of those shortages."
