title: The critical need for federal legislation to provide for the expansion of the veterinary workforce.
abstract: American veterinary medical education stands at a crucial point. To maintain the status quo and to meet ever-increasing societal needs within the United States and globally, it is essential that the veterinary medical profession expand its horizons and capabilities. If it does not, it will lose its current status. The profession faces a crucial shortage in the workforce it needs both to continue to perform its current functions and, more importantly, to meet its growing responsibilities. This is not a new situation, and the profession can learn from its past successes and failures. Action is necessary. The profession has the capability and expertise to meet these challenges, but it must activate these skills in order to succeed.
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois, Il, USA. richcar06@mesanetworks.net
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dierks
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maccabe
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heider
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D004520:Education, Veterinary; D005523:Food Supply; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D020380:Needs Assessment; D012582:Schools, Veterinary / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends*; D014481:United States; D014730:Veterinary Medicine / Q000639:trends*; D000078329:Workforce