New awards program provides an opportunity to recognize veterinary professionals

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In celebration of its upcoming Veterinary Appreciation Day on June 18, 2024, pet health insurance provider Trupanion is hosting its first Veterinary Appreciation Day Awards. The awards program has garnered numerous nominations for veterinarians and their support staff with close to 45,000 votes from the public.¹ These new awards are aimed at recognizing the remarkable contributions and dedication of veterinary professionals who tirelessly work to ensure and improve the well-being of pets and their owners.

Although 75% of veterinary professionals indicate personal contentment with their career,² they also frequently face extended work hours, challenging cases, and emotionally demanding scenarios.³ A 2021 collaborative study by Merck Animal Health and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) looked at the well-being and mental health of veterinarians in the United States. The study found that 92% of participants identified heightened stress as one of their primary mental health challenges and 88% of respondents pointed to student debt and concerns regarding the risk of suicide as key stress factors among veterinarians.⁴

According to Trupanion, the announcement of its Veterinary Appreciation Day Awards was met with a surge of gratitude for the veterinary community.¹ "We’re elated to see the response to Trupanion’s first Veterinary Appreciation Day Awards," Margi Tooth, president of Trupanion, said in a news release.¹ “We first established June 18 as Veterinary Appreciation Day in 2015 to recognize the incredible impact the veterinary community has on the lives of pets, pet parents, and their communities every single day. Through these awards, we can further ensure the inspiring and often courageous stories of their unwavering dedication are shared, celebrated, and honored,” said Tooth.

Steve Weinrauch, BVMS, MRCVS, and Trupanion’s chief veterinary officer, also commented on the public’s response to the new recognition awards. “We're thrilled to see so much enthusiasm around this celebration. As I read through the submissions, it's abundantly clear how profound, diverse and far reaching the veterinary community’s impact truly is. Witnessing colleagues rallying together with pet parents is incredibly heartwarming,” he said in the release.¹

How the Veterinary Appreciation Day Awards program works⁵:

1. Nominate: Veterinary professionals and pet owners are invited to nominate a hospital team member they know or work with. Veterinary professionals who accepted their nomination by May 15, 2024, are being showcased in Trupanion’s Veterinary Appreciation Day Awards website: https://vetappreciationday.trupanion.com/
2. Vote: The public then votes on nominees for Veterinarian of the Year and Veterinary Professional of the Year. This year, votes were casted between May 17 and May 24, 2024.
3. Celebrate: Award winners are announced on Veterinary Appreciation Day. The public can participate in honoring the winning individuals and others professionals in the veterinary community.

References

1. Trupanion’s Veterinary Appreciation Day Awards generates overwhelming recognition for the veterinary community. News release. Trupanion. May 30, 2024.
2. Merck Animal Health’s fourth Veterinary Wellbeing Study indicates progress in addressing mental health challenges among veterinary teams. Merck Animal Health. January 15, 2024. Accessed June 3, 2024. https://www.merck-animal-health.com/blog/2024/01/15/4th-veterinary-wellbeing-study/
3. Neuwirth D. Veterinary Appreciation Day. One Fur All. May 8, 2024. Accessed June 3, 2024. https://www.onefurallpets.com/blogs/news/veterinary-appreciation-day#
4. Veterinary Wellbeing Study. Merck Animal Health. January 2022. Accessed June 3, 2024. https://www.merck-animal-health-usa.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2022/02/2021-PSV-Veterinary-Wellbeing-Presentation_V2.pdf
5. trupanion Veterinary Appreciation Day Awards. Trupanion. Accessed June 3, 2024. https://vetappreciationday.trupanion.com