Why disability planning is moving up the veterinary agenda

Veterinarians are being reminded to treat disability planning as a core business and personal risk issue, not a fringe benefit. In “When the Veterinarian Can’t Work,” Today’s Veterinary Business argues that the profession’s high injury burden, paired with heavy student debt, leaves many clinicians financially exposed if illness, injury, or mental health conditions interrupt their ability to practice. That warning lands against current labor data showing veterinary services recorded 10.6 nonfatal injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers in 2023, versus 2.4 for all workers, while AVMA’s 2025 economic report found average DVM debt among 2024 graduates was $168,979 across all graduates and $202,647 among those with debt. (bls.gov)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this is less about insurance sales than operational resilience. A veterinarian’s temporary or permanent absence can hit personal income, debt repayment, staffing, scheduling, and practice continuity all at once. AVMA materials continue to market long-term disability products tailored to veterinarians, including “own occupation plus” options, and AAHA reporting has noted that injury-related costs often extend beyond treatment to overtime, temporary staffing, and short-term disability expenses. (avmalife.org)

What to watch: Expect more discussion around income protection, overhead-expense coverage, and injury-prevention strategies as practices weigh workforce safety, debt pressure, and business continuity together. (avma.org)