31/01/2025
after the 5th estate airing i thought id say something. Well, it was incomplete, most of the factual data is correct, the suspicions were mostly wrong, all of my generation vets are retired, corps allowed them to sell out. Vet school classes are now all women who are smarter than men in general and want better life balance compared to my generation who worked all the time and the exit strategy is having a heart attack between vet emergencies... :) . Vets are paid less than your medical doctors and dentists but with harder to get into school criteria..... Its exactly these reasons why most vets dont recommend their children or friends to attempt to go to vet school (its true). Then i thought why not ask the all knowing revolutionary chat gpt artificial intellenge - why is vet med so expensive? This is what chatty had to say..... why is veterinary medicine so expensive?
ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT
Veterinary medicine can be expensive for a few reasons, but here are some of the main factors:
Specialized Training & Expertise: Veterinarians undergo years of schooling and training, often similar to that of medical doctors. This includes undergraduate studies, veterinary school, and internships or residencies. The cost of this education is significant, and that expense is passed on to clients.
High Overhead for Practices: Running a veterinary practice requires a lot of equipment, staff, and maintenance. Diagnostic tools, like X-ray machines, ultrasound, or lab testing equipment, are costly. In addition, staff salaries (technicians, office personnel) and utilities all add up.
Emergencies and Specializations: Emergency care or specialized treatments, like surgeries or oncology, can significantly raise the cost. Specialized care often requires advanced equipment and expert knowledge, leading to higher fees.
Medication & Treatments: Medications, vaccines, and treatments for animals can be expensive, particularly if they’re not commonly used for humans, meaning they aren't as widely produced. Sometimes, the cost of the drugs or treatments needed for a pet is higher than for people.
Insurance: Veterinary practices don’t usually have the same reimbursement rates that human hospitals do. Pet insurance can help, but it's not always as widespread or comprehensive as human health insurance.
Business Model: Many vet clinics are small, independently owned businesses that don’t have the same economies of scale as large human medical centers. This can drive up costs because they are not able to negotiate bulk rates for medical supplies.
It’s a combination of training, equipment, expertise, and the overhead of running a practice that drives up costs.
