The Coordinator to Support Virginia’s Large Animal Veterinary Workforce, a Virginia Cooperative Extension Position, will strategically support developing, existing and career-entering large animal veterinarians in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The position will be an Administrative / Professional (AP) in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences of Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech.

Responsibilities will consist of 85% extension/service, 10% teaching, and 5% scholarly activity.

In this extension/service role, the Coordinator to Support Virginia’s Large Animal Veterinary Workforce (CSVLAVW) will help fulfill Virginia Tech’s land-grant mission through serving large animal producers and veterinarians. This service will provide strategic support to achieve the admission, placement and long-term retention of large animal veterinarians in specific areas that demonstrate (a) the need for available veterinary services and (b) the ability and commitment to support the career success of a large animal veterinarian. The Coordinator will not provide clinical veterinary services.

In their teaching and continuing education role, the CSVLAVW will bring a holistic private practice perspective to students and producers. The individual’s teaching is expected to develop the professional skills needed for large animal veterinarians to flourish in private practice in Virginia and connect prospective veterinarians with logistically sustainable opportunities in the state. This individual is expected to be a valuable contact resource for veterinary students from Virginia Tech, Lincoln Memorial University, and across the nation that are interested in large animal veterinary opportunities in the state..

In their scholarship role, the CSVLAVW will be expected to be a successful contributor to knowledge discovery efforts by collaborating with colleagues in applied veterinary medicine, business, and community building. Applied research efforts are anticipated to emphasize topics of relevance to Virginia’s large animal industries and the veterinarians that serve those industries with a focus on catalyzing the long-term career success of private-practice veterinarians in underserved areas.

Responsibilities:

1. Support the successful implementation and administration of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) and Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission (TRRC) Large Animal Veterinary Incentive Programs. This includes:
   • Working with existing vet practices to place graduating and practicing veterinarians in the defined areas of need (for the TRRC program this is within the defined revitalization region);
   • Connecting entrepreneurial veterinarians with validated advisors in establishing, operating, and maintaining a sustainable veterinary practice with a large animal focus in the region;
   • Connecting interested pre-veterinary and veterinary students with experiential learning opportunities working with producers and veterinarians in the region;
   • Connecting with veterinarians providing large animal veterinary services in defined areas of need who are considering or planning for retirement to develop sustainable plans for continuity of veterinary care through continuity of the practice or supporting the establishment of a new veterinary practice in the area
   • Serving on the advisory panel to provide input to VDACS regarding designated shortage areas and provide input on prioritized criteria to select grant recipients for the Virginia Large Animal Veterinary Grant Program.
   • Assisting individual veterinarians who are selected for incentives in completing the reporting and other administrative requirements; and
   • Promoting the program to relevant stakeholders, particularly prospective veterinarians and veterinarians in the region.

2. Build a community of practice and a network of support among Virginia’s large animal veterinarians. This includes: 
   • Helping practitioners stay connected with the latest research and resources that can help their clients and their practices flourish; and
   • Serving as a knowledgeable third-party resource when variance in perspectives or conflicts inevitably arise between veterinarians and their clients
3. Grow the market for non-emergency veterinary services. This includes:
   • Connecting with producers in defined areas of veterinary need to learn their specific perceived needs for veterinary services;
   • Helping producers to accurately differentiate veterinary emergencies and non-emergencies on their operation;
   • Working with producers to encourage the use of validated herd health and reproductive care practices that are demonstrated to improve a producer’s bottom line;
   • Bringing awareness to producers of the animal handling/processing facilities that would optimally support veterinary work; and
   • Attending industry and continuing education events to evaluate new products and services and stay abreast of developments that are relevant to the market for veterinary services

Required qualifications include:

• A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree (or equivalent), a licensed veterinary technician (LVT), or an advanced academic degree
  • Proficient working experience with more than one of Virginia’s large animal species

Preferred qualifications include:

• Well established experience of clinical veterinary practice
  • Substantial experience mentoring students or veterinarians
  • Previous fiscal experience such as managing budgets or owning/operating a small business
  • Previous experience working in and supporting rural communities; knowledge of the challenges and opportunities for small businesses in rural communities
  • Documented ability to develop, implement, and coordinate a service program that impacts various stakeholder groups