Wellness is a term you hear frequently at veterinary profession meetings, online and in the media.   ISVMA has created this page as a one-stop resource for veterinarians, certified veterinary technicians and practice personnel so they can explore a variety of wellness topics, find some actionable ideas and locate resources for assistance.  Please Note: This page provides many links and is not meant to an all encompassing resource nor a substitute for professional care and counseling.

The survey, “Prevalence of Risk Factors for Suicide Among Veterinarians—United States, 2014”, based on answers from more than 10,000 practicing veterinarians—most (69 percent) of whom are in small animal practice—revealed the following (learn more about the survey and veterinary suicide statistics):

• 6.8 percent of males and 10.9 percent of females in the profession have serious psychological distress compared with 3.5 percent and 4.4 percent of U.S. male and female adults.
• 24.5 percent of males and 36.7 percent of females in veterinary medicine have experienced depressive episodes since veterinary school, which is about 1 1/2 times the prevalence in U.S. adults overall throughout their lifetime.
• 14.4 percent of males and 19.1 percent of females who are veterinarians have considered suicide since graduation. This is three times the U.S. national mean.
• 1.1 percent of males and 1.4 percent of females in the veterinary profession have attempted suicide since veterinary school.

Wellness–Who is at Risk Video?