Abstract:

This study was conducted with the aim of determining the opinions and predictions of profession in veterinary medicine and the employment areas among the 4th and 5th grade students at Kafkas University and Adnan Menderes University Veterinary Faculties. With this aim, a face-to-face survey was performed with a total of 160 veterinary faculty students including 74 from the Veterinary Faculty of the Kafkas University and 76 from the Veterinary Faculty of the Adnan Menderes University. It was found that 83.8% of the participants were male, 43.1% lived in a city and 86.9% were willingly studying veterinary medicine. 35% and 25% of the students were stated that they intend to undertake master’s and PhD studies respectively. 36.9% of the students were stated that the veterinary medicine profession had not been given the due importance among the public and/or in the government sector. However, 76.9% of the students stated that the importance of the profession would increase during the European Union accession process. 91.2% of the students were stated that the profession of veterinary medicine had significant advantages in terms of employment. The data indicated that 41.2% of the students were worried about future, however, as a field of business the choices of the students were mostly both working in clinics and the public area. According to the participants; the main problems after graduation were mentioned as lack of knowledge and/or experience in the practice of concerning area, failure in exams such as KPSS, ALES, YDS and unfair competition. It could be concluded that students have certain worries on issues related to practising the profession of veterinary medicine after graduation, however; students were hopeful about in both in the European Union accession process and anticipation of a greater social importance of the profession. 

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