Epi. 309 – Results of the AABP Mental Health Survey – Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Jackie Graber, chair of the AABP Mental Health and Well-Being Committee and clinical assistance professor at Large Animal Field Services at Tufts University, and Dr. Laurie Fonken, a counselor and consultant in the area of health and well-being for veterinarians for over 35 years.    This episode of Have You Herd? is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim and Pyramid® vaccines. When it comes to bovine respiratory disease — BRD — your calves need protection as soon as possible. Because calf health is everything, choose a vaccine as premier as your herd. PYRAMID® vaccines deliver relentless protection against the primary viruses and bacteria that lead to BRD — like BVDV Type 1b, BRSV and Mannheimia haemolytica — even in the face of maternal antibodies. Get Relentless Protection at PyramidVaccines.com.   The AABP Mental Health and Well-Being Committee developed two surveys, one in 2023 and one in 2025. Find the results of the surveys on this page. The goal was to understand how important mental health was to veterinarians, any stigmas associated with mental health, and challenges or obstacles to treatment that veterinarians encounter. Graber walks through some of the key findings in comparing the responses to both surveys. One notable point was that stigma as an obstacle to mental health treatment declined from 60% of respondents in 2023 to 42% of respondents in 2025. Access to care for mental health services and time available to seek care continues to be an obstacle for rural veterinarians and Fonken discusses opportunities with virtual care access in rural communities. We also discuss the apparent disconnect between employers and employees on mental health support in the workplace and solutions to addressing burnout in new graduates.   The AABP Mental Health and Well-Being Committee continues to provide resources for AABP members and welcomes interested AABP members to join the committee. Anyone interested in participating can email [email protected] for information. Find the resources from the committee on this page. We also encourage donations to the mental health fund within the AABP Foundation. The fund is used to provide resources, speakers and CE opportunities about mental health and well-being. Donate to the fund, or any fund in the AABP Foundation, at this link.