Veterinarians in High Demand
Currently graduates in veterinary medicines are in high demand everywhere, especially after the many cases of diseases have affected humans, caused by animals (Zoonoses). Veterinarians are needed in various (both private and government) institutions, said Drh. (DVM.) Wiwik Bagja, Chairman of the Indonesian Veterinarian Association (PDHI) in the Oath Ceremony of IPB New Veterinarians at the Auditorium of Jannes Humuntal Hutasoit, Darmaga Campus of IPB, (27/11).
Further, Drh. Wiwik Bagja said that at present there are civil servant vacancies for veterinarians. Vets are much needed at various institutions.
Drh. Wiwik Bagja mentioned that the government agencies that need vets are for example the Department of Fisheries and Maritime Affairs and Department of Forestry for the protection of endangered species as well as livestock industries and companies of drugs and food for animal health.
According to him, the need for many vets was directly revealed by the staff of Empowerment Deputy of State Apparatus. Even he said that it is the first time in Indonesia that Directorate General of Livestock changed its name to the Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health, indicating that the role of the veterinarian is much needed amid the serious spread of zoonoses in Indonesia.
Drh. Wiwik also said that the veterinary profession must now be equipped with a certificate of competency because not a few of vets do not work in accordance with their professionalism. Such certificates can be obtained after they are considered to have passed the tests conducted by PDHI. For this year the competency test for IPB Veterinarians is held on 30 November 2010.
Concerning the promise and oath of veterinarian, Drh. Wiwik Bagja emphasized that new veterinarians must hold firmly the veterinary profession and apply it – "the seek for a job must be in accordance with the acquired professional competence as a veterinarian because is bound by rules and and codes of veterinary ethics", he said.
Given that the veterinary profession is needed everywhere, Drh. Wiwik advised that the new vets not necessarily become ”fleas” that would move or jump to other places when they get an offer of higher income because it will give bad image to the veterinary profession and PDHI.
In a similar response, Vice Rector of Academic and Student Affairs Prof. Dr. Yonny Koesmaryono advised that IPB graduates of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine who have been sworn have to be able to uphold the ethics and morals as veterinarians as well as the profession they bear.
Further, Prof. Yonny said the high demand for veterinary profession has caused the rising interest of students to study at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine IPB, including overseas students from Sabah Malaysia. Moreover, according to him, FKH IPB today is one faculty of excellence, which will soon get an International Accreditation.
IPB’s new veterinarians sworn this time are 71 graduates, all of whom are of one batch (mtd).
