Helping to Grow the Veterinary Industry

As the veterinary industry faces a critical staffing shortage, and with our pet ownership at an all-time high (69% of Australian households have a pet), it’s never been more important to educate future vets and young people aspiring to join the veterinary profession.

PetSure actively participates in veterinary education programs, lecturing and presenting to veterinary students on all things pet insurance as well as running an in-house graduate program.

Since 2015, PetSure has been offering scholarships to aspiring young vets to attend Future Vet Kids Camp, a veterinary-inspired, face-to-face and virtual school holiday program for kids aged 9 to 16 years that teaches responsible pet ownership and veterinary medicine.

The 5-day program, run by vet twins Drs Audrey and Alison Shen from the Bondi Vet TV show, enables young aspiring vets to learn about animal health from experts, visit state-of-the-art veterinary hospitals and much more.

PetSure CEO Alex Thomas said, “PetSure is committed to pet health education, and we’re thrilled to be part of a program that inspires young animal lovers to join the veterinary industry and pursue their passions.”

2020 PetSure Scholarship recipient Alahna Dimock is passionate about animal welfare. ”The camp was an incredible experience that I will never forget and has affirmed my desire and made me more determined to become a vet,” she said. “This job has so many opportunities and is very rewarding as you are able to help vulnerable animals that don’t have a voice!”

Rebecca Halcomb, a 2021 recipient of PetSure’s Scholarship, was accepted to study veterinary science at Charles Sturt University for 2023 and believes her camp experience was key to helping her secure her university placement.

“When I heard about Future Vet Kids Camp, I thought it would be a great next step to learn about the vet industry but I couldn’t afford to attend due to financial hardship in my family,” she said. “The PetSure scholarship was a game changer for me, allowing me to attend the camp, learn more about aspects of my dream career and affirm my goals for the next couple of years.”

Future Vet Kids Camp enabled Rebecca to learn to work through case studies and visit specialists, not to mention meet experts and new people who shared her passion for animals.

“My overall favourite experience was the ultrasound workshop, where we were able to use the probe on a live animal and learn about the value of this diagnostic tool in a clinical setting,” she said.

Dr Audrey loves to see the campers get excited about pursuing their dream to work with animals and “go out with the knowledge and experiences they’ve gained at the camp and start making a difference for pets and people around the world.”

Future Vet Kids Camp graduates Isabella Baad, Katiya Knoester, Asha Mortel and Alec Campbell used their program experience to make a positive difference too! Isabella (VIC) volunteered at her local wildlife shelter and worked at a wildlife rehabilitation centre in Africa, taking action against poaching.

Katiya (NSW) spent two weeks saving endangered turtles in Sri Lanka, contributing to turtle conservation, whilst Asha (QLD) helped to build an orangutan rehabilitation centre in Borneo, Indonesia, as part of an international project to raise awareness about deforestation caused by palm oil production.

Alec (NSW) fostered countless cats and kittens for the Animal Welfare League NSW, giving them a chance to find their forever home.

Dr Alison said, “Whether or not the kids end up following the path to a career in veterinary medicine, simply being around lots of different animals (from kittens to snakes) and animal lovers from across the country, has such a positive impact on them.”