Education and awareness play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the veterinary industry. Veterinarians Dr Betty Chan and Dr Kylie Mitchell, from the PetSure Provider Management team, regularly present at universities and TAFEs around the country to share their pet healthcare knowledge with the next generation of veterinary professionals. 

In the past year, Dr Chan and Dr Mitchell have visited 10 different institutions including the University of Sydney (NSW), the Canberra Insititute of Technology (ACT) and the Australian College of Veterinary Nursing (VIC) among others. Their mission? To educate, engage, and empower the next generation of veterinary, nursing, vet tech, and animal study students through their “lunch and learn” program. 

The sessions typically run for one hour, where Dr Chan and Dr Mitchell share an interactive presentation that draws on real-life situations, external research and PetSure claims data including the average costs of pet health conditions, popular breeds and the most common health ailments experienced by Australian dogs and cats. The presentation generally covers: 

  • An introduction to pet insurance 
  • Importance of pet parents to be financially prepared 
  • A comparison of pet insurance vs wellness plans 
  • How veterinary professionals can handle pet insurance queries from clients 
  • Availability and impact of payment innovation, GapOnly®  

The presentation and discussion promote open dialogue and provides the students with plenty of time to ask questions and give feedback.  

Dr Chan and Dr Mitchell explore other topics raise affecting veterinarians and animal care professionals including economic euthanasia, emphasising the importance of educating clients about financial preparedness. According to PetSure research in 2022, it shows that 40% of pet parents would consider economic euthanasia if the vet bill exceeded $3,000. By openly discussing this difficult topic, they instil in students a sense of responsibility to advocate for pets’ best interests while navigating challenging financial conversations. 

As Australia’s leading pet insurance administrator, PetSure advocates for responsible pet ownership and compassionate animal care to help improve pet healthcare outcomes. Dr Chan and Dr Mitchell’s educational efforts reflect this commitment with their travel around the country to educate and foster connections with bright-minded students. 

By informing and educating future animal professionals in Australia, Dr Chan and Dr Mitchell hope to equip students with the knowledge and resources they need to provide excellent veterinary care while also preparing them for some of the challenges they may experience within the clinic, including the vital role of informing clients on the importance of financial preparedness.  

# PetSure research on customer’s sentiment towards vet bills (Sept – Oct 2022) 

Pet insurance can help by covering a portion of the eligible vet bill if the unexpected happens. Because it is difficult to predict the costs of veterinary care, it can help to have measures in place to help prepare for the unexpected. Check out our partner network and explore our policy tools to find a pet insurance policy.

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