[Continued from Part 1]
Graduates begin viewing the match as a rigged game or an unnecessary formality. Similarly, institutions that do follow the rules are put at a disadvantage if others are successfully poaching talent beforehand, leading to a collective disillusionment with the entire system.
The original goal of the
Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program (VIRMP)
was to avoid exactly what is happening now!
Greed is the major cause of this shift.
What is Greed?
Greed is the insatiable desire for more of what you want, and it can manifest in several ways (hoarding, theft, gambling and entitlement). In the case of the VIRMP, the greed manifests as both theft (e.g., stealing the essence of the VIRMP – honesty and integrity, and stealing from other programs in the VIRMP) and entitlement (e.g., the feeling by some programs that they have a right to do or have whatever they want without having to work for it).
Long-Term Impact on Veterinary Education and Career Development
The decline in the match’s perceived validity has ripple effects throughout the profession.
When merit and transparency take a back seat to covert negotiation
and corporate maneuvering, the profession risks diminishing
the quality and distribution of training opportunities.
Over time, this can contribute to burnout, job dissatisfaction, and inequality within the veterinary profession, as not all candidates have equal access to early off-match offers or the internal connections necessary to be approached by a corporate entity.
Summary
While the Veterinary Internship and Residency Matching Program still exists on paper and continues to operate each cycle, its loss of credibility comes from the persistent and increasingly overt cheating by some participating entities.
These range from individual programs privately striking deals with candidates, to
large corporate entities leveraging their resources to bypass the match altogether.
Without stronger enforcement mechanisms, transparency measures, and a collective commitment among institutions to honor the spirit of the match, its relevance and fairness will continue to wane.
In my opinion it already is too late to save the remnants of the VIRMP.
Veterinary medicine should return to the days when the loudest voice
or the entity with the most leverage (money) prevailed.
I lived through those days - they were a disaster!
For an understanding of the future, look to the past.
Shame on all those who contributed to the demise of the VIRMP.
Rick’s Commentary on Trust in the VIRMP
Trust is the cornerstone of any system that aims to provide equitable, merit-based opportunities, and its significance in the veterinary internship and residency match cannot be overstated. When candidates sign up for the match, they do so with the expectation that every participant - candidates and programs alike - will adhere to the same set of principles. They trust that by playing by the rules, their qualifications, experiences, and aspirations will be objectively weighed against those of their peers, and that no hidden backdoor deals will tilt the playing field.
However, as behind-the-scenes negotiations, early placements, and corporate interests undermine the fairness of the process, that trust begins to erode. Candidates, once hopeful about their prospects, become cynical. They start to suspect that the match no longer represents a reliable metric of quality or a fair shot at the positions they desire.
Programs that follow the rules find themselves competing in an arena where others are willing to bend the same rules, feeling betrayed by a system that should have shielded them from such tactics.
On a broader level, the breakdown of trust affects the entire profession. The veterinary community thrives when each member believes that they have earned their place by merit and hard work, rather than personal connections or opaque negotiations. Diminishing trust in the match process ultimately sows seeds of doubt that can carry into future professional relationships, mentorships, and collaborative efforts. Upholding trust, therefore, is not just about following a set of guidelines; it’s about preserving the integrity, credibility, and future growth of the veterinary profession.
Rick’s Commentary on Corporate Greed
At the heart of the erosion of the match’s credibility lies a force that has increasingly shaped many corners of professional veterinary life: corporate greed. As veterinary medicine becomes more consolidated, powerful corporate entities often put their bottom line above the profession’s collective commitment to fairness and growth.
By plucking candidates out of the match early and enticing them with offers that outstrip what smaller, rule-abiding programs can provide, these corporations skew the entire ecosystem.
Rather than investing in a healthy, transparent training environment that benefits candidates, institutions, and ultimately animal patients, they prioritize capturing
top talent to bolster their brand, expand market share, and maximize profit.
In doing so, corporate interests turn a once-trusted process into a transactional game where rules and ethics take a backseat, undermining not only the match itself but the broader integrity of the veterinary profession.
Rick’s Commentary on Corporations Funding Their Own Programs in Institutions
Another way corporate entities circumvent the spirit of the match is by leveraging their substantial financial resources to fund their own internship and residency programs.
Rather than participating in a fair, centralized system, they may sidestep the official match altogether by directly controlling the pipeline. By sponsoring advanced training opportunities and presenting handpicked slates of candidates outside the established channels, corporations effectively create their own private feeder systems. This ensures a constant influx of professionals who are already aligned with their corporate values and business model.
While it might sound beneficial on the surface - more funded programs mean more training spots, right? - this approach quickly tilts the playing field. Smaller, independent programs that rely on the official match struggle to compete with the allure of these well-funded, resource-rich corporate opportunities. Candidates looking for the best deal or guaranteed positions may feel compelled to skip the match and sign on with a corporate-run program.
Meanwhile, the veterinary profession at large loses the diversity and balanced distribution of talent that a truly fair match fosters. In the long run, these private pipelines erode not only the match’s integrity, but also the profession’s capacity for independent thought, academic exploration, and genuine mentorship - essential ingredients for a vibrant and innovative veterinary field.
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