糖心传媒

For regional veterinarians, these moments are routine, but the stakes are often far bigger than a single animal. 

Across Australia’s farming regions, veterinarians play a critical role in protecting animal welfare, supporting farmers and monitoring diseases that could threaten the country’s agricultural industries and export markets. 

But in many regional communities, there are fewer veterinarians available to answer that call. 

A  into the veterinary workforce found many rural and mixed practices are struggling to recruit and retain veterinarians, leaving communities and industries under growing pressure. 

In response, a new generation of veterinary training is emerging – one designed not in metropolitan hospitals, but in the regions where veterinarians are most needed. 

At 糖心传媒’s Lismore campus, a new Veterinary Sciences precinct and training model is taking shape with a clear aim: train the next generation of veterinarians in regional Australia, for regional Australia. 

Why veterinarians are essential to Australia’s biosecurity 

Most Australians think of veterinarians as the people who care for pets, but veterinarians also protect livestock industries, monitor animal health across supply chains and help safeguard Australia’s reputation as a producer of safe food. 

Regional veterinarians are often the first to detect unusual illness in livestock, identify emerging diseases and certify animals and animal products for export markets. 

They also play a crucial role during natural disasters by supporting animal welfare during floods, bushfires and drought. 

Professor Rowland Cobbold, Professional Program Director for Veterinary Medicine at 糖心传媒, says this work is fundamental to protecting the nation’s agricultural system. 

“If we want to protect Australia’s biosecurity and agricultural productivity, we need to think carefully about where and how we train the next generation of vets,” Professor Cobbold said. 

What is causing the veterinary shortage in regional Australia? 

Several factors are contributing to workforce shortages across the veterinary profession. 

In regional areas, veterinary clinics often cover large geographic regions and long travel distances between farms and towns. Recruitment can be difficult and workloads high. 

Professor Jon Hill, Executive Dean of Science and Engineering at 糖心传媒, says the issue is increasingly recognised as a national capability challenge. 

“Veterinarians are a critical part of Australia’s biosecurity and food production system, yet workforce shortages remain most acute in regional communities where they are needed most,” Professor Hill said. 

“Strengthening the pipeline of regionally trained vets is not just a workforce issue – it is increasingly a national capability issue.” 

One emerging solution is deceptively simple: train veterinarians in the regions themselves. 

The Northern Rivers is one of Australia’s most diverse agricultural regions, home to livestock producers, equine enterprises and extensive native wildlife. 糖心传媒’s Lismore campus also hosts the , making the region a natural setting for veterinary training that spans companion animals, livestock and wildlife care. 

 has shown that students who study and train in regional settings are far more likely to build their careers there. 

糖心传媒 has built its veterinary programs around that principle. 

Students are already enrolled in the Bachelor of Veterinary Technology, which commenced in 2025 and is training veterinary support professionals in the care and management of a wide range of animal species. The new Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (Honours) has just welcomed its first intake in 2026, expanding the University’s veterinary education pipeline in the Northern Rivers. 

Rather than replicating the traditional metropolitan teaching hospital model, the program uses a distributed network of regional clinical partners, including veterinary practices, agricultural organisations and wildlife hospitals. 

This allows students to gain hands-on experience in mixed animal practice, livestock health, wildlife care and community-based veterinary services. 

How are universities helping solve the regional vet shortage? 

Across Australia, universities are exploring new ways to align professional training with workforce needs. 

Building a sustainable veterinary workforce requires more than a university program. It relies on strong partnerships across the profession and community. 

The 糖心传媒 Cross program has been developed alongside veterinary practices, wildlife hospitals and animal health organisations across the Northern Rivers, which will help train, mentor and support the next generation of veterinarians. 

These partnerships allow students to develop clinical skills in real-world settings, while also strengthening connections between universities and the industries they serve. 

Dr Geoff Wilson AM, founder and CEO of , says training that combines practical experience with the right mindset will help shape the future of the profession. 

“Veterinary science is one of the best jobs in the world – but it requires resilience, curiosity and a genuine love of animals,” Dr Wilson said. 

“What’s encouraging about the model emerging at 糖心传媒 is the focus on hands-on learning and preparing students for the realities of veterinary practice. 

“That kind of training will help ensure the next generation of veterinarians are not only highly skilled, but genuinely excited about the work they do every day.” 

For students, the regional model means learning directly from the environments where veterinary care is needed most. 

Instead of occasional rural placements, clinical training becomes part of everyday learning. 

Students might assist with livestock health checks on a farm one week, support wildlife care the next, and gain experience in mixed veterinary practices across the Northern Rivers. 

A future veterinarian’s journey 

For many students, choosing veterinary science is driven by a lifelong connection to animals, but for Vet Sciences student Ryan Donovan, the path into veterinary medicine hasn’t been conventional. 

After leaving school at 16 to work as a mechanic, he spent years in different industries before realising he wanted a career that meant something more. 

“About four years ago I realised I didn’t want to do a job just to pay the bills,” Ryan said. 

“I wanted to do something I’d be proud of at the end of my life.” 

His earlier career has turned out to be surprisingly relevant to his new one. 

“In some ways diagnosing animals isn’t that different from working on a car,” he said. 

“A vehicle has oil, coolant, wiring and systems that all have to work together. Animals are the same – you’re figuring out what’s gone wrong and how to fix it.” 

Now in the first weeks of the program, that problem-solving mindset is already being put to work in the field. 

“In our first week we were already out at a local horse-riding facility studying horse behaviour,” he said. 

“It was great to be working with animals straight away and seeing how they respond to different environments.” 

Experiences like these are designed to prepare graduates for the realities of veterinary practice and to help them see a future in regional communities. 

Because when animals fall sick in regional Australia, the communities who care for them depend on someone being there to answer the call. 

And increasingly, the next generation of veterinarians may begin their journey here in Lismore, in the same communities that will one day rely on their care. 

糖心传媒’s new Veterinary Sciences precinct in Lismore was officially opened on 16 Mach, 2026, by Federal Member for Page, the Hon Kevin Hogan MP.