By Kate Forrester

By Annie Brown

ABC Great Southern

Topic: Veterinary Medicine

Monday, 27 July 2026, at 11:00 am

Murdoch University says its veterinary students have a lot of requirements for their degree.

In short:

Murdoch University's School of Veterinary Medicine wants the government to help its students with payments.

The government is expanding a program to help students in some health professions.

What's next?

The dean of the vet school says money problems are causing a shortage of vets in some areas.

Gemima Rahman had to move 1,500km to study to be a vet.

Now, she is studying to work with large animals.

Ms Rahman said moving away from home was very expensive.

Gemima Rahman is a student at Murdoch University’s School of Veterinary Medicine.

Ms Rahman would have liked to work in other places, but it was too expensive.

A paid program would have helped Ms Rahman with stress.

Students in her degree work 10 hours a week and study.

Sometimes, Ms Rahman worked at night and didn't have time to sleep.

This is why many students in her profession get burned out.

Veterinary students are not getting paid for their training.

If the government helped students, there would be more vets and less burnout.

Veterinary studies are not included in the government's expansion.

The prime minister announced the expansion of the payment scheme.

The scheme now includes 10 more university courses, but not veterinary studies.

Students in some health professions can get $338.60 per week.

Murdoch University wants the government to include veterinary students in the scheme.

'Extremely disappointed'

The dean of the vet school is disappointed that veterinary students were left out.

The dean says vets provide an essential service and should get support.

Murdoch University says veterinary students should get the same support as other health professions.

Students do 52 weeks of compulsory placements and work in an essential service.

The financial pressure of placements is causing a shortage of vets.

The veterinary profession has been short of workers for nine years.

Murdoch University welcomes the expansion, but wants vet students to be included.

The Australian Veterinary Association president says vets play a crucial role in biosecurity.

A discovery on the beach showed how important vets are.

Vets were called to the front line to protect the nation's biosecurity.

The president does not understand why vets are not supported by the government.

The Education Minister said expanding the scheme to allied health was the next step.

These areas have big skills shortages and will have more in the future.

The minister did not say if veterinary students would be included in the future.

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