Career opportunities for veterinary graduates are wide open as demand for veterinarians continues to rise each year. In Indonesia, few universities produce veterinary graduates, despite the profession being highly needed in animal clinics, livestock industries, veterinary services in local governments, quarantine centers, and even within the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the National Police (Polri).
“Veterinary graduates have excellent career prospects. Therefore, alumni experiences are essential to share with students, from quarantine, regional veterinary services, veterinary centers, to the police,” said Professor Aris Haryanto, as Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Cooperation, and Alumni of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FKH UGM).
Professor Haryanto said that in opening the sharing session, Exploring Veterinary Careers: Prospects and Opportunities, on Saturday (Sep. 19) at the FKH UGM Auditorium.
Class of 1975 alumnus and now working as a veterinarian, Longgo Wibisono Kusuma, shared his journey after graduating from FKH UGM.
He highlighted the importance of pursuing careers in the private sector, especially in the poultry industry, which he considered highly promising.
“The poultry industry requires veterinary expertise in quarantine, diagnostics, feed management, and animal health management,” he explained.
The next session featured five alumni from the Class of 2000, now working in various fields.
Among them, Dr. Joko Susilo, a researcher and veterinarian at the Lampung Veterinary Center, spoke about his experiences in handling large animals, particularly cattle and goats.
“As a veterinarian at the Lampung Veterinary Center, my responsibilities go beyond diagnostics. Every day, I encounter diverse cases of animal diseases, especially in cattle and goats,” said Dr. Susilo.
“I also frequently go to the field to conduct training for farmers,” he added.
Another alumnus, who is currently serving as a veterinarian at the South Kalimantan Quarantine Center, Isrokal, elaborated on the dynamics of animal import and export activities.
He emphasized that as a quarantine veterinarian, his primary responsibility is to ensure that only healthy, disease-free, and non-protected animals are cleared for shipment.
He noted that the profession requires hard work and full preparedness.
“We must be ready for reassignment to various regions and remain on call 24 hours a day, regardless of being male or female,” he said.
Police Commander and veterinarian Adi Purnomo provided a unique perspective, having worked as a veterinarian in the police force.
He explained the dual role of veterinarians in the police, serving both as animal health experts and as members of the K9 Unit.
As a veterinarian, he is responsible for the health of horses and K9 detection dogs, while also performing operational duties with the dogs.
“For those interested in joining, be physically prepared, complete the clinical rotation, prepare documents from elementary school, and monitor the SIPSS registration website,” he encouraged.
The discussion continued with practitioners and veterinarians at the West Sumatra Provincial Livestock and Animal Health Office, where Eka Oktarianti shared insights on career opportunities for women in veterinary medicine, as well as challenges related to mobility and balancing roles.
Closing the session, Nurhidayatullah, a veterinarian at the West Kalimantan Provincial Plantation and Livestock Office, described the scope of work as a civil servant (ASN) at the provincial level, including career opportunities and infrastructure challenges.
The session provided an inspiring platform for FKH UGM students to explore the diverse range of professions available to veterinarians.
After the presentations, a question-and-answer session allowed participants to engage directly with the speakers.
The enthusiasm was evident from the number of questions asked, reflecting students’ keen interest in veterinary career paths.
Author: Aldi Firmansyah
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Photographs: Aldi Firmansyah & FKH UGM