동물보건사 제도에 대한 충남지역 수의사의 인식 분석 및 제도 개선 방안 연구: TOE 프레임워크를 중심으로

Analysis of Veterinarians' Perceptions in Chungnam Province Regarding the Veterinary Technician System

This study analyzed veterinarians' perceptions to explore the field applicability and improvement plans for the Animal Health Technician (AHT) system, introduced in 2021 with a national qualification exam, in response to the growing domestic companion animal market and increasing demand for animal medical services. Despite its introduction, issues such as role and competency controversies, employment of unqualified individuals, and unstable employment forms were pointed out in the field. Veterinarians, in particular, expressed concerns regarding ambiguous scopes of work, lack of field applicability in the education curriculum, and legal liability issues. A survey of 46 veterinarians at animal hospitals in Chungcheongnam-do and a TOE framework analysis revealed that certified AHTs (N=16) showed statistically significantly higher scores in professionalism (mean 3.50 vs. 2.79, p=.015) and hospital contribution (mean 3.29 vs. 2.58, p=.009) compared to uncertified individuals (N=19), yet there was no difference in annual salary. Regarding preferences for expanding the scope of work by hospital size, 2-3 person hospitals (N=6) overwhelmingly preferred maintaining the current system with 0% support for expansion. The biggest challenge identified for the system was “ambiguity in job scope and roles,” accounting for 58.7% (27 cases). Based on these findings, this study proposes clarifying the legal status and scope of work through revision of the Veterinarian Act, establishing institutional incentives and improving remuneration systems to encourage the employment of certified AHTs, redesigning education curricula to strengthen field-oriented practical training, and enhancing public awareness campaigns. These policy efforts are expected to contribute to improving the quality of animal medical services and promoting public health.