Internship and professional designations in veterinary medicine: legal risks and limits of permissible qualification claims

Abstract

The article examines the legal aspects of using professional titles in veterinary medicine within the context of implementing the internship institution. It analyzes the regulatory acts governing the veterinary internship experiment and the general legislative requirements for the accuracy of information regarding specialists' qualifications. The limits of permissible qualification claims are identified: the law allows the use of the title "veterinarian" for individuals with specialized education; however, the use of specialized qualifications (e.g., "veterinary surgeon") without undergoing appropriate training may be considered as misleading consumers and unfair competition. Potential legal risks for practicing veterinary professionals and organizations (fines, reputational losses) due to misrepresenting qualifications are discussed. Based on the research findings, measures to ensure legal clarity are proposed: establishing clear criteria for the application of professional titles during the transition period, recommending the indication of the actual work profile without claiming nonexistent specialized qualifications, and improving the regulatory framework considering the results of the internship experiment. The conclusion highlights the need to balance the encouragement of education and qualification advancement for veterinarians with the prevention of consumer deception.