What Is a Veterinarian?
Veterinarians are doctors who have a love for animals. They treat and perform medical procedures on all types of animals, including domestic pets, farm animals, and exotic animals. In this career, you can work in a clinical setting, like a veterinary office, though you could also travel to perform on-site aid for animals (for example livestock on a farm), or work in research laboratories or zoos.
The requirements for becoming a veterinarian include earning a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree and obtaining a license. Requirements for licensure varies by state, but all states require you to pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam (NAVLE). If you're a prospective veterinarian and you plan on obtaining specialty certification, like for avian or equine practice, you'll need to complete additional training through a residency in your area of specialization.
Veterinarian Definition
Veterinarians, also known as animal doctors, commonly work in animal clinics or hospitals where they receive small animal patients, like dogs and cats. By definition, a veterinarian is a type of medical doctor who treats injuries, diseases, and illnesses in animals; therefore, the educational path to become a veterinarian is quite lengthy and often includes additional internships or residencies and continuing education in addition to earning a DVM degree.
If you're interested in becoming a veterinarian, it's likely you share personality and work characteristics of those in this profession. Skills and qualities typically include compassion for animals and their owners, communication skills with other veterinary clinic members and with animals' owners, analytical and problem-solving skills, and the ability to think clearly and make decisions under pressure. As a veterinarian, you'll need to be able to cope with difficult and stressful situations; for example, working with sick animals, checking slaughterhouse animals' health, or euthanizing animals.
What Does a Veterinarian Do?
Daily duties of a veterinarian depend on the type of specialization and work setting; for example, an animal hospital vet would have some different duties than a vet at a zoo. Duties can range from:
- Administering vaccinations
- Treating minor wounds
- Performing surgery
- Birthing animals
Most vets work as small animal veterinarians and care for pets, such as dogs, cats, and other domesticated animals. In general, veterinarian responsibilities are similar to tasks a medical doctor has to care for humans. General responsibilities vets in companion animal clinics include:
- Performing routine health checks
- Inserting microchips
- Diagnosing diseases
- Creating treatment plans
- Analyzing ultrasound or x-ray results
- Educating on proper nutrition, exercise, behavioral training, grooming, and other pet care
If you choose to work at farms or ranches with livestock or zoo animals, you'll have many of the same defining duties, but your job might focus more on elements such as contagious diseases that can spread through a population of livestock, or ensuring that wild animals in captivity receive nutrients and live in an environment similar to their natural environment.
How to Become a Veterinarian
If you have your heart set on becoming a veterinarian, you'll need to be familiar with the education requirements. The general steps to become a veterinarian include:
- Earn your bachelor's degree in a pre-vet or scientific field
- Graduate from an accredited Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program
- Gain licensure by taking the appropriate state exam
- Get experience with an internship or formal training opportunities
The first step is to earn a bachelor's degree. It's in your best interest to choose an animal-focused or science-focused program, like animal science, zoology, or biology. You might find it even better if you can enroll in a pre-veterinary program. This can enhance your application to veterinary school, which is very competitive, and better prepare you for the challenging DVM program.
The most crucial part of the educational pathway is the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program. Your DVM program should be accredited by the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), and the course outline often includes 2-3 years of classroom studies and 1-2 years of clinical studies. Coursework tends to include subjects such as:
- Physiology
- Neuroanatomy
- Animal nutrition
- Animal behavior
- Clinical pathology
- Animal health and diseases
- Veterinary biochemistry
- Diagnostic imaging
- Surgery
During the clinical years, you'll rotate among specialty areas, such as cardiology and dentistry, and you can begin to focus on a specialization.
To further your studies in a specialized area of veterinary medicine, upon graduating from your DVM program, you can work in a year-long internship or complete a residency, which may include multiple years of hands-on clinical work and research.
Other requirements to become a veterinarian include licensure from the state where you'll practice and participating in continuing education to maintain your license. If you choose a specialty, you can also choose to earn board certification to demonstrate your expertise and dedication.
Veterinarian Job Outlook
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the expected job growth for all veterinarians between 2016 and 2026 is 19%, which is much faster than the national average for all jobs. This equates to an additional 15,000 new jobs within that 10-year period. The increase in jobs is credited to an expected increase pet care as well as an advances in technology that allow for procedures such as organ transplants for pets.
The BLS also notes that the states with the highest employment of veterinarians were California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania, while the states with the highest concentration of jobs were Montana, Colorado, Oregon, Wyoming, and Iowa.
Veterinary Specialists
Similar to how medical doctors can specialize in specific area of medicine, veterinarians can also choose from various pathways, either related to a type of animal or a type of veterinary care. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AMVA) oversees 40 specialties in veterinary medicine through the American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS). Let's look at some of the specialization options you have to choose from:
- Small animal veterinarian: Works with common household pets and mainly treat illnesses and injuries as well as advises owners on basic care. They also perform spaying and neutering surgeries.
- Large animal veterinarian: Often works with livestock or with horses. Large animal vets may further specialize in areas like equine practice, dairy practice, or swine health management.
- Veterinary dentist: Cares for animals' teeth and dental hygiene. Performs dental cleanings, treats periodontal disease, and could specialize more specifically in equine dentistry.
- Veterinary ophthalmologist: Treats eye injuries and eye conditions, such as glaucoma, cataracts, and cancer. Performs eye exams on service animals.
- Veterinary dermatologist: Cares for skin, hair, nail, hoof, and ear ailments and diseases in animals, including dandruff, allergies, hair loss, and odors.
- Veterinary neurologist: Treats issues related to the nervous system, including seizures, tremors, balance issues, gait issues, and paralysis. Often uses tests, like MRI, CT, and spinal tap, as part of neurological exams.
- Veterinary cardiologist: Specializes in animal heart and circulatory system health, usually working with small animals. Treats coughs, breathing problems, high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, and other heart diseases. Usually completes a year-long internship and several additional years of residency.
- Veterinary surgeon: Performs surgery on animals, including pre- and post-op procedures, and prescribes medication. Must complete a year-long internship and 3-year residency program.
- Military veterinarian: Cares for animals who work in a military capacity, typically horses or dogs, such as bomb-sniffing and rescue dogs. Also cares for military personnel's pets. May live on the military base.
- Zoo veterinarian: Cares for wildlife and exotic animals in captivity in zoos. Incorporates ecological and conservation practices along with veterinary care. Zoo veterinarians typically need to complete a 3-year or 4-year residency program.
- Marine veterinarian: Cares for aquatic animals, such as dolphins, seals, and fish, and may work in zoos or aquariums. Can obtain training through internships at aquariums and marine mammal centers.
- Avian (bird) veterinarian: Cares for captive birds, including pets who are brought into animal clinics, poultry, and exotic birds who live in zoos. Also cares for wild birds and promotes conservation of birds and their habitats. Technically referred to as an avian veterinarian.
- Veterinary behaviorist: Focuses on animal behavior as it relates to overall health. Studies environmental and life experience factors of animals and can prescribe medications or training to promote healthy behaviors.
- Veterinary pathologist: Studies diseases in animals and researches the prevention and treatment of such diseases, including infectious diseases and cancer. Working as a veterinary pathologist typically requires completion of a postdoctoral program, working at a teaching hospital, and conducting research.
- Holistic veterinarian: Requires the same traditional training as a regular veterinarian but also incorporates alternative and complementary medicine and treatments, such as homeopathic remedies. Holistic veterinarians can seek this specialized training through the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy.
Veterinary Technologist
If all that intensive training and those specialized pathways have you second guessing becoming a veterinarian, but you still want to work with animals in a medical capacity. a veterinary technologist is an alternative career you can consider. This position involves assisting a veterinarian with technical tasks in animal care during examinations or surgeries, but your tasks would usually be more focused on technology-based duties in a laboratory setting. This can include:
- Taking x-rays
- Administering medication
- Preparing samples for tests
To become a veterinary technologist, you'll need a four-year bachelor's degree in veterinary technology from a program accredited by the AMVA. Depending on your state, you might also need to obtain licensure, registration, or certification, which involves completion of an educational program and passing an examination, usually the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE). You can also choose to earn optional certification as a laboratory animal technologist to demonstrate your aptitude and commitment to your job.
Veterinary Technician
The veterinary technician job description is similar to that of a veterinary technologist, in that it includes hands-on animal care under the supervision of the veterinarian and consists of clinical laboratory duties. You could collect samples from animals and run diagnostic tests on them in the lab, but as a technician, your duties are more animal-focused, such as restraining animals during exams or providing nursing care.
If you're interested in becoming a veterinary technician, you'll typically need to earn an associate's degree in veterinary technology that's accredited by the AMVA. On-the-job training with an experienced veterinarian is an essential component of a career as a veterinary technician. While not required, you may elect to become certified as a laboratory animal technician.
Some of the other No InterWiki reference defined in properties for Wiki called "veterinary technician requirements [https"! include earning a license, which typically involves passing the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE), as well as possessing essential soft-skills, like communication, a clear head when under pressure, and compassion for animals.
Veterinary Assistant
If you absolutely love animals but don't want to earn a college-level degree or have to be licensed, you might be interested in becoming a veterinary assistant. This job only requires a high school diploma, although previous experience working with animals is a benefit and something that employers often desire. A large part of the preparation is on-the-job training that involves observation of day-to-day veterinary cases and gives you chances to carry out hands-on practical work with animals.
If you're wondering what the veterinary assistant career entails, it typically includes:
- Providing support to veterinarians during examinations and clinical procedures
- Giving first aid or medications
- Checking on animals who are staying in the clinic for procedures
- Cleaning facilities and animal cages
- Feeding and bathing the animals
- Collecting blood or tissue samples
As a vet assistant, you could work in an animal clinic or an animal laboratory.
Veterinary License & Certifications
All veterinarians must hold a license to be eligible to practice, and all states require veterinarians to pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE). This exam covers animal medicine and diagnostics as well as professionalism in the field and case management. Some states have additional exams that cover state-specific rules and requirements. You should check with your state board for the specifics.
Certification isn't required, although some employers prefer veterinarians who are board certified. Being certified in your specialty is a testament to your expertise and professionalism, and clients may have more trust in you to care for their pets if you hold a veterinary certification.
Certification is regulated by the AMVA's American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS). The ABVS oversees the 22 organizations that offer 40 specialty certifications altogether. For example, the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP) offers 11 types of certifications for different species, which include:
- Avian Practice
- Beef Cattle Practice
- Canine & Feline Practice
- Dairy Practice
- Equine Practice
- Exotic Companion Mammal Practice
- Feline Practice
- Food Animal Practice
- Reptile and Amphibian Practice
- Shelter Medicine Practice
- Swine Health Management
Aside from the ABVP, there are numerous other certifying organizations. Here's a brief list of some of these:
- American College of Zoological Medicine
- American College of Veterinary Nutrition
- American College of Veterinary Behaviorists
- American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia
Veterinary Continuing Education
After you've done all the educational and training steps to attain the position of a veterinarian, you still aren't done learning. Each day on the job brings new challenges and learning opportunities to better your capabilities as a veterinarian. But most states also require you to complete formal learning through veterinary continuing education opportunities.
Each state mandates the continuing education requirements. These can either include specific credit requirements in certain topics or more open-ended credit requirements that can include a combination of training seminars, coursework for credits, or research and publication. The point is to keep you informed of the latest technology and best practices in your field, give you the opportunity to expand your knowledge about additional species or specialties, and contribute to the field as a whole. Plus, it ensures you are competent to continue practicing professionally.
Here are a few examples of specific states' continuing education requirements:
- New York: 45 hours every three years, including a mandatory two hours on controlled substances
- California: 36 hours every two years, including up to six hours of self-study
- Washington: 30 hours every three years, including up to ten hours of self-study
- Virginia: 15 hours every year, allowing up to two hours of credit for veterinary services without compensation to low-income populations and one hour of credit for volunteer services
As with licensure, check your state board's requirements for continuing education. Each state provides a list of approved providers of continuing education courses and other parameters.
All statistics come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2018).
