VETERINARY MEDICINE & ANIMAL HEALTH AND SCIENCE

How to Become a Vet

Education Veterinarians must complete a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

(D.V.M. or V.M.D.) degree at an accredited college of veterinary medicine. There are currently 28 colleges with accredited programs. A veterinary medicine program generally takes 4 years to complete and includes classroom, laboratory, and clinical components.

Although not required, most applicants to veterinary school have a bachelor's degree. Veterinary medical colleges typically require applicants to have taken many science classes, including biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, zoology, microbiology, and animal science. Some programs also require math and humanities or social science courses.

Education Cont.

Admission to veterinary programs is competitive, and less than half of all applicants were accepted in 2010.

In veterinary medicine programs, students take courses on normal animal anatomy and physiology, as well as disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Most programs include 3 years of classroom, laboratory, and clinical work. Students typically spend the final year of the 4-year program doing clinical rotations in a veterinary medical center or hospital. In veterinary schools today, increasingly, courses also include general business management and career development classes to help new veterinarians learn how to effectively run a practice

Licenses

All states and the District of Columbia require veterinarians to have a license. Licensing requirements vary by state, but all states require prospective veterinarians to complete an accredited veterinary program and to pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam.

Most states require not only the national exam but also have a state exam that covers state laws and regulations. Few states accept licenses from other states, so veterinarians who want to be licensed in a new state must usually take that state's exam.

Training

Although graduates of a veterinary program can begin practicing once they receive their license, many veterinarians pursue further education and training. Some new veterinary graduates enter 1-year internship programs to gain experience. Internships can be valuable experience for veterinarians who apply for competitive or better paying positions or in preparation for a certification program.

All Vets Love Animals

Career profiles- small animal practice vet Career profile – small animal vet tech Career profile – Equine Vet Career profile - Bovine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhXDM8j8Cc4&list=PLMszZOQAqfuX-LxFx7qNG7ilqbnfRURHF

Certification

The American Veterinary Medical Association offers certification in 40 different specialties, such as surgery, microbiology, and internal medicine. Although certification is not required for veterinarians, it can show exceptional skill or expertise in a particular field. To sit for the certification exam, veterinarians must have a certain number of years of experience in the field, complete additional education, or complete a residency program, typically lasting 3 to 4 years. Requirements vary by specialty.

Work Experience

When deciding whom to admit, some veterinary medical colleges weigh experience heavily. Formal experience, such as work with veterinarians or scientists in clinics, agribusiness, research, or some area of health science, is particularly advantageous. Less formal experience, such as working with animals on a farm, at a stable, or in an animal shelter, can also be helpful.

Important Qualities to become a Vet

Compassion. Veterinarians must be compassionate when working with animals and their owners. They must treat animals with kindness and must be sensitive when dealing with the owners of sick pets.

Decision-making skills. Veterinarians must decide the correct method for treating the injuries and illnesses of animals. Deciding between euthanizing and treating a sick animal, for instance, can be very difficult.

Interpersonal skills. Strong communication skills are essential for veterinarians, who must be able to explain treatment options to animal owners and give instructions to their staff.

Management skills. Management skills are important for those veterinarians who are in charge of running private clinics or laboratories. In these settings, they are responsible for providing direction, delegating work, and overseeing daily operations.

Manual dexterity. Manual dexterity is important for veterinarians because they must control their hand movements and be precise when treating injuries and performing surgery.

Problem-solving skills. Veterinarians need strong problem-solving skills because they must figure out what is ailing animals. Those who test animals to determine the effects of drug therapies also need excellent diagnostic skills

How much do they make?

The median annual wage of veterinarians was $82,040 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $49,910, and the top 10 percent earned more than $145,230.

According to a survey by the American Veterinary Medical Association, average starting salaries for veterinary medical college graduates in 2011 in different private specialties were as follows:

More on salary

Food animal exclusive $71,096 Companion animal exclusive 69,789 Companion animal predominant 69,654 Food animal predominant 67,338 Mixed animal 62,655 Equine 43,405 The average annual wage for veterinarians in the federal

government was $88,340 in May 2010. Veterinarians often work long hours. Some work nights or

weekends, and they may have to respond to emergencies outside of scheduled work hours. About 1 in 4 veterinarians worked more than 50 hours per week in 2010

Job Outlook

Employment of veterinarians is expected to grow 36 percent from 2010 to 2020, much faster than the average for all occupations.

The need for veterinarians will increase to keep up with the demands of a growing pet population. Many people consider their pets to be a part of their family and are willing to pay more for pet care than owners have in the past. Also, veterinary medicine has advanced considerably, and many of the veterinary services offered today are comparable to health care for humans, including cancer treatments and kidney transplants.

There also will be employment growth in fields related to food and animal safety, disease control, and public health. As the population grows, more veterinarians will be needed to inspect the food supply and ensure animal and human health.

Careers that involve the care of Animals

Break into groups of 2 – you have 10 minutes to search for as many careers in the animal science field as possible. You may use your books, phones or internet. List the career and a brief description.

American Veterinary Medical Association “We are Veterinary Medicine”

Tour the web site AVMA.ORG

Watch 3 video serieshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY9L8Nq6Obs&list=PLMszZOQAqfuX-LxFx7qNG7ilqbnfRURHF&index=8

Becoming a vet part 1 – Join the team Becoming a vet part 2 – Getting into vet

school Becoming a vet part 3 – Getting to the

good stuff

http://www.youtube.com/AmerVetMedAssn

References

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Healthcare/Veterinarians.htm

AVMA.ORG