Should I be a veterinarian? 🩺 🐈

"Hey, doc, I'm feeling a little ruff..."

Most sick patients can tell you what’s wrong, but try asking a dog or a cat.

For this, the world needs a professional who is equal parts animal mind reader, problem-solving brainiac, and master of cross-species medicine: in other words,a veterinarian.

Could you be that professional?

Image credit: Bing Copilot

An All-In-One Approach

You go to the (human) doctor: a cold stethoscope on the chest, a tap on the knee with the little doctor hammer. On checkout, it'd be pretty weird if they asked you to schedule a tooth cleaning, right?

In a veterinary clinic, it's a normal question and an expected service. Vets may offer more services in-house than the average human doctor, including:

• Wellness exams

• Surgery

• Dermatology

• Dental

• Overnight hospitalization

A Different Kind of Care and Communication

Vets also have the following skills when interacting with patients and their owners:

• Animal psychology and behavior

• Owner education

• Physical control and restraint

Watch the video below to see a simple but effective restraint method:

A Variety of Workplaces

Anywhere there are animals has the potential to be a vet's workplace. In clinics, of course, they treat pet dogs, cats, birds, and hamsters, but you will also find vets:

• On farms caring for livestock.

• In conservation and tourism to treat large, exotic animals like camels or elephants.

• In the military or research labs to protect public health.

Managing the healthcare of many different animal species makes vets the first line of defense in guarding public health.

• Preventing and treating diseases that cross species (e.g, bird flu).

• Inspecting food, especially food from animals.

• Developing new drugs for animals and people.

You might love to be a veterinarian if:

• You love animals and are generally comfortable around them.

• You're a lifelong learner who's happy to walk someone through complicated concepts.

• You can learn and perfect small movements for physical exams and surgery.

• You're not intimidated by larger or stronger animals.

• You don't mind having patients who can't speak, and you like solving problems.

• You like working with people, too! You'll be having a lot of important conversations with owners, technicians, and colleagues.

Pre-vet

Applying to vet school starts way before applying to vet school. Plan ahead by:

• Getting a bachelor’s degree in a biological science or program working with animals.

• Taking many science courses to meet vet school prereqs.

• Shadowing in clinics to get practical experience.

Vet school

Your Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) diploma is at the end of this rainbow. The typical vet school:

• Has a competitive application process in the US and Canada.

• Is expensive and often requires large student loans.

• Is four years long.

• Requires passing a licensing exam (but not a residency).

• Is composed of challenging science, lab, and practicum courses.

Check this list of US and Canadian vet schools to get your plan started. A word of warning: the competitive application process means many pre-vet students may look to international programs for entry.

Image credit: Bing Copilot

Jenny has loved working directly with animals her whole life. Growing up on a farm, she’s got an instinctive understanding of how to approach a nervous horse, how to stop the chickens from eating their own eggs, and a lot more that her brothers don’t even know.

She doesn't mind her brothers or other people, but sometimes finds it hard to explain things to them. She'll start her pre-vet track after high school. Select any of the advice below that you might tell Jenny:

A. Focus on academics in college and lean on your farm upbringing when applying to a vet school.

B. Work on future client communication skills by practicing teaching your brothers what you know around the farm.

C. Focus on being a public health vet.

D. Take a lot of communications courses in college to improve your communication skills.

In 2024, the average base salary for vets in the US is between $98,000 and $169,000 USD.

In 2024, the average base salary for vets in Canada is between $85,000 and $122,000 CAD.

Is veterinary medicine your calling?

It's a profession that includes challenges, rewards, and day-to-day work that makes a measurable difference for animals and people everywhere. Plus, you can finally look a gift horse in the mouth! 🐴

Get your veterinary career started today!