Veterinary Medicine

Veterinary Medicine

Decision

Preparation

Schooling

Careers

US Vet Schools

Web Sites

I. Making a Career Decision

Career exploration = talking with individuals in the field or counselors

Attend Veterinary Enrichment Camp at TAMU in the summer*

Must have a strong interest and aptitude in the biological sciences.

Must have a life long interest in scientific learning

Must like and understand animals

Must work well and communicate with a variety of people

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II. Preparation

Preparation begins in High school. Recommended courses are

a) 4 years of English

b) 4 years of Math

c) 3 years of science (biology, chemistry, physics)

Animal Experience

4-H

Scouting

Working at an animal facility (shelter, clinic, lab, farm)

College Courses

64-68 hours of undergraduate work are need for admission

“C” course work or better (better grades = better chances)

Choose a major that works for you, no “Pre-Vet” degree

Suggestions are: Wildlife science, Animal Science, Biology,

Zoology, Biomedical Science, Chemistry,

Biochemistry, Microbiology

Freshman courses needed: Biology, Chemistry, and English

Sophomore courses needed: chemistry, physics, speech, technical writing, calculus or statics

Junior courses needed: microbiology, nutrition, genetics, and biochemistry

Other recommended courses: zoology, anatomy, computer science

Examinations: GRE or MCAT

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III. Expected length of school

3-4 years of undergraduate work

4 years of professional curriculum

1-3 years of specialized training (optional)

Totaling 8-10 years of education after High School

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Veterinary Career Opportunities

A. Private Practice

Most veterinarians (80%) are in private clinical practice of which 60% are in small animal medicine and treat companion animals. 10% are in large animal practice and treat farm animals and horses. About 30% are in mixed practice and their patients include companion animals, livestock / farm animals, and horses.

Job duties include health maintenance and disease prevention. Private practitioners examine patients, vaccinate against diseases, prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases, and advise owners on ways to keep their animals healthy and well nourished.

When health problems develop, veterinarians must diagnose the problem and treat the patient’s condition. Accurate diagnosis frequently requires the use of laboratory test, x-rays, and some special procedures. Treatments may include emergency measures, prescribing medication, performing surgery, or advising on nutrition and care of the patient.

B. Teaching and Research

Faculty members at veterinary schools and elsewhere are involved in educating students in the health field. Faculty may also conduct research on health problems concerning animals or humans. Laboratory animals may be used in this research and are carefully bred, raised, and maintained under veterinary supervision. Research findings and contributions are distributed in scientific publications, continuing education programs in order to help other health professions to better serve the public.

C. Regulatory Medicine

Veterinarians work for the government in agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection, the U.S. Department of Public Health, CDC, NIH, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. USDA veterinarians make sure that the food products are safe and wholesome and help control, eliminate, and prevent foreign diseases that may enter the country. They supervise shipment of animals and perform tests to help detect the presence of diseases that can affect people. The public health veterinarian helps prevent and control animal and human diseases as well. They investigate disease outbreaks and evaluate the safety of food handling facilities and water supply facilities. Veterinarians with the FDA determine the safety and efficacy of medicines and food additives.

D. Military

Veterinarians serve as officers in the U.S. Army Corps and are responsible for biomedical research in areas such as pathology, microbiology, and lab animal medicine. In the U.S. Air Force, veterinarians serve in the Biomedical Science Corps as public health officers. Responsibilities include the management and control of the spread of zoonotic and highly contagious diseases and the monitoring of insects that can spread diseases.

E. Private Industry

Veterinarians can work in private laboratories involved with biomedical and pharmaceutical research. They can develop, test, and supervise the production of drugs, chemicals, and biological products. In addition, they can be involved with the management and marketing of products from agribusiness (feed, livestock, and poultry industries), pet food companies, and pharmaceutical companies.

F. Veterinary Specialist

Veterinarians can choose to limit their area of practice to one species or a discipline such as internal medicine, surgery, ophthalmology, etc. A veterinary specialist has additional training and must pass the boards to be “board certified” in their area of expertise. There are approximately 20 AVMA recognized specialty boards. Examples are: Anesthesiology, Behavior, Dentistry, Dermatology, Emergency and critical care, Internal medicine, Laboratory Medicine, Microbiology, Nutrition, Ophthalmology, Pathology, Pharmacology, Poultry Medicine, Preventive Medicine (Public Health), Radiology, Surgery, Theriogenology (reproduction), Toxicology, Zoological Medicine.

* Career Exploration

Veterinary camp enrichment is a three day program during the summer for interested sophomore, junior, and senior high school students who want to explore veterinary medicine as a career. Applications and fees are due in the early spring. High school transcripts, SAT scores, a letter of recommendation from a counselor, and an essay are part of the application process. Students stay in air conditioned dormitories and spend time in classes, observing diagnosis and treatment of animals, as well as attend seminars on veterinary career opportunities.

Information on this program can be obtained by writing to

Or by calling 800-874-9591

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U.S. Colleges of Veterinary Medicine

Auburn University

University of California – Davis

Colorado State University

Cornell University

University of Florida

University of Georgia

University of Illinois

Iowa State University

Kansas State University

Louisiana State University

Michigan State University

University of Minnesota

Mississippi State University

University of Missouri

North Carolina State University

Ohio State University

Oklahoma State University

Oregon State University

University of Pennsylvania

Purdue University

University of Tennessee

Texas A&M University

Tufts University

Virginia-Maryland Regional College

Washington State University

University of Wisconsin

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Web Sites

www.cvm.tamu.edu Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine

www.avma.org American Veterinary Medical Association

References:

Career Choices for Veterinarians: Beyond Private Practice

Carin A. Smith, D.V.M.

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