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Ella
Student
Great Barrington, Massachusetts
3
Questions
Asked
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What is it like to be a wildlife veterinarian?
Hello!
I've been interested in veterinary medicine for a while, and have recently been especially drawn to the idea of working with wildlife. If anyone could tell me more about what this job entails, expected salary (I've heard it's less than a clinical vet but I'm unsure of how much), and overall if you would recommend it, that would be super helpful! Thanks!
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1 answer
Alison Smith
Veterinarian
1
Answer
Somerville, Massachusetts
Updated
Alison’s Answer
Hi Ella,
I'm not a wildlife vet, but I once aimed to be, which led me to vet school. I graduated from Tufts University in 2019 and worked for five years with pets like dogs and cats in various settings. Now, I work in a lab with different animals. Before vet school, I volunteered at a wildlife clinic, gaining experience with wild birds, reptiles, and small mammals like squirrels and bats. I also studied wildlife management in Tanzania, doing fieldwork with animals like elephants and lions. In vet school, I did a conservation externship in Costa Rica with bats, birds, and coatis. Tufts has a wildlife clinic where students get hands-on experience, and some even worked on a bear. The clinic has two full-time wildlife vets who teach and offer training programs, but these careers are hard to get and need extra schooling. Most wildlife vets go through years of college (4), vet school (4), internships/fellowships (1-2+), and residencies (3), often earning less than vets in other fields unless they land a rare job at a big zoo or aquarium. Despite wanting to be a wildlife vet, I chose a different path due to personal reasons, finances, and job availability.
At the wildlife clinic I volunteered for, the vet had a full-time job with the FDA and volunteered her time. Most wildlife positions are funded by donations or are linked to schools or conservation agencies. These jobs pay less but are filled by passionate people who care about animals and conservation. You need a strong passion for this field and be willing to take opportunities, even if it means moving to remote areas.
Volunteering can open doors to working with wildlife while having a more mainstream vet job that pays better and helps with your loans. I know a vet who was my boss at a dog/cat clinic and volunteers at the New England Aquarium, where she gets to scuba dive with the sea turtle. Opportunities are there for those who seek them.
I hope this helps!
Search for a local wildlife clinic in your area and reach out about volunteering.
Shadow lots of types of veterinarians (dog/cat, agricultural, exotic, laboratory, wildlife, zoo, etc) to make sure you have a backup of something you like if you can't do wildlife medicine
Be okay with getting dirty and on your feet a lot in your job
If you're in college, see if you can get involved in research involving animals at your school
I see you are in Great Barrington - you are not too far from Tufts Wildlife Clinic, which is one of the only veterinary wildlife teaching clinics in the states. Definitely look up opportunities for students on their website: https://vet.tufts.edu/tufts-wildlife-clinic
I'm not a wildlife vet, but I once aimed to be, which led me to vet school. I graduated from Tufts University in 2019 and worked for five years with pets like dogs and cats in various settings. Now, I work in a lab with different animals. Before vet school, I volunteered at a wildlife clinic, gaining experience with wild birds, reptiles, and small mammals like squirrels and bats. I also studied wildlife management in Tanzania, doing fieldwork with animals like elephants and lions. In vet school, I did a conservation externship in Costa Rica with bats, birds, and coatis. Tufts has a wildlife clinic where students get hands-on experience, and some even worked on a bear. The clinic has two full-time wildlife vets who teach and offer training programs, but these careers are hard to get and need extra schooling. Most wildlife vets go through years of college (4), vet school (4), internships/fellowships (1-2+), and residencies (3), often earning less than vets in other fields unless they land a rare job at a big zoo or aquarium. Despite wanting to be a wildlife vet, I chose a different path due to personal reasons, finances, and job availability.
At the wildlife clinic I volunteered for, the vet had a full-time job with the FDA and volunteered her time. Most wildlife positions are funded by donations or are linked to schools or conservation agencies. These jobs pay less but are filled by passionate people who care about animals and conservation. You need a strong passion for this field and be willing to take opportunities, even if it means moving to remote areas.
Volunteering can open doors to working with wildlife while having a more mainstream vet job that pays better and helps with your loans. I know a vet who was my boss at a dog/cat clinic and volunteers at the New England Aquarium, where she gets to scuba dive with the sea turtle. Opportunities are there for those who seek them.
I hope this helps!
Alison recommends the following next steps:
Thank you so much!
This response is super helpful, and it is so great to hear about the ways I could keep my attention with wildlife while working a clinical job, which is something I hadn't fully thought of before. Do you think you could tell me a bit more about the lab you work in and what you do there? It sounds really interesting. Also, thank you so much for the resources! I'll be attending Northeastern in Boston this coming fall, so any more opportunities you know of in the area do let me know! I'll definitely be checking out the wildlife clinic :)
Ella