2 answers
Jenna
Student
Saint Charles, IA
1
Question
Asked
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When should I determine the specialty I want to pursue if I'm planning on going to vet school?
Is this something I can decide after I've been admitted and am enrolled in vet school, or should I know before?
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2 answers
Leanne Hayes
Field Marketing
10
Answers
Basingstoke, England, United Kingdom
Updated
Leanne’s Answer
Hey Jenna, I think it’s completely normal to feel unsure about choosing a specialty before starting vet school - many people don’t have it all figured out at the start. I think that is true in many careers to be honest! I know I certainly didn't!!
I know that here in the UK, you don’t need to know your specialty before starting vet school - the courses are designed to give you a broad foundation first. I believe it’s the same in the US, where most students explore different areas during their studies and only start to narrow down their interests later on.
That said, you could always check with the specific vet schools you’re interested in to be 100% sure of their approach, especially if you're already leaning towards a specialty.
In the meantime, I'd suggest:
- Getting exposure to different fields by shadowing vets in various specialties (if this is an option for you)
- Talk to professionals or current students to hear how they found their path
- Stay open-minded - many students change their minds once they experience different areas during clinical placements or rotations
So, don’t worry if you’re not sure yet - that’s exactly what vet school is for! Focus on gaining experience, asking questions, and exploring what excites you most. The right path will become clearer as you progress.
Good luck - if I had my time again, it would be a career I would have loved to explore more.
I know that here in the UK, you don’t need to know your specialty before starting vet school - the courses are designed to give you a broad foundation first. I believe it’s the same in the US, where most students explore different areas during their studies and only start to narrow down their interests later on.
That said, you could always check with the specific vet schools you’re interested in to be 100% sure of their approach, especially if you're already leaning towards a specialty.
In the meantime, I'd suggest:
- Getting exposure to different fields by shadowing vets in various specialties (if this is an option for you)
- Talk to professionals or current students to hear how they found their path
- Stay open-minded - many students change their minds once they experience different areas during clinical placements or rotations
So, don’t worry if you’re not sure yet - that’s exactly what vet school is for! Focus on gaining experience, asking questions, and exploring what excites you most. The right path will become clearer as you progress.
Good luck - if I had my time again, it would be a career I would have loved to explore more.
Nirah Shomer, DVM PhD DACLAM
Senior leader in laboratory animal science, animal welfare, and regulatory compliance
73
Answers
Updated
Nirah’s Answer
A specialty is definitely something that you can do after you start vet school!
If you do already have something in mind, you can pursue that as an interest, but the first few years of Vet school you'll be learning general physiology, pharmacology, and anatomy of all the major species. Even if you were interested in just pursuing horses, for example, you would still need to learn dog, cat, cow, pig, etc. in order to graduate as a veterinarian. Your main opportunity to specialize comes in your senior year, when you do Externships related to your specific areas of interest. Depending on the curriculum at the school you go to, there may not even be any elective courses until your second or third year. However, if you are interested in certain areas, you will find opportunities to volunteer and explore in your early years at Vet school. Many schools also offer a broad tracking opportunity, generally starting after the second year, to somewhat specialize in large animal versus small animal.
If you really want to specialize and get a specialty Board certification, which most veterinarians do not do, that will require 2 to 5 years of additional post veterinary school residency in order to qualify for the specialty board exams in areas such as surgery, pathology, laboratory animal medicine, etc.
Visit avma.org to learn more about Specialties
If you do already have something in mind, you can pursue that as an interest, but the first few years of Vet school you'll be learning general physiology, pharmacology, and anatomy of all the major species. Even if you were interested in just pursuing horses, for example, you would still need to learn dog, cat, cow, pig, etc. in order to graduate as a veterinarian. Your main opportunity to specialize comes in your senior year, when you do Externships related to your specific areas of interest. Depending on the curriculum at the school you go to, there may not even be any elective courses until your second or third year. However, if you are interested in certain areas, you will find opportunities to volunteer and explore in your early years at Vet school. Many schools also offer a broad tracking opportunity, generally starting after the second year, to somewhat specialize in large animal versus small animal.
If you really want to specialize and get a specialty Board certification, which most veterinarians do not do, that will require 2 to 5 years of additional post veterinary school residency in order to qualify for the specialty board exams in areas such as surgery, pathology, laboratory animal medicine, etc.
Nirah recommends the following next steps: