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How can I develop a career in Veterinary Medicine while also following my love of behavioral psychology? ?

I’m a senior in high school and have loved animals my entire life. For the past nine years of my life, I have been training dogs for competition obedience, rally, agility, and conformation. Since I was a little girl, I have wanted to build a career with animals, large and small. I especially want to pursue a career in reproduction as I have found that to be a very under serviced field in veterinary medicine. I have become extremely attached to the pathway since I own intact animals and struggle to find a Veterinarian who is able to take care of them. I have reached a cross-roads though. I love behavior and studying it. I’ve taken multiple college psychology courses and thrive learning many of these concepts. I don’t want to leave the pathway of Veterinary Medicine, but rather would like some help developing a pathway to combine both of my passions.
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veterinarian veterinary-medicine fall2025 behavioralpsychology
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Anthony’s Answer

Hi, there, my name is A.J. Lewis and I am the lead ag. sciences teacher at my local high school. I am sure that you have already been in animal science classes in your high school, you mentioned psych. classes as well. That is a great start, but as you said you are a senior and you're looking for the "what's next?" part of your life. Honestly you can still pursue both in college, you can major in pre-vet and minor in psych or vice versa. Indiana has plenty of choices as far as undergraduate programs are concerned so you are in a great place already. Now if you are in an FFA program with your high school then make sure that you are keeping up with AET online. When you apply to colleges this program will serve as your resume. You can ask the ag teachers about it and they will gladly help you, even if you are not currently one of their students they will still help you I'm sure. They are a source of great information when it comes to the vet side of things. Now if college isn't currently an option for you there is another viable route. You can join a military branch and as long as your ASVAB score is good enough and you meet physical criteria then you can join as a vet assistant. Yes, this is a real job! They have vet hospitals at just about every major base in America, the dogs do drug, human, and bomb tracking across every branch. Just do your research and stick to a plan, you know you want something, now figure out the how. Try your ag teachers first and go from there! I hope that this helps in some sort of way and I wish you the best in your future. Please shoot me a message if you have any other questions and I will do my best to answer for you. Take care!
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Diana’s Answer

Hi Abigail!
I love how clearly you’ve identified your two passions — veterinary medicine and animal behavior. The great news is that you don’t have to choose between them. There are several career paths that combine both fields, and your background in dog training already gives you a strong foundation.

Here are the best ways to develop a career that blends veterinary medicine with behavior psychology:

1. Become a veterinarian with a specialization in animal behavior

Many veterinarians choose to focus on behavior after earning their DVM.
You could:
• Complete your veterinary degree
• Then pursue a residency or certification in veterinary behavior
• Work with cases related to fear, aggression, anxiety, reproduction-related behavior, etc.

This path lets you diagnose medical and behavioral conditions and design full treatment plans.

2. Explore the field of Applied Animal Behavior

This is the intersection between psychology and animal science.
Professionals in this area help with:
• Training and behavior modification
• Welfare assessments
• Understanding reproductive and social behavior
• Research on learning, cognition, and motivation

You could study psychology or animal science alongside your veterinary training or as a dual-interest plan.

3. Work toward becoming a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB)

If you enjoy the psychological side, this is a strong option.
It usually requires:
• A degree in psychology, animal behavior, or a related field
• Graduate studies (master’s or Ph.D.)
• Practical hours working with animals

Some professionals combine this with veterinary work or partner closely with veterinarians.

4. Integrate both passions through research

Since you’re interested in reproduction and behavior — this combination is perfect for research roles.
You could study:
• Behavioral impacts of breeding practices
• Maternal behavior
• Genetics and temperament
• Early socialization and development

This is a unique niche with very few experts, which means high impact.

5. Keep growing your hands-on experience

Your years in dog training are already an advantage.
Continue with:
• Volunteering at shelters
• Assisting at vet clinics
• Attending seminars about canine and feline behavior
• Learning about fear-free handling or positive reinforcement methods

This builds a powerful résumé for vet school or advanced behavioral programs.

6. Remember: you’re not behind — you’re ahead

Most high school seniors don’t have nine years of animal-handling experience or coursework in psychology. Your combination of interests is a strength, not a conflict.

You can absolutely build a career that honors both your love for animals and your fascination with how they think and behave.

If you want, I can also help you map out a step-by-step plan from high school → university → vet school → behavior specialization.
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