Joshua
2 answers
Mary Ballard
Mary’s Answer
Hi Joshua!
It is never too early to start thinking of the steps it takes to become a veterinarian. In high school you should take all the math, chemistry, biology, and physics classes that you can. It could be a good time to start volunteering at a local animal shelter or shadow a vet in your area.
In college you will need to choose a school that offers a pre-vet program, or look at what the prerequisites are to the vet schools you are interested in. Your GPA, animal and clinical experience, Graduate Record Exam (GRE), letters of recommendation, leadership & Communication skills, and co-curricular activities are all factors that are looked at on vet school applications.
Penn State has a great resource on how to prepare for these things!
https://vbs.psu.edu/majors/vbs/steps-to-becoming-a-veterinarian
Mary recommends the following next steps:
Sheila Jordan
Sheila’s Answer
I agree with the previous poster. I'd like to add some additional information for your consideration.
Veterinarians care for the health of animals and work to protect public health. They diagnose, treat, and research medical conditions and diseases of pets, livestock, and other animals.
Veterinarians must have a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from an accredited veterinary college, as well as a state license.
TRAINING
Veterinarians must complete a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD) degree at an accredited college of veterinary medicine. A veterinary medicine program generally takes 4 years to complete and includes classroom, laboratory, and clinical components.
Admission to veterinary programs is competitive. Most applicants to veterinary school have a bachelor’s degree. Veterinary medical colleges typically require applicants to have taken many science classes, including biology, chemistry, and animal science. Most programs also require math, humanities, and social science courses.
Some veterinary medical colleges prefer candidates to have experience such as previous work with veterinarians in clinics, or working with animals on a farm, at a stable, or in an animal shelter.
In veterinary medicine programs, students take courses on animal anatomy and physiology, as well as disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Most programs include 3 years of classroom, laboratory, and clinical work. Students typically spend the final year of the 4-year program doing clinical rotations in a veterinary medical center or hospital.
PAY
The median annual wage for veterinarians was $95,460 in May 2019. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $58,080, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $160,780.
JOB OUTLOOK
Employment of veterinarians is projected to grow 16 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Increases in consumers’ pet-related spending are expected to drive employment in the veterinary services industry, which employs most veterinarians.
Veterinary medicine has advanced considerably. Today’s veterinarians are able to offer many services that are comparable to healthcare for humans, including more complicated procedures such as cancer treatments and kidney transplants.
Overall job prospects are expected to be very good. Best of luck to you on your journey to work with our furry friends!
Sheila recommends the following next steps: