Career
Center Resources
Nature of the Work | Working
Conditions | Employment
| Training, Other Qualifications,
and Advancement | Job Outlook
| Earnings | Related
Occupations | Sources of
Additional Information Significant
Points Veterinarians play a major role in the healthcare of pets, livestock,
and zoo, sporting, and laboratory animals. Some veterinarians use
their skills to protect humans against diseases carried by animals
and conduct clinical research on human and animal health problems.
Others work in basic research, broadening the scope of fundamental
theoretical knowledge, and in applied research, developing new ways
to use knowledge. Most veterinarians perform clinical work in private practices.
More than one-half of these veterinarians predominately, or exclusively,
treat small animals. Small animal practitioners usually care for
companion animals, such as dogs and cats, but also treat birds,
reptiles, rabbits, and other animals that can be kept as pets. Some
veterinarians work in mixed animal practices where they see pigs,
goats, sheep, and some nondomestic animals, in addition to companion
animals. Veterinarians in clinical practice diagnose animal health
problems; vaccinate against diseases, such as distemper and rabies;
medicate animals suffering from infections or illnesses; treat and
dress wounds; set fractures; perform surgery; and advise owners
about animal feeding, behavior, and breeding. A small number of private practice veterinarians work exclusively
with large animals, focusing mostly on horses or cows but may also
care for various kinds of food animals. These veterinarians usually
drive to farms or ranches to provide veterinary services for herds
or individual animals. Much of this work involves preventive care
to maintain the health of the food animals. These veterinarians
test for and vaccinate against diseases and consult with farm or
ranch owners and managers on animal production, feeding, and housing
issues. They also treat and dress wounds, set fractures, and perform
surgery - including cesarean sections on birthing animals. Veterinarians
also euthanize animals when necessary. Other veterinarians care
for zoo, aquarium, or laboratory animals. Veterinarians who treat animals use medical equipment, such as
stethoscopes; surgical instruments; and diagnostic equipment, such
as radiographic and ultra-sound equipment. Veterinarians working
in research use a full range of sophisticated laboratory equipment. Veterinarians can contribute to human as well as animal health.
A number of veterinarians work with physicians and scientists as
they research ways to prevent and treat human health problems, such
as cancer, AIDS, and alcohol or drug abuse. Some determine the effects
of drug therapies, antibiotics, or new surgical techniques by testing
them on animals. Some veterinarians are involved in food safety at various levels.
Veterinarians who are livestock inspectors check animals for transmissible
diseases, advise owners on treatment, and may quarantine animals.
Veterinarians who are meat, poultry, or egg product inspectors examine
slaughtering and processing plants, check live animals and carcasses
for disease, and enforce government regulations regarding food purity
and sanitation. Veterinarians often work long hours, with well over one-third of
full-time workers spending 50 or more hours on the job. Those in
group practices may take turns being on call for evening, night,
or weekend work; and solo practitioners can work extended and weekend
hours, responding to emergencies or squeezing in unexpected appointments. Veterinarians in large animal practice also spend time driving
between their office and farms or ranches. They work outdoors in
all kinds of weather, and have to treat animals or perform surgery
under less-than-sanitary conditions. When working with animals that
are frightened or in pain, veterinarians risk being bitten, kicked,
or scratched. Veterinarians working in non-clinical areas, such as public health
and research, have working conditions similar to those of other
professionals in those lines of work. In these cases, veterinarians
enjoy clean, well lit offices or laboratories and spend much of
their time dealing with people rather than animals. Veterinarians held about 59,000 jobs in 2000. About 28 percent
were self-employed in solo or group practices. Most others were
employees of another veterinary practice. The Federal Government
employed about 800 civilian veterinarians, chiefly in the U.S. Departments
of Agriculture and Health and Human Services. Other employers of
veterinarians are State and local governments, colleges of veterinary
medicine, medical schools, research laboratories, animal food companies,
and pharmaceutical companies. A few veterinarians work for zoos;
but most veterinarians caring for zoo animals are private practitioners
who contract with zoos to provide services, usually on a part-time
basis. Prospective veterinarians must graduate from a 4-year program at
an accredited college of veterinary medicine with a Doctor of Veterinary
Medicine (D.V.M. or V.M.D.) degree and obtain a license to practice.
There are 27 colleges in 26 States that meet accreditation standards
set by the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical
Association. The prerequisites for admission vary by veterinary
medical college. Many of these colleges do not require a bachelor's
degree for entrance; but all require a significant number of credit
hours - ranging from 45 to 90 semester hours - at the undergraduate
level. However, most of the students admitted have completed an
undergraduate program. Preveterinary courses emphasize the scences; and veterinary medical
colleges typically require classes in organic and inorganic chemistry,
physics, biochemistry, general biology, animal biology, animal nutrition,
genetics, vertebrate embryology, cellular biology, microbiology,
zoology, and systemic physiology. Some programs require calculus;
some require only statistics, college algebra and trigonometry,
or precalculus; and others require no math at all. Most veterinary
medical colleges also require core courses, including some in English
or literature, the social sciences, and the humanities. Most veterinary medical colleges will only consider applicants
who have a minimum grade point average (GPA). The required GPA varies
by school, from a low of 2.5 to a high of 3.2, based on a maximum
GPA of 4.0. However, the average GPA of candidates at most schools
is higher than these minimums. Those who receive offers of admission
usually have a GPA of 3.0 or better. In addition to satisfying preveterinary course requirements, applicants
must also submit test scores from the Graduate Record Examination
(GRE), the Veterinary College Admission Test (VCAT), or the Medical
College Admission Test (MCAT), depending on the preference of each
college. Additionally, in the admissions process, veterinary medical colleges
weigh heavily a candidate's veterinary and animal experience. Formal
experience, such as work with veterinarians or scientists in clinics,
agribusiness, research, or in some area of health science, is particularly
advantageous. Less formal experience, such as working with animals
on a farm or ranch or at a stable or animal shelter, is also helpful.
Students must demonstrate ambition and an eagerness to work with
animals. Competition for admission to veterinary school is keen. The number
of accredited veterinary colleges has remained at 27 since 1983,
whereas the number of applicants has risen. About 1 in 3 applicants
was accepted in 1998. Most veterinary medical colleges are public,
State-supported institutions and reserve the majority of their openings
for in-state residents. Twenty-one States that do not have a veterinary
medical college agree to pay a fee or subsidy to help cover the
cost of veterinary education for a limited number of their residents
at one or more out-of-state colleges. Nonresident students who are
admitted under such a contract may have to pay out-of-state tuition,
or they may have to repay their State of residency all, or part,
of the subsidy provided to the contracting college. Residents of
the remaining 3 States ( Connecticut , Maine , and Vermont ) and
the District of Columbia may apply to any of the 27 veterinary medical
colleges as an at-large applicant. The number of positions available
to at-large applicants is very limited at most schools, making admission
difficult. While in veterinary medical college, students receive additional
academic instruction in the basic sciences for the first 2 years.
Later in the program, students are exposed to clinical procedures,
such as diagnosing and treating animal diseases and performing surgery.
They also do laboratory work in anatomy, biochemistry, medicine,
and other scientific subjects. At most veterinary medical colleges,
students who plan a career in research can earn both a D.V.M degree
and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree at the same time. Veterinary graduates who plan to work with specific types of animals
or specialize in a clinical area, such as pathology, surgery, radiology,
or laboratory animal medicine, usually complete a 1-year internship.
Interns receive a small salary but usually find that their internship
experience leads to a higher beginning salary, relative to other
starting veterinarians. Veterinarians who seek board certification
in a specialty must also complete a 2- to 3-year residency program
that provides intensive training in specialties, such as internal
medicine, oncology, radiology, surgery, dermatology, anesthesiology,
neurology, cardiology, ophthalmology, and exotic small animal medicine. All States and the District of Columbia require that veterinarians
be licensed before they can practice. The only exemptions are for
veterinarians working for some Federal agencies and some State governments.
Licensing is controlled by the States and is not strictly uniform,
although all States require successful completion of the D.V.M.
Degree - or equivalent education - and passage of a national board
examination. The Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates
(ECFVG) grants certification to individuals trained outside the
U.S. who demonstrate that they meet specified requirements for the
English language and clinical proficiency. ECFVG certification fulfills
the educational requirement for licensure in all States except Nebraska
. Applicants for licensure satisfy the examination requirement by
passing the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam (NAVLE), which
recently replaced the National Board Examination (NBE) and the Clinical
Competency Test (CCT). The new NAVLE, administered on computer,
takes one day to complete and consists of 360 multiple-choice questions,
covering all aspects of veterinary medicine. The NAVLE also includes
visual materials designed to test diagnostic skills. The majority of States also require candidates to pass a State
jurisprudence examination covering State laws and regulations. Some
States also do additional testing on clinical competency. There
are few reciprocal agreements between States, making it difficult
for a veterinarian to practice in a different State without first
taking another State examination. Forty-one States have continuing education requirements for licensed
veterinarians. Requirements differ by State and may involve attending
a class or otherwise demonstrating knowledge of recent medical and
veterinary advances. Most veterinarians begin as employees or partners in established
practices. Despite the substantial financial investment in equipment,
office space, and staff, many veterinarians with experience set
up their own practice or purchase an established one. Newly trained veterinarians can become U.S. Government meat and
poultry inspectors, disease-control workers, epidemiologists, research
assistants, or commissioned officers in the U.S. Public Health Service,
U.S. Army, or U.S. Air Force. A State license may be required. Prospective veterinarians must have good manual dexterity. They
should have an affinity for animals and the ability to get along
with animal owners. Additionally, they should be able to quickly
make decisions in emergencies. Employment of veterinarians is expected to grow faster than the
average for all occupations through the year 2010. Job openings
stemming from the need to replace veterinarians who retire or otherwise
leave the labor force will be almost as numerous as new jobs resulting
from employment growth over the 2000-10 period. Most veterinarians practice in animal hospitals or clinics and
care primarily for companion animals. The number of dogs as pets
is expected to increase more slowly during the projection period
than in the previous decade. However, faster growth of the cat population
is expected to increase the demand for feline medicine and veterinary
services, offsetting any reduced demand for veterinary care for
dogs. Also, as non-necessity income generally increases with age,
those who own pets may be more inclined to seek veterinary services.
Small increases in the total number of household pets, coupled with
the movement of baby boomers into the 34 to 59 year age group, means
that the willingness by pet owners to pay for veterinary services
should continue. In addition, pet owners are becoming more aware
of the availability of advanced care and may increasingly take advantage
of nontraditional veterinary services, such as preventive dental
care, and may more willingly pay for intensive care than in the
past. Finally, new technologies and medical advancements should
permit veterinarians to offer better care to animals. New graduates continue to be attracted to small animal medicine
because they prefer to deal with pets and to live and work near
highly populated areas. This situation will not necessarily limit
the ability of veterinarians to find employment or to set up and
maintain a practice in a particular area. Rather, beginning veterinarians
may take positions requiring evening or weekend work to accommodate
the extended hours of operation that many practices are offering.
Some veterinarians take salaried positions in retail stores offering
veterinary services. Self-employed veterinarians usually have to
work hard and long to build a sufficient client base. The number of jobs for large animal veterinarians is expected to
grow slowly, because productivity gains in the agricultural production
industry mean demand for fewer veterinarians than before to treat
food animals. Nevertheless, job prospects may be better for veterinarians
who specialize in farm animals than for small animal practitioners,
because most veterinary medical college graduates do not have the
desire to work in rural or isolated areas. Continued support for public health and food safety, international
and national disease control programs, and biomedical research on
human health problems will contribute to the demand for veterinarians,
although such positions are few in number. However, anticipated
budget tightening in the Federal Government may lead to low funding
levels for some programs, limiting job growth. Veterinarians with
training in public health and epidemiology should have the best
opportunities for a career in the Federal Government. Median annual earnings of veterinarians were $60,910 in 2000. The
middle 50 percent earned between $47,020 and $84,220. The lowest
10 percent earned less than $36,670, and the highest 10 percent
earned more than $128,720. According to a survey by the American Veterinary Medical Association,
average starting salaries of 2000 veterinary medical college graduates
varied by type of practice as follows: Small animal, predominant $42,918 New veterinary medical college graduates who enter the Federal
Government usually start at $35,808. Beginning salaries were slightly
higher in selected areas where the prevailing local pay level was
higher. The average annual salary for veterinarians in the Federal
Government in nonsupervisory, supervisory, and managerial positions
was $ 67,482 in 2001. Veterinarians prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases, disorders,
and injuries in animals. Those who do similar work for humans include
chiropractors, dentists, optometrists, physicians and surgeons,
and podiatrists. Veterinarians have extensive training in physical
and life sciences, and some do scientific and medical research,
closely paralleling occupation biological and medical scientists. Animal care and service workers and veterinary technologists, technicians
and assistants work extensively with animals. Like veterinarians,
they must have patience and feel comfortable with animals. However,
the level of training required for these occupations is substantially
less than that needed by veterinarians. For additional information on careers in veterinary medicine and
a list of U.S. schools and colleges of veterinary medicine and accreditation
policies, send a letter-size, self-addressed, stamped envelope to: American Veterinary Medical Association For information on veterinary education, write to: For information on scholarships, grants, and loans, contact the
financial aid officer at the veterinary schools to which you wish
to apply. Veterinarians
Nature of the Work
Working Conditions
Employment
Training, Other Qualifications,
and Advancement
Job Outlook
Earnings
Small animal, exclusive 42,640
Large animal, exclusive 41,629
Large animal, predominant 41,439
Mixed animal 40,358
Equine 28,526 Related Occupations
Sources of Additional Information
1931 N. Meacham Rd., Suite 100
Schaumburg, IL 60173-4360
Internet: http://www.avma.org
Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges
1101 Vermont Ave. NW., Suite 710
Washington, DC 20005
Internet: http://www.aavmc.org
