Veterinarian-Every Child's "Dream Job"?

Who wouldn’t want to cuddle puppies and kittens all day? I mean, that’s all a veterinarian does anyway, right? Veterinarian frequently tops the charts as a job many people aspire to achieve. A survey asking 2,000 adults about their childhood dream jobs demonstrated this phenomenon with “veterinarian” topping out as number three.

What is a veterinarian?

In short, a veterinarian is a trained medical professional that provides services to animals. Through the use of problem-solving skills and a deep knowledge of anatomy and physiology, veterinarians work to prevent and treat diseases in a variety of different species. Veterinarians also often work with physicians and public health agencies to help control and prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases.

The journey into a career in veterinary medicine typically begins with an innate passion to help animals and then blossoms into a love of science and medicine. Students interested in pursuing this career path should focus on taking science courses and developing strong study habits. High school students should try to challenge themselves with advanced science classes and work on achieving a high GPA that will allow them to get accepted into a good undergraduate program. Students should also focus on studying for standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT. Many high school students choose to major in Animal Science or Biology but as long as you meet the prerequisites for vet school, your major does not matter. College students that are interested in a career in veterinary medicine should focus on meeting the prerequisites required by the veterinary school(s) they plan on applying to. They should also be focusing on getting hands-on veterinary experience to make sure they understand what this career entails. Developing strong study habits and earning good grades is also important during this time as well as developing solid professional connections.

What are some career options in veterinary medicine?

The title of “veterinarian” is accompanied by a plethora of career options. Many veterinarians work in private practice and provide primary health care to companion animals and livestock on a case-by-case basis. Practitioners can specialize in a medical area of their interest such as surgery, ophthalmology, cardiology, etc. Others choose to focus their interest on a specific animal group or species such as horses, birds, marine mammals, or food production animals.

Another popular choice is working in public health. These veterinarians can work for regional or federal agencies and monitor domesticated animals' health and overall welfare. They can also observe populations of free-ranging wildlife. These professionals inspect meat and poultry, conduct research, diagnose diseases, and monitor communicable disease programs. Other veterinarians devote their attention to research and investigate different aspects of veterinary medicine to help develop new strategies and technologies. Another route that veterinarians can pursue is teaching. They can teach at veterinary schools, or colleges and help encourage students to develop problem-solving strategies and skills that promote animal health and welfare. Oftentimes, these veterinarians conduct research at the university in conjunction to the courses they instruct.

Overall, a career in veterinary medicine can be extremely rewarding. There are many aspects of veterinary medicine to explore that combine different interests and provide a way to positively impact the lives of people and their animals!