What degree do you need to be a marine veterinarian?

Question

Kate Swindlehurst · Accepted Answer

You must hold a veterinary medicine doctorate to become a marine veterinarian. Before entering veterinarian school, you must complete a bachelor's degree in any field. The exact undergraduate degree is unimportant; you just need to make sure you have met all prerequisite requirements for entering veterinarian school.

Once you begin veterinarian school, you learn more about anatomy, pathology, and other concrete classroom learning. The second half of your schooling is filled with clinical rotations.

At the end of your doctorate program, you can choose your specialization. Because you want to become a marine veterinarian, this is where you would choose your specialization to work closely with marine life. After graduation, you need to pass different exams to work legally.

First, ensure you are licensed in the state where you work. Then pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam. Finally, you can earn the aquatic medicine certification through the American College of Zoological Medicine Board.