What degree do you need to be a wildlife veterinarian?

There are many universities across the country that offer programs in veterinary medicine, but some are better known than others for their wildlife offerings. A couple of specific examples include:

• Tufts University's veterinary program is well-known for its wildlife medicine program. The Tufts Wildlife Clinic offers veterinary students the opportunity to work with more than 3,000 wild animals each year. Fish and game wardens and local rehabilitators bring these animals in for treatment before returning them to the wild.

• The University of California at Davis is another top school for wildlife veterinary medicine. As part of its veterinary medicine program, The UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine affords students access to the largest Wildlife Health Center within the One Health Institute.

  There are plenty of unique Veterinary educational options at UC Davis. If you're going for a DVM degree with an emphasis on wildlife health, or if you're looking for post-doctoral fellowships or residency programs focused on various aspects of wildlife health management, then UC Davis should be on the top of your options list.

A number of universities also offer wildlife veterinarian degree programs that can be completed as part of an apprenticeship. These programs typically combine coursework with hands-on experience in the field. The Wildlife Society offers a list of accredited wildlife veterinarian programs.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states the overall employment of veterinarians is projected to grow 19% from 2021 to 2031. Many of the openings will result from the need to replace workers who change occupations or retire. The BLS also states that the median annual wage for Veterinarians was $100,370 in May 2021.