What is a Veterinarian?

Yes, veterinarians make good money. The median salary for a veterinarian is around $90,000 in a year.

However, veterinarian salaries can range from around $56,000 on the low end to around $162,000 on the high end. This means that the salaries of most veterinarians fall somewhere between $70,000 and $100,000 per year.

It takes about eight years to become a veterinarian. Aspiring vets can expect to devote about eight years to their higher education if they spend four years in college and four years in vet school earning a doctor of veterinary medicine (D.V.M.) degree.

Yes, it is hard to become a vet. To become a vet, a person has to go through extensive schooling that is expensive and time-consuming.

It typically takes about eight years to become a veterinarian. Since veterinary school typically lasts for four years and veterinary students usually have a bachelor's degree, the journey into the veterinary profession is a long one.

Veterinarians, zoo veterinarians, and vet nurses are careers in veterinary medicine. Here are descriptions of these careers and others in veterinary medicine:

• Veterinarian

  A veterinarian is a doctor who diagnoses, treats, and cares for animals. They seek to prevent or administer treatment for animal diseases and other medical conditions. Most vets are qualified to perform a wide range of medical services for animals.

  They work in private practices, animal hospitals, academic settings, research facilities, and other animal settings.

  Common duties include administering vaccinations and necessary medications, treating animals suffering from illness, disease, or injury, assisting in the birth of the animal litter, giving health and diet advice to pet and livestock owners, and spaying, neutering, and euthanizing animals when necessary.

  Veterinarians must get a doctorate in veterinary medicine in order to legally practice as a vet. Typically, veterinary schools require students to have completed coursework in the following areas:

  • Anatomy

  • Animal Science

  • Biology

  • Chemistry

  • Physiology

  • Zoology

  Veterinarians must also obtain state licensure, and requirements may vary from state to state, but all require graduation from an accredited veterinary school. To acquire a license, they must then pass the Veterinary Licensing Exam.

  The average salary of a veterinarian in the United States is $94,897 per year.

• Zoo veterinarian

  Zoo veterinarians are doctors of zoo animals. They perform the same kinds of tasks as regular veterinarians, although their jobs tend to be more complex because they give medical care to exotic animals.

  Zoo veterinarians need a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD) degree to practice. Before attending veterinary school to obtain this degree, they must first get their bachelor's degree in a related field.

  A bachelor's degree in zoology is perhaps the best preparation for a career being a zoo veterinarian. After they get a DVM or VMD, they also need to obtain a state license. All states require a license to be a zoo veterinarian.

  In addition, most states require the passing of a state test, as well as the national exam.

  Zoo veterinarians need to obtain internships in the field. They can do this while in school or post-graduation. They must do this to develop hands-on experience dealing with exotic animals. Here they can be mentored by professional zoo vets. Internships also prepare them for the residency program they need to complete.

  Getting specialized training in a residency program is another requirement. Most zoo vet residency programs last around 3 to 4 years. These programs are approved by the American College of Zoological Medicine (ACZM), which is the certifying board for zoological medicine.

  Residency programs offer in-depth professional training and experience. They help to hone clinical skills and research abilities. The work may take place at a zoo, aquarium, wild animal park, or another related site with exotic animals.

  The average salary of a zoo veterinarian in the United States is $122,467 per year.

• Veterinary assistant

  You need an associate's degree in veterinary technology to be a veterinary assistant. Education requirements may also depend on the employer and what specific tasks you will be asked to perform.

  You can also seek to obtain a veterinary assistant certificate. These programs prepare you to perform responsibilities like assisting with lab procedures, animal nursing, and diagnostic imaging.

  Most vet assistants have an associate's degree. However, there are no strict education requirements for the position. Though a degree of some kind is often preferred by employers. Working experience with animals is also a major plus.

  Veterinary assistants make an average wage of $15.44 per hour in the United States.

• Vet nurse

  A vet nurse provides supportive care for animals receiving treatment within a veterinary practice. A vet nurse works in a veterinary office with doctors.

  They can have many responsibilities at work, such as assisting a vet during surgery, providing animals with physical therapy, administering medication, and analyzing laboratory specimens to help develop a diagnosis.

  Vet nurses must complete veterinary nursing programs in order to be eligible for employment. The average wage of a vet nurse in the United States is $17.09 per hour.

• Vet tech

  A vet tech is a professional that specializes in animal care. A vet tech works under the direction of a veterinarian and performs various medical tasks to promote the well-being of animals.

  Their job duties may include preparing animals for surgery, monitoring them after an operation, administering medication, and providing care instructions to owners.

  In most states, veterinary technicians need at least an associate degree and a license or other credentials.

  In three states: Alaska, California, and Wisconsin, veterinary technicians can qualify for the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) after completing alternative degrees or by gaining on-the-job training.

  The American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) oversees and administers the VTNE. Some states, such as Massachusetts, may not require a license.

  The average wage of a vet tech in the United States is $18.25 per hour.

There are several pros and cons associated with being a vet; pros include pay, work-life balance, and variety, while cons include the length of training, debt potential, and working with difficult animals.

Veterinarians wear medical scrubs with or without a white lab coat. There are different types of veterinarians based on their type of practice. Some veterinarians work solely in an office-style clinical practice seeing small animals like dogs and cats, while others may be large animal vets working on farms or ranches.