Veterinarians:

Sure, you go to your veterinarian for your dog or cat’s check ups and vaccinations but you may not realize this is the primary career for people who love animals. Unlike human physicians who only have to study the human body, veterinarians actually study several different kinds of animals. And unlike doctors who have the ability to ask patients various questions, unfortunately as we know animals can not tell the veterinarian their problems.

Although there are generic veterinarians for several purposes, there are different kinds of specializations. Examples include dentistry, chiropractic, dermatology, pharmacology, and ophthalmology. Although a pet doctor may choose to specialize in general animal care, usually they’ll specialize in large such as farm animals and horses or small animals that we know of such as dogs, cats, and common household pets.

People who become veterinarians are extremely passionate and dedicated towards pets. They need to possess a strong background in math and science in high school and then complete four years of college which has a large emphasis on biology and chemistry. Veterinary school typically takes four years to complete whereby students earn a DVM degree, or doctor of veterinary medicine. Next, these graduates must pass a challenging licensing exam before they can begin working as a veterinarian.

So, after all of the years of school and hard work, they’re ready to practice! However it’s not so simple since the recent graduates may have student loans and not be able to afford costs associated with starting their own practice. Common career paths for veterinary school graduates encompass working at a pet hospital for several years and then becoming partners with other veterinarians who own the hospital or setting up their own clinic at that point in time.

As for the actual work, no two days are a like! Typical days at their office or hospital may include performing surgery on a dog to remove a tumor, conducting blood tests, vaccinating pets, diagnosing illnesses and handling emergencies. In addition to the work there’s an emotional component. There may be strong moments of joy when veterinarians realize their ability to help a pet recover from an illness; that said however there are moments of frustration when they realize their medical ability can no longer help an animal and they’re beyond the point of no return. In addition to trying to help the pet, the vet also must have the patient care side for the pet owners. Unlike human physicians where they’re dealing with the patient and possible parent/guardian (for pediatricians), with pets there is another dimension of always interacting with the pet owner themselves.

Another career path is veterinary science whereby people aren’t necessarily working directly with pets but they work with the medicine of animals. The overall purpose is the same: to improve the overall health and lives of animals however it does not require as rigorous academic preparation or the time commitment as veterinarians. A variety of companies and groups sponsor studies to develop new ways to treat illness or prevent it altogether. For instance, dog food companies, pharmaceutical companies, and universities are typically involved in medical research.