How to become a veterinarian.

The veterinary industry is a thriving one that encompasses many roles that cater to the care and healthcare of pets. In many countries, there is a shortage of veterinarians. Particularly with the rise in pet ownership since the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need for veterinarians. Being a veterinarian opens the doors to many opportunities, from clinical practice, research to commercial roles. If you have a passion for learning about veterinary medicine, health and you truly care about the welfare of animals, becoming a vet is perfect for you! The journey to becoming a vet is not an easy one, and the career itself can be demanding, but it is a rewarding and fulfilling career.

Attributes of a veterinarian

There are a few attributes and skills that are a prominent part of being a vet.

• Being a people person- working with animals is just as much a part of the job as working with people.
• Being patient.
• A real passion for animal welfare.
• Having resilience - Apart from the long and intense studying, there are many obstacles and challenges that you need to overcome as a vet.
• Good with pets and animals.

Undertaking work experience

Working at a veterinary practice can certainly help you decide if this is a career for you. It's important to immerse yourself in all aspects of the practice, from medicine, to surgery, to diagnostics. Be sure to chat with the veterinarians about their pathway to becoming a vet and their thoughts on the pros and cons of the career.

The University application process

There are around 50 veterinary schools globally. Some universities offer a straight pathway to veterinary medicine with most requiring the completion of an undergraduate degree first. The selection process is rigorous and highly competitive. Not only are high academic scores essential, there are prerequisite units, a demanding application process, and interviews.

There may be other particular requirements for specific course pathways and universities, so make sure to do your own research.

Important criteria of a pre-vet student:

• Resilience
• Problem-solving skills
• Leadership
• Team-player
• Work experience in the veterinary industry

Pathway to becoming a veterinarian

The typical pathway for most universities with a 3 years bachelor degree and 4 years postgraduate. Most universities also only offer veterinary science and medicine as a full-time degree.

Throughout your post-graduate vet medicine degree, but particularly in your final year of vet medicine you will have lots of hands-on experience to help you gain confidence professionally and to become resilient and compassionate veterinarians. You'll learn from pharmacologists, vaccine manufacturers, veterinary specialists, public health experts to get an all-rounded education. Usually, the main areas that you develop skills in are:

• The scientific basis of clinical practice
• Ethics and animal welfare
• Biosecurity and population health
• Clinical skills
• Personal and professional development

You will also have many opportunities to put what you've learned in the classroom into practice by having many work experience placements in a wide variety of veterinary settings. This is a great way to give students exposure to what working as a vet is really like. From this, you will also have the opportunity to find out what interests you and choose your speciality. This could be:

• Small animal track (medicine, surgery, emergency and critical care)
• Production animal track (livestock and mixed rural practice)
• Equine track (horses)
• Government, industry and conservation health track (wildlife health, population health, policy, research and pharmaceuticals)

University contact hours for veterinary medicine can be very demanding around 25-35 hours a week. Some universities say that having a part-time job may be difficult to manage with contact hours like this, especially when placements can be in areas where you may have to travel a fair way or even interstate. So keep this in mind. It is still doable though.

During the degree, universities usually offer a wide range of opportunities to broaden your study experience. There are:

• A wide range of work experience opportunities
• Exposure to specialty practices and experts in their fields
• Practical experiences
• Mentors

A wide variety of clinical practice

One of the exciting aspects of studying to become a vet is that as a general practitioner you learn the skills to treat all animals and every aspect of animal health e.g. dentistry, surgery, radiology, general anesthesia. It is a career that is fast-paced, highly varied, and always interesting. And if you find a passion for one aspect of veterinary medicine, you can always look at a specialty down the track.

Pathway to becoming a vet specialist

Once you have completed a veterinary degree, you can consider doing a speciality. To achieve this, you must complete a one-year internship in a practice and a 2-3 year residency program in a recognised specialty college or board. You must also publish at least one research paper and pass a series of examinations.

Common types of veterinary specialists:

• Small animal surgery
• Ophthalmology
• Cardiology
• Dermatology
• Neurology
• Oncology
• Diagnostic imaging
• Anesthesia
• Emergency and critical care
• Clinical pathology
• Equine surgery
• Equine medicine
• Equine sports medicine
• Exotics

Veterinary specialists are seen as leading in the field of their expertise. They typically continue their research and clinical trials and provide education to veterinary students.

Hours of work

Veterinarians work long hours and are expected to do overtime to cater for emergencies and unwell pets. A shift is typically 8-10 hours with weekend work and after-hours required in some practices. They do not follow the typically 9am to 5pm work schedule as practices cater for all pet owners and working pet parents, opening from 8am and remaining open until 8pm. Veterinary emergency facilities offer services overnight for critical care.

Average salary

Expect a general veterinary practitioner to earn an average annual salary of $80,000.00 with experienced veterinarians and specialists earning up to $150,000.00.

If veterinary medicine sounds like it could be something for you, go for it! It's one of the most rewarding and fulfilling careers out there and if you have a passion and care for animals you'd be perfect for it! It's best to do your own research and find out what course and university suits you best, you'll gain lots of hands-on experience that will prepare you for a rewarding career as a vet.