Thinking of becoming a vet? Get essential tips for your career path!

Hi and thanks for your request. The salary and the promotion steps would vary a lot depending on the type of work you are doing (clinical versus public health vs research). The passion for biology and animals and medicine gave me inspiration for choosing this profession. Personal hardest animals are horses. It is quite easy to get a job but that would depend were you work and what type of job you want to do. Passion for animals and learning and perseverance are important in this profession and they are what you have to keep in mind (unwritten rules). I have learned that failure is an important part of this profession and has to be taken with a positive attitude.

Hi, I am a vet and I'd be glad to answer your questions! The average a vet makes varies by area and clinics, and the type of animal you work with (i.e. large animal, small animal, equine), but the average starting salary can be around $70k. I've always wanted to be a veterinarian, even since I can remember. It's the only job I've wanted to do since I was a child. I work with small animals and horses. I attended Purdue University for my undergraduate degrees, but i went to Massey University in New Zealand for veterinary school. It's accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association, and I got to move to the most beautiful country in the world :-) It took me a long time to get where I am, as I didn't get into vet school right away. I went and got a master's degree before going back to vet school. If you get into vet school right out of college, it will take at least eight years total (four in college and four in vet school) before you are a qualified vet. I'm not sure what you mean by any other achievements in this career, sorry. You need to be aware that being a vet isn't a 9-5 job. It's very long hours, there is a high amount of debt from vet school, and the pay relatively isn't great for the amount of debt. I do love working with animals, but sometimes working with owners carries its own difficulties. It's also hard to lose a patient, and seeing cases of animal abuse are especially difficult. You really have to have a passion for animals for this job, but also understand it's not easy. The road to get here is very hard and the job itself is very hard, but it can be rewarding. If you want a true idea of what it's like to be a vet, I would volunteer at a vet's clinic to get that experience. I hope this helps!

Hello! Sounds like you're interested in pursuing this career choice :-) I am happy to answer some questions for you, but we're limited in the length of our answer in the "free" forum here, so if you'd like a more thorough answer please request a consultation and I'm happy to go into more detail! There are many different types of veterinarians and different careers that can be pursued. I work in a busy small animal practice, and a typical day involves either surgery or seeing appointments. Either way, it's a busy job - lots of juggling scheduled appointments, "add-on" (urgent care style) appointments, drop off hospitalized animals, and phone calls, and LOTS of paperwork as everything needs to be thoroughly documented in the animal's medical record. What makes this job most interesting is the variety, as we see all conditions and never know what the day has in store! You might spend a morning suturing a laceration, managing an emergency, counseling an owner on training a new puppy, or talking through behavioral concerns. I initially decided to become a veterinarian when I was a small child due to my love of animals, then solidified the decision as an adult when I realized how much I enjoy the problem-solving aspect of medicine. The best moment of being a vet is when I am caring for a sick animal and I get to see the first tangible signs that it's feeling better. For example, when a sick animal who hasn't eaten in days suddenly shows enthusiasm about food. That's a good feeling! The worst moments are navigating the difficult decisions about juggling care and money concerns - vets all wish we could provide the best possible care for all of our patients, but unfortunately good care costs money, and this is a limitation that many owners have. If we could treat everyone for free we would! But it's just not possible to do so and remain in business. Good communication is absolutely essential to being a good vet. Ultimately the decisions about care need to be made by the owners, and they need to understand what you're recommending and why, as well as understand anything necessary regarding follow-up care. A common challenging situation is when we are booked with appointments, and then an emergency comes in that absolutely requires our immediate time and attention. Patients need to be triaged and emergencies need to take priority, but we also want to respect people who have appointment times and don't want to keep them waiting - so again this job requires a lot of juggling! The most important thing to focus on in high school is taking lots of advanced classes and doing what you can to excel. Particularly focus on math and science, but all aspects of education are important at the high school level. Get as much experience with animals as you can, as vet schools will want to know that you are aware of what you're getting into wiht vet school! Shadow a vet if you can, work in a boarding kennel, etc. Good luck! Again, if you want additional information you are absolutely welcome to request a consultation!

I am a veterinarian and I would be glad to answer your questions! 1. Yes, the job is worth it to me. I love what I do, and in veterinary medicine, there are many different career paths. I was a small animal vet, but I've since moved into an industry job focusing on food safety and animal welfare. It's not where I thought I would end up working, but I absolutely love it. 2. Ha ha yes, you will always run into pets that will bite in this job! 3. I recommend picking a college that has a pre-veterinary program. That way, it ensures you take the courses you need in order to be eligible for vet school. I went to Purdue University, so I highly recommend that :-) 4. Yes, I do love my job. I have a great work/life balance, my particular sector of the industry is very low stress, and and I find the work interesting. Sometimes I do miss the hands on aspect of working with small animals, but my job is really awesome. 5. I personally wouldn't pick a different career. I hope this helps!

I started in high school. I needed good grades to get into a good university. I did not get into vet school my first try. I went and got a master's degree and worked for a few years before trying again. I did get into vet school on my second try. If it's a dream of yours to be a vet, go for it and keep trying! There are tons of vet who didn't get into school the first time around. Having extracurricular activities is good as well. Well rounded people at looked highly upon for vet school. Someone who studies all the time may not have the social skills needed to be a vet, and you do see in school that the ones with the best grades in vet school tend to have the most trouble relating to clients. Sports are a good idea. I was a swimmer; in fact, it paid for my university education with a scholarship. I hope this helps!

I'd be happy to answer your questions! What I like most about my job is helping sick animals. I work primarily for a home euthanasia service, and while it seems sad that I put animals to sleep, I find it very rewarding to help ease their pain and suffering. What I dislike most is seeing abused animals. It really hurts to see them in terrible conditions. I also love working with horses, and do that as a relief job (meaning I fill in as needed). I would say they are the most interesting work with as a vet. Each animal has their own difficulties with treating them, so I couldn't honestly pick one that is easier or harder. They all present their own difficulties when working with them. I think what makes me a good vet is my compassion and love for animals. The most difficult situation I've faced so far is putting to sleep an extremely aggressive and sick old cat that I couldn't even touch without her trying to bite and scratch me. I had a vet student along with me seeing what I did, and luckily I had her to help catch this cat and hold her so I could give sedation. It took a very long time to catch her, and I had many deep scratches at the end of it! The biggest challenge of being a vet is having a balanced personal and work life. Being a vet is not a 9-5 job, it's long hours and on call, and that makes it hard to have time with family and friends. It's very important, however, to make sure you do have time to yourself and with your family.

Hi Mhabelle! I will be glad to answer your questions :-) 1. I have wanted to be a vet since I was a child. I have always loved animals, and knew from the time I was little that I wanted to look after them. 2. Yes, I have two dogs (a Basset Hound and a Chow Chow), and four cats. 3. The best thing about being a vet is being able to help make sick animals healthy again. 4. If you get a pet, you have to be prepared to pay for their veterinary care. Pets needs regular care, just like humans, and should be vaccinated, treated for fleas, intestinal worms, and heartworms. Pets need to be looked after, and when they are sick, they have to see a vet.