Veterinarians are licensed medical professionals who protect the health and wellbeing of animals and people. They do this by diagnosing and treating the injuries and illnesses of a range of animals, including domestic pets, livestock and other animals.
40hweek
Unpredictable
On call for emergencies
Most veterinarians work in private practice. Others work in laboratories, classrooms or zoos.
You may be required to travel to farms, ranches and customers’ homes to treat animals. This may involve working outdoors in all kinds of weather to perform surgery.
Working with animals carries certain risks such as bites, kicks, scratches and infections.
The work can be emotionally demanding, as you may care for abused animals, euthanise sick ones and support anxious owners from time to time.
$57k
$94k
$160k
Annual salary estimates are based on percentile wage data collected through the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey of US workers.
Postgraduate
DVM / VMD degree
8years
To become a veterinarian, you must complete a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD) degree at an accredited college of veterinary medicine, which typically takes four years to complete.
Competition to get onto a course is fierce. Although not required for admission, most applicants to veterinary school hold a bachelor’s degree in pre-veterinary medicine or in a related subject like animal science, biology or zoology. Work experience or volunteering with a veterinarian, at a local kennel or at an animal charity can also be useful.
Once you’ve graduated from veterinary school, you’ll need to pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE) to become a licensed veterinarian. Do note that some states have additional licensing requirements
19%
15k
4%
Many veterinarians progress to set up their own veterinary practice or become a partner in an existing one. Others choose to move into teaching or research roles at universities, research institutes or pharmaceutical companies.
You could also specialise in a particular field of veterinary medicine such as anaesthesiology, toxicology, cardiology or dentistry. Additional training is required for specialisations, which typically takes three to four years to complete.