If you are a certified animal lover, why not channel this passion into veterinary medicine and work toward becoming a veterinarian? Here are the steps you should take if you are interested in how to become a veterinarian:
- Know what it takes to have a veterinarian career. If you have a genuine love for animals, that’s just the first step in becoming a veterinarian. Know that veterinarian training is highly competitive, with many years of training involved. It will be to your advantage if you have an interest in the sciences, such as biology and chemistry, and if you have good interpersonal and communication skills.
- Start researching veterinarian schools while in high school. Because the route toward becoming a successful veterinarian is highly competitive, it’s best that you start early in equipping yourself for this animal doctor profession. Make it a point to acquire an above average GPA in high school, have a good SAT score and do well in your science subjects.
- Volunteer at animal shelters and clinics helping with veterinarian work. To give you an edge over other aspiring veterinarians, you should concentrate your efforts in acquiring experience in the field of veterinary medicine. You could either volunteer at animal shelters, or take part-time jobs at veterinary clinics. Not only will you gain valuable experience, you will be able to gain useful contacts within this field. This will look good on your resume too, which will be very helpful in getting you to the school and program that you want, eventually affecting your veterinarian salary.
- Obtain an undergraduate degree in the sciences. Some universities and colleges offer preveterinary programs such as animal science, zoology and preveterinary studies, but if the school of your choice doesn’t have such offerings, it’s fine to take science courses such as biology or biochemistry.
During your undergraduate degree, it’s very important that you obtain excellent grades. This will help you get into the veterinary school of your choice. Apart from academic coursework, make sure that you continue to obtain experience with animals in a professional setting, such as through private animal clinics and with organizations that advocate the care of animals.
- Enroll at a veterinary school. In the United States, there are only 28 accredited veterinary schools, so you can just imagine the kind of competition to get into these schools. You might need to take the VCAT (Veterinary College Admission Test); and your experience with animals in a professional setting will also be a factor for admission. Education at a veterinary school will take four years, and you can expect to receive training in the theoretical and practical work of treating a wide range of animals.
- Take the board exam for veterinarians. In the United States, the examination for veterinarians is the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam. Upon passing this exam, you will be granted your license to practice veterinary medicine and search for veterinary employment. You should also be prepared to take a state exam for state laws governing veterinary medicine.
- Obtain a specialization within your veterinary practice. If you are interested in working for a particular group of animals, such as domestic animals, wildlife or marine life, you might want to obtain continuing education. You can realistically do this while on the job, through long distance education programs, online offerings or short courses.
These are the steps toward becoming a veterinary doctor. Working with animals as a veterinary specialist is such a rewarding occupation, especially when you see the smile on the family’s faces as you make their pet healthy again.