Getting to Veterinary School
Real life perspective and tips from a GVSU pre-veterinary student
Veterinary Job Options
Whether you are absolutely sure about what you want to do as a veterinarian or if you have no clue, it is always a good idea to look at your options. It is absolutely amazing how many different opportunities there are for people who have their DVM. In this section of the website I will be going over the many different options you have for your future in this profession. Use this page as a spring board for learning about your interests in the profession and as a way for you to dig deeper into your future!
Under each of the veterinary job options there is a short desciption of what that job entails. When you click on the job it will take you to a separate page that has statistical information and helpful links to more information about the profession.
Small Animal Private Practice
This is the most common career pathway for veterinarians, as found by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) more than 75% of veterinarians choose to work in a private practice. If you choose this pathway you will be providing health care for companion pets, such as dogs, cats, and other exotic pets depending on the clinic. Typically small animal veterinarians perform wellness exams, diagnosis and treat illnesses, give routine vaccinations, perform blood work and other laboratory tests, prescribe medications, perform dental work, perform routine surgeries such as spays/neuters, and on occasion perform more complicated or life-saving surgeries.
Salary
- According to the AVMA, the median professional income for small animal veterinarians before taxes was $97,000 in 2009.
- The average starting salary for small animal veterinarians is $64,744.
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Equine Veterinary Medicine
Veterinarians in this area specialize in caring for horses. Much of their work is performed outdoors in all weather conditions. Depending on the type of practice, these veterinarians may be responsible for performing physical exams on animals before purchase, assisting animals when giving birth, treating wounds and performing surgery.
Salary
- Newly graduated equine veterinarians are paid an average salary of $43,405 annually.
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Veterinary Research
Research veterinarians care for animals being housed at research facilities. They perform examinations, prescribe medications and perform surgery on patients. The research veterinarian also collects specimens from animals for evaluation. These veterinarians may perform tests on animals to identify the effects of drug therapies, or they may test new surgical techniques. Other duties might be researching how to prevent, control, and eliminate food- and animal-borne illnesses and diseases. Veterinarians involved in research will need to obtain a Ph.D after completing the requirements for a DVM degree.
Salary
- The average salary for research veterinarians is $94,852 per year.
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Shelter Medicine
Shelter Medicine is a field of veterinary medicine dedicated to the care of homeless animals in shelters or other facilities dedicated to finding them new homes. Shelter Veterinarians provide a unique blend of individual and population level care for homeless animals, including a strong focus on physical and behavioral wellness. Caring responsibly for a shelter population presents challenges rarely faced in private practice. Many of the animals entering shelters arrive with little to no medical history and may be stray, feral, or victims of cruelty. Arriving from many locations with different life experiences and exposure histories makes this a population at higher risk for infectious diseases and problem behaviors.
Salary
- The average salary for a shelter veterinarian is $59,000.
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Specialty Medicine
After obtaining your DVM, you can continue on with your education by specializing in a specific field that interests you. This can be quite a long process, lasting between 3 to 5 years. Mos specialties require a 1-year internship or 2 years of clinical practice prior to beginning the 2 to 3 year residency program. A veterinary specialist is generally consulted when an animal’s condition requires specialized care above and beyond that which a regular veterinarian can offer. Some examples of specialized programs are neurology, oncology, dentistry, nutrition, and diagnostic imaging.
Salary
- The salary for a veterinary who has specialized varies quite a bit depedending on the area of specialization, the company, and the location. The average salary is around $140,000 annually.
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Homeland Secruity
Defense of our nation’s herds and flocks as well as our domestic and international food supply is essential. There are many who contribute to the effort, and veterinarians are key. In addition to the private practitioners mentioned above, below are just a few examples of how veterinarians can be involved in the defense of our food supply, herds, and flocks. They are also involved in risk assessments with importing animals or animal products from other countries, inspecting imported animals and animal products, identifying drug residues in animals offered for slaughter, policy development for regulatory oversight of federal animal health and food safety inspection programs, approval of animal vaccines, grant programs for research in animal health and food supply, and much more.
Salary
- The average salary for veterinarians working for the federal government in this type of position is $105,000.
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Zoological Medicine
Zoo veterinarians administer sedatives to animals before conducting physical exams. These vets administer tests and vaccinations as appropriate. They provide advice about housing for the animals, and may be involved in designing exhibit areas. Zoological medicine is a specialty within the field of veterinary medicine dedicated to providing state-of-the-art medical and surgical care to zoo and free-living non-domestic species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates.
Salary
- The average salary of a zoo veterinarian is $77,713 per year.
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Global Veterinary Medicine
Global Veterinary Medicine, in private practice or with international agencies working in areas such as food production and safety or emerging diseases. There are many different opportunities globally and this field is a great choice for people who love to travel and want to help make a difference in the world. You could be helping stop the spread of diseases in third-world companies, performing routine vaccinations and surgeries for the impoverished around the world, or you could be doing research in a jungle. Going global is all about what your passions are and what you want to do with the knowledge you have spent so much time accumulating.
Salary
- The salary is very variable depending on the location, purpose, and company.
Resources Used
https://www.avma.org/advocacy/international/pages/international-opportunities.aspx
Food Animal Veterinarian
Veterinarians who work in this field are generally practicing medicine on pigs, cattle, sheep, and other farm animals. As of 2012, about 8% of private practice veterinarians are considered large animal/food animal. This is a very physically demanding profession as you spend much of your time outside working on farms and ranches treating illness and injuries and testing for and vaccinating against common diseases.
Salary
- According to the AVMA, the median professional income for food animal veterinarians before taxes was $103,000 in 2009.
- The average starting salary for food animal veterinarians is $71,096.
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Food Safety Veterinarian
Veterinarians who work in the food safety industry inspect and test livestock and animal products for major animal illness, give vaccinations, protect and enforce animal welfare, monitor foodborne illnesses, and enforcement government regulations. Their job is very important for both human and animal health as they are preventing and controlling diseases transmissible among animals and between animals and people. As a food safety veterinarian you would be working for the U. S. Department of Agriculture and the Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Salary
- The average rate of pay for a regulatory food animal medicine veterinarians is $72,318.
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Professor of Veterinary Medicine
A professor of veterinary medicine conducts lectures and supervises students in clinical rotations focusing on the subjects he or she is teaching. Professors also participate in continuing education courses and activities. To pursue this career pathway you must have your DVM, but in addition you should have prior teaching experience and individuals with a research background are preferred depending on the position and school.
Salary
- A professor of veterinary medicine can expect to earn an annual salary of $102,500.
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Public Health
Veterinary public health (VPH) is a component of public health that focuses on the application of veterinary science to protect and improve the physical, mental and social well-being of humans. The core domains of VPH (veterinary public health) include the following: diagnosis, surveillance, epidemiology, control, prevention and elimination of zoonoses; food protection; health education and extension; and production and control of biological products and medical devices. Other VPH core domains may include management of domestic and wild animal populations, protection of drinking-water and the environment, and management of public health emergencies. A great way to get prepared for this field is to get your Masters in Public Health prior to or during veterinary school.
Salary
- Public health veterinarians make an average of $58,000 annually.
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Public Policy
Veterinarians also have the opporunity to work in public policy by working for and with the government on animal and zoonotic diseases, animal welfare, public health issues, or as consultants with non-governmental agencies. This is a very important part of veterinary medicine as those who help form the policies and regulation that affect practicing veterinarians and other animal related fields should be created and promoted by informed and knowledgable individuals.
Salary
- The average salary for a policy maker is $90,000.
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Military Service
Military veterinarians may be stationed at military bases in the U.S., as well as overseas. They perform clinical services and conduct sanitary audits of food production facilities. As a military veterinarian you will be providing service members’ pets with veterinary preventive medicine, contagious and zoonotic disease control, and outpatient care. Many provide military working dog care, which includes training military working dog handlers to respond to medical emergencies, as well as providing support of the Human-Animal Bond Programs at military hospitals. Installation support may also include involvement in wildlife and endangered species issues, animal control and a variety of veterinary public health activities. There are also research and development opportunities.
Salary
- A Captain serving in the U.S. Military’s Veterinary corps with less than two years of service earns $66,679 per year in basic pay.
- There are also veterinary programs where they will pay for your tuition in full for four years of military service.
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Aquatic Medicine
An aquatic, or marine, veterinarian specializes in the treatment and preventative care of marina animals. They may work for an aquarium, zoo, research facility or charitable organization and may care for fish, invertebrates and marine mammals.The typical routine for an aquatic vet can vary depending on the specific type of patients they are responsible for treating. General duties include conducting basic exams and evaluations, taking samples of blood, distributing prescription medications, observing and evaluating behavior, performing surgical procedures, taking x-rays or sonograms, and supervising veterinary technicians or other support staff.
Salary
- The average salary of a marine veteriarian is $90,110.
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Corporate Veterinary Medicine
Corporate veterinary medicine, for example, with corporations that provide veterinary care, test human drugs for safety, or produce animal-related products.
Salary
- The salary for corporately employed veterinarians can vary significantly depending on the area of medicine and the company. The average salary for veterinarians in industry jobs is $160,000.
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