Becoming a veterinarian takes more than just a love for and desire to help animals. Vets need a rigorous grounding in math and science; the competition to get one of the limited spots at veterinary school can be more competitive than admission to medical school. A veterinarian needs multiple skills in order to succeed. They not only need academic ability, good communication skills with others, but also skills in getting along with. understanding, and treating animals.
The videos and tips on this page will give you some insight into the process of becoming a veterinarian. If you would like to know more about what's needed, refer to Mahalo's guide to How to Become a Veterinarian.
Veterinarian Skills and Abilities Checklist (a Beginning General List For You To Expand On From Your Own Research)
- Communicate well with animal owners, clinic staff, and the public.
- Understand animals well and have an ability to get along with them.
- As a professional be able to represent the profession in public media like speeches, television, radio, publications and conferences etc.
- Solid skills in the sciences and mathematics in order to prescribe and work out medicine dosages.
- If becoming a veterinary surgeon good manual dexterity, physical strength especially with large animals and endurance for long and complex procedures.
- If running your own clinic need to either hire good business management or learn How to Start a Small Business and make it succeed.
- Attention to detail in everything you do.
- Excellent problem-solving, interview, and reasoning skills.
- Physical endurance to handle the work that can be physically demanding especially when needed in emergency situations.
- Flexibility and creativity as improvisation may be needed - especially if making house calls and not having the staffing and equipment support of a larger hospital setting.
How to Become a Veterinarian
This new video of less than a minute posted on July 27, 2009 is an excerpt apparently from the dean of the newest veterinary school in the United States talking about qualifications for admission to their veterinary school. There are scenes of the students at the school.
EDU411 Become a Veterinary Assistant
This brief one minute video gives an overview of becoming a veterinary assistant and what the duties are. Prospects for this career are growing according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This only requires a few years of college as compared to many more years of university education to becoming a veterinarian.
AmerVetMedAssn Career Profiles: Small Animal Veterinary Technician
A brief, personal description of what the technician job is like approved by the American Veterinary Medicine Association. A real feel for what the job is like as you see what they are describing as they narrate the work. Daily details given for the work.
eHow Veterinarian Career Information : How to Become a Veterinarian
Dr. James Talbott shares how he became a veterinarian, also all the career choices of specialites available. Easy to follow with subtitles. Dr. Talbott is a staff veterinarian at Belle Forest Animal Hospital and Kennel in Nashville, Tennessee. A very clear and easy to follow personal story that shares his decision making in what kind of veterinarian to become.
eHow Veterinarian Career Information : Veterinarian Qualifications
Qualifications needed and tips from experienced veterinarian Dr. James Talbott. Subtitles make this 3 minutue video easy to follow and review. He covers alternative career paths to becoming a veterinarian also rather than just a straight academic program. Great video! Very clear and practical.
eHow Veterinarian Career Information : Veterinarian Job Description
What will you do as a veterinarian? Veterinarian Dr. James Talbott shows you the jobs while he describes what your job will be. Subtitles make this video very easy to follow and review. His videos all get top ratings as he gives you exactly the information that he promises to share.
eHow Veterinarian Career Information : Veterinarian Pros & Cons
Dr. James Talbott helps viewers decide whether you will find more benefits or disadvantages in becoming a veterinarian. He illustrates what he is talking about and subtitles make his short video very easy to follow. Decide for yourself once you get all the facts.
References
Fast Facts
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Begin preparing in high school, by taking advanced science and math classes, and shadowing or interning in a veterinary clinic & any other pre-requisites of your veterinary programs of choice.
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Get excellent grades in college, as veterinary admissions is highly competitive. (You may be able to find out what the admission cutoff grades were at your veterinary programs of choice to get a clearer idea of what you will need)
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A 3.6-3.8 GPA is probably the minimum needed for admission, but check to be sure.
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Most veterinary schools restrict or give preference in admissions to students in a specific geographic area. There may be other restrictions or preferences only - so check the application form for the programs for what kinds of information you need to provide.
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Check to make sure the college and program are accredited in a recognized way. Professional associations in the field can help with this.
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Also consider and check out related fields, eg. veterinarian assistant, biologist, zoologist, animal trainer or breeder, farmer, jockey, zookeeper, animal rescue or shelter staff or manager, and even dog walker for employment that involves animals.
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See Related Mahalo Pages at left for more career choice ideas.
