Veterinarians

Occupational Description
Veterinarians are doctors who prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases, disorders, and injuries in animals. Veterinarians play a major role in the healthcare of pets, livestock, zoo, sporting, and laboratory animals. Some veterinarians use their skills to protect humans against diseases carried by animals and conduct clinical research on human and animal health problems. Others work in basic research, broadening the scope of fundamental theoretical knowledge, and in applied research, developing new ways to use knowledge.

Most veterinarians perform clinical work in private practices. More than one-half of these veterinarians predominately, or exclusively, treat small animals. Small animal practitioners usually care for companion animals, such as dogs and cats, but also treat birds, reptiles, rabbits, and other animals that are kept as pets. Veterinarians in clinical practice diagnose animal health problems; vaccinate against diseases; medicate animals suffering from infections or illnesses; treat and dress wounds; set fractures; perform surgery; and advise owners about animal feeding, behavior, and breeding.

A small number of private practice veterinarians work exclusively with large animals, focusing mostly on horses or cows but may also care for various kinds of food animals. These veterinarians usually drive to farms or ranches to provide veterinary services for herds or individual animals. Much of this work involves preventive care to maintain the health of the food animals. These veterinarians test for and vaccinate against diseases and consult with farm or ranch owners and managers on animal production, feeding, and housing issues. Other veterinarians care for zoo, aquarium, or laboratory animals.

Personal Skills & Characteristics
Prospective veterinarians must have good manual dexterity. They should have an affinity for animals and the ability to get along with animal owners. Additionally, they should be able to quickly make decisions in emergencies.

Employment
Veterinarians often work long hours, with well over one-third of full-time workers spending 50 or more hours on the job. Those in group practices may take turns being on call for evening, night, or weekend work; and solo practitioners can work extended and weekend hours, responding to emergencies or squeezing in unexpected appointments.

Veterinarians in large animal practice also spend time driving between their office and farms or ranches. They work outdoors in all kinds of weather, and have to treat animals or perform surgery under less-than-sanitary conditions. When working with animals that are frightened or in pain, veterinarians risk being bitten, kicked, or scratched.

Veterinarians working in non-clinical areas, such as public health and research, have working conditions similar to those of other professionals in those lines of work. In these cases, veterinarians enjoy clean, well-lit offices or laboratories and spend much of their time dealing with people rather than animals.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, about 3 out of 4 veterinarians were employed in a solo or group practice. Most others were salaried employees of another veterinary practice. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that the Federal Government employed about 1,400 civilian veterinarians, chiefly in the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services, and, increasingly, Homeland Security. Other employers of veterinarians are state and local governments, colleges of veterinary medicine, medical schools, research laboratories, animal food companies, and pharmaceutical companies. A few veterinarians work for zoos, but most veterinarians caring for zoo animals are private practitioners who contract with zoos to provide services, usually on a part-time basis.

Prospective veterinarians must graduate from a 4-year program at an accredited college of veterinary medicine with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M. or V.M.D.) degree and obtain a license to practice. The prerequisites for admission vary by veterinary medical college.

Earnings
Median annual earnings of veterinarians were $71,990 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $56,450 and $94,880. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $43,530, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $133,150.

The average annual salary for veterinarians in the Federal Government was $84,335 in 2007.

Job Outlook
Employment of veterinarians is expected to increase 35 percent over the 2006-16 decade, much faster than the average for all occupations. Excellent job opportunities are expected because there are only 28 accredited schools of veterinary medicine in the United States, resulting in a limited number of graduates—about 2,700—each year. However, applicants face keen competition for admission to veterinary school.

Most veterinarians practice in animal hospitals or clinics and care primarily for companion animals. Small increases in the total number of household pets, coupled with the increased willingness by pet owners to pay for veterinary services should continue. The number of available jobs for large animal veterinarians is expected to grow slowly.  Productivity gains in the agricultural production industry should lessen the demand for veterinarians who treat food animals. Nevertheless, job prospects may be better for veterinarians who specialize in farm animals than for small animal practitioners because there is a need for veterinary medical college graduates who have the desire to work in rural or isolated areas.

Planning Ahead
Students should begin investigating what course work is required for admission to veterinary school as soon as possible during their undergraduate education. It is also important to begin gaining hands-on experience in different veterinary settings as early as one's sophomore year.

The Career Center has a team of pre-health counselors to assist students with a preparation and application timeline that fits their circumstances. Appointments may be scheduled with a pre-health counselor by calling 734/764-7460 or stopping by the office at 3200 Student Activities Building.

Educational Requirements
Pre-veterinary courses emphasize the sciences and they typically consist of classes in organic and inorganic chemistry, physics, biochemistry, general biology, animal biology, animal nutrition, genetics, vertebrate embryology, cellular biology, microbiology, zoology, and systemic physiology. Some programs require calculus; some require only statistics, college algebra and trigonometry, or pre-calculus; and others require no math at all. Most veterinary medical colleges also require core courses, including some in English or literature, the social sciences, and the humanities.

For general veterinary medicine requirement questions contact a pre-health academic advisor in LSA.

For school specific questions, consult the Veterinary Medical School Requirements Book (VMSAR) and contact the schools directly. VMSAR is a book containing the admission requirements and contact information for all 32 U.S. and Canadian Veterinary Medical Colleges, in addition to the University of Glasgow. VMSAR also provides statistical data on numbers of applications and matriculates specific information on the slots available at each college. For ordering information, please check out the Purdue University Press (publisher) Web site (ISBN: 978-1-55753-499-6), or call (800) 247-6553 (distributor).

There is keen competition for admission to veterinary school. The number of accredited veterinary colleges has remained largely the same since 1983, whereas the number of applicants has risen significantly. Only about 1 in 3 applicants was accepted during the past few years of application cycles.

Preparation Beyond the Classroom
Consider gaining formal experience, such as working with veterinarians or scientists in clinics, agribusiness, research, or in some area of health sciences. There are also less formal experiences, such as working with animals on a farm, ranch, stable or animal shelter.

Connect with U of M alumni for informational interviewing, networking, or job shadowing. Visit Alumni Networks at http://alumni.umich.edu/networking-tools

Application Process Overview
Students applying to veterinary programs are strongly encouraged to initiate their application process at least one year prior to when they plan to begin their academic program.

Many schools subscribe to the Veterinary Medical Colleges Application Service (VMCAS). VMCAS is a centralized program that allows applicants to submit one application to a number of schools. More information about the VMCAS process can be found at the VMCAS link: http://www.aavmc.org/ or by calling the VMCAS Student Line: 1-877-VMCAS-40 (1-877-862-2740). Individuals wishing to apply to non-VMCAS participating schools need to contact those institutions directly.

In the admissions process, veterinary medical colleges weigh heavily a candidate’s veterinary and animal experience. Applicants must demonstrate ambition and an eagerness to work with animals. Potential veterinary medical students are also evaluated on the basis of extracurricular and community activities, personal interviews, and letters of reference.

Standardized Tests
In addition to satisfying pre-veterinary course requirements, applicants must also submit test scores from the following admissions tests, depending on the preference of each college:

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
The GRE is divided into the following sections: Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing. The General Test measures analytical writing, verbal and quantitative skills that have been acquired over a long period of time and that are not related to any specific field of study.

Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized, multiple-choice examination designed to assess problem solving, critical thinking, and writing skills in addition to the examinee's knowledge of science concepts and principles prerequisite to the study of medicine. Scores are reported in each of the following areas: Verbal Reasoning, Physical Sciences, Writing Sample, and Biological Sciences.

Veterinary College Admission Test (VCAT)
The VCAT is designed to measure achievement in areas critical for success in veterinary medical school. The Psychological Corporation, which has administered the test for over forty years, discontinued the administration of the Veterinary College Admission Test (VCAT), effective June 30, 2003. Any tests that were administered on or before June 30 will be processed and scored. Transcript-reporting services will be available for candidates and recipient schools for five years preceding test dates, through June 30, 2008. Questions regarding the VCAT should be directed to PSE Customer Relations at 1-800-622-323.

The following VMCAS colleges used the VCAT:

University of Georgia
The Ohio State University
Mississippi State University
University of Tennessee

These institutions will accept recent VCAT scores. Application requirements for all VMCAS colleges are located at the VMCAS link at aavmc.org.

Reference Letters
Most veterinary programs will request three letters of recommendation. Obtain two letters from science faculty and one letter from a non-science faculty. Some programs may also insist on a letter from a doctor of veterinary medicine. It might also be helpful to gather letters from employers, research and volunteer experience supervisors.

The Career Center's Reference Letter Service (RLS) offers University of Michigan students and alumni/ae the opportunity to have letters of reference on file to use in support of their employment and continuing education efforts. Open a reference letter file with the RLS.

Personal Statement Information
Develop a personal statement supporting your motivation for wanting to become a veterinary doctor. If you need assistance getting started on your personal statement or would welcome feedback on your draft, please schedule an advising appointment at The Career Center by calling 734/764-7460.

Interviews
An interview will highlight your interest for wanting to become a veterinarian and emphasize your interest in working with animals and serving the community. Some veterinary schools will also ask you to respond in writing to essay questions on the day of your interview as well. Gather interview tips through available literature and interview programs sponsored by The Career Center. Schedule a videotaped mock interview at The Career Center, 3200 SAB (734/764-7460) to gain practice and confidence.

Admission Update
In 2008, 5,920 students applied to veterinary programs. In 2007, the average overall GPA for applicants was 3.54. Approximately 80% of applicants were female and 20% of applicants were male.

Resources To Learn More
Links to Internet sites are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement. For additional information on careers in veterinary medicine and a list of U.S. schools and colleges of veterinary medicine and accreditation policies see:

American Veterinary Medical Association, 1931 N. Meacham Road, Suite 100, Schaumburg, IL 60173-4360. (847) 925-8070, (847) 925-1329, avmainfo@avma.org
http://www.avma.org

Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, 1101 Vermont Avenue NW, Suite 301, Washington, DC 20005, (202) 371-9195
http://www.aavmc.org