The world is a unique and diverse place where every creature is an entirely unique individual. When it comes to humans, there are many choices in life that define how we will grow and age throughout our lifetime. Some of these choices include finding a partner to spend our life with, deciding where in the world you are going to live, and whether or not you want to have children. Life is full of choices, these are only a few of the many. One choice that often shapes many of the others is the type of career we want. Every school child is asked that infamous question, what do you want to be when you grow up? Some children have an answer ready as soon as the question is asked while others do not yet have any idea how to answer this question. Even among those who have an answer, chances are, that answer will change, possibly several times, before they reach an age to begin reaching for their dream. Other times, a person may know exactly what they want to do with their life from a very young age. Still, others may struggle with this choice well into adulthood. There are also some, that may never find their true calling. For all of those chasing a dream or searching for the right dream, there are steps that must be taken to achieve anything. Nothing comes from nothing, meaning that you have to work hard and make sacrifices to achieve your goals and get to where you want to be. There are many exciting careers to choose from, but here we will be discussing the necessary steps that must be taken in order to become a veterinarian.
First, consider what exactly a veterinarian is and what they do. The road to becoming a vet is a long one and should be started if you are not certain this is what you want. By the time you have completed the necessary training and certification to become a vet, you will have sunk around eight years or more into the process. Because of this, it is best to be proactive and find ways to ensure that this is what you want. One of the best ways to do this is by making a point to work with animals and study some of the basic information describing what veterinary medicine entails. Some good choices for high school jobs include working at an animal shelter, working as a secretary or go for at a vets office, or an animal rescue. Any of these jobs will put you in constant close proximity to animals of various natures. A job at a zoo is also an option. Spending so much time with animals will help you to understand if this is the dream that you want. It is also important to remember that if you want to work with animals helping to cure take care of, but do not end up wanting to become a vet, there is also the option of a veterinary assistant.
Your next step comes once you reach college. You will need to major in a related field and take related courses. In terms of major, you will need to choose a biological science. This still leaves several options depending on preference. Within your chosen major, you will need to choose the best courses in relation to your ultimate goal. The optimal course to take is animal behavior, however, this is not always an option as this course is not offered universally. Other choices include chemistry, mathematics, physics, and general biology. Regardless of the courses you choose, you will need to obtain a bachelor’s degree in your choose major. After you graduate, you will need to take an exam that will make you eligible to enter veterinarian school. This exam is called the GRE which stands for Graduate Record Examination. This exam is the equivalent of the of the LSAT for law students.
College and veterinary school are both quite expensive. It is wise to have a plan of action to pay for your schooling well before it is needed when at all possible. Also, begin saving money as soon as you decide to become a vet. You will also want to look into any and all possible scholarships and grants. Anything you can do to make the financial burden lighter before starting classes. Some people take on a campus job to help pay for school, but this is not possible for everyone. Make a plan early on and stick to it as much as possible.
Next, you will need to apply for a DVM program. The acronym DVM stands for Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. This is a four-year program that is offered at more than thirty schools in the United States of America. Again, there are certain courses that will be necessary to complete the program. This course list includes zoology, animal anatomy, virology, chemistry, physiology, nutrition, and biology. During the course of your education, it is highly advised to pursue as much independent research and study as you can safely take on. Do not overload yourself, it will make your actual course work suffer. On the flip side, do not be lax either. During your final year of school, you will need to take on a supervised clinical practice also referred to as practicums. This can be in many different settings including vet clinics, zoos, hospitals, and animal farms.
After graduation, you will need to take the licensing examination. This exam is the same across regions because it is created and prepared by the National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners. Although, you will have to take the test offered by the state you reside within. It takes seven hours to complete the licensing exam. After passing the exam, you will be a licensed veterinarian.
Once you are officially licensed, you can begin practicing. This can be by seeking out a job at an existing clinic, zoo, shelter, etc. or by starting your own clinic. At this point, you will have to decide if you want to pursue a specialty. Just like with doctors that treat humans, there are many different specialties, in fact, there are around forty different specialties to choose from. This includes surgery, internal medicine, emergency or critical care, behavior, anesthesia, nutrition, dentistry, radiology, and oncology just to name a few. If you do decide to pursue a specialty, there will be some additional training and certification required. You may even choose to pursue more than one specialty.
