Not only do veterinarians take care of animal health, but human health as well. Vets work with doctors and scientists to prevent the spread of animals’ disease to humans. Therefore the work environment of a small animal veterinarian can consist of being in a somewhat noisy environment doing clinical work. There continues to be a positive outlook for future veterinarians due to the fact that more job opportunities are becoming available for them.

Lifestyle: Veterinarians usually work long hours, about 50 hours per week. However the increase in the emergency animal hospitals has decreased the hours that private practitioners need to work. Furthermore, small animal vets stay indoors working in a clinic with noisy patients, as opposed to large animal vets who tend work outdoors more often.

Employment/ Salary: Due to the fact that most pet owners view their pets as part of the family, they are more willing to pay for more extensive care for their pets. According to the OOH this increases the demand for veterinarians so “employment of veterinarians is expected to increase as fast as average for all occupations over the 2004-2014 projection periods.” In addition to this the OOH also states that starting veterinarians who work predominantly with small animals get paid an average salary of $50, 878 a year and experienced vets can earn over $100,000.

Duties/responsibilities: Small animal vets treat sick and/or injured pets. One of the duties of a veterinarian is to make sure that animals are treated humanely and ethically while being treated. They perform surgeries, regular check-ups and some even work in labs. Small animal vet also help prevent the spread of animal diseases to humans (zoonoses). In order to prevent zoonoses vets work with doctors and scientists to prevent these problems.

Education and Training requirements: Veterinarians must go to a 4 year undergraduate college then another 4 years of graduate school to graduate with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. Some courses that vet school requires are chemistry, organic chemistry, animal biology and genetics. In addition to this it is also required for students to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Veterinary College Admission test (VCAT); some colleges even accept the Medical College Admissions test (MCAT). Furthermore, students must have some experience with animals, such as internships with a vet or working with farm animals.

Conclusion: Becoming a vet is highly competitive because of the positive outlook on the job. As more job opportunities for veterinarians become available more students are competing to get into vet school. The job of a veterinarian can be very rewarding because of the possibility to be able to help both animals and people. In pursuing this career it is recommended to have plenty of animal experience prior to applying to vet school.

Jasmin Del Rosario - undergraduate student at UC Davis

• Licensed Vet Tech or Bachelor's Degree, Walco International
• Veterinary Receptionist Job, National Veterinary Associates, NVA
• Experienced Locum Vet Surgeon Hampshire
• veterinary technician, veterinary nurse, MAPLE HILLS VETERINARY HOSPITAL
• Veterinary Receptionist Job, Two doctor practice in Tustin

• Consumption of animal products and human health
• Community Empowerment Through Livestock Development & Credit
• The Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare
• Labradoodle
• Courtney Oliver, 10 Years Old Amazing Veterinarian

• Your Responsibility As a Pet Owner
• When to Look for a Veterinarian
• Where to Look for a Veterinarian
• Choosing Best Veterinarian for Your Pet
• Evaluating Internal Controls in a Small Business Veterinary Environment