Best Careers 2009: Veterinarian

By U.S. News Staff

Posted: December 11, 2008

You're grateful that your last case is an annual wellness exam—on a rabbit.

Salary Data

Median (with eight years in the field): $79,800

25th to 75th percentile (with eight or more years of experience): $65,500-$106,000

(Data provided by PayScale.com)

Training

Getting into vet school is tough. Only one in three is accepted, and the average vet school student has a 3.5 GPA, 1350 GRE, and strong practical experience in a vet's office or in veterinary research. The latter is often more impressive—after all, you're trying to impress academics. Another plus is large-animal experience. Note: 80 percent of entering students are female.

New graduates with a doctor of veterinary medicine degree may begin to practice veterinary medicine once they receive their license, but many new graduates choose to enter a one-year internship. Some then seek board certification, which requires an additional three- or four-year program in one of 20 specialties, such as internal medicine, surgery, cardiology, or exotic small animals.

Smart Specialties

Veterinary cardiologist. Demand is growing, treatments are improving, and, after a few years of experience, earnings can be excellent for these heart specialists. Portal to Veterinary Cardiology sites , Veterinary Clinical Cardiology .

Laboratory animals vet. It's a relatively easy specialty: Working hours are 9 to 5, no weekends, and you get to work in a medical school or drug company setting. There are ample jobs because most animal research must be supervised by a laboratory animal vet.

Learn More

Andrea M. of CA

Quick response for you....I have been a veterinarian for over 11 years. I have never looked back. I think you need to decide if you want to work on people or work with people. Nurses are great. They are supposed to be patients advocates. If a nurse says anything to a Dr,though, they get put down in most cases. In most veterinary hospitals, we are all here to the well being of the animals. You will not drive a porsche, have a 50' yacht, and live the lavish life style of beverly hills. You will have debt, headaches, clients that are difficult, and dreams of just going home. At the end of the day, you will still love your job and what you are able to do with your degree.

long story short, if you are working at a veterinary hospital and are still confused, then you are not working at the correct hospital. You need an upbeat, fun, positive experience to give you that extra drive to get in and complete veterinary school. find that and you will have your decision made.

G. Alaluf of CA @ Oct 30, 2009 17:59:03 PM

been there, done that

Doc of WY is correct...the jobs for veterinarians are predominantly in the rural setting and/or the public health areas (slaughterhouse inspections!), or at the humane society (...euthanizing, among other things).

Registered Vet Technicians (RVT) can write their own ticket anywhere, but veterinarians have to find a job or start their own practice. You have no guarantee of being able to live in the town or state you want to live in, the hours are long, and the pay is horrible. The stress is huge because the animals get sick and not everybody has money to run the proper diagnostic tests or do the needed surgeries. More and more, the practice of medicine is going corporate, with "guidelines" as to how you treat the patients, and following their rules. It can be extremely rewarding and even fun, but you really need to find a specialty.

Nursing would allow you a nice work environment and benefits, and a rewarding career with high demand and ability to work where you want to because of the high demand. i don't know what nurses make per hour, an RVT can make $10 to $20/hour, depending on the responsibilities and the practice, and does not require that much investment in education or time, without all the stress of being a vet. The RVT's get to do the fun stuff including the animal caretaking and actual 'nursing', or they could be hospital managers. RVT's don't always get good benefits, and the work environment isn't always all that great.

Doc2 of CA @ Oct 17, 2009 18:49:05 PM

Misleading

This article is a bit misleading, in that most of the openings and vacancies in veterinary medicine are NOT for what most urbanites/suburbanites think of as "veterinarians" - the jobs are in FOOD ANIMAL/RURAL practice and in governmental practices (public health, food safety, regulatory issues, etc.). This is where the field really needs new veterinarians - there are plenty of small animal practitioners to take care of Fluffy and Fido. It's a very rewarding career regardless, and you have the chance to make a real positive impact in your community, but you WILL NEVER GET RICH!

Doc of WY @ Oct 12, 2009 16:41:22 PM

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