College of Veterinary Medicine

Prospective Students

Careers for Veterinarians


The function of the College of Veterinary Medicine is to educate men and women in the science and art of veterinary medicine. The college thus serves to protect the health of all types of animals and to support public health.

The veterinary medical profession offers excellent opportunities for those who have an interest in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of animal diseases. Like most medical careers, it requires strong vocational motivation and dedication. The compensation varies greatly, but superior professional service usually is rewarded by an adequate income.

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Private Practice
Private Corporations
Federal Agencies
US Army Corps
Government
Research
Academia
Job Trends
Salary
 

Private Practice

Practice may be general or restricted. In general practice the individual offers service for all species of animals. Currently the trend is toward restricted practice, in which the veterinarian limits his or her activity to small animals, cattle, horses, or poultry, etc. Some veterinarians, by virtue of advanced training and experience, become specialists and limit their work to fields such as ophthalmology, orthopedics, diseases of reproduction, or other specialty areas. There is an accelerating trend toward partnership or group practice. Most new graduates gain experience by working with an established veterinarian for at least one year.

Private Corporations

Large corporations employ many veterinarians. These opportunities range from food animal and poultry production to developmental work with pharmaceutical companies.

Federal Agencies

The United States Department of Agriculture employs more veterinarians than any other single agency. For the most part, the work is concerned with the prevention and control of infectious and parasitic diseases and the assurance of safe, wholesome, accurately labeled food products of animal origin.

The United States Public Health Service also employs veterinarians in the development and administration of programs concerned with the control of animal diseases transmissible to humans.

U.S. Army Corps

The U.S. Army Veterinary Corps offers career opportunities in several fields including public health/food safety and clinical practice. Post-DVM training is available in public health, pathology, microbiology, pharmacology, physiology, toxicology, food technology, laboratory animal medicine, and clinical disciplines.

State Governments

Each state has a state veterinarian or similar officer, usually in the Department of Agriculture, whose duties are to safeguard the health of animals by enforcing laws and regulations drawn for this purpose. Many state health departments also employ one or more veterinarians to advise them on animal diseases that have significance in human health and to investigate outbreaks of such diseases.

Municipal Governments

Veterinarians are employed as members of health departments by most cities and by many towns and villages. Their duties are usually connected with the sanitary control of meat and milk production and with the investigation of food-poisoning epidemics.

Research

Veterinarians investigate basic and applied problems concerning food-producing animals, companion or pet animals, laboratory animals, captive animals, wildlife, and various aquatic species, both to determine causes of disease and to develop methods for their prevention and control. This research is sponsored by many organizations and supports many individuals in academic, corporate, and private settings.

Academic Institutions

There are a wide variety of excellent career opportunities for veterinarians in the educational field. Seventy-five percent of those in academia are employed at veterinary schools, and most of the remainder at medical schools. Their responsibilities include teaching, research, and service.

Other Career Opportunities

These include laboratory animal medicine, zoo animal practice, equine sports medicine, wildlife animal medicine, marine biology, and aquatic animal medicine.

Future Job Market Trends

Surveys and projections indicate a steady demand for veterinary medical services. It is expected that there will be a growing demand for veterinary specialists to deal with society's concerns relating to animal welfare issues associated with biomedical and environmental quality, biosecurity, public health, regulatory medicine, and agricultural animal health. Veterinary graduates interested in agricultural animal medicine are currently in high demand and this trend is likely to continue for some time. The next century will reflect society's concerns about energy, quality of food, and human health; veterinary medicine relates to us all. AVMA Market Research Statistics

Salary

Veterinarians' salaries are based, as in most professions, on career option, time since graduation, and geographic location. The mean starting salary of a new DVM graduate is about $52,000 per year. Most veterinarians in the United States earn over $60,000 per year within a few years of graduation.

Additional information about a career in Veterinary Medicine

Last Edited: Sep 30, 2011 1:54 PM   



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