Lengthy training — To become a vet you need to complete appropriate training. This is usually a veterinary science degree, which requires five years of full-time study. Demanding work — Being a vet is physically and mentally demanding. You are likely to work long hours, especially if you're on call.
If you are interested in becoming a veterinarian you should be aware that it can be a long and difficult—but rewarding—path. The long path requires dedication and patience, as well as excellent grades and test scores. It also requires a desire to learn and the compassion to help animals as well as their owners.
Handling the emotional stress of vet care
Even the most well-trained vet can be worn down emotionally and may experience compassion fatigue, especially when they have to deal with difficult cases on a regular basis. This can be one of the biggest challenges of veterinarians and can be tricky to overcome!
We miss out on lots of social affairs. We have intense class schedules and even more intense clinic schedules. Some of us sacrifice sleep while some of us sacrifice exercise time. But this hardest part of vet school, the time spent away from those you love, is no small sacrifice.
Yes, vet school is harder than med school.
Veterinary school and medical school both require extensive knowledge of math and science. Many of the prerequisites for these schools are similar because they require extensive biology and chemistry knowledge.
Second year was the worst by far - if you can survive second year, you will graduate from vet school. First year: Overwhelming. How in God's name do they expect me to learn all this stuff?
Stress is normal in the day-to-day life of a veterinarian. From juggling the competing demands of work and family, to diagnosing and treating critically ill patients, to dealing with difficult co-workers or employees, to making ends meet financially while paying off student debt, we face stressful situations every day.
Animal bites or scratches are the most common injuries reported in veterinary clinics.
You are likely to work long hours, especially if you're on call. You might even need to work weekends and much of the job requires standing on your feet, lifting and bending. There's also the risk of personal injury. Animals that are sick, injured or feeling anxious can scratch and bite.
James Herriot: Life of the World's Most Famous Veterinarian.
The term veterinarian comes from the Latin world veterinae which means 'working animals'. Dogs are the most popular animal to show up on their veterinary exam table, as 46.3 million households in the United States own a dog! Almost 80% of practicing veterinarians are females. All vets must have a specialty.
Being a veterinarian is as rewarding as being a doctor — you relieve the suffering of animals that have experienced traumatic injuries or chronic illnesses and at the same time you see the happiness and appreciation of their owners. You will be their hero and have a positive impact on their lives.
Because veterinary schools require a variety of science and math course prerequisites, students might consider choosing a major related to animals, such as animal science, wildlife biology, or zoology. Other options include science-related majors, such as biology, chemistry, or biochemistry.
As a profession, we've focused primarily on symptoms-compassion fatigue, burnout, even suicide-but these are actually linked to the end stage of unresolved traumatic stress. Traumatic stress precedes all of these conditions we name so commonly in veterinary medicine.
Veterinarians protect people from disease.
Veterinarians are the first and best line of defense against animal diseases that could threaten public health and our national security. They prevent and treat zoonotic diseases—diseases that can affect both animals and people—from rabies to avian flu.
Anyone who works with animals on a regular basis will inevitably be bitten or scratched.
What is burnout in veterinarians? Burnout is a psychological syndrome occurring as a response to prolonged exposure to interpersonal stressors at work. Most cases of burnout within the veterinary profession likely occur due to high levels of prolonged stress in the veterinary workplace.
Your dog screams at the vet.
Vocalization is not uncommon for a dog who is feeling overwhelmed. Dogs vocalize for a number of reasons, but if your dog's vocalizations sound like a scream or cry, whimper or whine, your dog is likely feeling fearful or anxious.
But the truth is that veterinary students now average about 24 years of age at time of admission, which is two to three years beyond what it was just three decades ago. And that age is decidedly on the ascent, which is why it's now common for classes to have students in their 40s and 50s.
Some students even speed this up by only spending 3 years at an undergraduate institution, graduating from veterinary school when they are 24 to 25 years old. But what about those who decide they want to pursue veterinary medicine later in life? How old is too old to start pursuing a dream of becoming a veterinarian?
To become a veterinarian you usually have to complete an accredited veterinary science degree at university. Alternatively, you can complete a relevant degree such as science, animal science or veterinary bioscience, followed by a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.