Veterinarian Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally. ~David Frost Made By Alyssa Myers
Introduction Do you enjoy working with animals and making a difference in the lives of animals? If you answered yes then you may enjoy being employed as a veterinarian. Sure it sounds great you get to see cute puppy dogs and cuddly kittens but there is much more to the job than that. Being a vet is a dedication you have to make and it is not always dealing with cute animals that creates this job. Veterinarians are people that have a passion for animals whether it is treating them for diseases/illnesses or studying them to fine cures and new medicines. It is not always a content job either because mostly you are treating hurt and wounded animals, often times the injuries will result in death to the animal. Before you become a vet though you must go through Veterinarian school which is a long hard journey that challenges people to go beyond the ordinary book study. Veterinarian school is filled with labs of dissection, surgery, and medicines. Once you make it through the schooling your career becomes a full time job because of working overtime and making emergency house calls. Setting aside the long work hours of being a veterinarian you are doing something you love to do and something that fills your values to fit your lifestyle. If you are prepared for a long worthwhile journey then being a veterinarian might be the right career for you. This booklet will help you on your way to fulfilling your dream! Works Cited 2005. Penn State University. 22 May. 2005 <http://www.psu.edu/>. 2005. University of Pennsylvania. 22 May. 2005 <http://www.upenn.edu/>. 2005. Clemson University. 22 May. 2005 <http://www.clemson.edu/>. 2005. Cornell University. 22 May. 2005 <http://www.cornell.edu/>. "Veterinarian." 27 Feb. 2004. Occupational Outlook Handbook. 22 May. 2005 <http:// stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos076.htm>. Choices 2005. 1995. California Occupational Guide Number 282. 22 May. 2005 <http://www.calmis. cahwnet.gov/file/occguide/vet.htm>. "Scholarships." 2005. Purdue University. 22 May. 2005 <http://www.vet.purdue.edu/>. 2 15
Scholarships TLC Veterinary Scholarship Program -Applicant must have completed at least 18 months of continuous service as a caregiver of a nonprofit feline life care center -Applicants taxable income is less than $35,000 per year -Applicant must have bachelor s degree at an accredited college or university http://tlconline.org/pgm/0011.html The A.L. Bortree Award Consideration shall be given to all full-time undergraduate students who are graduating from the College of Penn State, have achieved superior academic records, and are applying to an accredited school of veterinary medicine. Westminster Kennel Foundation Scholarships In the amount of $10,000 are awarded to one senior student with an interest in small animal medicine and are based on academic merit and financial need, regardless of state residency. There is no application process, and the recipient is selected by the Scholarship Committee. This is for students attending University of Pennsylvania. Wal-Mart Community Scholarships Local Wal-marts and Sam s Clubs give two $1,000 scholarships each year to a local senior. Criteria include: academic record, ACT/SAT scored, community service, extracurricular involvement, work experience, and financial need. 14 Table of Contents Introduction 2 Job Description 4 Values Needed for Success 5 Aptitudes and Abilities 5 Tasks and Responsibilities 6 Work Hours and Conditions 6 Job Outlook 7 Salary and Benefits 7 Preparing for a Career in Veterinary Medicine 8 Classes that will need to be taken to become a Veterinarian 9 Penn State University 10 Clemson University 11 Cornell University 12 University of Pennsylvania 13 Scholarships 14 Works Cited 15 3
Job Description Veterinarians work with animals of all kinds examining, diagnosing and treating them with medical problems. The job varies from working with domesticated pets, livestock, wild animals, and laboratory test animals. A veterinarian is a broad range of work covering several occupations from caring for animals and fixing medical problems to learning how animal diseases affect humans. About half of veterinarians work in private practices where they treat small animals such as dogs, cats, birds and other household pets. Only about one fourth of veterinarians work in mixed animal practices where they don t only see household pets but farm animals as well and some non domestic animals. A veterinary in a clinical practice will diagnose animal health problems; vaccinate against diseases; medicate animals suffering from illnesses; treat and dress wounds; set fractures; perform surgery; and advise owners about the proper care for there pet. Veterinarians that work in a practice will treat animals in the office as well as making house calls and treating the animal in another environment; often in unsanitary conditions. Veterinarians who treat animals use medical equipment such as surgical instruments; stethoscopes; diagnostic equipment, such as radiographic and ultrasound equipment. Veterinarians that work in research use a full range of sophisticated laboratory equipment. Even though a veterinarian is an animal doctor they still contribute a lot to human health as well. A lot of veterinarians work with scientists researching ways to prevent and treat human health problems. Some veterinarians are even involved in food safety. They will check livestock for transmissible diseases advise owners on treatment and may quarantine animals. University of Pennsylvania REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICATION The minimum educational requirement for admission to the School of Veterinary Medicine is the satisfactory completion of three years study in a college or university accredited by the Association of American Colleges and Universities or one of the regional accrediting associations. The three years of college study must total 90 semester credits (135 quarter credits) and must include the following courses: English: 6 semester credits (at least 3 must be in composition) Physics: 8 semester credits, including 2 laboratories. Chemistry: 12 semester credits, including laboratory in at least one course; 8 semester credits in general chemistry; and at least 4 semester credits in organic chemistry. Biology or Zoology: 9 semester credits, (3 courses) at least one course of which must cover the basic principles of genetics. Social Sciences or Humanities: 6 semester credits. Calculus: 3 semester credits. 4 Location: The Pennsylvania State University Park Campus 201 Old Main University Park, PA 16802-1503 13
Cornell University Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine is a graduate school for those wishing to of study for a master of science (MS) or a doctor of philosophy (PhD). Requirements summary: -Baccalaureate degree -Two recommendations (PDF form) -GRE general test for native English speakers Values Needed for Success Being open to new experiences is a big asset to being a veterinarian. Conscientious is another important role in being successful as a veterinarian because it is a field of science you need to be well organized and reliable. You also need to be a calm and relaxed person that is agreeable and can work well with the public. Along with each of these you need to have a strong love for animals and a will to figure things out. Achievement is an extreme characteristic of a veterinarian; you want to set goals and get them accomplished and know that you did your best. Independence is also a feature that you want to have because you won t always have someone there assisting you and you need to know how to make decisions on your own. Being able to change to your surroundings is also a big aspect of being a veterinarian because everyday is different. Animal Science application information: In addition, applicants must meet the Graduate School's general admissions requirements, including: -A completed application Aptitudes and Abilities -A statement of purpose -Official transcripts -Letters of recommendation (PDF form) Location: Cornell University New York State College of Veterinary Medicine Ithaca, NY 14835 12 Aptitude is defined as a person s ability to acquire knowledge. To become successful in a veterinary career you need to have general learning ability, finger dexterity, verbal aptitude, numerical aptitude, form perception, and manual dexterity. Being able to learn quickly is very important so that you are always on top of the new scientific advancements. Handson work but be precise and first rate. Comprehensible skills are very much in need to understand how things need to be done in a exact manner. Being a veterinarian reflects many aptitudes in several areas. Some of the requirements you must have is that you must have clear near vision and speech clarity, this is very important so you can see what you are doing under precise working conditions and communicate with the public. Transferable work skills are also very important these include using medical or dental instruments; giving injections, drugs, or other medications; diagnosing diseases and disorders; treating physical or mental problems; researching life sciences; and planning healthcare treatments. 5
Tasks and Responsibilities The most typical task a veterinarian must follow is examining animals so that they can determine the illness, disease, or injury of the animals to be treated. They conduct postmortem studies then analyze the results. Following this a veterinarian will take the results and treat the animal. Some of the more typical tasks include spade/neutering, dressing wounds, giving shots, regular checkups, mending bone fractures, and testing for diseases. Helping animals give with birth is another common task of veterinarians. Another common task for veterinarians working in rural and suburb areas is farm calls where you must go to a farm to treat an animal; usually these are larger animals that can t be transported in a vehicle. There are also emergency calls that come into play where you may have to go to work at unscheduled hours to care for an animal; most emergency calls are due to animals giving birth. Being responsible is very important because animals are living things and mistakes can not be made. Clemson University The curriculum in Animal and Veterinary Sciences provides students with a broad base of understanding of scientific principles and the application of these principles to scientific, technical, and business phases of livestock and poultry production. Completion of general education requirements, basic sciences, applied sciences, and student-selected courses of personal interest prepares graduates well for successful careers. Options also meet all requirements for admission to veterinary school. For the Bachelor of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, a minimum of 134 credits is required. REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICATION INTO COLLEGE High school diploma required and GED accepted. Work Hours and Conditions Veterinarians work long hours with little breaks. Work hours can total up to more than 50 a week. Veterinarians in group practices may take turns being on call for evening, night, or weekend work. Solo practitioners work is extended to weekend hours, responding to emergencies or squeezing in unexpected appointments. Often times the work setting can become rather noisy. Veterinarians will often spend time driving between there work office and farms and ranches. Sometimes you will have to work outdoors in all kinds of weather, and have to treat and perform surgeries in unsanitary conditions such as a barn or field. While working with hurt or frightened animals you stand a high risk of getting bitten, kicked, or scratched. Veterinarians that work in nonclinical areas have working conditions like those other public health and research professionals. Under these cases you can enjoy clean, well-lit offices or laboratories but you spend most of your time dealing with people instead of animals. 6 Freshman SAT1 scores (percentage of class) Verbal Math Between 300 and 399 1% Between 400 and 499 10% 4% Between 500 and 599 45% 35% Between 600 and 699 37% 46% Between 700 and 800 7% 15% Admission requirements for fall freshmen - written essay or personal statement (recommended) - interview (recommended) - 1letter of recommendation (recommended) - transcript of high school record (required) Entrance exams -SAT I or ACT required for admission Location: Clemson University Clemson, SC 29634 11
Penn State University The Animal BioScience Program provides a strong background in the biological and physical sciences underlying contemporary animal agriculture and establishes a sound foundation for graduate level study in animal and related sciences. The Animal BioScience Program prepare students for admission to Veterinary School. For the Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Bio- Science, a minimum of 130 credits is required. REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICATION INTO COLLEGE High school diploma required and GED accepted. Freshman SAT1 scores (percentage of class) Verbal Math Between 300 and 399 2% 1% Between 400 and 499 12% 6% Between 500 and 599 46% 33% Between 600 and 699 33% 43% Between 700 and 800 7% 17% Admission requirements for fall freshmen - written essay or personal statement (recommended) - 2.0 minimum high school GPA (on 4.0 scale) (required) - interview (required for some) - 1 letter of recommendation (required for some) - transcript of high school record (required) Entrance exams -SAT I or ACT required for admission Location: The Pennsylvania State University Park Campus 201 Old Main 10 Job Outlook The employment of veterinarians is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2005. With an emphasis on science demands for specialists in toxicology, laboratory animal medicine, and pathology is expected to increase. Because of this there will be more jobs opening in metropolitan areas. From 2002 to 2012 it is estimated to be a 25.1% increase in openings but the employment is a small occupation. Job openings are expected to be a total of 3,000 annually between 2002 and 2012. The increase in the demand for veterinarians is believed to be because of the baby boomers reaching the age or retirement; where they are expected to have more pets which they treat like a member of the family. Also the numbers of students being accepted into veterinary school is very keen because of the competition. Salary and Benefits The average annual earnings for a veterinarian are $73,720 and the hourly is $35.44 in the year 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $49,050 and $85,770. The lowest 10 percent earned less that $38,000, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $123,370. The salary varies by the type of practice you work in for 2002 the average starting salaries of veterinary medical college graduates are as follows: Veterinarians in private practice are usually able to set up their own appointment hours, even All private clinical practices $46,000 Large animals, exclusively $48,303 Small animals, exclusively $48,171 Small animals, predominantly $46,528 Large animals, predominantly $45,087 Mixed animal $43,948 Equine (horses) $34,273 though emergency cases or heavy caseloads often lead to long irregular hours. This is mainly true for Veterinarians just starting out, or those who are in practice by 7
Preparing for a Career in Veterinary Medicine The number of students wanting to pursue a career in veterinary medicine is greater than the number of students that can be accepted in the colleges of veterinary medicine each year. You need to be aware of the intense competition for admissions to veterinary school and prepare yourself to the best of your ability for the course. Academic preparation is a major part, but not the only part that gets you accepted. There are very few restrictions allowing students to enroll in a pre-veterinary curriculum at any college or university. Because of this there are a lot of students making it through pre-vet school and wanting to continue onto veterinary school; but this is very hard because there are only 28 veterinary schools in the U.S. The capacity of each veterinary school is approximately 90 students. In the year 2003 there were 4453 applicants for the 2573 open positions in veterinary school. Most of these applicants meet minimal qualifications for admissions but the admissions committees are interested in filling their classes with the best qualified students. Activities and clubs outside the classroom that assist in the preparations for veterinary school can include working or volunteering in a clinical practice, research lab, or some other connection with the profession. You should also have another alternative career plan that can be accomplished through your undergraduate major. Classes that will need to be taken to be accepted into veterinary school Veterinary schools do not require you to be enrolled in a specific major to be considered for admission. Each veterinary school has its own list of minimal requirements for acceptance. Planning ahead will allow you to have some flexibility in attempting to meet the admission criteria while having an alternative career in mind. The majority of students preparing for veterinary school are enrolled in majors in agricultural colleges, biology, biochemistry, microbiology, and in some cases they are enrolled in non-science majors. You should talk to your academic advisor and evaluate you academic progress so that you can make changes accordingly because a change in major may not significantly increase your time required to complete a degree if you make the change during the first few semesters. 8 9