A veterinarian is someone who cares for large or small animals. A veterinarian treats sick animals, injured animals and does exams and routine vaccinations on the animals. A veterinarian will provide advice to the pet owners on best treatments, best feed and house care for their animal. Veterinarians work in clinics where they treat small animals and travel to farms and ranches to provide services to larger animals such as horses and livestock.
Duties of a Veterinarian:
- Examines animals for sickness and diseases
- Treat animals with medicine, for wounds, fractures and performing surgery
- Yearly vaccination
- Give pet owners advice on feeding, hygiene, behaviour, housing and general care of the animals
- The veterinarian helps sick or unwanted animals to die with little or no pain
Work Requirements:
A veterinarian works in clinics or is mobile offering services to farms or ranches. A veterinarian requires a lot of physical strength to maneuver small and large animals. You risk getting bit, scratched and kicked by some animals. Exposure to disease is also a risk. You work long hours and are called out often to attend to emergency situations in evenings and on weekends.
Types of Work Environments:
- Animal clinics/hospitals
- Private clinics
- Government
- Universites
- Laboratories
Personality Requirements:
- Care and have a genuine interest in animals
- Sensitive
- Observations skills
- Ability to work under pressure and stress
- Interpersonal skills
- Physical strength and stamina
Education: 6-8 years post-secondary
Pre-veterinary University studies followed by a university degree in Veterinary Medicine
Certification:
- Ontario: Licensing by the College of Veterinarians of Ontario
- All Provinces: Pass Nationals Examining Board exam
Courses taken during high school which will assist you in a career as a veterinarian:
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Physics
- English
- Math
Job placement – after 6-8 years of post-secondary education your chances of finding a job are considered - Good
Job openings will result from the need to replace veterinarians who retire along with the expected growth at an average rate for this occupation.
Wages:
Average annual income: $35,000 to $55,000
If you own and operate your own clinic you can earn as much as $100,000 annually
Links:
The College of Veterinarians of Ontario
http://www.cvo.org
Ontario Veterinary Medical Association
http://www.ovma.org
Canadian Committee on Antibiotic Resistance
http://www.ccar-ccra.com
Canadian Federation of Humane Societies
http://www.cfhs.ca
American Veterinary Medical Association
http://www.avma.org
Job Futures: Specialist Physicians
http://jobfutures.ca/noc/3112.shtml
