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- What is a Veterinarian
Academic RequirementsProspective veterinarians must graduate from a four-year program at an accredited college of veterinary medicine with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M. or V.M.D.) degree and obtain a license to practice. The prerequisites for admission vary by veterinary medical college. Many of these colleges do not require a bachelor’s degree for entrance, but all require a significant number of credit hours—ranging from 45 to 90 semester hours—at the undergraduate level. However, most of the students admitted have completed an undergraduate program. You can start preparing for a career as a veterinarian while you are still in high school: Study hard so you can maintain a high GPA and score well on your SAT or ACT test. Take as many math and science classes as you can. Look for chances to participate in extracurricular activities that involve animals like 4-H and Future Farmers of America. Some colleges of veterinary medicine offer veterinary camps. Volunteer with a local veterinarian or at an animal shelter. When you get to college, you should continue studying hard to get good grades. It’s a good idea to major in pre-veterinary studies but it’s not necessary. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAVMC) notes in a brochure that “veterinary medical students come from all kinds of backgrounds and majors, including the arts or humanities. The important thing is to accumulate the necessary prerequisites, especially prerequisites in math and science, which vary by school. It’s best to start taking math and science early in your academic career, but you can also pick up those classes along the way.” What is a Veterinarian?A veterinarian is a medical professional who protects the health and well-being of both animals and people. They diagnose and control animal diseases and treat sick and injured animals. They also advise owners on proper care of their pets and livestock. Veterinarians provide a wide range of services in private practice, teaching, research, government service, public health, military service, private industry, and other areas. When taking the veterinarian's oath, a veterinarian solemnly swears to use his or her scientific knowledge and skills "for the benefit of society, through the protection of animal health, the relief of animal suffering, the conservation of animal resources, the promotion of public health, and the advancement of medical knowledge." In many respects, a veterinarian is similar to a pediatrician. Animals cannot express what is wrong with them, much like babies and toddlers can't. Therefore, much of their clinical history is obtained from the owner, as a pediatrician would obtain from a child's parents. Excellent people skills and communication skills are required. A veterinarian's duties could include: Diagnosing animal health problems Vaccinating against diseases, such as distemper and rabies Medicating animals suffering from infections or illnesses Treating and dressing wounds Setting fractures Performing minor to complex surgery, depending on training Advising owners about animal feeding, behavior and breeding Euthanizing animals when necessary Providing preventive care to maintain the health of livestock Performing diagnostic tests such as X-ray, EKG, ultrasound, blood, urine, and faeces What information cannot be retrieved from clinical history is obtained with the fingers, eyes, and smell. The ability to listen with a stethoscope and palpate with the fingers and hands will reveal much of the physical findings. The sense of smell is also important in detecting the fruity odor of the ketotic cow's breath, or the urea from the breath of a cat in renal failure. What cannot be revealed by the history and exam is further supported by diagnostic tests like blood work, urinalysis, and fecal exams. Veterinarians are well trained in laboratory medicine and parasitology. The general practice veterinarian spends one-third to one-half of his or her time in surgery. Animal neutering operations are done in most veterinarians' offices. Many veterinarians also perform orthopedic procedures, bone setting, dentistry, and trauma surgery. Surgery requires good hand and eye coordination, and fine motor skills. A veterinarian's job is similar to that of a human doctor. When health problems arise, veterinarians diagnose the problem and treat the animal. Accurate diagnosis frequently requires laboratory tests, radiography, and specialized equipment. Treatments may involve a number of different procedures including emergency lifesaving techniques, prescribing medication, setting fractures, birthing, performing surgery, or advising an owner on feeding and care of the animal. To prevent the introduction of foreign diseases, veterinarians employed by government agencies quarantine and inspect animals brought into the country from other countries. They supervise shipments of animals, test for the presence of diseases and manage campaigns to prevent and eradicate many diseases such as tuberculosis, brucellosis, and rabies, which threaten animal and human health. A veterinarian in research looks for better ways to prevent and solve animal and human health problems. Many problems, such as cancer and heart disease, are studied through the use of laboratory animals, which are carefully bred, raised, and maintained under the supervision of veterinarians. There are many veterinarians that are professors, teaching at schools and universities of veterinary medicine. In addition to teaching, veterinary school faculty members conduct basic and clinical research, contribute to scientific publications, and develop continuing education programs to help graduate veterinarians acquire new knowledge and skills. Download 67.57 Kb. Share with your friends:
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