You can view a list of potential veterinary career paths here.
Whether they're pets, livestock or working animals, animals matter to individuals and society. Every community needs veterinary professionals to provide animal health care, but veterinarians also do many other kinds of jobs. They make sure the nation's food supply is safe. They work to control the spread of diseases. They conduct research that helps both animals and humans. Veterinarians are at the forefront of protecting the public's health and welfare.
Besides medical skills, veterinarians often take a holistic approach to human well-being and animal welfare that, combined with communications and problem-solving skills, makes veterinarians uniquely qualified to fulfill a variety of roles. Many veterinarians, of course, provide care for companion animals through private medical practices, but veterinarians are also involved in promoting the health and welfare of farm animals, exotic animals, working animals (like those in the equine industry), and those that need a healthy environment in which to thrive, whether that environment is a rain forest, a desert or even the ocean.
Outside of companion animal practice, the largest employer of veterinarians in the United States is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, but veterinarians are found throughout government in roles where they contribute to public health, the environment, and even homeland security, as well as working in research and public policy.
Many veterinarians are engaged in work at the intersection of both human and animal health. For example, veterinarians play an important role in food safety, where epidemiological research is crucial to forecasting the threat of food-borne diseases and outbreaks. They work to keep cattle and other food animals healthy by developing and testing various farm control methods that help to detect, limit, and prevent the spread of food that might be contaminated by salmonella, E coli or other pathogens. And theyre often on the front lines of surveillance where their extensive medical training can help them to detect and treat the outbreak of diseases that have the potential to make the jump from animals to humans.
Unmet needs for veterinary expertise exist in some sectors of veterinary medicine, such as public health, biomedical research, and food safety. To help address the lack of veterinarians in biomedical research, the AAVMC is a co-sponsor of the Merial Veterinary Scholars Program. The program's mission is to expose veterinary medical students in their first or second year of veterinary school to biomedical research and career opportunities in research. The program culminates in the Merial NIH National Veterinary Scholars Symposium, where veterinary students participating in the program gather from all over the United States and Canada to present their research findings and share experiences from their various programs.
Learn more about how to embark on a path that will lead to a veterinary medical career on our Students, Applicants and Advisors portal.
Read more here:
Careers in Veterinary Medicine - aavmc.org
- Veterinary innovation and AVMA Convention 2024 - American Veterinary Medical Association - May 5th, 2024
- Helping Cats Stand Up To Pillow Foot - Texas A&M Today - Texas A&M University Today - May 5th, 2024
- New Study Dispels Myth That Purebred Dogs Are More Prone To Health Problems - Texas A&M University Today - May 5th, 2024
- Veterinary care, animal hospitals are more scarce. That's bad for pets (and their owners) - USA TODAY - May 5th, 2024
- New Study Busts Long-Believed Myth About the Health of Purebred Dogs - Parade Pets - May 5th, 2024
- CSU breaks ground on Veterinary Health and Education Complex - Source - May 5th, 2024
- New record program aims to improve access of care - DVM 360 - May 5th, 2024
- WSU expected to care for a record number of injured wildlife this year, asking the community for donations and support - NBC Right Now - May 5th, 2024
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- Canine Educators Help Lift Spirits and Support on Purdue Day of Giving - Purdue University - May 5th, 2024
- CSU to break ground Thursday on expanded veterinary school BizWest - BizWest - May 5th, 2024
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- Nonprofit raising money to save dogs in need of lifesaving medical treatment - Sunbury Daily Item - May 5th, 2024
- What is an endoscopy and how can it help your pet? | Ask Dr. Kait - Hanford Sentinel - May 5th, 2024
- Morehead State Veterinary Technology program ranked 13th in nation, #1 in state - Morehead State University News - April 25th, 2024
- veterinary medicine summary | Britannica - April 25th, 2024
- Veterinary Viewpoints: Severe weather and pets - Oklahoma State University - April 25th, 2024
- Clinic center: New hospitals opening across the nation - DVM 360 - April 25th, 2024
- Cancer test launches within US and European veterinary clinics - DVM 360 - April 25th, 2024
- Tracking tool is launched on the first parvovirus awareness day - DVM 360 - April 25th, 2024
- CFMV highlights the urgency of regulating air and road transport of animals - Aeroflap - April 25th, 2024
- Business Memoranda: 04/24/2024 | the BIZ | record-eagle.com - Traverse City Record Eagle - April 25th, 2024
- Wrap up: Animal health company responds to safety concerns over OA drug, and other veterinary news - DVM 360 - April 25th, 2024
- Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine Teams-up with Lafayette School Corporation through The League of ... - Purdue University - April 16th, 2024
- ImpriMed to Showcase Groundbreaking AI Research and Applications at Symposium on Artificial Intelligence in ... - Business Wire - April 16th, 2024
- The hardest job in a hospital (according to a veterinarian) - DVM 360 - April 16th, 2024
- Dangers Of Humans Taking Animal Drugs And Vice Versa - Forbes - April 16th, 2024
- Dyer honored at commissioners meeting - The Tribune | The Tribune - Ironton Tribune - April 16th, 2024
- LSU Vet Med releases male bald eagle that was hit by car in October - WGNO New Orleans - April 16th, 2024
- What Killed Their Pets? Owners Blame Meds, but Vets Aren't Sure - The Wall Street Journal - April 16th, 2024
- 10 best practices to steward a healthy relationship with your veterinarian - Ag Proud - April 16th, 2024
- PVM Faculty Promotions Approved by Purdue University Board of Trustees - Purdue University - April 16th, 2024
- Paws Up - brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee - Purdue University - April 16th, 2024
- States begin to restrict cattle imports from those with influenza cases - American Veterinary Medical Association - April 16th, 2024
- What does a veterinarian do? - CareerExplorer - March 29th, 2024
- Veterinary Medicine Overview - CareerExplorer - March 29th, 2024
- Cats with MDR1 mutation at risk of severe reactions to popular medication - WSU News - March 29th, 2024
- Animal chaplains offer spiritual care for every species - The Associated Press - March 29th, 2024
- Loki's Leap: The Golden Retriever who overcame the odds with groundbreaking care - Virginia Tech - March 29th, 2024
- 6 in 10 pet owners surveyed in the UK, Austria and Denmark believe their pets should have access to the same healthcare treatment options as humans -... - March 29th, 2024
- Protecting Puppies From Parvovirus - Texas A&M Today - Texas A&M University Today - March 29th, 2024
- Veterinary Medicine in the Digital Age - Boehringer Ingelheim - March 29th, 2024
- Veterinary surgeon: Spare flat-faced pets the respiratory distress - Phys.org - March 29th, 2024
- AMC expands offerings with enhanced surgical suite - American Veterinary Medical Association - March 29th, 2024
- A soul killer: whats behind the USs critical veterinarian shortage? - The Guardian - February 27th, 2024
- Sneak peek: Humane Society International and Ukrainian Red Cross has helped over 100,000 pets in Ukraine, and ... - DVM 360 - February 27th, 2024
- Most veterinarians are women, but they still face sexism in rural areas where theyre most needed - IPM Newsroom - February 27th, 2024
- SA Gets its Largest CT Scanner for Veterinary Practice and Studies - Good Things Guy - February 27th, 2024
- Inside the Lab Part 2: How DNA researchers are helping crack animal cruelty cases - FOX 35 Orlando - February 27th, 2024
- This University Is Set To Become Just The Second HBCU In The Country To Train Veterinarians - Essence - February 27th, 2024
- USDA offers Grants for veterinarians in designated areas of Virginia - Yahoo News - February 10th, 2024
- Curing Pets With Cannabis as Veterinarians Try CBD and THC - The New York Times - February 10th, 2024
- New emergency vet clinic in Northern Liberties lets owners stay with pet - NBC 10 Philadelphia - February 10th, 2024
- The interview - DVM 360 - February 10th, 2024
- Veterinarians, State Ag Directors Champion Rural Veterinary Workforce Act - DTN The Progressive Farmer - February 10th, 2024
- USDA offers Grants for veterinarians in designated areas of Virginia - WFXRtv.com - February 10th, 2024
- Rural Veterinarians Headed to DC for AVMA Legislative Fly-In - AG INFORMATION NETWORK OF THE WEST - AGInfo Ag Information Network - February 10th, 2024
- MJ Wixsom: Emotional blackmail against veterinarians - The Tribune | The Tribune - Ironton Tribune - February 10th, 2024
- NAVC honors 2023 Speakers of the Year - DVM 360 - January 25th, 2024
- Steve Adubato speaks with the dean of Rowan University's first School of Veterinary Medicine - ROI-NJ.com - January 25th, 2024
- Texas A&M Veterinary Clinical Trial Gives Tabby Cat With Chronic Kidney Disease A Second Chance At Life - Texas A&M University Today - January 25th, 2024
- 4th generation takes the reins as Albany veterinary hospital celebrates 90 years of service - OregonLive - January 25th, 2024
- Synovial extramedullary hematopoiesis in a dog in: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association - Ahead of ... - American Veterinary Medical... - January 25th, 2024
- Xanthogranulomatous keratitis in a mixed-breed dog in: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association ... - American Veterinary Medical... - January 25th, 2024
- C-reactive protein concentration has limited value in the diagnosis of meningoencephalitis of unknown origin in dogs - American Veterinary Medical... - January 25th, 2024
- Veterinary profession heading in right direction with mental health - American Veterinary Medical Association - January 25th, 2024
- Veterinarian shortage in Yakima Valley can make it harder to find animal care - Yakima Herald-Republic - January 25th, 2024
- Winter conference explores the future of veterinary medicine industry - foxrochester.com - January 25th, 2024
- Learning outside the curriculum: experiences matter in: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association ... - American Veterinary Medical... - January 25th, 2024
- AI tops the new pet health standards for 2024 - KEVN - January 25th, 2024
- Flea, Tick, And Heartworm Products Global Market Report 2024: Evolving Veterinary Medicine Drives Innovation in Pet ... - PR Newswire - January 25th, 2024
- Dogs' Favorite TV Revealed By Vets - Vision - Newsweek - January 25th, 2024
- Knowing what dogs like to watch could help veterinarians assess their vision - University of Wisconsin-Madison - January 25th, 2024
- VMX 2024 Showcased Groundbreaking Innovations in Veterinary Medicine to Provide the Best Care for Pets Around ... - aNb Media - January 25th, 2024
- The 5 Best Dog Toothpastes of 2024, With Advice From Vets - Business Insider - January 25th, 2024
- Vet Hardy Joins HISA's Advisory Group - The Pressbox - January 25th, 2024
- Much-needed veterinarian facility will soon be available in Meadowview - Bristol Herald Courier - January 25th, 2024
- Counterfeit veterinary drug factory unearthed - The Express Tribune - January 25th, 2024
- 7 horses died in the lead-up to the Kentucky Derby. What is being done to prevent deaths and injuries? - PBS NewsHour - May 9th, 2023