Overview and Key Facts
Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Median Pay
$95,460
Job Growth
15.90%
(Above US Average)
Jobs in 2029
103,400
What Do They Do?
A veterinarian could...
Help a cow deliver a calf if there are complications.
Perform emergency surgery to help a pet after it has been hit by a car.
Nurse injured birds back to health for re-release into the wild.
Give pets their vaccines, like rabies shots, to help keep them healthy.
Overview
Veterinarians help prevent, diagnose and treat health problems in a wide variety of animals. Regardless of whether the animal is a family pet, a prize-winning race horse, a dairy cow, a circus lion, or seal in a zoo, its healthcare depends on veterinarians.
Do You Have the Skills and Characteristics of a Veterinarian?
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Active Listening:
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Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
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Reading Comprehension:
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Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
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Active Learning:
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Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
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Judgment and Decision Making:
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Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
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Complex Problem Solving:
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Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
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Speaking:
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Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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Critical Thinking:
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Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
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Science:
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Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
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Writing:
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Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
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Service Orientation:
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Actively looking for ways to help people.
Core Tasks
Think about if you'd like the typical tasks a Veterinarian might do:
- Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds, or performing surgery.
- Inoculate animals against various diseases, such as rabies or distemper.
- Examine animals to detect and determine the nature of diseases or injuries.
- Collect body tissue, feces, blood, urine, or other body fluids for examination and analysis.
- Operate diagnostic equipment, such as radiographic or ultrasound equipment, and interpret the resulting images.
- Educate the public about diseases that can be spread from animals to humans.
- Counsel clients about the deaths of their pets or about euthanasia decisions for their pets.
- Advise animal owners regarding sanitary measures, feeding, general care, medical conditions, or treatment options.
- Euthanize animals.
- Attend lectures, conferences, or continuing education courses.
- Train or supervise workers who handle or care for animals.
- Perform administrative or business management tasks, such as scheduling appointments, accepting payments from clients, budgeting, or maintaining business records.
- Plan or execute animal nutrition or reproduction programs.
- Conduct postmortem studies and analyses to determine the causes of animals' deaths.
Salary & Job Openings
Steps to Get There: Becoming a Veterinarian
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On the Job
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