Are you an animal lover? What if you get an opportunity to promote the health and welfare of animals around you? Veterinary Science offers one of the most popular and rewarding careers for individuals with an interest in Medicine packed with a love for animals. If you’re wondering how to become a veterinary doctor, then this blog will provide you with all the essential details about the profession as well as the key steps you need to take in order to pursue a career in Veterinary Science.
Types of Veterinarians
The question of how to become a veterinary doctor is best answered when you are aware of the fact that you can choose your career in any of the following specialized disciplines of Veterinary Science.
- Companion Animal Veterinarians are usually found in private hospitals and provide treatment to pet animals like cats, dogs, birds, etc.
- Food Animal Veterinarians deal with illness and injuries of farm animals like cattle, sheep, pigs and literate the farm owners about animal feeding and other health practices.
- Food Safety and Inspection Veterinarians generally work on research to find preventions of animal diseases that are transmissible among animals and between humans and animals.
- Equine Veterinarians facilitate the medical treatment of horses.
- Research Veterinarians are involved in research to find a new diagnosis and surgical techniques.
Also Read: Highest Paying Jobs for Animal Lovers!
Key Skills Required
If you have an affinity towards animals and want to transform it into a dream career, the right education and training can equip you with the essential knowledge and skills of a veterinarian. Vets are required to learn the different aspects of animal care, including restraint, diets, surgeries, medical conditions, vaccines, parasites and more. Moreover, this requires ardent patience and commitment to help animals, pets and their owners.
Wondering about how to become a veterinary doctor? Here are 5 essential characteristics of a veterinarian that you need to imbibe in order to practice the science of veterinary medicine:
- Good attitude and excellent communication skills to facilitate helpful interactions with pet owners.
- An empathetic and genuine approach towards pet owners to offer reassurance and support.
- Efficient time management and an organisational personality to assure that medical operations in clinics and hospitals are run smoothly.
- Technical aptitude to handle technical machinery and lab equipment for diagnostics and accuracy when dealing with injured and sick animals.
- A passion for animal welfare and wellbeing.
Career as a Veterinary Doctor
Veterinary Science is a specialized branch of science that involves the treatment of diverse types of diseases in animals and birds. It is quite similar to the human Medical Sciences as their primary aim lies in the prevention and elimination of illnesses or ailments and restoration of the biological organisms to a healthier state.
What to Do to Become a Veterinary Doctor?
You will have to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Science or BVSc followed by a DM in Veterinary Science or any of its specialisations to become a Veterinary Doctor.
Veterinarians or Veterinary Doctors (Vets) are commonly referred to as ‘animal doctors’ as they diagnose and treat pets, livestock and other animals experiencing diseases, sickness and other medical conditions. In order to understand how to become a veterinary doctor, it is essential to familiarise yourself with their major duties and responsibilities:
- Providing preventative care like vaccinations and check-ups.
- Examining animals, treating wounds and performing surgeries.
- Providing emergency care and euthanizing animals.
- Advising animal owners about the care and prescribing medications.
Animal doctors can choose to work in urban areas where they are responsible for handling domestic pets or government-aided animal care centres and animal husbandry departments. Other than this, vets who work with farm animals also travel to facilitate treatment and diagnosis of their patients.