How to Prepare For a Veterinary Career
From your Veterinary Medicine Guide

Whether you are still in school or considering a career change, here are some tips on how to prepare for a career in veterinary medicine -- as a veterinarian, technician, or assistant.

Time Required: varies

1. Volunteer or seek employment at a veterinary office to get the best idea of the career you are interested in, and what it is like to work with animals -- both sick and healthy.
2. Other career exploring opportunities would be volunteering at a local animal shelter or animal control unit.
3. Express your career interest to staff members. Ask about their career likes, dislikes, necessary training, and personal satisfaction involving their career choice.
4. If you feel uncomfortable about performing a task or answering a client question, ask for help! Better to ask for help than risk injury to an animal or misinformation to a client.
5. Regarding schooling and education, research the various schools available. Admission requirements, typical educational costs, the school's academic strengths and weaknesses.
6. Work with a guidance counselor in your present school to best choose a variety of classes, not solely science classes.
7. If you are considering a career change, seek out a guidance counselor as well. Most community colleges have career resource centers and offer free aptitude testing and career guidance.
8. Join local, state, and national veterinary interest groups and associations.
9. Veterinary professional organization memberships include, but aren't limited to: veterinarians, technicians, pre-veterinary students.
10. Other animal organizations include, but aren't limited to: 4-H, Humane Societies, animal welfare groups, and pet therapy organizations.
11. Most importantly, don't let anyone tell you no! Keep trying, researching, and studying to attain your goal.
    

Tips:

1. Take advantage of career resources available at schools, community colleges, local libraries, and veterinary school admissions offices.
2. Working for more than one veterinary office will provide a more varied viewpoint of the profession.
3. If you feel capable, ask for more responsibility at your volunteer or staff position to be able to learn new skills on the job.

Related Information:

• Career Information for Veterinarians
• Career Information for Veterinary Technicians
• Online Learning
  

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