What is a veterinarian and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Expert
Jamie Rauscher RVT
introduction image

A veterinarian specializes in the care and treatment of animals. They provide preventative care, diagnosis, and treatment of illnesses and injuries in various animal species. Veterinarians also perform surgeries, prescribe medications, and give advice to pet owners. They work in settings including private practices, animal hospitals, research facilities, and government agencies. Veterinarians use communication skills to effectively work with both animals and their owners. They are passionate about animal welfare and work to improve the well-being of animals.

What general advice would you give to a Veterinarian?

J

Jamie Rauscher RVTJamie Rauscher RVT LinkedIn Profile

Medical Manager, Animal Hospital of Towne Lake and Cat Clinic of Woodstock

I would advise new graduates to look at their career as a whole. Do not get bogged down in the negativity of so many others. You will be told everything from you cannot survive on your own salary, the pay is terrible, clients are ungrateful, you will become burnt out within the first 5 years, etc. All that is part of a negative mindset. I have been in the field for 25 years. I love it. I have earned the salary I make due to hard work and determination. I am constantly looking for ways to grow myself, so I will be able to develop my career into what I am physically able to do, as well as mentally as I age. I can help to support my family, even if I was not able to have my husband's income to add in, I would be able to take care of myself and my son with no problem.
ScoreVeterinarianUS Average
Salary
7.9

Avg. Salary $109,524

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
10.0

Growth Rate 19%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.26%

Asian 4.84%

Black or African American 1.40%

Hispanic or Latino 6.07%

Unknown 4.30%

White 83.13%

Gender

female 62.94%

male 37.06%

Age - 42
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42
Stress Level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
10.0

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
5.7

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Veterinarian?

Pros

  • Potential for high earning potential with experience and specialization

  • Job stability and security due to demand for veterinary services

  • Opportunities for growth and advancement in the field

  • Flexibility in work schedule and potential for part-time or freelance work

  • Satisfaction from solving medical puzzles and diagnosing illnesses

Cons

  • Long hours, including weekends, evenings, and holidays

  • Potential exposure to diseases and zoonotic illnesses

  • Physically demanding work, including lifting animals and standing for long periods of time

  • Potential risk of injury from bites, scratches, or kicks from frightened or aggressive animals

  • Financial burden of student loans from veterinary school education

Veterinarian career paths

Key steps to become a veterinarian

  1. Explore veterinarian education requirements

    Most common veterinarian degrees

    Bachelor's

    43.7 %

    Doctorate

    31.6 %

    Master's

    7.4 %
  2. Start to develop specific veterinarian skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    PET38.00%
    Customer Service8.88%
    Diagnostic Tests5.59%
    Preventative Care5.16%
    Blood Draws4.83%
  3. Complete relevant veterinarian training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New veterinarians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a veterinarian based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real veterinarian resumes.
  4. Research veterinarian duties and responsibilities

    • Manage wildlife rehabilitation program for native species, including state and federal rehabilitation licenses for the practice.
    • Advise researchers on animal surgery protocols for NIH and NSF grant proposals
    • Support community organizations/humane society organizations in their rabies, immunization, spay and neuter and pet adoption programs.
    • Work as a general DVM.
  5. Prepare your veterinarian resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your veterinarian resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a veterinarian resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Veterinarian Resume templates

    Build a professional Veterinarian resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Veterinarian resume.
    Veterinarian Resume
    Veterinarian Resume
    Veterinarian Resume
    Veterinarian Resume
    Veterinarian Resume
    Veterinarian Resume
    Veterinarian Resume
    Veterinarian Resume
    Veterinarian Resume
  6. Apply for veterinarian jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a veterinarian job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Veterinarian Job

Zippi

Are you a Veterinarian?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average veterinarian salary

The average Veterinarian salary in the United States is $109,524 per year or $53 per hour. Veterinarian salaries range between $58,000 and $205,000 per year.

Average Veterinarian Salary
$109,524 Yearly
$52.66 hourly

What Am I Worth?

Loading...
Loading...
salary-calculator

How do veterinarians rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Veterinarian reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2024
Pros

The pros are something new everyday, meeting and helping new animals. and doing somethig i love.

Cons

Cons: losing a animal.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on May 2020
Pros

I love how I get to do the two things I love, working in the lab, (which includes solving mysteries and helping animals) and working with my hands and still being able to come in contact with the Wildlife.


Working as a Veterinarian? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall Rating*
Career Growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Veterinarian FAQs

Search for veterinarian jobs

Loading...
Loading...

Veterinarian jobs by state

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse healthcare practitioner and technical jobs