4 answers
Lendsy
Student
Chicago Heights, Illinois
1
Question
Asked
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What should my college major be? What are the most important steps? And things along those lines.
I am a first generation student and I'm stressed with the college process. I want to become a livestock vet but don't know the steps I need to take to achieve this.
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4 answers
Rebecca Tang
Banking
1989
Answers
Hong Kong
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
Thank you for your question. I am glad to hear that you would like to become a vet.
Different colleges have strength in different subjects.
Below are my suggestions:
1. Explore the college review on vet
2. Attend the information sessions host by vet department of colleges to understand the entry criteria. Speak to the professors and alumni if you can
3. Find out the entry criteria of the colleges you have interest
4. Work hard on your academic to meet the criteria
Hope this helps! Good luck!
May Almighty God bless you!
Different colleges have strength in different subjects.
Below are my suggestions:
1. Explore the college review on vet
2. Attend the information sessions host by vet department of colleges to understand the entry criteria. Speak to the professors and alumni if you can
3. Find out the entry criteria of the colleges you have interest
4. Work hard on your academic to meet the criteria
Hope this helps! Good luck!
May Almighty God bless you!
Nirah Shomer, DVM PhD DACLAM
Senior leader in laboratory animal science, animal welfare, and regulatory compliance
67
Answers
Updated
Nirah’s Answer
Hi Lendsy!
Congratulations on being the first in your family to attend college.
Becoming a veterinarian requires going to a four year vet school, of which there are approximately 30 in the United States. Going to Vet school requires first getting an undergraduate degree, which is the step you are on now. It is definitely not necessary to major in biology, animal science, or zoology, but any of those majors would probably be interesting for you given your interest in livestock, and will be very likely to help you meet all of the prerequisites for Vet school. You will definitely need to take a fair amount of biology and chemistry to be eligible for Vet school, and also to have the background you need to understand the advanced biology and pharmacology classes you will take in Vet school.
Your school should have a guidance office with a guidance counselor who can help you make sure that you register for the classes that you need to have, and your school may even have a pre-vet major. They will almost certainly have information for students who want to become a physicians, and the pre-med courses are generally what you need for Vet schools.
Because there are so few Vet schools, admission is extremely competitive. Also, most Vet schools give preference to students who live in their state, and they reserve a certain number of spots and offer much lower tuition for in-state students. You should research the specific requirements of your state school by going to the website and seeing what the prerequisites are.
All veterinarians have to learn about the major species, meaning dogs, cats, horses, and livestock such as cows and pigs. All vet schools will give you an opportunity to work with livestock species, and take classes covering farm animal medicine. However, some schools will obviously be at more of an advantage for certain Livestock, depending on where those animals tend to be raised. Veterinarians who work with livestock are often even more specialized than that, for example poultry veterinarians or swine veterinarians.
Once you have graduated from Vet school, you are able to work as a livestock veterinarian. However, depending on what species you want to work with and what type of medicine you want to practice, you may need to pursue additional education- an internship or residency. For example, if you were interested in Sports medicine for horses, or in surgery, you generally need additional residency training before you can really call yourself a specialist in those areas.
I encourage you to visit the AVMA website,avma.org, to read more about veterinary medicine and veterinary specialties. You will find links to more specialized websites, such as for bovine or poultry practitioners, and can find out more about the career path to those specialties.
Congratulations on being the first in your family to attend college.
Becoming a veterinarian requires going to a four year vet school, of which there are approximately 30 in the United States. Going to Vet school requires first getting an undergraduate degree, which is the step you are on now. It is definitely not necessary to major in biology, animal science, or zoology, but any of those majors would probably be interesting for you given your interest in livestock, and will be very likely to help you meet all of the prerequisites for Vet school. You will definitely need to take a fair amount of biology and chemistry to be eligible for Vet school, and also to have the background you need to understand the advanced biology and pharmacology classes you will take in Vet school.
Your school should have a guidance office with a guidance counselor who can help you make sure that you register for the classes that you need to have, and your school may even have a pre-vet major. They will almost certainly have information for students who want to become a physicians, and the pre-med courses are generally what you need for Vet schools.
Because there are so few Vet schools, admission is extremely competitive. Also, most Vet schools give preference to students who live in their state, and they reserve a certain number of spots and offer much lower tuition for in-state students. You should research the specific requirements of your state school by going to the website and seeing what the prerequisites are.
All veterinarians have to learn about the major species, meaning dogs, cats, horses, and livestock such as cows and pigs. All vet schools will give you an opportunity to work with livestock species, and take classes covering farm animal medicine. However, some schools will obviously be at more of an advantage for certain Livestock, depending on where those animals tend to be raised. Veterinarians who work with livestock are often even more specialized than that, for example poultry veterinarians or swine veterinarians.
Once you have graduated from Vet school, you are able to work as a livestock veterinarian. However, depending on what species you want to work with and what type of medicine you want to practice, you may need to pursue additional education- an internship or residency. For example, if you were interested in Sports medicine for horses, or in surgery, you generally need additional residency training before you can really call yourself a specialist in those areas.
I encourage you to visit the AVMA website,avma.org, to read more about veterinary medicine and veterinary specialties. You will find links to more specialized websites, such as for bovine or poultry practitioners, and can find out more about the career path to those specialties.
Fred Rosenberger
Data Analyst
507
Answers
St. Louis, MO
Updated
Fred’s Answer
To be a licensed veterinarian in the USA, you have to go to vet school. That would require you to get an undergraduate degree first. Usually, it would be in something like biology or anatomy, but doesn't HAVE to be.
You may want to talk to your school's guidance/college counsellor. They should have the most up to date info and can help steer you in the right direction.
You may want to talk to your school's guidance/college counsellor. They should have the most up to date info and can help steer you in the right direction.
Michelle M.
Actress
2296
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hi, Lendsy !
It is really cool that you want to be a Veterinarian specializing in Livestock ! Your academic path will include various animals, not just livestock. It will prepare you to know how to work with a lot of animals, but perhaps there are specialized courses for livestock in Veterinarian school. It will depend on where you choose to go to undergraduate and Vet school. They have to offer Zoology as a Major at the four year university you choose.
Zoology is the best major for the Bachelors Degree because it focuses on the animal kingdom. Not only that, you will learn microscopy, animal environments, DNA sequencing, genetic diversity, and animal behavior. I don't think any other Major pre-Vet School covers all that.
Please do not worry about being a first generation student. Although I wasn't, most of my classmates in college were and they had absolutely no problem with starting and continuing in college. There will be enormous amounts of support for you at the beginning and during your whole time in college. So you were and are not alone and being the first in your family to go to college is a wonderful achievement !
Keep in mind that once you become a Veterinarian and establish your interest to be a specialist in Livestock, you will be needing to travel to various farms and ranches to work. It sounds greatly exciting and should be very rewarding ! There are special courses for it once you get to Veterinary School. These courses are: Livestock Nutrition, Large Animal Diagnostics, Large Animal Imaging and Surgery, Animal Reproduction, Livestock Management, Veterinary First Aid and Disease Prevention, Animal Feeds and Feeding, Veterinary Science, Animal Breeding and Genetics, and Animal Husbandry Practices. Now, I do not know what Veterinary Schools offer these courses. You'll have to read Vet School websites and see what school has the best offering that you'd like. The schools all have websites online. I left a link for you below that has all of the accredited Veterinary Schools in the United States. It's never too early to research where the best school for you would be.
So please be reassured, the path you will take is very precise and not confusing at all. You first obtain the Bachelors Degree in Zoology and then go to Veterinary School. During all this, your academic counselor, professors and staff at your campus career center will be there for you guiding you all the way ! What a most exciting venture it will be and I wish you all the best !
LIST OF ALL ACCREDITED VETERINARY SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/veterinary-medicine-loan-repayment-program/us-avma-accredited-veterinary-schools
It is really cool that you want to be a Veterinarian specializing in Livestock ! Your academic path will include various animals, not just livestock. It will prepare you to know how to work with a lot of animals, but perhaps there are specialized courses for livestock in Veterinarian school. It will depend on where you choose to go to undergraduate and Vet school. They have to offer Zoology as a Major at the four year university you choose.
Zoology is the best major for the Bachelors Degree because it focuses on the animal kingdom. Not only that, you will learn microscopy, animal environments, DNA sequencing, genetic diversity, and animal behavior. I don't think any other Major pre-Vet School covers all that.
Please do not worry about being a first generation student. Although I wasn't, most of my classmates in college were and they had absolutely no problem with starting and continuing in college. There will be enormous amounts of support for you at the beginning and during your whole time in college. So you were and are not alone and being the first in your family to go to college is a wonderful achievement !
Keep in mind that once you become a Veterinarian and establish your interest to be a specialist in Livestock, you will be needing to travel to various farms and ranches to work. It sounds greatly exciting and should be very rewarding ! There are special courses for it once you get to Veterinary School. These courses are: Livestock Nutrition, Large Animal Diagnostics, Large Animal Imaging and Surgery, Animal Reproduction, Livestock Management, Veterinary First Aid and Disease Prevention, Animal Feeds and Feeding, Veterinary Science, Animal Breeding and Genetics, and Animal Husbandry Practices. Now, I do not know what Veterinary Schools offer these courses. You'll have to read Vet School websites and see what school has the best offering that you'd like. The schools all have websites online. I left a link for you below that has all of the accredited Veterinary Schools in the United States. It's never too early to research where the best school for you would be.
So please be reassured, the path you will take is very precise and not confusing at all. You first obtain the Bachelors Degree in Zoology and then go to Veterinary School. During all this, your academic counselor, professors and staff at your campus career center will be there for you guiding you all the way ! What a most exciting venture it will be and I wish you all the best !
Michelle recommends the following next steps: