I am in the 11th grade I have been interested in being a vet I know it takes a lot of hard work and was wondering what skills are needed for this career?

Vets also work with lots of different kinds of animals, especially farm animals. You would help yourself to find a farm or kennel to volunteer at to get 'around' animals more to see if you really like taking care of them. I worked on a dairy farm and a horse ranch on summer break in high school but chose a different career.

In addition to getting experience with being around animals and feeling comfortable with all types of animals (dogs and cats are actually a very small part of veterinary work), veterinarians should ideally be proficient in math and science. My daughter, who is aspiring to be a vet as well, has taken a number of biology and zoology classes. Researching schools where the zoology professors are passionate about their subject goes a long way to helping you plan a career path in this field. For example, my daughter's zoology professor scheduled a lot of field trips with practical exercises and research topics that really helped engage the students and increase their interest and excitement.

Volunteering with an animal shelter, veterinary hospital, wildlife sanctuary, or rescue organization also gives you some hands-on skills with animals. When in college, there are sometimes internships where you can work with animals, and many veterinarians will let you shadow them and all you have to do is ask! If one says no, ask another. There are so many helpful vets out there who would love to help in you in any way that they can.

Hope this helps! Wishing you much success!