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What classes should I take to be a Veterinarian?

I am a high school student (junior) and I have a passion of helping animals in need. I've been trying to find what jobs suit me best especially somewhere in the medical field. I want to know what classes could help me prepare my path on becoming a Veterinarian. #veterinarian #veterinary #animals #rescue #medicalfield

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Michael’s Answer

Hi Olivia, I don't know much about you, and so some of what I will say may not apply to your situation. I think you have already gotten some excellent answers. Science classes are very important. What is especially important about the science classes is that first exposure you will get to scientific inquiry, which you will hone later on, if you decide that this is the right career for you, in college. Veterinary science and medicine is such a rewarding field because of the diversity we, as veterinarians, encounter. So many different species, just among the domestic animals we see most frequently. Which brings me to saying something about suggesting you strike as much of a balance in your high school class choices as possible. Maybe you like theater; well, maybe something you learned in theater class will serve you later when one of the technicians that works with you loves show tunes. Animals cannot tell you what is wrong with them so the skill of connecting with people such as the animal's caretaker or the persons you will work with should already be understood and worked on as early as possible because it will increase your success rate. Or you are into journalism and this, later, in your practice allows you to communicate better with pet owners or farmers, write up-to-date vaccination schedules that are easy to understand for your clients. Or get a leg up on reading scientific journals faster than your peers. But it's also about, remember balance, learning how to fail because fail you sometimes will. Not every animal can be saved, unfortunately. You try to learn to rise after failure, not repeat mistakes, and ultimately learn how not to be too hard on yourself. So whatever you can do to continue being amazed at what animal life has to offer (us) and the relationships we form with animals and go into all this with open eyes is what I would like to add here. Maybe pick up one of those classic books from James Herriott, All Things Great and Small. I sometimes re-read stories from it.
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Michelle’s Answer

Hi- The field of Animal care and health is very rewarding, but requires a lot of top notch science experience. Chemistry is heavily used in this field. I would recommend making sure you take Chemistry course work. Students will also need good lab skills so any additional science classes that will give you hands on lab practice will also be very important. Nutrition is also a key factor in animal health. Even if your school offers a human nutrition class, it will benefit you in the long run. Getting some hands on experience will also help guide your career choice. You can look to volunteer at a local vet clinic or animal shelter. I also recommend looking at volunteering at a native wildlife shelter. Here you will get experience with native wildlife and give you a different set of experiences. Good Luck!
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Mary Jane’s Answer

Most vet schools require introductory and advanced courses in biology and chemistry. A number also require physics. As a college student, you should take as many rigorous science and math classes as you can so that you will be prepared to take science and math in college. If your school offers AP or IB science and math courses, those would give you some insight into the pace and workload expected by these college courses.

Vet schools also like you to have veterinary and animal experience so if you have not already begun working with animals, you might start now so that you have a longer history of animal/vet experiences when it comes time to apply. I would suggest you think about ways to get a variety of experiences--small and large animals, farm animals and exotics--so that you have better sense of the career options available to vets. Depending on where you live, you might be able to volunteer at a shelter or wildlife refuge, intern at a zoo, work at a stable or boarding facility, or shadow a vet. 4H often offers excellent opportunities to develop animal care skills as well.

Mary Jane recommends the following next steps:

Check out this brochure by the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges: https://www.aavmc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/career-brochure-web.pdf
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