How difficult is it to find a position as a veterinarian directly out of college?
When I conducted researched research on become a veterinarian I spoke with a vet at the local Pets Smart. She indicated that positions at the zoos were very rare. She interned at the Houston Zoo, Atlanta zoo and Disney's Animal kingdom. She stated that people in positions like this rarely retire .Is there a high demand to work in those locations with exotic animals? I was told that if I wanted to work in my field directly out of college I should concentrate on farm animals and rural areas. Is there a higher demand for veterinarians in rural areas? With big animals? How do I find paid internships? Should I concentrate on more domesticated animals so I can have a productive career? #veterinary-medicine
2 answers
Jennifer’s Answer
Hi Caleb,
Depending on which aspect of Veterinary Medicine you are hoping to end up in, it can be challenging to find a job immediately. For instance, it sounds like you are interested in Zoo Medicine and this is such a specialized field with limited opportunities (eg we have a small number of zoos compared to clinics in the country), that you really need to become involved as a volunteer while in high school to help increase your experience (and the connections you make within the field). Oftentimes, you will not find a paid position but if you can find the time (maybe weekends etc) to spend a few hours at a local zoo, this will only help increase your chance of getting a job down the road. If you think zoo's are your thing, contact as many of them in your area as possible and find out if they have any room for a volunteer. Put yourself out there and let them know you are determined and enthusiastic. If they cannot accommodate you, you can contact wild life sanctuaries and the like.
If you are open to working with large animals/livestock, you can do the same thing and talk to local large animal vets and see if they would allow you to ride along with them to the farms they work with. Depending on the location of the country, large animal veterinary medicine may be in higher demand and may be just as productive as a small animal veterinarian - it really depends on the area / demand. When I was in high school, I volunteered at a small animal clinic and they ended up offering me a job as an assistant there. This lead to me finding other opportunities while I was still in school that provided both experience and paid me!
The bottom line is, you need to gain as much experience as you can as early as you can, so you can have the edge on other people who are interested in the same field as you. Veterinary schools want to know you worked hard to gain experience before applying. If you are unsure what you are interested in, try reaching out to all different types of vets in your area. If zoo medicine is your dream, make those connections early and know that many doctors (like the one you interviewed) do specialized internships before getting a full time position and this can be discouraging in the long run.
Hopefully this helps you get started!
Best wishes,
Jenny
that is a full answer ....thank you doctor
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