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How do I become a large animal vet?
I have an interest in becoming a vet, but I do not want to be in a clinic. How would I specify to my vet school that this is my interest? #Fall24
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Nirah’s Answer
Hi, Julia.
The term “ambulatory practice“ is what you are looking for. That’s the term for large animal vets who make house calls rather than operating out of a fixed clinic. Note that you can be a large animal veterinarian and work out of a large animal hospital. Clinics and large animal are definitely not mutually exclusive! In order to become a veterinarian and pass the national board exam, you will need to learn about all of the major species, but you can generally take electives in your third year and concentrate more on large animal, and in your fourth year, you generally have the freedom to do clinical rotations that concentrate or “track” in directed areas, such as ambulatory practice or large animal medicine. There are many careers within veterinary medicine for people who work with large animals. Herd health is important for food animal and fiber animal species. Veterinarians are also employed in the food safety and food inspection industries. Large animal veterinarians are also a very important part of our nation’s public health system, and some large animal veterinarians work for the government.
The term “ambulatory practice“ is what you are looking for. That’s the term for large animal vets who make house calls rather than operating out of a fixed clinic. Note that you can be a large animal veterinarian and work out of a large animal hospital. Clinics and large animal are definitely not mutually exclusive! In order to become a veterinarian and pass the national board exam, you will need to learn about all of the major species, but you can generally take electives in your third year and concentrate more on large animal, and in your fourth year, you generally have the freedom to do clinical rotations that concentrate or “track” in directed areas, such as ambulatory practice or large animal medicine. There are many careers within veterinary medicine for people who work with large animals. Herd health is important for food animal and fiber animal species. Veterinarians are also employed in the food safety and food inspection industries. Large animal veterinarians are also a very important part of our nation’s public health system, and some large animal veterinarians work for the government.
Updated
Kate’s Answer
Some veterinary colleges have what is called "tracks". This allows you to choose a large animal track vs small animal, and tailor your courses to that specialty. In your application letter, you can also mention that you are interested in perusing large animal medicine vs small animal, which there is a need for in vet med anyway. That will only help your chances on acceptance! Also, if you haven't started already - gain as much experience in large animal as you can. Volunteering at horse rescues, stables, etc. or helping on farms with cattle, goats, sheep, etc.
I hope this helps, I'm a Licensed Veterinary Technician, in the field 20 years - just minimal large animal experience outside of school!
I hope this helps, I'm a Licensed Veterinary Technician, in the field 20 years - just minimal large animal experience outside of school!
This is great, thank you!
Julia
Updated
Elizabeth F’s Answer
Hi Julia!
Veterinary medicine is a huge and varied field, with many possibilities other than the traditional neighborhood clinic. There are small and large animal mobile practices, as well as field opportunities in zoo, wildlife, research, regulatory medicine and even opportunities working with movie or performance animals that might take you all over the world.
The short answer to your question is that you do not need to signal any preference to vet schools regarding your future.
The longer answer is that the most important thing to communicate in your vet school application is your enthusiasm for and knowledge of the field. It is also important to show (as was mentioned in the answer above) academic success, especially in math and science but equally in writing/public speaking and ability to handle a heavy workload. At this point there is no limited licensure; all veterinarians are licensed to work on all animal species, and we all take the same licensing exams. To this end, everyone begins with the same veterinary education (centered on dogs, cat, cows, horses and pigs, with some study also of birds and other species), usually at least for the first two years. As you get closer to the clinical years of your education, there will be more opportunity to study different specific species. In the clinical training years some schools have "tracking" in a specific species/field and some require each student to complete the same core clinics and then pursue electives.
If you are interested in large animal medicine, you will have the opportunity to show that on the application in your essays, interests, work experience, and your reference letters (so take the time to get to know large animal veterinarians so they can give you supportive references). Currently there are far fewer veterinarians going in to large animal practice than small animal, so depending on the area and the applicant pool in any given year, large animal focused applicants may be at a bit of an advantage.
The best ways to start are to talk to different veterinarians in different types of practice, talk to your counselors/advisors for information about local/in-state opportunities, and also visit the AAVMC website for good pre-vet information. As you get closer to applying, each vet school's admissions website will have more specific information about any requirements or outreach programs that they may have.
You did not say what year you are in school, but Ag organisations (FFA, 4-H, US Pony Club, etc) are a great way to gain experience in high school, and look for animal-interest and pre-vet clubs in college.
Visit https://www.aavmc.org/becoming-a-veterinarian/what-to-know-before-you-apply/pre-vet-student-resources/ for good general information
Talk to/visit with veterinarians in your area - try to visit different types of practices.
Talk to your advisors and counselors about pre-vet course study
Think about whether you want to go to college and vet school in your home state or elsewhere, and visit their websites/visit the campuses. (you do not need to go to undergrad and vet school at the same campus, but in-state tuition is usually less expensive)
Veterinary medicine is a huge and varied field, with many possibilities other than the traditional neighborhood clinic. There are small and large animal mobile practices, as well as field opportunities in zoo, wildlife, research, regulatory medicine and even opportunities working with movie or performance animals that might take you all over the world.
The short answer to your question is that you do not need to signal any preference to vet schools regarding your future.
The longer answer is that the most important thing to communicate in your vet school application is your enthusiasm for and knowledge of the field. It is also important to show (as was mentioned in the answer above) academic success, especially in math and science but equally in writing/public speaking and ability to handle a heavy workload. At this point there is no limited licensure; all veterinarians are licensed to work on all animal species, and we all take the same licensing exams. To this end, everyone begins with the same veterinary education (centered on dogs, cat, cows, horses and pigs, with some study also of birds and other species), usually at least for the first two years. As you get closer to the clinical years of your education, there will be more opportunity to study different specific species. In the clinical training years some schools have "tracking" in a specific species/field and some require each student to complete the same core clinics and then pursue electives.
If you are interested in large animal medicine, you will have the opportunity to show that on the application in your essays, interests, work experience, and your reference letters (so take the time to get to know large animal veterinarians so they can give you supportive references). Currently there are far fewer veterinarians going in to large animal practice than small animal, so depending on the area and the applicant pool in any given year, large animal focused applicants may be at a bit of an advantage.
The best ways to start are to talk to different veterinarians in different types of practice, talk to your counselors/advisors for information about local/in-state opportunities, and also visit the AAVMC website for good pre-vet information. As you get closer to applying, each vet school's admissions website will have more specific information about any requirements or outreach programs that they may have.
You did not say what year you are in school, but Ag organisations (FFA, 4-H, US Pony Club, etc) are a great way to gain experience in high school, and look for animal-interest and pre-vet clubs in college.
Elizabeth F recommends the following next steps:
Thank you!
Julia
Updated
Michael’s Answer
Hi Julia:
There are travelling Veterinarians. It'll be best to specify your career interest in your application to the Veterinarian school of your choice. You can also contact the Veterinarian school and speak with a career counselor.
At Indeed.com, here is more information about travelling Veterinarians:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/how-to-become-travel-veterinarian#:~:text=Though%20veterinarians%20and%20travel%20veterinarians,to%20assess%20their%20overall%20health
While in college, here are some undergraduate degrees to major in order to become a Veterinarian:
- Organic Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Zoology
- Physics
- Animal or Wildlife Science
- Chemistry
It will be best to seek advice from your high school guidance counselor as well as teachers to help you focus your interests for a specific major in college. Another recommendation is to visit your local animal hospital and speak with the Veterinarian for additional advice. The Veterinarian can provide you with his or her educational background, experience, insights, etc. on how he or she became a Veterinarian.
While in high school, one will need to focus on science and math classes to prepare for a Veterinary career. Physics, chemistry and biology will be the core science courses. Also, if an Animal or Wildlife course is offered, it will be in your best interest to take this class. For math, algebra, calculus and statistics will be needed. The combination of these concentrations will enable you to focus and refine your analytical skills for research; complex problem solving; investigative and innovative critical thinking; attention to detail; etc.
Other skills that will need to be built upon center around team building, team work and communication. In any work culture, collaboration among team members, staff and partner departments occur on a daily basis. As a Veterinarian, communication is essential and critical when dealing with clients and patients. A college course in Public Speaking, Communication and English will help with one's communication and writing skills. Another recommendation is to seek the advice from your high school guidance counselor and teachers. They can help guide your educational pathway to become a Veterinarian.
A Bachelor of Science degree (four year undergraduate course work) will be required at the college level. Afterwards, one's education is continued until a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree (D.V.M. or V.M.D) is earned which will be another four years of study. Then, both the national and state exams are required for one to earn the licenses to practice Veterinary medicine.
According to U.S. News & World Report, here is a link to the Best Veterinary Colleges and Universities in the United States:
- University of California - Davis
- Cornell University
- Colorado State University
- North Carolina State University
- Ohio State University
- Texas A&M University - College Station
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Wisconsin - Madison
- University of Florida
- University of Georgia
- University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/veterinarian-rankings?_sort=rank-asc
When reviewing colleges and universities, it is best to check the following:
- In-State vs Out of State Tuition
- Internships
- Scholarships
- Career Placement upon graduation
- Course work and offered classes
- Post-Graduate Degrees - Master and Doctoral
There are scholarships based on need, academic performance, school activities, sports involvement and community service. So, it will be to your advantage to seek out these types of scholarships. All of the academic staff at your high school that you interact with can write letters of recommendations for you based on what was just stated above. These recommendations can greatly help when filling out college and scholarship applications.
There will be a application fee to pay for when submitting college applications. The amount of application fee will depend on the college that you are applying to. If there are questions about the college application process, please reach out to the college's Registrar Office.
College and scholarship applications can start to be submitted during your Junior year and will continue throughout your Senior year in high school. It is best to ask your Academic Advisor/School Counselor on the timeline process as well. College and scholarship applications will have specific deadlines and requirements to meet in order to be submitted for review and consideration.
You may want to start to compile your resume/portfolio since a majority of college and scholarship applications will require academic grade point average (GPA), academic accomplishments, school activities (clubs, sports, etc.), community involvement (volunteer, church, etc.), academic and personal recommendations, etc. There may be essay requirements on why you are a qualified candidate to receive the scholarship and acceptance to the applied college of choice, what your future goals are academically and professionally and other questions centering around who you are, your beliefs, etc.
Here are a couple of links for College Scholarships:
https://www.mometrix.com/blog/scholarships-for-college/
https://www.nchchonors.org/students/awards-scholarships/national-scholarships
Also, it will be best to check with the colleges and universities that you will be applying to. You can check with the School/Department of your desired major, the Campus Career Center and the Register's Office for additional information for college scholarships and grants and specific requirements for qualifications.
There should be no limit on the amount of scholarships that one can apply to. It will take time to fill out the scholarship applications and provide all of the necessary required information. Also, there should no fee and no cost to fill out and submit scholarship applications. If there is a fee or cost that is associated with a scholarship application, then please do not send this particular scholarship application in. It will be a scam and money will be lost.
Best wishes for your education and career path as a Veterinarian!
There are travelling Veterinarians. It'll be best to specify your career interest in your application to the Veterinarian school of your choice. You can also contact the Veterinarian school and speak with a career counselor.
At Indeed.com, here is more information about travelling Veterinarians:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/how-to-become-travel-veterinarian#:~:text=Though%20veterinarians%20and%20travel%20veterinarians,to%20assess%20their%20overall%20health
While in college, here are some undergraduate degrees to major in order to become a Veterinarian:
- Organic Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Zoology
- Physics
- Animal or Wildlife Science
- Chemistry
It will be best to seek advice from your high school guidance counselor as well as teachers to help you focus your interests for a specific major in college. Another recommendation is to visit your local animal hospital and speak with the Veterinarian for additional advice. The Veterinarian can provide you with his or her educational background, experience, insights, etc. on how he or she became a Veterinarian.
While in high school, one will need to focus on science and math classes to prepare for a Veterinary career. Physics, chemistry and biology will be the core science courses. Also, if an Animal or Wildlife course is offered, it will be in your best interest to take this class. For math, algebra, calculus and statistics will be needed. The combination of these concentrations will enable you to focus and refine your analytical skills for research; complex problem solving; investigative and innovative critical thinking; attention to detail; etc.
Other skills that will need to be built upon center around team building, team work and communication. In any work culture, collaboration among team members, staff and partner departments occur on a daily basis. As a Veterinarian, communication is essential and critical when dealing with clients and patients. A college course in Public Speaking, Communication and English will help with one's communication and writing skills. Another recommendation is to seek the advice from your high school guidance counselor and teachers. They can help guide your educational pathway to become a Veterinarian.
A Bachelor of Science degree (four year undergraduate course work) will be required at the college level. Afterwards, one's education is continued until a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree (D.V.M. or V.M.D) is earned which will be another four years of study. Then, both the national and state exams are required for one to earn the licenses to practice Veterinary medicine.
According to U.S. News & World Report, here is a link to the Best Veterinary Colleges and Universities in the United States:
- University of California - Davis
- Cornell University
- Colorado State University
- North Carolina State University
- Ohio State University
- Texas A&M University - College Station
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Wisconsin - Madison
- University of Florida
- University of Georgia
- University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/veterinarian-rankings?_sort=rank-asc
When reviewing colleges and universities, it is best to check the following:
- In-State vs Out of State Tuition
- Internships
- Scholarships
- Career Placement upon graduation
- Course work and offered classes
- Post-Graduate Degrees - Master and Doctoral
There are scholarships based on need, academic performance, school activities, sports involvement and community service. So, it will be to your advantage to seek out these types of scholarships. All of the academic staff at your high school that you interact with can write letters of recommendations for you based on what was just stated above. These recommendations can greatly help when filling out college and scholarship applications.
There will be a application fee to pay for when submitting college applications. The amount of application fee will depend on the college that you are applying to. If there are questions about the college application process, please reach out to the college's Registrar Office.
College and scholarship applications can start to be submitted during your Junior year and will continue throughout your Senior year in high school. It is best to ask your Academic Advisor/School Counselor on the timeline process as well. College and scholarship applications will have specific deadlines and requirements to meet in order to be submitted for review and consideration.
You may want to start to compile your resume/portfolio since a majority of college and scholarship applications will require academic grade point average (GPA), academic accomplishments, school activities (clubs, sports, etc.), community involvement (volunteer, church, etc.), academic and personal recommendations, etc. There may be essay requirements on why you are a qualified candidate to receive the scholarship and acceptance to the applied college of choice, what your future goals are academically and professionally and other questions centering around who you are, your beliefs, etc.
Here are a couple of links for College Scholarships:
https://www.mometrix.com/blog/scholarships-for-college/
https://www.nchchonors.org/students/awards-scholarships/national-scholarships
Also, it will be best to check with the colleges and universities that you will be applying to. You can check with the School/Department of your desired major, the Campus Career Center and the Register's Office for additional information for college scholarships and grants and specific requirements for qualifications.
There should be no limit on the amount of scholarships that one can apply to. It will take time to fill out the scholarship applications and provide all of the necessary required information. Also, there should no fee and no cost to fill out and submit scholarship applications. If there is a fee or cost that is associated with a scholarship application, then please do not send this particular scholarship application in. It will be a scam and money will be lost.
Best wishes for your education and career path as a Veterinarian!
Thank you!
Julia