Careers with Dogs. Kim Campbell Thornton
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and environmental quality, biosecurity, public health, regulatory medicine, and agricultural-animal health.
Quality of pet food and human health are also concerns that involve veterinarians, so jobs in those fields will likely increase as well. If you have an interest in working for the federal or state government, seek training in food safety, animal health and welfare, and public health and epidemiology. A currently inadequate supply of veterinarians in food-supply medicine (that is, dealing with animals used for food), biomedical research, public health, large-animal medicine, and companion-animal medicine means that good jobs will be available in those areas.
Veterinary medicine is a career in transition. Societal changes in demographics as well as approaches to politics, the environment, the economy, technology, and disease will all significantly affect the future of veterinary medicine and the education of veterinary students. Their concern for the health and well-being of animals, as well as their relationships with people, makes veterinarians critical to public health not only locally but also nationally and internationally. The convergence of animal health and public health in the area of zoonotic and newly emerging diseases is a critical link to societal well-being, according to a 2007 report in the Journal of Veterinary Medical Education, which states that research in veterinary science transcends species boundaries and is critical to the protection of public health. The need for good veterinarians has never been more important.
As in most professions, salaries depend on the chosen field, time since graduation, and geographic location. Small-animal veterinarians tend to make slightly more than large-animal veterinarians, and veterinarians on the East and West Coasts tend to make more than those in the South or Midwest. A veterinarian in Los Angeles might have a salary range of $66,000 to more than $94,000. Of course, living expenses in areas are also different, so such variations are not always as significant as they appear.
New graduates who enter private practice can expect an average starting salary of about $65,000 per year. For most veterinarians in the United States, that salary increases to more than $70,000 per year within a few years. Veterinary salaries range from $41,635 to more than $143,660. In 2009, the average annual salary for veterinarians in the federal government was approximately $93,500.
For veterinarians employed by a clinic or animal hospital, other factors to look at beyond salary are the length of the work week, the option for buy-in or corporation-share ownership, and the benefits package, which might include such things as a 401K match, health insurance with a health savings account, dental insurance, or a continuing-education stipend.
While compensation varies significantly, superior professional service usually is rewarded by an appropriate income. But the greatest reward for most veterinarians, is not measured in dollars. Says Perea, “The best thing about being a veterinarian is seeing the positive results you can have in individual pet’s and people’s lives. It is great to see a sick pet recover, and see how you are able to help out an important family member.”
BECOMING A VETERINARIAN RESOURCES
American Animal Hospital Association, http://aahanet.org/OtherSites/jobbank.aspx
American Association of Housecall Veterinarians, www.homevets.org
American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians, www.aawv.net/index.html
American Veterinary Medical Association, www.avma.org
Arizona Animal Welfare League and SPCA, Camp Vet, www.aawl.org/ed/ED_Camp_Vet_Summer.asp
Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, www.aavmc.org
Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Adventures in Veterinary Medicine program, www.tufts.edu/vet/avm/
University of California, Davis, Koret Shelter Medicine Program, www.sheltermedicine.com
University of Florida, Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program, www.ufsheltermedicine.com
University of Florida, Veterinary Forensic Science Distance Education, www.forensicscience.ufl.edu
See appendix for a list of veterinary colleges.
Private Practice and Other Choices
A newly licensed veterinarian usually begins his or her career in an established practice. Once new veterinarians gain some experience and save some money, they may choose to set up their own practices or purchase established ones.
Some veterinarians choose to work for practices owned by large corporations; that way, they can practice veterinary medicine without the headaches of management. Some of those practices are located in big-box pet-supply stores that offer veterinary services.
Corporate-owned practices can afford advanced equipment, nice facilities, and extensive advertising, but they often have strict guidelines on how a case should proceed. If you consider veterinary medicine an art as well as a science, you may find life in a corporate practice too restrictive.
Veterinarians can also look to careers in academia, government, and the military. All of these options offer interesting and sometimes lucrative opportunities for veterinarians to contribute to animal and human well-being. For someone with a yen for travel, this type of work can take you all over the world. Before you limit your choices, take a look at all of the options.
Private Practice
Private-practice veterinarians can no longer expect their patients to be only dogs or cats. These days, they can also expect to care for pet birds; “pocket pets” such as hamsters, guinea pigs and gerbils; and aquarium fish. Rural veterinarians with a mixed or livestock practice may encounter not only dogs, cats, horses, cows, hogs, sheep, and goats but also llamas, ostriches, and catfish. Approximately 75 percent of veterinarians find their niche in some area of private practice, with the majority of them primarily treating small animals.
While a vet tech provides distraction, veterinarian John W. O’Neil examines a puppy at the Milford Animal Hospital, a private practice in Milford, Connecticut.
The advantages of owning a private practice include the ability to determine the type of practice you want to have—for instance, only dogs or cats, exotic animals, or large animals—and to set your own working hours. On the downside, it’s expensive to set up or purchase a private practice because of the costs of equipment, office space, and staff salaries. Private-practice veterinarians must be involved with hiring employees, providing benefits, setting up retirement plans, and other management details. It also takes time and effort to build a steady clientele. For these reasons, owning a private practice calls for excellent business and communication skills.
Private practices also vary depending on location. Urban and suburban veterinarians usually practice in clinics or hospitals, although some may offer a house-call service. Rural veterinarians, especially those with large-animal practices, are more likely to spend time driving to their far-flung clients,