Large animal veterinarians are practitioners that manage the health of livestock such as cattle, horses, sheep, goats, and pigs. These are licensed animal health professionals trained to diagnose and treat illnesses that affect livestock species. They usually make farm calls to visit their patients, often using a customized truck outfitted with the necessary medical equipment.
Duties of Large Animal Veterinarians
These medical professionals conduct health exams, give vaccinations, draw blood, prescribe medications, clean and suture wounds, take ultrasounds and x-rays, and perform surgeries. Other duties may include monitoring the reproductive health of the breeding stock, performing artificial inseminations, assisting with problem births, and conducting pre-purchase exams.
Large animal veterinarians frequently work long hours and spend a great deal of time on the road as they travel from farm to farm. They also must be on call for potential emergencies on weekends and holidays. The work itself can be particularly demanding for large animal vets, as they must be capable of restraining and treating animals of substantial size.
Career Options
The vast majority of veterinary practitioners work on small animals, such as pets like cats and dogs. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), more than 75 percent of these vets work in private practice. And a small percentage, about 10 percent, work on exotic pets such as snakes and lizards.
While most large animal vets work on a variety of livestock species, some choose to focus on offering services exclusively for equine, bovine, or porcine patients. Others offer mixed practice services for both large and small animals.
Outside of private practice, vets also find work as educators, pharmaceutical sales representatives, military veterinarians, government meat inspectors, and research scientists.
Education and Training
All large animal veterinarians graduate with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. The DVM program is a rigorous course of study that covers all aspects of health care for both small and large animal species.
Upon graduation, all vets must take and pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam (NAVLE) to gain their credentials to practice medicine. Large animal veterinarians usually make up the smallest percentage of graduates of veterinary schools.
Professional Associations
The American Veterinary Medical Association is one of the most prominent veterinary organizations, representing more than 80,000 practitioners. Other groups for large animal practitioners include the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) and the American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners (AASRP).
Veterinarians who are board-certified in a particular specialty area (ophthalmology, oncology, surgery, emergency and critical care, etc) generally earn significantly higher salaries as a result of their advanced education and experience.
Job Outlook
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the veterinary profession will expand at a rate of 9 percent through 2024. This is faster than the average for all positions considered in their salary survey data.
Since most vets choose to go into small animal exclusive practice, there should be a continued need for large animal veterinarians in the marketplace, especially in rural areas.
Take your pick of beaches to unwind from classes, unspoiled mountains and lush forests to get lost in, an energetic city center to explore the rich history, foods, and culture of the island. Becoming a veterinarian at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (Ross Vet) could be your opportunity of a lifetime. But just like other AVMA-accredited DVM programs*, obtaining your Doctor of Veterinary Medicine involves many hours of rigorous academic training. You will be challenged by our seven-semester accelerated preclinical curriculum that integrates unique research opportunities, classroom study, and hands-on clinical experience, preparing you for your final year of clinical training.
So, how many years does it take to become a veterinarian? How long does it take to become a vet? It depends on what type of vet you want to be, but all veterinarians must pass through several stages of academic training before they’re licensed. The following will walk you through the typical timeline for becoming a vet.
HOW TO PREPARE TO BECOME A VETERINARIAN
College students who know they want to pursue a degree in veterinary medicine should start working toward their course requirements during undergrad. At Ross Vet, advanced math,
biology, chemistry, and biochemistry are among the prerequisites required as part of our admission process. In addition, vet schools typically require that students have had several hundred hours of animal experience, so acquiring an internship or other job working with animals will increase your chance of getting into your school of choice.
Students who can’t meet all of the requirements during college or want a leg up before starting grad school have the option to enroll in a post-baccalaureate program. Ross Vet’s Vet Prep program is a valuable way to help make your dream of becoming a veterinarian come true. Vet prep is a bridge program designed to better prepare students for the rigors of vet school years and provide additional assistance in one or more academic areas needed to excel in our DVM program. Students who are offered the program and pass are guaranteed a spot in the next first-semester class.
HOW LONG IS VET SCHOOL?
So exactly how long does it take to be a veterinarian? Most veterinary schools take four years to complete the coursework and clinical training required to earn a DVM, though students who enroll in Ross Vet’s DVM degree program can complete their degree in 3.25 years.
Once you’ve completed your clinical training, you’ll need to take the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination® (NAVLE®) to complete your DVM. The exam is typically given in November through December and April. Once you’ve graduated and passed the NAVLE, you’ll need to meet the requirement of the jurisdiction where you wish to be licensed. The American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) provides these details and serves to support veterinary licensing boards across the U.S., Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.
There is a distinct difference between how long does it take to become a vet versus a medical doctor. Unlike medical doctors who work with people, veterinarians can start practicing as soon as they obtain their license. However, if you wish to pursue work in a specialized area, you’ll need to receive additional training.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME A VETERINARIAN DOCTOR: INCLUDING INTERNSHIP AND RESIDENCIES
How long does it take to become a veterinarian including an internship? Many veterinarians decide to complete a year-long internship to gain additional training under the expertise of an experienced vet before working independently. Internships are often at large referral centers, allowing you to gain experience with a wider range of cases than typically offered in private practice.
After completing an internship, if you wish to work in a specialty area, you may continue your studies through a residency. Residencies are programs that allow you to gain supervised experience and training in a specialty to qualify for board certification. There are 41 specialties in veterinary medicine, from behavior, dentistry, surgery, and ophthalmology to specialties focusing on specific animal groups. Many specialties require at least three years of additional training before you can apply for board certification. Veterinarians who wish to specialize in reptiles and amphibians, for example, must have at least six years’ experience before they are eligible for certification.
REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME A VETERINARIAN: OPTIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION
After undergoing residency training, veterinarians wishing to work in a specialty typically apply for board certification. Board certification signifies that a veterinarian has undergone advanced, specialized training and has passed an exam that demonstrates advanced mastery in their specialty. Each specialty has its own organization that administers the exam, so check the website for your specialty’s organization for information on exam dates and processes.
Now that you know the answer to the question: How long does it take to become a veterinarian? You can take a more educated step towards a fulfilling career that involves caring for animals.
At Ross Vet, we offer a range of opportunities and experiences to help you find a career path in veterinary medicine that matches your individual talents and interests. Want to learn more about Ross Vet’s DVM program? Start here!
Related resources:
- DVM Program
- DVM Curriculum
- Postgraduate Programs
*Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine confers a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree, which is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (AVMA COE), 1931 N. Meacham Road, Suite 100, Schaumburg, IL 60173, Tel: 800.248.2862. For more information please visit: //www.avma.org/education/accreditation-veterinary-colleges.
The AVMA COE uses defined standards to evaluate veterinary medical education programs, including facilities, clinical resources, curriculum, faculty, student outcomes and research programs. The standards are interpreted and applied by the AVMA COE-accredited veterinary medical education programs in relation to its mission.