Becoming a veterinarian is one of the most popular career choices for those who love animals, whether they are domesticated animals, farm animals, or even wild animals.
There are numerous job outcomes for those who choose to study veterinary medicine beyond a veterinarian’s office, though.
It will depend on what interests you the most, and where you think you can make a greater contribution according to your skills.
In the next few sections, we’ll revise some of the basic information about becoming a veterinarian and how much vet school costs.
Table of Contents
What Is Veterinary Medicine?
The main focus of Veterinary Medicine is the study, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of domesticated and wild animals’ diseases and injuries, as well as the prevention and control of animal diseases that could affect humans.
In the last few years, there has been increasing attention in that latter aspect since the COVID-19 pandemic started, about viruses and other diseases that can pass from animals to humans, and how we can protect ourselves from this situation.
What Is Veterinary School?
In order to become a veterinarian, you must enroll in a veterinary school after completing an undergraduate degree that is related to this area of knowledge.
Most programs of these schools are divided into two parts.
The first one is the theoretical part, where you will gain basic science knowledge and laboratory work that you will need for the second part.
This part is where you will gain clinical experience by examining, diagnosing, and treating different kinds of animals.
Going to veterinary school can be an extremely rewarding experience.
Is Being a Veterinarian the Right Choice for Me?
Many young kids share the same dream when growing up: to become a veterinarian to be able to be around animals as much as possible and take good care of them.
However, we must admit that not everybody is going to be prepared to see animals in extreme health conditions or react adequately in such circumstances, no matter how much they love animals.
That’s why having veterinary experience, for instance, it’s a great opportunity not only to meet one of the requirements of most veterinary schools but also to see if becoming a veterinarian is the right choice for you.
This experience will provide you with the knowledge of what you’re going to have to go through in veterinary school and later in your everyday life as a veterinarian, depending on which area you aspire to work.
What Are the Entry Requirements for Veterinary School?
Although each veterinary school has its own particular requirements, they usually share most of them.
The first one is to have an undergraduate degree or Bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Biological Sciences, or Animal Science.
You will need to take a Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test, which is an exam that evaluates basic knowledge to pursue a postgraduate degree.
The accepted scores usually vary depending on the school, so be sure to check this information first.
A letter of intent or personal essay must be submitted, as well as letters of recommendation and proof of your past veterinary experience.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Veterinarian?
The typical duration to become a veterinarian is four years, but this can change if you want to work with specific animals or if you wish to specialize in a particular area.
If this is the case, at least two additional years will be required.
How Much Does Veterinary School Cost?
The total cost of veterinary school will depend mostly on the city and school you choose.
A veterinary school can be very expensive since it requires a high level of specialization to function properly.
On average, the total cost of veterinary school, including tuition and extra fees, could be from $150,000 to $350,000.
