Successful candidates should prove to be honest, reliable, mature and determined. It is important that professionals have good communication and leadership skills, and that they have a talent for working well with others. To help in identifying these students, who have these and other qualifications, the applicant must complete a Background Information Form. This form will ask for their academic program, work experience and extra-curricular activities. Also, applicants will have to write a short essay about why they would like to study veterinary medicine. Confidential references will be needed from three people qualified to give a fair, educated, significant report of the applicant.
Students may be invited to an interview. Interviews carry out under carefully regulated conditions can give students an opportunity to show their skills to communicate effectively and give the interviewers an chance to evaluate students’ attitudes and attributes related to veterinary medicine. Applicants should be prepared to focus on statements made in the Background Information Form, to discuss their reasons for choosing veterinary medicine as a career, and to describe what they have done to support their career choice and to prepare themselves for admission. They should be prepared to discuss issues relating to raising, caring for and the welfare of a variety of animal species. Applicants may be asked to describe the duties and responsibilities of veterinarians and the scope of veterinary medicine. All interviews are held at the University of Guelph (no exceptions can be made). Extra credits required for entry into the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program. (D.V.M)
At the beginning of the first term one of the main parts of the curriculum is that students learn to combine and apply the material taught in the different courses. So, when the thorax is being dissected in Anatomy, in Histology students will be looking at slides of heart tissue, the functions of the heart will be talked about. An exam question might be based on a case of renal failure and questions asked about the anatomy, histology and functions of the kidney and about the genetics of renal disease.
To practice veterinary medicine in Ontario you must have a license from the College of Veterinarians of Ontario (CVO). The College of Veterinarians of Ontario sets all licensing needs for veterinarians under the Veterinarians Act of 1989. Veterinarians in Ontario work in private practices (animal clinics), laboratories, zoos, conservation areas and reserves, government and industry.
You cannot practice veterinary medicine or call yourself a veterinarian without a license, but you can help a veterinarian as a veterinary assistant or technician. A veterinary assistant or technician must work under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. The Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians (OAVT) offers memberships to those who have graduated from a technical school not approved by the Board of Directors of the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians or have been self-educated.
Veterinary work and employment can lead to a number of fields using education in and knowledge of animals. For example in a kennel, zoo, pet shop, animal sanctuary as an animal welfare officer, research and technical support staff, animal trainer, breeder or groomer. There are also many opportunities for well-trained students to be self-employed in some of these areas.
The opportunities are varied, from pet shops, kennels and zoos, to veterinary practices, and research, giving you the opportunity to run your own business and or work overseas.
Veterinary nurses can go on to work in a veterinary practice as a head nurse, or practice manager, or take more specialist courses e.g.: Diplomas in Nutrition or Behavior. For both veterinary nurses and animal scientists, there are many jobs in the service industries, such as: veterinary sales, laboratory technicians, educators and trainers, and welfare officers. The qualifications which students achieve are well respected and recognized internationally, and a subject area which you can use if you wish to work overseas.
The only sources of salaries that I could find in my research were based on the American dollar. Veterinarians who are employees at private practices probably average around $55,000 per year in salary right now within the United States of America, with wide variations around the country. Considering the debt load of six to eight years of schooling and the starting salaries of less than $40,000 per year veterinary medicine is not a highly well-paid profession at the present time. Veterinary practice owners probably average around $90,000 per year (these are estimates because veterinary salaries have been dropping lately and I haven't been able to find the recent amount).
To become a veterinarian a person must take at least 2 years of college level courses which meet the "preveterinary" needs for the veterinary college they are going to apply to. It is important to get good grades during this time because veterinary schools often have more applicants than they have positions for and grades are part of the how they decided who to choose. It is not unusual for students accepted into veterinary school to have a degree in another subject or even an advanced degree (Master's degree or Doctor of Philosophy). The preveterinary curriculum is very science oriented so it is important to get as much science training as possible in high school prior to attending college. Veterinary schools are usually not overly concerned with the degree a person has from college if they earn one, so it is a good idea to have a second choice that you would enjoy, such as history, engineering, English literature or whatever it is that you would like to do other than being a veterinarian.
Once a person has met the preveterinary requirements and has been selected for veterinary school they still have four years of college devoted specifically to veterinary medicine left to complete. These courses cover many characteristic of veterinary medicine, including anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, immunology, medicine, surgery and other courses related to veterinary medicine. If a person completes the training acceptably they are awarded a degree "Doctor of Veterinary Medicine" (DVM) at most veterinary colleges or "Veterinary Medical Doctor" (VMD) at the University of Pennsylvania.
So most veterinarians have had six years, or more, of college level courses. During the final year at many veterinary schools students spend most of their time in the clinics learning to apply the academic training they received during the earlier years. They may go out into the 'real world' and practice veterinarians, zoos, referral centers, government health agencies, etc.
There are a number of jobs that veterinarians do. Most practice veterinary medicine in private veterinary hospitals, performing medical and surgical tasks on pets or farm animals. Many work for government groups and help ensure the safety of foods we eat, research diseases, and work with public health agencies. Some veterinarians work with the space program and one veterinarian has been on two space shuttle missions. Veterinarians work for pharmaceutical companies, laboratories and other businesses. A few veterinarians write for magazines. There are a lot of possible jobs that veterinarians are qualified for.
Access to a good veterinarian schools is very competitive. If you are serious about becoming a veterinarian, you should begin preparing as soon as you can. Even in junior high or high school, you can pursue a number of activities that will help you learn about animals and their care.
