The Profession of Veterinary Medicine

Professional Career Development

4-H Veterinary Science

Extension Veterinary Medicine
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Texas A&M System
http://aevm.tamu.edu
Objectives
 Define veterinary medicine
 Describe the different career opportunities in
veterinary medicine
 Discuss the role of veterinary medicine in
animal health
Profession of Veterinary Medicine
 To learn and accomplish
 Specific diagnosis (accurate) (diagnostician)
 Specific treatment regimen (correct, effective)
 Drug therapy (Pharmacologist)
 Surgical therapy (Surgeon)
 Physical therapy (Physiologist)
 Dietary therapy (Nutritionist)
 Specific prevention, control and eradication
protocols (Epidemiologist)
 To understand advanced sciences
 Know why, not just what and how
 No guess diagnosis
 No shotgun therapies
 To improve the quality of life of people and
animals
 Foster health and well-being of animals
 Enhance production of animal populations
 Increase economic efficiency and profitability of
animal operations
 Improve production of safe and wholesome food
 Improve the recreational or working relationship
of owners and their animals
 Companionship, human-animal bond, pleasure
 Careers in Veterinary Medicine
 Positions of employment
 Veterinarian – 4 years pre-vet college, 4 years
veterinary college (8 years college)
 Veterinary Technician – 2 years college
 Veterinary Assistant – study course, work
experience
 4-H Veterinary Science Program
 Career-oriented curriculum
 Job-trained apprenticeship
 Fields of employment
 Companion animal health
 Exotic animal health
 Food animal health
 Laboratory animal health
 Human health
 Kinds of employment (types)
 Private veterinary practice
 Clinical service – individual animals, animal
populations
 Laboratory service
 Consultant service
 Public veterinary practice
 Education – teaching, extension (university)
 Research (university, military)
 Clinical service (university, military)
 Laboratory service (university, government)
 Regulatory (government – USDA, TAHC)
 Industry (Corporate) veterinary practice
 Research
 Laboratory service
 Clinical service
 Sales
Professional Career Development
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

 Evaluate interests and abilities

 Advanced sciences
 Animal well-being
 Kinds of employment
 Involvement of sick, diseased animals (live and
dead) (blood, odor)
 Compassion and caring for people and animals
 Communication skills (people person) (people
skills)
 Business skills (private practice)
 Long work days (night, week-end emergencies -
private practice)

 Not based on: “I love animals.”

 Make commitment (focus, blinders)
 Highly motivated and dedicated
 Work with veterinarians
 Develop veterinary experience
 Work with animals
 Develop animal experience
 Plan HS curriculum with advanced sciences
 Calculus
 Physics
 Chemistry
 Zoology (genetics, nutrition, biology)
 Microbiology
 Animal science (Ag Sc)
 Participate in extra-curricular leadership and
citizenship activities
 4-H Veterinary Science Program
 4-H animal projects
 FFA animal projects
 Ag Co-op program
 Animal associations/societies memberships
 Animal publication subscriptions
 Animal show/performance clubs
 Initial enrollment
 Junior college (transfer after 31 hours)
 Senior college
 Know how to study
 Study habits
 Time management
 Focused
 Large classes

http://www.cvm.tamu.edu
Academic Preparation
Pre-professional College Academic Programs
 Pre-requisites completed in 2 – 4 years (61 hours)
 Biology
 Microbiology
 Genetics
 Nutrition
 Inorganic chemistry
 Organic chemistry
 Biochemistry
 Calculus
 Physics
 English
 Animal Science
Life Sciences Category
 17 credit hours
 General biology with lab – 4
 General Microbiology with lab – 4
 Genetics – 3
 Animal nutrition or feed and feeding – 3
 General animal science – 3
Physical Sciences Category
 32 credit hours
 Inorganic chemistry with lab – 8
 Organic chemistry with lab – 8
 Biochemistry – 5
 Calculus or statistics – 3
 Physics – 8
Non-Sciences Category
 12 credit hours
 Composition and rhetoric – 3
 Literature – 3
 Speech communication – 3
 Technical writing – 3
Alternate Career Program – B.S. Degrees

 Biomedical Science (TAMU)

 Animal Science
 TAMUS - CS, Commerce, Kingsville,
Stephenville, Canyon
 Texas Tech
 SFA
 SHSU
 Sul Ross
 TSU
 Zoology (many)
B.S. Degrees
Texas A&M University – College Station
 College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
 Biomedical Science
 College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
 Animal Science
 Biological & Agricultural Engineering
 Biochemistry
 Genetics
 College of Science
 Biology
 Chemistry
 Microbiology
 Molecular & Cell Biology
 Zoology
Professional Preparation

 Leadership activities
 Citizenship activities
 Veterinary experience
 Animal experience
 Academic rigor
 Course loads
Professional Program Application Process
CVM-TAMU
 Submit application by October 1
 (400 applicants)
 Application score – 300 points

http://www.cvm.tamu.edu
 Academic Performance Score – 180 points
 OA GPA 40 points
 Sci GPA 40 points
 L45 hrs GPA 40 points
 GRE 60 points
 Analytical - 25
 Quantitative - 25
 Verbal - 10
 Professional Preparation Score – 120 points
 Veterinary experience 16 points
 Animal experience 12 points
 Course load 12 points
 Academic rigor 12 points
 Background 28 points
 Interview score 40 points
 Interview 225 applicants
 Top academic and professional preparation
scores (veterinary and animal experiences)
 Select 132 applicants in March
 Successfully complete professional curriculum
 Have personal qualities, motivation and dedication to
be a veterinarian
 Top academic and professional preparation scores
 Professional College Academic Program
 Curriculum (165 credit hours)
 Four years (off summers VM1 and VM2)
 1VM (21 and 19 credit hours)
 Anatomy, microbiology, physiology, public health
 2VM (20 and 20 credit hours)
 Nutrition, parasitology, pathology, pharmacology,
toxicology, surgery/anesthesiology, radiology
 3VM (18 and 21 credit hours)
 Large animal medicine, small animal medicine,
surgery, clinics, clinical skills, practice
management, electives
 4VM (46 credit hours clinics)
 30 weeks – basic case rotations
 12 weeks – elective rotations and electives
 4 weeks – externship
 2 weeks – vacation
 DVM Degree
 State and National Board Exams
 Licensed Veterinarian by State
http://www.cvm.tamu.edu
 Career Development
Veterinary Technician
 Associate Degree (2 years college)
 Veterinary Technology
(Lone Star College, The Vet Tech Institute, Cedar Valley College,
Palo Alto College, Sul Ross State University, Midland College,
McLennan Community College)

 B. S. Degree (4 years college)

 Biomedical Science
(Texas A&M University)

 State and National Board Exams

 Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT)
 American Veterinary Medical Association
 http://www.avma.org
Career Development
Veterinary Assistant

 Study courses, work experience

 4-H Veterinary Science Program
 Career-oriented curriculum
 Job-trained apprenticeship
 http://aevm.tamu.edu
 State Board Exam
 Certified Veterinary Assistant (CVT)
 Texas Veterinary Medical Association
 http://www.tvma.org