Career Overview
Diagnose, treat, or research diseases and injuries of animals. Includes veterinarians who conduct research and development, inspect livestock, or care for pets and companion animals.
Also Known As
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
- Emergency Veterinarian (Emergency Vet)
- Small Animal Veterinarian (Small Animal Vet)
- Veterinary Medicine Doctor (DVM)
Alternate Job Titles
- Animal Anatomist
- Animal Chiropractor
- Animal Doctor
- Animal Pathologist
- Animal Physiologist
- Animal Surgeon
- Companion Animal Practitioner
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
- Emergency Veterinarian (Emergency Vet)
- Equine Dentist
- Equine Vet (Equine Veterinarian)
- Horse Doctor
- Laboratory Animal Care Veterinarian (Lab Animal Care Vet)
- Laboratory Veterinarian (Lab Vet)
- Large Animal Veterinarian (Large Animal Vet)
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds, or performing surgery.
- Inoculate animals against various diseases, such as rabies or distemper.
- Examine animals to detect and determine the nature of diseases or injuries.
- Collect body tissue, feces, blood, urine, or other body fluids for examination and analysis.
- Operate diagnostic equipment, such as radiographic or ultrasound equipment, and interpret the resulting images.
- Educate the public about diseases that can be spread from animals to humans.
- Counsel clients about the deaths of their pets or about euthanasia decisions for their pets.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Biology
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Mathematics
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Active Learning
- Speaking
- Science
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Comprehension
- Near Vision
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Information Ordering
- Speech Recognition
- Speech Clarity
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Stress Tolerance
- Integrity
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Achievement
- Independence
- Recognition
- Relationships
- Working Conditions
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Doctoral Degree
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Ambu bags
- Angiography catheters
- Animal catching poles
- Animal electrocardiograph ECG units
- Animal snares
- Arterial line catheters
- Arthroscopic surgical equipment
- Aspiration catheters
- Automated chemistry analyzers
- Automated microbial identification systems
- Avian restrainers
- Bandage scissors
- Barcode scanners
- Battery-operated orthopedic drills
- Benchtop centrifuges
Work Environment
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $70,350 |
| Median | $125,510 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $212,890 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 80,630
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $45,980
Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $37,320
Allergists and Immunologists
Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Median Salary: >$239,200
Physicians, Pathologists
Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Median Salary: >$239,200
Emergency Medicine Physicians
Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Median Salary: >$239,200
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.