You don't need a master's degree to diagnose and treat animals as a veterinarian; you need more than that -- a doctorate in veterinary medicine, either a DVM or VMD, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. Unlike other disciplines, the route to your doctorate doesn't require a master's degree, though some DVMs do boast such a degree in veterinary science.
High School
The road to becoming a vet, from a training and educational perspective, actually starts in high school. Some groups, like the Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association, even suggest that you should lay the foundation to be a vet in junior high school by performing well in science and math courses. Rutgers Lab Animal Services stresses that it's important to take as many Advanced Placement and Honors courses in these areas as possible in high school to position yourself to get into a competitive four-year college.
Undergraduate
You may apply for any four-year school you like as a prospective undergraduate -- from a small, liberal arts college to a Division I school. That said, not every school is going to have a pre-vet program. Those that have colleges of veterinary medicine usually have pre-vet programs. In addition, these schools also have advisors with knowledge in this specific area, vet clubs and opportunities for hands-on work, according to Rutgers. Whatever the case may be, you need to boast at least three years of full-time coursework, with a courseload heavy on rigorous science courses.
Veterinary Program
Each of the 29 colleges of veterinary medicine accredited by the AVMA in North America boasts different requirements. That said, you need to out-shine these requirements and be overprepared -- taking more than the minimum required classes as an undergrad. Most schools also require you take the GRE General Test. A typical veterinary program takes four years to complete, but it is actually more difficult to get into a vet med than a human med program, according to the AVMA, who notes that there are 160 schools for human medicine. Because there are so few schools for vet med, each year 21,000 students apply, but only 2,500 are accepted.
Post-graduation
Once you have completed your program at an AVMA-accredited college and passed your North American Veterinary Licensing Exam, you can take your DVM degree and open your own practice or work in another practice, as many choose to do. You may also go on, the AVMA reports, to become specialized in one of several veterinary specialties -- such as oncology, surgery or exotics. This will require an additional three to four years' training in internship and residency programs, beyond the seven to eight years of education you have already completed. You may also take some master's- or PhD-level coursework at this time, though a master's degree, again, is not a prerequisite to be a vet.
Alternatives
If the thought of so much schooling has you queasy, there are other rewarding, animal science-related positions to consider that don't require the training or monetary resources needed to be a vet, according to the BLS. It reports that veterinary technicians and technologists, who assist doctors with cases much as nurses do in the human medical realm, must complete a two-year associate's and four-year bachelor's degree in vet tech respectively. You may also consider animal training, which may require only a high school degree or training at a community college or vocational school. Positions like grooming generally require hands-on training, through state-licensed grooming schools and in-house apprenticeship programs.
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