Overview of Veterinary Medicine

• Definition: Veterinarians diagnose, treat, and research medical conditions and diseases of pets, livestock, and other animals.

Roles and Responsibilities of Veterinarians

• Medical Care:
  • Treat illnesses and injuries.
  • Conduct surgical and medical procedures.
  • Perform dental work.
  • Vaccinate animals against diseases.
• Preventative Health Care:
  • Teach animal owners about preventative health care.

Types of Veterinarians

1. Companion Animal Veterinarians:

   • Work mainly at clinics.
   • Care for cats, dogs, and other pets (e.g., birds, ferrets, rabbits).

2. Equine Veterinarians:

   • Specialize in the care of horses.
   • Involved in farming and racing contexts.

3. Food Animal Veterinarians:

   • Work at farms and ranches.
   • Treat farm animals (e.g., pigs, cattle, sheep).

4. Food Safety and Inspection Veterinarians:

   • Inspect and test livestock and animal products.
   • Focus on major animal diseases and enforce food safety regulations.

5. Research Veterinarians:

   • Work in laboratories conducting clinical research on health problems.
   • Test effects of drug therapies and new surgical techniques.

Education and Training

• Degree Requirement: Must have a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree (usually a four-year program).
• Licensing: Must pass the North American Veterinarian Licensing Examination.
• Competitiveness:
  • Veterinary school is highly competitive.
  • Applicants typically required to have completed numerous science classes in college.