Veterinary Medicine

Veterinarian

Work Activities

• Performing surgery, dressing wounds, and setting broken bones of animals
• Diagnosing animal diseases
• Vaccinating animals against disease
• Advising animal owners about the care and breeding of animals
• Performing autopsies on animal carcasses
• Inspecting animals intended for consumption, both before and after they are slaughtered
• Teaching or conducting research on animal and human diseases

Public Health Veterinarians safeguard the public health by controlling and preventing diseases that are transmitted from animals to humans. They inspect and regulate food- and drug- processing plants, inspect and test livestock, and provide information to the public.

Meat Inspection Veterinarians inspect establishments that slaughter livestock and process meat for domestic or foreign shipment. They examine the animal and the carcass to detect evidence of disease or other abnormal conditions. They also enforce municipal, state, and federal regulations to ensure a safe and wholesome food supply.

Avian Medicine Veterinarians work primarily with either ornamental (pet) birds or poultry. Diagnosis, treatment, control, and prevention of diseases are the major concerns. A pet bird practice can involve large aviaries, but most pet bird work is performed for individuals who own one bird or a small collection of ornamental birds. Poultry practice is concerned primarily with large commercial flocks and involves interactions with poultry nutritionists, geneticists, medicinal suppliers, researchers, flock owners and caretakers, and processors so that optimum efficiency in the production of meat and eggs is achieved. Avian Veterinarians also are involved in research and product development, teaching, health in wildlife, zoo medicine, sales, and other fields.

Laboratory Animal Care Veterinarians conduct or provide support for research on infectious diseases, nutritional problems, and other health-related issues of laboratory animals, such as hamsters, rabbits, monkeys, and mice. They are responsible for the implementation of animal welfare guidelines and regulations and advise researchers on the proper care and use of laboratory animals.

Private Practice Veterinarians may choose to limit the species of animals they normally treat to dogs, cats, and other domesticated pets or horses or farm animals. Veterinarians may specialize in such areas as animal surgery, cardiology, dentistry, dermatology, internal medicine, neurology, ophthalmology, or radiology.

Research and Development Veterinarians with special training in toxicology, pathology, microbiology, pharmacology, or management play active roles in the development and safety testing of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and medical devices.

Work Settings
Veterinarians may work independently or as part of a health professions team. They may supervise veterinary assistants, veterinary technicians, or other professionals.

Work settings vary with the type of practice. In rural areas, Veterinarians spend large amounts of time working outdoors and going to and from farms. In urban areas, work usually is performed indoors in hospitals or clinics. Veterinarians in research and teaching usually work in laboratories and classrooms. In meat- and food-processing plants, Veterinarians may spend time in refrigerated cold storage rooms.

Hazards associated with being a Veterinarian include exposure to diseases and infections that may be transmitted to humans and exposure to injuries, such as bites, scratches, and kicks. They may be exposed to radiation in certain kinds of research.

Special Requirements
To become a licensed Veterinarian, an applicant must have earned a degree in veterinary medicine from a school or college of veterinary medicine accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association. The candidate must submit a transcript of all course work, an acceptable national certification board examination score, and an acceptable clinical competency test score. When these requirements are met, the applicant will be eligible to take the appropriate state examination for licensure.

Common requirements for entering programs in veterinary medicine are completion of a pre-veterinary medicine program or its equivalent and achievement of an acceptable cumulative and pre-veterinary science course grade-point average. Also, it is necessary to complete the veterinary aptitude test, to develop personal activities that indicate a continuing interest in the field and in community service, and to demonstrate in an interview the ability for successful completion of a program in veterinary medicine.

Educational Institutions
No program information is available.

Veterinary Technician

Work Activities

• Taking animals into treatment rooms
• Securing restraints or holding animals during treatment
• Sterilizing surgical instruments and other equipment
• Shaving animals before surgery
• Administering medications and monitoring anesthesia
• Taking and developing X-rays
• Performing laboratory tests on blood, urine, and feces
• Maintaining records of animals reactions to treatment

Veterinary Technicians work indoors most of the time. Outdoor work may be required of those who are responsible for exercising animals or who work with a veterinarian practicing large animal medicine.

The work involved in the basic care of animals may be dirty, repetitious, routine, and demanding. Hazards might include bites, scratches, and/or exposure to infection.

Veterinary Technicians may supervise Veterinary Assistants. Veterinary Assistants perform routine animal care, such as feeding, watering, bathing, and exercising animals. They may greet and make appointments for clients, answer telephone calls, and accept payments.

Most Veterinary Technicians work in veterinary offices, veterinary hospitals, kennels, research institutes, or zoos.

Special Requirements
Veterinary Technicians in New Mexico must be certified by the state certification board. Applicants must have a degree in veterinary technology from a school accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association and pass a written exam. Along with the application, the applicant must include an authentic copy of the college transcript signed by the registrar, a copy of the diploma, and a fee.