FAQs

For many generations of veterinarians, the positives of the profession far outweighed the negatives. The past two decades have seen significant increases in educational costs without a comparable increase in salaries. The hours can be long, the physical effort grueling, and the emotional impact of treating ill and injured animals daily can be difficult. While […]

Wow! That’s a lot of money. Veterinarians must have very high salaries to pay back those loans. New graduate veterinarians in full-time private practice positions earn between $95,000 and $140,000 depending on species focus. Those choosing internships earn between $40,000 and $80,000, depending on the type (academic vs. private practice, respectively). Over the last decade,

Veterinary school costs vary widely. Like all higher education costs, the cost of veterinary school has risen many times above cost of living increases over the past three decades. For recent students entering veterinary school in the US, the estimated total cost of attendance (tuition+fees+living expenses) from $180,000 to more than $400,000. Your cost will

How do I prepare for veterinary school? What experience do I need? Each veterinary school’s website lists the school’s application process and prerequisites. In general, to meet the minimum application requirements you will need to take a number of classes including: biology, math, English, chemistry, and physics. You can apply to nearly all veterinary schools

In the United States, veterinary school is typically a four-year degree program following certain prerequisite undergraduate level education. They can commonly range from 7 to 9 years: 3 to 5 years undergraduate plus 3 to 5 years of veterinary school. Most veterinary schools in the U.S. are 4 year programs. After graduating from veterinary school,

Since I love animals, isn’t veterinary medicine a perfect career for me? While veterinary medicine can be richly rewarding, a veterinarian’s day is not filled solely with adorable animals. It is important to develop a realistic picture of the profession before choosing this career. Failure to understand the demands and challenges of the profession can

Working and talking with veterinarians, veterinary students, and veterinary technicians and staff is the best way to get a realistic picture of the profession. Veterinary medicine is a big commitment, academically, personally, and financially. A prospective veterinarian should be a good student with strong science, math, and communication skills. A veterinarian must have compassion for

Most veterinarians in the U.S. work in private practice. While veterinarians are licensed to care for a wide variety of animals (dogs, cats, horses, farm animals, exotics, etc.), most limit their practice to certain types of animals or medical specialties. Currently, 70% of veterinarians in the U.S. provide medical care for pets such as dogs