Education and Skills

The degree required is Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.

Students who wish to enter a veterinary program typically obtain bachelor's degrees in science-related areas, like zoology, molecular biology, chemistry, animal science and biochemistry. Take all the mathematics, chemistry, biology, and physics courses which are available to you in middle and high school; they will open up many career opportunities in college including veterinary medicine. The average veterinarian completes 4 1/2 years of undergraduate education, taking classes such as biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, physics, microbiology, anatomy and physiology, math, animal science, and more...and that's just to prepare them for veterinary school. Some veterinarians already have a Master's degree or PhD before they enter veterinary school. The typical cost for veterinary school is $625.95 per credit hour. One professional organization for a veterinarian is AVMA. The current licensure exam for vets is the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination