How Long Does It Take To Become a Vet? (Guide 2023)
A veterinary career is rewarding and challenging at the same time.
However, if you want to turn your love of animals into a professional career, it’s perhaps the ideal choice of profession. The veterinary field is versatile because there are hundreds of species and an unending ocean of knowledge.
The veterinary degree is a mixture of practical training and theoretical knowledge that helps develop the skills required for various roles in this sector & is a license to many opportunities. You can do private practice, government jobs, teaching, research, public health, army service, or work at many other rewarding positions.
How Long Does It Take To Become a Vet?
It takes almost 5 to 6 years to earn a Doctor of Veterinary and Medicine (DVM) degree, which includes an internship. However, if you want to specialize in a particular area after DVM, you would have to spend more years in residency.
How Fast Can You Become a Veterinarian?
Becoming a veterinarian requires at least 5-6 years. Unfortunately, there aren’t any shortcuts. But If you want to start your career in the field as soon as possible, you may go for the veterinary assistant degree. The degree takes only nine months to complete.
Vet assistants are helpers to doctors. They take care of the animals, complete their treatment, and take follow-ups. But keep in mind that the vet assistant works under the supervisor of the vet technician. So you can’t practice independently or privately.
How Long Is Vet School By Country?
Veterinarian Profession | Annual Average Salary |
---|---|
Board-certified Veterinary Surgery Specialist | $267,000 |
Professor of Veterinary Medicine | $166,700 |
Military Veterinarian | $103, 000 |
Small Animal Veterinarian | $100,888 |
Veterinary Research Scientist | $111,500 |
Regulatory Medicine Veterinarian | $83,700 |
Public Health Veterinarian | $67,340 |
Veterinary Hospital Manager | $64,000 |
Veterinary Practice Manager | $63,832 |
Zoo Veterinarian | $60,000 |
Vet school is typically around 5 years in time, but this can slightly vary based on your region & state. Working for a being that cannot speak for itself is a job that inspires many. Moreover, it’s a rewarding job, but unfortunately, getting into vet school is not easy. You have to pass high school with above-average grades in biology & other sciences.
After that, you must pass several tests to get into the renowned vet institutes of the world. The period required to complete it varies from country to country. The time needed to complete the DVM degree in different countries is mentioned below.
Veterinarian Salary & Career Scope Assessment
The young generation is quite inclined towards health science like veterinary because they ensure providing a good living along with serving living beings. All over the world, veterinary is one of the most gratifying professions too. The salary varies from country to country and also depends upon their expertise & the nature of their practice. The average annual salary of a Veterinarian is around $90,000.
What Type of Veterinarian Gets Paid The Most?
Jobs in this field are quite well paid. Here is a list of the highest-paid veterinary jobs and their salaries.
Pays for veterinary jobs vary from country to country, but the above-mentioned data is true for most of them.
Is It Hard To Become a Veterinarian?
Yes, becoming a vet is a challenging job as it’s a demanding passion. It requires hard work, dedication, consistency, and a bulk of patience. The veterinary degree is even more complex than the MBBS. Because in DVM, you have to study a multitude of different species. You’ll also learn the anatomy, physiology, and histology of equines, ruminants, and pets.
Moreover, you’ll study several clinical subjects like surgery and medicine. So, for a dedicated person, a veterinary degree might be enticing and rewarding, but for an average student, it might pose some hurdles.
Is Veterinary a Good Career?
According to the research, between 2020 and 2030, the demand for veterinary professionals will increase by 16.8%.
Becoming a vet is a rewarding and satisfying job as you can work for the welfare of creatures that can’t speak for themselves. What would be better than this? Moreover, you can work in multiple sectors, and there is an ocean of opportunities for them around the globe rendering good earnings.
Pros & Cons Of Being A Vet
Every profession has a brighter and darker side. Veterinary is a good profession and has several pros and a few cons, which are listed below.
Advantages
- A really respectful career. Because you become the voice of the creature that cannot speak for themselves.
- They are always in demand, and the opportunities for them will increase in the future.
- It is a versatile profession.
- Private practice is always an option if you prefer flexible hours.
Disadvantages
- Hectic university education.
- It’s a physically demanding job.
- High cost of education.
- Job hazards, sometimes you have to deal with wild animals.
- Euthanizing animals may be traumatizing for some.
Here we’ve thoroughly answered some of the most asked questions regarding this subject.
How long does it take to get a DVM?
DVM is a lengthy degree, and the duration varies from country to country. However, you will have to spend 5-6 years in a vet school to get a DVM degree.
How long does a vet school take?
The duration of a full-time veterinary degree is 5-6 years & completing it is a challenging task, but if you have a love for animals, then it’s worth it.
What is the shortest time to become a vet?
It takes at least 5-6 years to get a degree in veterinary medicine from a certified university. However, if you want to start a veterinary practice, you can get a diploma in veterinary assistance. The duration of the assistant degree is nine months.
It’s a profession that’s more than worth it, but always keep in mind that the tract of becoming a vet is not smooth. But if you have true love and passion for the profession, you’ll pass all the challenges. Believe us when we say this, you all got what it takes to be a good professional.