To become a veterinarian, you complete pre-veterinary coursework (usually within a bachelor’s degree), build hands-on animal and clinical experience, and earn a four-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD) from an accredited veterinary college. Then you pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE) and meet your state’s licensing requirements. Specializing takes an internship and residency on top of that.
A realistic picture of the work
Veterinarians are doctors, surgeons, pharmacists and radiologists for patients who cannot tell you where it hurts, and the person paying the bill is often scared or grieving.
- Small animal practice: wellness exams, vaccines, dentals, surgery, sick visits and emergencies for dogs, cats and other pets. This is where most veterinarians work.
- Large animal and mixed practice: farm calls for cattle, horses, sheep and goats, often driving long distances and working outdoors in every season.
- Other paths: emergency and specialty hospitals, shelter medicine, public health and food safety, research, wildlife and zoo medicine, and industry.
- The hard parts: euthanasia appointments, clients who cannot afford care, long days that run over, and the weight of a heavy debt load if you borrowed for school.
Education: from pre-vet to DVM
There is no required pre-vet major. Biology and animal science are common, but you can major in anything as long as you complete the prerequisites, which typically include biology, general and organic chemistry, biochemistry, physics, math and English. Our guide on how to choose a major helps if you are torn.
- Animal and veterinary experience: admissions committees look closely at hours working with animals and, separately, hours supervised by a veterinarian. Variety helps: clinic work plus a farm, shelter or research lab.
- The DVM: four years, usually two of classroom and lab science followed by clinical rotations through a teaching hospital.
- After graduation: many new veterinarians go straight into practice. Those who want to specialize in areas like surgery, internal medicine or emergency care complete a one-year internship and a multi-year residency, then pass a specialty board exam.
Licensing
Every state requires a license to practice. Nearly all require a passing NAVLE score, and many add a state exam on veterinary law and rules. Requirements vary by state, so check your state veterinary licensing board before you plan where to practice.
Your path, step by step
- In high school, take biology, chemistry, physics and as much math as you can, and start logging animal experience early.
- Volunteer at a shelter, work as a kennel assistant or help on a farm. Keep a simple record of hours and what you did.
- In college, complete prerequisites with strong grades and get hours under a veterinarian, ideally in more than one type of practice.
- Apply to veterinary colleges, typically in the summer before your senior year. Many applicants apply more than once.
- Complete the DVM, pass the NAVLE and get licensed in your state.
- Choose general practice, or pursue an internship and residency if you want to specialize.
Check the fit early
- Shadow a veterinarian for full days, including a day with a euthanasia appointment if the clinic allows it.
- Work part-time as a kennel assistant or veterinary assistant. It is the clearest preview of the pace.
- Ask a few veterinarians for informational interviews about debt, hours and what surprised them.
- Look at the veterinary technician path too. Some people find it is the hands-on role they wanted.
Who thrives, and why some leave
Veterinarians who do well love science, communicate clearly with worried owners and can make decisions under pressure. People switch out because of debt, long hours, the emotional load of euthanasia and difficult clients, and compassion fatigue. Many clinics now talk openly about wellbeing, and a licensed mental health professional is the right step when the strain builds. In a crisis, call or text 988.
Starting later
Plenty of veterinary students are career changers. If you already have a degree, you may only need to finish missing prerequisites at a community college or through a post-baccalaureate program while building animal hours. See our guides to changing careers and whether more school is worth it. For current pay and outlook, check the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Where a mentor helps
Pre-vet is a long road with many moving parts: prerequisites, hours, grades and applications. A mentor helps a student explore the field, map the plan, stay accountable through hard semesters and prepare applications and the first job search. Mentors are not credentialed career counselors, admissions counselors or licensing experts; they help you do the work yourself. See our career and education mentoring and mentoring for college students.
Related
- Career paths: guides to dozens of careers
- How to become a doctor
- Careers for people who like helping
- How to become a pharmacist
Common questions
How long does it take to become a veterinarian?
Usually about eight years after high school: four for a bachelor’s degree and four for the DVM. Specializing adds an internship and residency.
Do you need a bachelor’s degree for vet school?
Most students finish one, and some veterinary colleges require it. Others focus on completed prerequisites, so check each school’s requirements.
What is the NAVLE?
It is the national licensing exam for veterinarians in North America. Passing it is required for a license in nearly every state.
Is getting into vet school competitive?
Yes. There are far fewer seats than applicants, so strong science grades and solid veterinary experience both matter.
Get started
Thinking about vet school and want a steady plan to get there? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.