Veterinarian

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**__Job Description__**
A day in the life of a vet is very rewarding and sometimes difficult. Equine veterinarians travel from farm to farm treating patients. Rural veterinarians are more likely to travel, and all experience the typical trials of working with animals--the risk of being bitten, scratched, or kicked by frightened patients. People skills are an important aspect of the job because veterinarians interact with owners as much as their animals. They vaccinate horses, dress wounds and perform surgeries, such as cesarean sections during birth or fusing joints and fixing mild bone breaks by plating and screwing bones together.

__**Personality Characteristics**__
To be an equine vet, someone must have a knowledge of anatomy and chemistry. They should have a love for animals and the ability to get along with animal owners who tend to form strong bonds with their pet. Veterinarians who plan on starting their own private practice should possess excellent communication and business skills because they will need to successfully manage their practice and employees and will need to promote, market, and sell their services.



__Working Conditions__
In being an equine vet, you should expect to be working outdoors in bad weather and sometimes, unsanitary conditions.Vets often work long hours. Those in group practices may take turns being on call for evening, night, and weekend work. Solo practitioners may have to work extended weekend hours, responding to weekend hours, emergencies, or unexpected appointments.

__Places of Employment__
A place of employment could be anywhere. There are atleast 39 equine vets in the state of Pennsylvannia. More jobs in this feild would be in rural areas were there are lots of farms and horse ranches.



**__Job Outlook__**
About 62,000 veterinarians were employed nationwide in 2006, with 3 out of 4 in solo or group practice. Other employers include the federal government, research laboratories, animal food companies, and pharmaceutical companies. Job prospects for veterinarians are expected to be excellent in the coming years, in part because of the relatively low number of accredited veterinary medicine schools. The best opportunities can be found in rural areas, where a lower competition for work means better chances for recent graduates. Employment is expected to increase 35 percent through 2016, from 62,000 to 84,000 new jobs created in the field. Trends in intensive veterinary care and sophisticated animal-care treatments are expected to drive the need for trained veterinarians. Job opportunities for veterinarians who specialize in farm animals, such as equine veterinarians, are especially open because of lower wages and a rural working environment.

**__Salary Information__**
Earnings for veterinarians vary by location and client base. The BLS reports that veterinarians saw mean annual earnings of $84,090 in 2007. A survey by the American veterinary Medical Association found that starting salaries for Veterinary medical college graduates in 2006 ranged from $61,029 for those treating large animals exclusively, to $52,254 for those treating mixed animals, to $40,130 for equine veterinarians.



**__Recomended Education and Training__**
They must obtain a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from an accredited 4-year college and a license from the state where they intend to practice. They study biology, chemistry, physics, nutrition, and animal science. They also need to take math and English classes. Many people also get experience by working at animal hospitals or shelters. Getting into vet college is competitive. Students who get in usually have very good grades. After college, vets take a test and get a license. In veterinary college, students learn more science. They also learn how to work with animals, do surgery, and do laboratory tests with microscopes and other equipment. Many people also decide to learn more about a specific kind of illness or animal. They work with experienced vets during a 2-year internship. They might focus on surgery or dentistry for example. After finishing school, nearly all vets keep taking classes about new diseases and treatments.Students who want to be vets can get ready now by taking science classes and learning about animals. They also need to take English classes and practice speaking and writing so that they will be able to explain things to animal owners.

__References__
[|**http://www.avma.org/**]

Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Veterinarians: Training, Salary, & Career Information." CollegeGrad.com - Entry Level Jobs and Internships for College Students and Recent Graduates__. 31 Mar. 2009 [].

"Equine Veterinarian: Career Summary, Job Outlook and Education Requirements."__ Premier Online Directory of Degree Programs & Career Planning Articles and Videos from Top Colleges and Universities__. 31 Mar. 2009 [].

"Veterinarians."__ U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics__. 02 Apr. 2009 [].

"Veterinarian."__ U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics__. 03 Apr. 2009 [].

"EasyBib: Website form for your bibliography or works cited list." __EasyBib: Free Bibliography Maker - MLA, APA, Chicago citation styles__. 30 Apr. 2009 .