Veterinarians

Career Description: Diagnose and treat diseases and dysfunctions of animals. May engage in a particular function, such as research and development, consultation, administration, technical writing, sale or production of commercial products, or rendering of technical services to commercial firms or other organizations. Includes veterinarians who inspect livestock.

Industry: Healthcare Practitioners and Technical

Other Job Titles for Veterinarians:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Examine animals to detect and determine the nature of diseases or injuries.
• Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds, or performing surgery.
• Inoculate animals against various diseases such as rabies and distemper.
• Collect body tissue, feces, blood, urine, or other body fluids for examination and analysis.
• Operate diagnostic equipment such as radiographic and ultrasound equipment, and interpret the resulting images.
• Advise animal owners regarding sanitary measures, feeding, and general care necessary to promote health of animals.
• Educate the public about diseases that can be spread from animals to humans.
• Train and supervise workers who handle and care for animals.
• Provide care to a wide range of animals or specialize in a particular species, such as horses or exotic birds.
• Euthanize animals.
• Establish and conduct quarantine and testing procedures that prevent the spread of diseases to other animals or to humans, and that comply with applicable government regulations.
• Conduct postmortem studies and analyses to determine the causes of animals' deaths.
• Perform administrative duties such as scheduling appointments, accepting payments from clients, and maintaining business records.
• Direct the overall operations of animal hospitals, clinics, or mobile services to farms.
• Drive mobile clinic vans to farms so that health problems can be treated or prevented.
• Specialize in a particular type of treatment such as dentistry, pathology, nutrition, surgery, microbiology, or internal medicine.
• Inspect and test horses, sheep, poultry, and other animals to detect the presence of communicable diseases.
• Plan and execute animal nutrition and reproduction programs.
• Research diseases to which animals could be susceptible.
• Inspect animal housing facilities to determine their cleanliness and adequacy.
• Determine the effects of drug therapies, antibiotics, or new surgical techniques by testing them on animals.
• Perform administrative and managerial functions, such as taking responsibility for a unit's staff, budget, planning, and long-range goals.
• Provide or arrange for training or instruction of auxiliary personnel or students.
• Refer students or patients to specialized health resources or community agencies furnishing assistance.
• Consult with institutions or associations regarding issues and concerns relevant to the practice and profession of nursing.
• Work with individuals, groups, and families to plan and implement programs designed to improve the overall health of communities.
• Engage in research activities related to nursing.

Emerging Tasks

• Advise animal owners regarding sanitary measures, feeding, general care, medical conditions, and treatment options.
• Attend lectures, conferences, and continuing education courses.
• Perform administrative and business management tasks such as scheduling appointments, accepting payments from clients, budgeting, and maintaining business records.
• Educate patients and family members about various topics, such as communication techniques and strategies to cope with or avoid personal misunderstandings.
• Evaluate hearing and speech/language test results, barium swallow results, and medical or background information to diagnose and plan treatment for speech, language, fluency, voice, and swallowing disorders.
• Participate in and write reports for meetings regarding patients' progress, such as individualized educational planning (IEP) meetings, in-service meetings, and intervention assistance team meetings.
• Participate in conferences, training, continuing education courses, or publish research results to share knowledge of new hearing or speech disorder treatment methods or technologies.
• Supervise and collaborate with therapy team.
• Write reports and maintain proper documentation of information, such as client Medicaid and billing records and caseload activities, including the initial evaluation, treatment, progress, and discharge of clients.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• administer anesthetics
• administer injections
• administer medications or treatments
• advise animal owners regarding treatment of animals
• analyze medical data
• analyze patient activity
• apply traction
• calculate medical dosages
• communicate technical information
• conduct medical tests
• diagnose medical condition of patient
• diagnose spinal misalignments
• draw blood
• examine animals to detect illness, disease, or injury
• follow infectious materials procedures
• follow patient care procedures
• follow surgical procedures
• identify animal species
• identify livestock characteristics
• interpret medical laboratory test results
• make decisions
• make presentations on health or medical issues
• observe patient condition
• obtain information from clients, customers, or patients
• perform animal euthanasia
• perform minor surgery
• position patient for therapy
• prepare patient reports
• prescribe or recommend drugs, medical devices or other forms of treatment
• recognize disease or parasites in animals
• teach food or nutrition principles
• treat medical condition of patient
• understand animal habits or needs
• understand properties or composition of drugs
• use animal disease control techniques
• use clinical problem solving techniques
• use knowledge of investigation techniques
• use knowledge of medical terminology
• use medical diagnostic techniques
• use research methodology procedures in health care
• use sanitation practices in health care settings
• use grief counseling techniques
• use interpersonal communication techniques
• use knowledge of investigation techniques
• use knowledge of medical terminology
• use medical diagnostic techniques
• use research methodology procedures in health care
• use sanitation practices in health care settings
• write technical health or medical documents
• use sanitation practices in health care settings
• weigh patients
• provide customer service
• refer patients to community resources
• sell merchandise
• store pharmaceutical supplies or filled prescriptions
• teach individuals work-related techniques or skills
• understand drug products
• understand government health, hotel or food service regulations
• understand pharmaceutical formulas
• understand properties of gases or liquids
• understand properties or composition of drugs
• use chemical testing or analysis procedures
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
• use health or sanitation standards
• use interpersonal communication techniques
• use knowledge of investigation techniques
• use knowledge of medical terminology
• use knowledge of metric system
• use laboratory equipment
• use mathematical or statistical methods to identify or analyze problems
• use precision measuring tools or equipment
• use quality assurance techniques
• use quantitative research methods
• use relational database software
• use research methodology procedures in health care
• use sanitation practices in health care settings
• use scientific research methodology
• use spreadsheet software
• use word processing or desktop publishing software
• work as a team member
• write scholarly or technical research papers
• write technical health or medical documents

Overall Experience
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Job Training
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Education
A bachelor's degree is the minimum formal education required for these occupations. However, many also require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Examples
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include librarians, lawyers, aerospace engineers, physicists, school psychologists, and surgeons.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$36.17
• Average annual wage (2007) - $75,230.00

• Projected growth (2006-2016): 34.99%
• Projected need (2006-2016): 21,760
• Employment (2006): 62,196

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