Career Exploration Project

The career I am currently pursuing is Large Animal Medicine

I decided on this career because I've always had a love for animals. I want to find a way to give back and I think helping animals is my way of giving back.

Large animal vets typically care for livestock, ensuring the health of the animals in the ranching industry.

8 years of schooling are necessary for this degree. First, 4 years of schooling to receive a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science

Then an additional 4 years to receive a Doctor of Veterinary Science.

Even after all those years of schooling, to become certified one must pass the "North American Veterinary Licensing Exam (NAVLE)

A 360 question test that lasts 7.5 hours and assess candidates' knowledge of veterinary activities and animal species (study.com).

Colleges with this degree

• Texas ATM
• Auburn University
• Ohio State University
• University of Georgia
• Virginia Tech

Knowledge and skills that are required

• One must be comfortable working with animals, especially large animals.
• One must know how to interact with animals.
• And finally one must have a caring heart to help these animals.

Annual Salary

• According to MyMajors.com and Study.com
• Annual Wage- $96,140
• Hourly Wage- $46.22

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• According to MyMajors.com, there are currently 59,232 Nationally certified and employed Veterinarians.
• As long as there are animals, there will be a need for vets, especially Large Animal vets.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2013 wage data and 2012-2022 employment projections. "Projected growth" represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2012-2022). "Projected job openings" represent openings due to growth and replacement.

According to an article written by Shannon Dininny, posted on the SFGATE, stating how rare Large animal Vets are: "Bill Bennett has spent 45 years feeding and herding 2,500 cattle on his rolling eastern Washington ranch.

He's also had to act as a doctor because he's unable to find a veterinarian who will come to his rural spread."

There are jobs everywhere

• Large animal vets are more likely to find jobs out in the country, and more rural parts of the country.
• Most of the patients vets would be treating are herd or farming animals.

Jobs Everywhere

• There are farms in Michigan and Wisconsin. Ranches in Colorado, California. Farm land in Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, North & South Dakota

My personality is ESTJ, Extroverted Sensing Thinking Judging. The natural leader and guardian. I can manage madness. I do well in stress and chaos. I know how to take orders from people, but I enjoy begin in charge.

What's Next?

• Enter the Vet Tech program at Tomball LSC (2 year program)
• Apply to Texas ATM vet program
• Bachelor of Science in Animal Science. (4 years)
• Apply for clinical jobs/Interning
• Doctorate of Veterinarian Medicine (4 years)
• Become a Certified DVM

Resources

• MyMajors.com
• Study.com
• US.News
• SFGATE News
• Bureau Labor Statistics (May 2013)