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![How to Become an Equine Veterinarian: Education, Skills & Job Requirements – [Guide]](/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/how-to-become-an-equine-veterinarian.jpg)
Becoming an equine veterinarian is a rewarding and fulfilling journey for those passionate about equine health, management, and science.
As a vital part of the equine industry, veterinarians not only diagnose and treat illnesses, but also play a key role in public health and animal welfare. Pursuing this noble profession requires dedication, education, and a deep commitment to the well-being of animals.
While all veterinarians start with a general education that covers both companion animals and livestock, some practitioners decide to work with large animals or horses exclusively once their training is complete. Specializing as a horse vet requires an in-depth knowledge of equine anatomy, physiology, and the unique challenges horses face in different environments and disciplines.
This article outlines the steps to becoming an equine veterinarian, covering educational requirements, skill development, and practical experiences. Whether you’re a high school student dreaming of working with animals or an equestrian considering a career in the horse industry, this guide will illuminate the way to becoming a veterinarian.
Becoming an Equine Veterinarian
To become an equine veterinarian, aspiring candidates must complete a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or equivalent degree from an accredited veterinary school.
However, for many students, the journey to becoming a veterinarian begins long before they start their vet school application. Veterinary schools desire well-rounded candidates with a wide array of animal and veterinary experiences. They also want candidates with a strong academic background.
High school students interested in becoming a veterinarian should focus on bolstering their application with relevant extracurricular activities and completing schoolwork that leads them to a science-based undergraduate degree. Preparation may include: [1]
- Taking science and math courses
- Participation in extracurricular activities including sports, clubs, volunteerism, etc.
- Developing veterinary experiences such as volunteering at the humane society, shadowing veterinarians, etc.
- Demonstrating comfort with animal interactions and handling such as in farm work or organizations like FFA, 4-H, or Pony Club
When choosing high school courses, prospective students may wish to look at admission requirements for science-based degrees at your desired university or college. If available, completing more competitive curricula such as Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses can give you an edge in university entrance and help you succeed under the intense academic demands of veterinary school.
After successful admission to an undergraduate program, it’s important to ensure your program’s coursework provides the prerequisites you need for veterinary school. Prerequisite courses may include: [2]
- Biological sciences, including ecology, anatomy, biochemistry, genetics, microbiology, physiology, and cellular biology
- Other sciences, such as physics, mathematics, statistics, chemistry, and inorganic chemistry
- Animal science-specific courses, such as animal nutrition
- Equine-specific courses, such as equine science, anatomy, or nutrition
- Medical terminology courses
- English composition
During your undergraduate studies, continuing extracurricular activities shows the veterinary school application committee your dedication to the field. Joining a Pre-Vet or Pre-Med club is also beneficial as they may offer classes, shadowing opportunities, or preparatory sessions that can benefit your application.
Additionally, getting involved in research as an undergraduate research assistant in your biology, chemistry, or natural sciences department is an extracurricular that strongly benefits your application.
However, not all of your extracurriculars have to be equine- or science-related! In fact, demonstrating that you’re a well-rounded student by participating in other clubs and sports goes a long way for your veterinary school application.
Volunteer experience, leadership experience as a club executive, juggling a teaching assistant (TA) position, and staying active within your campus community fosters professional and personal growth beyond your science education.
What's your top priority with your horse's health?
Applying to Veterinary School
Once you have taken your prerequisite courses, you are ready to make your veterinary school application. Prospective equine veterinarians apply to general veterinary programs since schools do not typically offer species-specific tracks at the admission level.
However, some veterinary schools are known for their strengths in large animal medicine and provide additional equine-specific courses and opportunities, potentially allowing students to gain more experience with horses.
After selecting the schools you want to apply to, you can begin the application process. While there are quantifiable features of veterinary school applications, like the candidate’s grades and test scores, the selection process relies on a measure of subjectivity based on the experience and perspective of the committee members.
This is why having a strong application showing you are a well-rounded candidate with a history of academic success is important.
Educational Requirements
Veterinary schools in North America require completion of at least 2 years of an undergraduate degree before applying to a veterinary program. Some schools may require completion of an undergraduate degree. [2]
During the undergraduate program, prospective veterinary students take prerequisite courses required by the veterinary school. [2] Each veterinary school has their own prerequisite list. Prospective students should consult the school’s admissions handbook to see what courses they need to take during their undergraduate program.
Some veterinary schools consider the GPA of prerequisite courses only, while others look at the overall GPA of your last 4 semesters of education as a separate score. Schools use these GPAs to select the top academic candidates for the interview process.
Other Requirements
Veterinary schools want to see well-rounded applicants with a broad range of experiences. This includes animal and veterinary experience, which may be in the form of paid or volunteer work. Examples of experiences to include in your application include: [3][4]
- Animal experience: This includes farm and ranch experience, participation in animal-related organizations such as 4-H, FFA, or Pony Club, animal training, etc. These activities are not supervised by a veterinarian.
- Employment: Previous job experience, even outside the animal or veterinary field.
- Extracurricular activities: Sports, intramurals, clubs, committees, and hobbies.
- Research: Research experience, particularly in animal or veterinary studies, can be a big boost for your application. This includes field studies or laboratory-based studies.
- Veterinary experience: This is animal experience working directly with a veterinarian. For example, this may include working, shadowing, or volunteering in a veterinary hospital.
- Volunteerism: Other types of volunteering outside of animal experiences, including tutoring, fundraising, or participating in volunteer organizations.
Other relevant items to include in your veterinary school application include: [4]
- Awards and achievements
- Licenses or certifications, such as First Aid, CPR, etc.
- Letters of recommendation from veterinarians, faculty members, or other professionals
Some veterinary schools require additional testing as part of their selection process. Check with each prospective vet school to determine their individual requirements. Examples of additional testing include: [4]
- Writing an essay
- Graduate Record Examinations (GRE)
- Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
- Online situational judgment tests, such as Casper
Well-rounded candidates with excellent letters of recommendation are more likely to be chosen for an interview. In many cases, the quality of extracurricular activities and letters of recommendation move a candidate higher up in the selection list, even if they have a lower GPA score.
Candidate Interviews
Most veterinary schools have an interview process to further narrow down their list of candidates. The interview usually involves going to the school in person for a one-day session, though some schools have transitioned to virtual interviews after adopting this format during COVID. This session usually includes a combination of interviews and a written essay portion.
There are two main types of interviews used in veterinary medicine: the panel interview and the multiple mini interview (MMI). The goal of these interviews is to assess each candidate’s perspective on the profession and evaluate for non-academic qualities that make a successful veterinarian. [5]
Panel interviews are similar to other types of job interviews. In these interviews, you meet with several committee members who ask you questions about your experiences, future goals, and academic accomplishments.
These interviews may be structured, with the same series of questions asked to every candidate, or may be more freeform. The reviewers create a score for each candidate based on the quality of their answers and overall impression.
MMIs are a specific type of interview process where a candidate moves through a series of interview stations. Rather than asking about specific aspects of your application, each station has a scenario designed to test your non-academic attributes and understanding of the profession. [6]
Evaluators score your responses to the scenarios using a rubric, based on the qualities that the veterinary school deems important in a veterinary candidate. [6]
Many veterinary schools weight the interview scores heavily in their selection process. Having excellent interview skills is an important component of a successful vet school application. Previous experience in public speaking, presentation, or interviewing can benefit your application significantly.
Veterinary School
Veterinary school is a 3 or 4-year program where students learn about a wide array of topics related to veterinary medicine. Courses taken during veterinary school include: [7][8]
| Course | Description |
|---|---|
| Anatomy | An in-depth exploration of the anatomy of different species. Usually this course includes dissection of embalmed animals. |
| Physiology | Learning how the body functions under normal conditions |
| Clinical Skills | Acquiring the skills necessary to be a veterinarian, such as surgery, administering medications, taking X-rays, etc. |
| Professional Skills | Learning about client communication, running a business, and other soft skills |
| Pathology | Understanding how diseases occur and the effects of disease on the body’s systems |
| Welfare | Investigating the role veterinarians play in animal welfare and mitigating pain and suffering |
| Behavior | Understanding why animals act the way they do and how veterinarians can help shift behaviors to benefit the animal’s well-being |
| Pharmacology | Learning about different medications, how they function, and when to use them for treatment |
| Toxicology | How ingesting toxins affects an animal’s body and how to treat poisonings |
| Diagnostic Imaging | Learning how to use diagnostic imaging modalities such as X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, and CT scanning and how to interpret the resulting images |
| Microbiology | Learning about viruses, parasites, bacteria, and fungi that affect animals |
| Medicine | Courses covering the diagnosis and treatment of common animal diseases |
| Surgery | Courses covering how to perform surgeries and manage post-operative care |
| Theriogenology | Learning about animal reproduction and how to perform reproductive procedures |
| Nutrition | How to design appropriate diets for different species and manage diseases that have a nutritional component |
All veterinary students learn about the four major veterinary species in depth: dogs, cats, horses, and cattle. The curriculum also covers additional species including exotics/wildlife, small ruminants, and fish.
Some schools allow students to “track” in a particular species or field once they’ve completed the core curriculum. Students can then take elective courses that focus on their selected “track”. Example “tracks” include small animal, food animal, equine, public/corporate, and exotic/wildlife.
During the final year of a DVM/VMD degree, students move from lecture- and lab-based coursework to experiential learning. Students complete “rotations” in the school’s teaching hospital or other approved veterinary hospitals.
During rotations, veterinary students gain hands-on experience in case management, diagnosis, and treatment. This prepares them to enter veterinary practice with an understanding of their role as a veterinarian and how to perform their duties.
Most schools have a set of core clinical rotations that all students must complete, regardless of their “track” or intended career path. Outside of those core rotations, students have the opportunity to schedule elective rotations that suit their interests.
For students interested in pursuing a career in equine veterinary medicine, selecting equine-focused rotations is critical to gaining the hands-on experience needed to enter the field post-graduation.
Many equine-focused students have the opportunity to visit other veterinary school teaching hospitals or equine private practices. These “externships” may count for school credit if they’re completed during the clinical year, or they can be scheduled during summer break on the student’s own time.
Veterinary students also sit the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE) during their final year. This examination covers all aspects of veterinary school coursework, ranging from anatomy to surgical principles. All of the major veterinary species are covered on the exam. Students that pass the NAVLE are eligible for licensure within North America.
Working as a Veterinarian
Once you have a DVM/VMD degree and pass the NAVLE, there are many options for the type of veterinary practice you can enter.
Around two-thirds of veterinarians enter private practice, where they work hands-on, treating animals on a daily basis. [4] Private practices can serve different categories of animals, including: [4]
- Companion animal: Companion animal practices typically see dogs and cats. They may also see other types of pets, such as small mammals, amphibians, birds, and reptiles
- Exotics: These practices exclusively see small mammals, amphibians, birds, and reptiles
- Equine: Equine practices exclusively see horses
- Production animal: Food animal veterinarians serve the livestock industry, treating cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, poultry, etc.
- Mixed animal: Mixed animal practices see all types of animals. These practices are most common in rural settings, where the available caseload usually cannot support a small animal exclusive or food animal exclusive practice
Outside of private practice, there are several other options for veterinary careers, including: [4]
- Government: Federal and provincial/state governments employ veterinarians to help protect against disease spread. Government veterinarians may work in biosecurity, environmental management, public health, meat inspection, or disease investigation
- Military: Militaries often have a veterinarian on staff to help treat their working animals
- Research: Veterinarians working in research help treat and manage colonies of research animals. They may also perform their own research studies to improve animal health
- Public health: Public health veterinarians work to help control the spread of zoonotic (animal-to-human) diseases
- Public policy: These veterinarians act as consultants to government and non-governmental agencies regarding topics such as zoonotic disease, animal welfare, and public health
- Shelter medicine: Shelter veterinarians work at animal shelters, ensuring vulnerable animals receive appropriate care
Specialization
Like human doctors, veterinarians can also specialize in a particular field of veterinary medicine. Typically, specialization requires a residency program, additional training and examination focused on the specialty area. Most residency programs are 3 years in length. A one-year species-specific rotating internship must be completed prior to applying to a residency program.
Officially recognized specialties in veterinary medicine include: [9]
| Specialization | Description |
|---|---|
| Anesthesia and analgesia | These veterinarians receive additional training to help mitigate risks associated with anesthetic events |
| Animal welfare | Veterinary specialists who focus on animal welfare concerns and management |
| Behavior | Veterinarians who specialize in behavior management, training, and behavior modification |
| Dentistry | Veterinarians who specialize in dental procedures |
| Dermatology | Veterinarians specializing in the diagnosis and management of skin diseases and allergies |
| Emergency and critical care | Veterinarians specializing in emergency care for critically ill pets |
| Internal medicine | Veterinarians who specialize in diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the internal organs. Within this specialty there are subcategories such as cardiology, neurology, nutrition, and oncology (treatment of cancers) |
| Laboratory animal medicine | These veterinarians specialize in treating and managing animals used for research, including mice, rats, and rabbits |
| Microbiology | Veterinarians with advanced training in virology, immunology, bacteriology, or parasitology |
| Nephrology and urology | Veterinarians specializing in management of kidney and urinary diseases |
| Ophthalmology | Veterinarians who focus on diagnosis and management of eye conditions |
| Pathology | Veterinary specialists performing autopsies or microscopic analysis of tissues, blood, urine, and other samples to diagnose disease |
| Pharmacology | Veterinarians studying how certain medications affect animals and designing optimal treatment plans |
| Poultry | Veterinarians with expertise on chickens, turkeys, ducks, and other fowl birds |
| Preventative medicine | Veterinarians who focus on surveillance, early recognition of disease, and outbreak investigation to improve animal and human health |
| Radiology | Veterinarians who specialize in interpreting X-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans, MRI, and other diagnostic modalities |
| Sports medicine and rehabilitation | Specialists focusing on working or competitive animals to prevent injuries, rehabilitate injuries that do occur, and optimize performance |
| Surgery | Veterinarians who specialize in surgical procedures. Veterinarians can be certified in either small animal or large animal surgery |
| Theriogenology | Reproduction specialists who diagnose and manage conditions relating to reproductive issues |
| Toxicology | Veterinarians who research the effects of poisons or toxins on the body and how to manage toxicosis cases |
| Zoological medicine | Veterinarians who work specifically with zoo animals, wildlife, aquatic species, and other exotic species |
There is also a specialty organization, the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, who certifies veterinarians with extensive advanced training or interest in specific animal species or groups. Specializations offered by the ABVP include: [9]
- Avian
- Canine and feline
- Feline exclusive
- Equine
- Exotic companion mammals
- Fish
- Reptiles and amphibians
- Food animal
- Beef cattle exclusive
- Dairy cattle exclusive
- Swine exclusive
- Shelter medicine
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about becoming an equine veterinarian:
In North America, students must complete at least two years of an undergraduate degree prior to applying to veterinary school. For many schools, the number of prerequisite courses needed prior to the application process require 3-4 years to complete. [10] This is not the case in all countries, such as the United Kingdom.
No, any major is acceptable for applying to veterinary school. However, you should ensure that you can take all of the required prerequisite courses within your major’s program. [3]
Veterinary school applications are extremely competitive. The applicant to seat ratio is around 2 to 1, with some schools having ratios as high as 33 to 1. [10][11] There are only around 3000 seats for incoming veterinary students in the USA each year. [10] This means veterinary schools can be very particular about the quality and type of candidates they admit into their program.
Veterinary school is expensive, particularly in the United States. Costs to attend veterinary school in the US range from $100,000 to $400,000 USD. [12] In general, tuition is less for students who attend their in-state school. In Canada, provincial governments subsidize much of the cost of veterinary school. Canadian veterinary degrees typically cost around $60,000 CAD for domestic students who have provincial residency. [13][14] Students applying from out of province or international students can expect to pay up to $70,000 CAD per year for tuition. [13]
The salary for veterinarians depends on their location and type of practice. A 2023 survey in Canada reported the average starting salary of new graduate veterinarians was $105,000 CAD. [15] In the United States in 2023, the mean starting compensation was $124,000 USD. [16] Veterinarians with more years of experience or who specialize often have higher salaries.
Veterinary school in North America is a 3 or 4 year program, depending on the school. [10][17] However, veterinary school students must also complete at least 2 years of an undergraduate degree prior to applying for vet school. [10][17] In total, it takes around 6 - 8 years of education to become a veterinarian.
Summary
Becoming an equine veterinarian is a rewarding journey that requires dedication, compassion, and a commitment to lifelong learning.
- Veterinary school applications are extremely competitive with only top quality candidates admitted to the program
- Focusing on science and mathematics during your academic career gives you a strong foundation for learning veterinary medicine
- Extracurricular activities, particularly animal and veterinary-related activities, are a key component of a strong veterinary school application
- Courses taken during veterinary school cover disease, diagnosis, and treatment in many different species
- There are numerous types of equine veterinary careers available, ranging from private practice to consulting
References
- Pre-Vet Student Resources. American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges.
- VMCAS Summary of Course Prerequistes. American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges. 2020.
- Veterinary School Admission 101. American Veterinary Medical Association.
- VMCAS 2025 Applicant Guide. American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges. 2024.
- WCVM Admissions Manual. Western College of Veterinary Medicine. 2024.
- UCVM Application Manual Class of 2029. University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. 2024.
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) - University Catalogue 2024-25. University of Saskatchewan. 2024.
- Veterinary Medicine VETM. University of Calgary. 2024.
- What Do Board-Certified Veterinary Specialists Do?. American Veterinary Medical Association.
- Pre-Vet FAQs. American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges.
- Admitted Student Statistics. American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges.
- Cost of Education Toolkit. Vet School Bound.
- Non-Interprovincial Agreement (Non-IPA) Seats in the WCVM Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) Program. Western College of Veterinary Medicine. 2023.
- Frequently Asked Questions. University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
- 2023 SCVMA New Graduate Report. Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. 2023.
- Veterinary Starting Salaries Rise in 2023, Educational Debt Holds Steady. American Veterinary Medical Association. 2023.
- A Career in Veterinary Medicine. Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. 2018.
