How to Prepare for a Veterinary Career Online

Being able to work with many types of animals in regards

to their health takes a skill set that needs to be

learned through proper education. Students that want to

work in the veterinary field have several educational

opportunities to choose from. Preparing for a veterinary

career has students choosing from two main paths.

Students can prepare for a career by choosing which

direction in the field they want to go.

*Direction One: Preparing to Become a Veterinary

Technician

To become a veterinary technician students typically work

through an associate's degree program. The goal of

education is to teach students how to conduct clinical

tasks alongside a veterinarian. Assisting with dental

care procedures, preparing tissue specimens, and

obtaining blood samples are common clinical skills gained

inside a training program. Depending on the employer,

professionals may perform further clinical care as well

as standard administrative duties inside the office. This

career choice has students studying a specific amount of

courses that center on work that will be conducted inside

the workplace. Outside of general education courses

students can expect to take courses that could include:

    Animal Behavior
    Veterinary Practice Management
    Nutrition
    Reproduction

Upon completion of this type of degree program students

will understand how to work with animals and their owners

inside a medical setting. The knowledge of animal anatomy

and diagnostic testing procedures prepares students for a

successful career as a veterinary technician. Students

that want to continue education can complete an online

bachelor's degree program. This four-year training option

in veterinary technology trains students at an advanced

level to become leaders and administrators. The advanced

knowledge allows students to perform more clinical

procedures and help a veterinarian diagnose a patient.

*Direction Two: Preparing to Become a Veterinarian

Students pursuing a career as a veterinarian must

complete a doctor of veterinary medicine degree from an

accredited college. Online education requires students to

complete some schooling but not a full undergraduate

degree. However, because of the required credit hours in

specific areas most students complete a bachelor's degree

program. Only a small number of online schools provide

pre-veterinary science programs. When a pre-veterinary

degree is not available many students can pursue

bachelor's degree programs in biology and animal science.

A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine online degree program

train students to understand how to treat and diagnose

animals. Depending on the specific concentration students

can learn to care for small and large animals. Students

can also find programs that prepare them for a career

working with exotic, zoo, or farm animals. Students can

expect to take the same general veterinarian courses in

each concentration, which could include:

    Animal Pathology
    Epidemiology
    Veterinary Pharmacology

Students learn how to administer medication, perform

surgery, treat wounds, and heal fractures. Many career

possibilities are available to students with a DVM

degree. Students can step into careers that have them

working for research facilities, disease control

laboratories, zoos, farms, and more.

Before entering an accredited veterinary education

program online, students need to decide on which

direction they would like to take. Full accreditation is

awarded to the best quality educational training program

by agencies like the American Veterinary Medical

Association ( http://www.avma.org/ ). Becoming a

veterinary technician or a veterinarian is possible

through online education once the initial decision is

made.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERIC OUTLINE and may or may not

depict precise methods, courses and/or focuses related to

ANY ONE specific school(s) that may or may not be

advertised at PETAP.org.

Copyright 2010 - All rights reserved by PETAP.org.

Renata McGee is a staff writer for PETAP.org. Locate

Online Veterinary Schools and Colleges as well as Campus

Based Veterinary Schools and Colleges at PETAP.org, your

Partners in Education and Tuition Assistance Programs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?

expert=Renata_McGee

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5174038