Before attending a college of veterinary medicine, interested candidates must complete a relevant bachelor's degree. Veterinary colleges often require a certain number of courses or credit hours in subjects to set the foundation for veterinary college. According to the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine website, the bachelor's program for future veterinarians should include general and organic chemistry with laboratory; biochemistry, biology and microbiology with laboratory; physics; and courses in communications, humanities and social sciences.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, to practice veterinary medicine, veterinarians must graduate with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree from an accredited college of veterinary medicine. There are 28 colleges in the United States that satisfy the accreditation standards set by the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The professional curriculum for veterinary students includes coursework in subjects including animal anatomy and physiology, epidemiology, pathology, pharmacology, radiology, as well as business classes such as practice management, ethics and jurisprudence, explains the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine website. After earning a DVM degree, you must pass a national board exam and a state licensure exam where you intend to practice.
Internship programs for newly degreed veterinarians allow for hands-on clinical practice of veterinary medicine, often in a medical specialty such as veterinary surgery, oncology or anesthesiology. Veterinarians can then seek board certification by entering a residency program in one of 39 sub-specialties of veterinary medicine.The Bureau of Labor Statistics website explains that these residency programs require three to four years of intensive study and practice.
Almost all states require continuing education for maintaining a veterinary license. Schools of veterinary medicine, state and national veterinary associations and government agencies all offer continuing education credits for veterinarians. According to the Talk to the Vet website, veterinarians should choose seminars for continuing education credits that interest them and teach new skills or provide information on new veterinary diseases.