Title: Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Medicine has been a part of the medical field for many centuries. Animal management because a necessity when diseases among wild animals became recognized. In recent years, the number of veterinarians has increased drammatically. Because of the growing interest in animals, a lot of teenagers are thinking of pursueing a possible career in veterinary medicine. But what they may not realize is all the education that is needed and what a job it really is. A veterinarian is a person who diagnoses, treats, and controls diseases in animals and injuries of animals. They also work to prevent the transmission of animal diseases to humans. The general duties and responsibilities are endless, but using include performing surgery on animals. The animals may be small and domestic, wild, or any type of farm animals. The surgeries themselves may include setting broken bones. If an animal gets hit by a car or hurts itself, the veterinarian may also dress wounds. Diagnosing animal diseases is another area the veterinarian must be educated in. Education for a veterinarian starts in high school. By a student taking a broad college-preporatory program in high school, students keep open their options. A student should take a lot of math, programming and all of the sciences that it is possible to take; such as chemistry, biology, and physics. Four years of english is because it builds good communication skills that is needed to be able to talk with people about the care of their pets. Even though foreign language is not necessary or required, it would help if you needed to communicate with someone of a different language. Also the student must not forget about extra curricular activities, and summer enrichment programs. After high school, the student should consider a college or university for undergraduate preparation for admission to veterinary school. After a minimum of two years in an undergraduate school, you could possibly be admitted to veterinary school, but usually students complete three, four, or more years of college in an undergraduate program before being admitted. College education requires basically the same as high school, but most of the state universities have a program specifically arranged to meet the needs of veterinary schools. A few years ago entrance into veterinary colleges, so more applicants interested in veterinary science have a greater chance of being accepted. These schools are located primarily in the states of the south and midwest. As of 1987 there were 27 schools in the United States. Admission to these schools varies from state to state . Altogether after the undergraduate program, the education for the D.V.M. curriculum requires four years of study. The first year emphasizes the basic sciences, including anatomy, biochemistry, and physiology. The second year mainly focuses on the study of diseases. During the third year, the main concern is dealing with the diagnosis and management of specific animal diseases. And finally the last year is an opportunity for hands on experience. For an internship, and extra experience you can go to different places such as zoos, where you will probably clean cages, and every other type of cleaning. Animal shelters and humane soceities are two other places to get an internship. In one of these places, it could be the best experience, or the worst. Because of these places being shelters, you may possibly see things that have happened to the animals make the decision that you may not be able to handle being a veterinarian. If you are interested in an internship, you can send a resume with a letter requesting an interview to veterinary clinics, hospitals, and animal shelters. The cost of a veterinary education can depend, considering if the student attends a public institution and lives at home, or if the student selects a private school away from home. As of 1984, the tuition charges for 1984-85 ranged from $730 to $6,960 per year. Non resident tuition and private schools charged over $6,000 per year. These numbers have probably even gone up since 1984. There are many job placement possibilities for veterinarians, and they may specialize in many different areas. Public Health Veterinarians safeguard the public health by controlling and preventing diseases which are transmitted from animals to people. They inspect and regulate food and drug processing plants, inspect and test livestock, and provide information to the public. Veterinary Meat-Inspectors inspect establishments engaged in slaughtering livestock and processing meat. Veterinary Virus Serum Inspectors help to enforce state and federal standards of sanitation, purity, labeling, and storage by inspecting establishments where serums, toxins, and similar products used in the treatment of diseases are manufactured. Veterinary Livestock Inspectors test animals for the presence of disease. They perform standard clinical tests, submit specimens, and report the existence of disease conditions to the authorities. Poultry Veterinarians advise individual poultry raisers on poultry problems. They inspect flocks, pens, and housing. Laboratory Animal Care Veterinarians conduct research on disease and nutritional problems of laboratory animals. Usually they work with hamsters, monkeys, mice, and other small animals. Animal Technicians:The role of Animal Technicians was debated several years ago. Today, the Animal Technician may be assigned direct responsibility for an activity in veterinary practice except diagnosis, treatment, or surgery. most of the programs that are offered at 61 schools are 2 year associate degree programs. After making a decision about what branch of verernary medicine you want to go into, you can decide if you want to start your own vererinary practice, or assist by being a technician. If you decide on a vererinarian, and having your own practice, there is another question to be asked. Do you want a large animal practice, a mixed or a small animal practice? Large-animal practioners may limit their initial expenses to a car, or jeep, drugs and instruments, two-way radio, X-Ray, and lab equipment. They may operate their practice out of their home or a modest office with a minimum of investment or overhead. It is hard to estimate how much an established would cost, usually it ranges from $150,000 upward. This depends on the desires of the veterenarian and the nature of teh practice. There are currently 41 different professional activities in which veterinarians can be engaged. There are also 12 specialties with established educational requirements. The Board-Certified specialties include: toxicology; laboratory animal medicine; therio genology, (which is animal reproduction); anesthesiology; dermatology, internal medicine with subspecial ties in cardiology and neurology microbiology; ophthamology; pathology; preventive medicine; radiology; and surgery. Nationally, the employment of Veterinarians and veterinary enspectors was about 44,100. Employment opportunities are expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through hte year 2005, with many forming group practices. In Michigan there are about 1,400 Veterinarians. Veterinarians in cities and suburban areas usually limit their practice to pets, while those in small towns and rural area were usually general. Earnings of Veteranarians vary with the type of practice, geographic location, and individual’s experience. Those entering provate practice often earn little more than the minimum needed to cover expenses during the first year or two. Here is the net incomes of veterenarians in private practice by specialty in 1989: Veterinarians employed by the federal government recieved beginning annual salaries or $27,789 to $49,634 depending on their experience and academic records. They may earn up to $62,293. The salaries of these Federal Government workers may be higher in some urban areas. In Michigan, Veterinarians collect an average income between $35,856 and $49,152. Selected veterinarians receive paid vacations and holidays; life, accident, disability, and hospitalisation insurance, retirement plans, and sick pay. Veterinarians in private practice take vacations if they choose and must make their own arrangments for insureance and retirement plans. Another choice for a veterinarian is the military. Them military has about 500 Veterinarians. On average, the services need 40 new veterinarians each year. Newly commissioned veterinarians are assigned vanous veterinary specialties, ranging from disease research to food inspection. After demonstrating leadership qualities, veterinarians may advance to Senior Management or Command Posisions within the Vet. Field. As of 1986 there were approximately 53,000 veterinarians in the U.S. Their number increases by over 4 percent yearly. Although men outnumbered women by 83 percent, the rate of veterinary services increased yearly. In some veterinarian colleges wver half the entering were women. By the year 2000, the Department of Health Estimates that women will be almost 36 percnet of all the active veterinarians. The U.S. Department of Agriculture states that numerous institutions are trying to encourage minorities to pursure careers in veterinary medicine. In michigan the imployment outlook to 2005 looks good. The state total of the number employed is 1,400. This is nas growth percent of 22.290. The projected yearly job openings is so. Employment of veterinarians in michgan is expected to increase faster than the average of all accumilations through the year 2005. additional openings can and will occur as some veterinarians transfer to cover jobs or accupations. The working conditions of Veterinarians vary with the type of practice. In rural area, the large amount of time working outdoors and going to and from farms. In ruban areas, work is usually inside in clean, well lighted, well ventilated hospitals and clinics. Most research veterinarians have well-equipped laboratories in which to work. These are the advantages to the job. But there are many dasadvantages also. Veterinarians who treat animals may be exposed to comminical diseases and infections and possibly injury due to bites, kicks, and scratches. They may also be exposed to radiation while operating X-Ray equipment. Most veterinarians in public service jobs work about 40-hour weeks. Those in private practice work an average of 52 hours per week, ofter work irregular hours and are usually on call 24 hours a day.