If you’re interested in working with animals and are drawn to the veterinary field, there are a number of different jobs to consider.
In this guide to the different types of veterinary jobs, you will learn about a number of different roles in this field and what they involve.
Veterinarian
This is the most well-known job in the veterinary field but it also requires a lot of hard work and dedication. Vets who work in a veterinary practice are responsible for diagnosing illness and injury, administering vaccinations, carrying out surgery, running blood tests, X-Rays and more. For more information on the job of a vet, you can read our previous blog on what veterinarians do on a typical day.
To become a veterinarian, you need to apply for a veterinary degree at university. This will typically be a five year course and, in the UK, only a handful of universities offer places on a veterinary science degree so it can be competitive. If you’re passionate about animals and a dedicated worker, though, it’s a great career option! You can read more on this in our blog on the process of becoming a vet.
You can view our current vet job listings to get an idea of the work available.
Vet nurse
After a vet, the most well-known job in this field is probably the vet nurse. Vet nurses provide valuable assistance and support to vets when they are diagnosing and treating ill or injured animals.
The typical roles of a vet nurse…
You can complete a degree in veterinary nursing but, unlike becoming a vet, you don’t have to have a degree to start work in a vet nurse job. Instead, you can train on the job as an apprentice and register as a veterinary nurse with a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS).
Veterinary surgeon
All vets will be required to perform some types of surgery, but veterinary surgeons are specialists who have been trained to perform advanced general or orthopedic surgical procedures.
They have been trained to use specialised equipment for advanced surgical procedures, but their other duties involve analysing X-Rays and supervising animal care post-operation.
Large animal vet
Large animal veterinarians are specialists in livestock, such as cattle, horses, sheep, goats, and pigs. These are licensed animal health professionals trained to diagnose and treat illnesses that affect these species.
Large animal vets will typically make farm calls, which means they spend a lot of time on the road and can work long hours. It can also be a very physically demanding job due to the size of the livestock.
Their job role involves conducting health exams, giving vaccinations, taking blood, prescribing medications, cleaning and suturing wounds, taking ultrasounds and x-rays, and performing surgery.
Equine vet
Equine vets are large animal vets who specialise specifically in diagnosing and treating horses. An equine vet can work many environments, including specialist equine veterinary practices, and they will often be working outside on farms or in other locations.
The job role is very similar to that of a large animal vet but is focused specifically on horses and may require more specialist knowledge. The treatment of racing horses, for example, might require further specialisation or experience.
Thank you for reading our guide to some of the common types of veterinary jobs. You can view our current job listings, submit your CV, or get in touch with us if you have any further questions.