Vet

In general veterinary practice you could:

• diagnose and treat sick and injured animals
• perform operations
• carry out blood analyses, X-rays and scans
• provide care for animals in veterinary hospitals
• carry out regular health checks and give vaccinations
• check farm animals and advise on how to stop diseases spreading
• supervise veterinary nurses and support staff
• keep records of treatments
• communicate with pet owners and insurers
• neuter animals to stop them breeding
• put severely injured or terminally ill animals to sleep
• follow public health and hygiene laws

• knowledge of medicine and dentistry
• knowledge of biology
• customer service skills
• excellent verbal communication skills
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• the ability to work well with your hands
• the ability to use your judgement and make decisions
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

You may need a driving licence for some jobs.

You can get into this job through:

• a university course

You could focus on treating particular animals, or specialise in areas such as dermatology or cardiology, by taking RCVS-approved postgraduate courses.

Experience in veterinary surgery could also help you to get a job in environmental conservation.

You could also move into a career in research and teaching with a university or research body.