Career Overview
Veterinarians prevent, diagnose and treat diseases and disorders in animals.
People in this occupation:
- Advise clients on the feeding, hygiene, housing and general care of animals
- Work in private practice or may be employed by animal clinics and laboratories, government or industry
Duties
Veterinarians:
- Identify diseases or abnormal conditions in animals through physical examinations or laboratory tests
- Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds or performing surgery
- Do routine, emergency and post-mortem examinations
- Vaccinate animals to prevent diseases
- Offer obstetrical and dental services
- Advise clients on feeding, housing, breeding, hygiene and general care of animals
- Offer euthanasia services
- May supervise animal health technologists and animal care workers
- May be responsible for overall operation of animal hospital, clinic or mobile service to farms
- May conduct veterinary research
- May enforce government regulations in disease control and food production including animal or animal-based food inspection
Special duties
The duties of veterinarians performing research may be similar to those of some biologists.
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
1,490% Employed Full Time
63%Key aspects of the work in this occupation:
- Work generally takes place in animal hospitals or clinics
- Work may take place outdoors in various weather conditions.
- Workers may be exposed to infectious bacteria and viruses that may cause illness
- Working with equipment and instruments may cause injuries
- Strong or toxic odours may be present in the workplace
Career Pathways
Career path information is currently not available.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
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For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Job Titles
Education, Training and Skills
- Two years of pre-veterinary university studies or completion of a college program in health science
and
A four to five year university degree in veterinary medicine
and
Completion of national certification examinations are required. - A provincial licence to practice is required
- Entry into research positions may require post-graduate study
Veterinarians who are certified for that occupation by a regulator elsewhere in Canada can apply for the same certification from the regulator in B.C. Under the terms of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), most applicants who are transferring their credentials from elsewhere in Canada will not be required to complete additional training or testing. However, the B.C. regulator may ask applicants to provide further information such as a letter of good standing, references, or criminal record check.
For those who trained outside of Canada and never received certification from any Canadian jurisdiction, a full assessment is likely needed. Most occupational regulators have a process for assessment and recognize internationally trained applicants.
Contact the College of Veterinarians of BC for details on how to apply for certification in B.C.
For information about labour mobility in Canada, visit www.workersmobility.ca.
View a list of Professional Regulatory Authorities in B.C.
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Animal Health/Science
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
1,490Employment by Region
Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
---|---|---|
Cariboo | 35 | 2.3% |
Kootenay | 50 | 3.4% |
Mainland/Southwest | 800 | 53.7% |
North Coast and Nechako | 15 | 1.0% |
Northeast | 10 | 0.7% |
Thompson-Okanagan | 195 | 13.1% |
Vancouver Island/Coast | 380 | 25.5% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2023-2033)
570Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2023-2033)
Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
---|---|---|
Cariboo | 10 | -0.3% |
Kootenay | 10 | -1.1% |
Mainland/Southwest | 330 | 0.9% |
North Coast and Nechako | Not available | Not available |
Northeast | Not available | Not available |
Thompson-Okanagan | 80 | 1.3% |
Vancouver Island/Coast | 140 | 0.6% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
Industry | Job Openings (2023-2033) |
---|---|
Professional, Scientific And Technical Services | 530 |
Public Administration | 40 |
Agriculture And Fishing | 0 |
Resources
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British Columbia Veterinary Technologists Association (BCVTA)bcvta.com
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Canadian Food Inspection Agencywww.inspection.gc.ca
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Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA)canadianveterinarians.net/index.aspx
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College of Veterinarians of British Columbia (CVBC)cvbc.ca
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North American Veterinary Medical Education Consortium (NAVMEC)www.aavmc.org
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Western Canadian Association of Bovine Practitioners (WCABP)www.wcabp.com