A Veterinarian is an Animal Doctor, right? Yet, our profession is quite vast! The underlying theme is within our Veterinary Oath.
When I write, I am usually writing from personal experiences. I started my veterinary career in research, completing my Master of Science degree, and contributing knowledge to the scientific community hence advancing medical knowledge.
Next, I went into general practice, practicing as a small animal veterinarian to promote animal health and welfare, but to also prevent and relieve animal suffering. A small yet important part of that is also public health awareness when we discuss zoonotic pathogens, diseases that you can get from your pets or perhaps your pet brings in a tick with Lyme disease that could potentially make you or your family members sick. I talked about Echinococcus tapeworm in the past. Now, we're in a global pandemic where the source is suspected to be from the animal markets where there is a dense population of animals and people coming together, easily passing on disease from one organism to another.
Veterinarians are epidemiologists.
Veterinarians are working in food safety with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, as well as import and export of commercial and non-commercial animals.
Veterinarians are involved in laboratory studies. Studies for pharmaceuticals where the drugs need to undergo safety studies in two different species of animals prior to its use in humans.
Then there are all specialty fields of veterinary medicine. Internal medicine, surgery, emergency and critical care, behaviour, nutrition, and specialties within specialties like neurology and cardiology.
There are veterinarians in the commercial aquaculture industry, now more veterinarians will be asked to see pet fish and local bee hives.
All this to say that the career as a veterinarian is not just an animal doctor.