If you’ve got a passion for working with or learning about animals, you may be considering going into the veterinary sciences. This field encompasses a wide range of career options and can allow you to explore different areas at a broad or specific level. In this article, we’ll be focusing on essential things to note if you’re interested in going to veterinary school, especially if you’re based in Singapore.
Before you even begin to consider veterinary school, you should first be aware that there are no veterinary programmes available in Singapore. You may have heard about the NUS Concurrent Degree Programme in Life Sciences and Veterinary Medicine. This programme, however, is a pathway to the graduate-level Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the University of Melbourne. This means that in order to gain the necessary training and qualifications to eventually become a certified vet in Singapore, you will still need to do so overseas.
To practice veterinary medicine in Singapore, you must obtain a license from the Animal & Veterinary Service, which is part of the National Parks Board. In general, an acceptable veterinary degree can be obtained in the UK, Australia, New-Zealand, and veterinary schools in the US that are accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Schools accredited by the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) also provide recognized qualifications.
If you don’t hold a degree from the recognised universities stated, you will still be eligible to apply for a license provided that you have passed the Australian National Veterinary Examination, the RCVS Statutory Examination for Membership, or the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination. More details about applying for a veterinary license can be found here.
Veterinary school typically lasts around five years. Keep in mind that some veterinary medicine programmes typically in Australia are strictly for graduate entry, meaning that you would need a Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline before you can apply. The time that it will take you to finally obtain the qualifications you need to go into specific careers in veterinary medicine is an important factor to consider. While some may not be willing to spend that much time overseas, those who are passionate about pursuing this field may find it very worthwhile and that it opens up many more career paths for them.
Although this may not be common knowledge, a degree in veterinary medicine can lead to many pathways and careers. The most well-known route as a veterinarian is clinical practice. Whether they belong to a large organisation or a private practice, veterinary surgeons can be general practitioners who are involved with the examination and treatment of common domestic animals or specialists who focus on particular species or fields of veterinary medicine.
Another career option includes the research aspect of veterinary medicine. Research can encompass work in preventative medicine, treatment, diagnosis. This might mean working at large corporations that handle pharmaceutical manufacturing or the production of medical technology. Animal testing and research through observation and field tests are very common practices that influence a lot of the products that we consume today and a background in veterinary science plays an important role in this. An education and training as a veterinarian can even lead to positions in management or consulting.
In sum, despite the obstacles that you may have to overcome in order to study and practice veterinarian medicine, a degree can provide you with countless avenues to different areas and industries related to veterinary studies. Whether you prefer hands-on work with animals or prefer to study and learn from them from afar, these pathways can allow you to explore many interests and is definitely worth considering. We hope this article has been useful and inspired a passion for veterinarian studies. Good luck!