While many veterinary graduates follow a career working in a practice, some decide to become specialists, working in more specific areas than general practice. This can be a really rewarding career choice, particularly if you have a passion for a certain area of veterinary science. Below, we have outlined just some of the specialist veterinary industry jobs available (and the list is far longer).
Behaviour
Those who specialise in animal behaviour are interested in links between the behavioural patterns in animals and their health. They have insight into why animals behave in certain ways and are able to provide solutions for changing or managing negative behaviour patterns in animals.
Dentistry
This specialism is reasonably self-explanatory, but dentistry specialists are those who perform medical procedures on animals’ teeth. Though this is a small part of veterinary practice, it is extremely important and requires specialist training.
Nutrition
The diet of animals can cause significant problems for their health. Nutrition is another one of the important specialist veterinary industry jobs. Many animals can be prone to particular dietary issues, so nutritionists work to make sure that they are getting exactly what they need to be healthy.
Emergency and Critical Care
When animals are seriously injured or are involved in a life-threatening incident, they require emergency care. This specialism can be a distressing path to choose, since you are often dealing with animals who have contracted shocking and serious injuries. However, it can also be incredibly rewarding work.
Zoological Medicine
While many veterinary science graduates go on to work with pets and domestic animals, some are more interested in more exotic animals. You can choose to specialise in zoological medicine, and this involves providing medical care to animals both in zoos and in the wild. You may also be involved in working with the public to spread knowledge about non-domestic animals.
Hopefully this article has given you an idea of some of the specialisms that are available within the veterinary profession. These are just some of the options for specialist veterinary jobs but you can view the full list of veterinary specialisms at AVMA.
If you’re looking for work in the veterinary field, why not browse our selection of available jobs?