Carrier Opportunities in Veterinary Medicine or Veterinary Science/ Veterinary in India
Being a veterinarian is like creating a difference and standing out of crowd!
Veterinary Science is an area of study that has enamoured many. A veterinarian / veterinary physician / veterinary surgeon or vet is a person who treats animal diseases, disorders or injuries by giving medical treatment or using veterinary medicines. A veterinarian helps in protecting the health and well-being of both animals and people. In fact, many consider the option of becoming Veterinary Scientists because of the love for the discipline. If you want to be a veterinarian and practice veterinary medicine, it is essential to have a Bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Science (B.V.Sc.) or Bachelor’s in Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry (B.V.Sc. and A.H.) course from a recognized institute , a candidate should have passed the senior secondary examination with science subjects such as Physics, Chemistry and Biology. DVM or Doctor of veterinary medicine is the equivalent degree being awarded in countries like USA.
On completion of the B.V.Sc. and A.H., most of the learners go on to pursue the post-graduate programme, viz., Master in Veterinary Science. Master degree program or M.V.Sc. is a two-year course and the candidate has the option of specialising in subjects or animal science and veterinary science subjects both eg. medicine, surgery, anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology, molecular biology, gynaecology, pathology, pharmacology, livestock product and technology, animal breeding and genetics, animal nutrition, parasitology etc. In veterinary science or medicine there is no specific qualification is awarded like cardiologist, dermatologist, nephrologist, urologist, ultrasonologist, radiologists etc. Only M.V.Sc. degree is awarded in respective subjects like M.V.Sc. in Veterinary Surgery and Radiology but you can choose the topic of your choice if your guide permits and facilities for research in department are available. A veterinarian having undergraduate degree is authorised for writing prescription, doing surgeries; ultrasound, preparing various reports and certificates etc. though experience and expertise will help you in gaining more confidence. For veterinary jobs or scope in veterinary in the research and teaching areas, a post-graduate degree in veterinary science and animal husbandry is a minimum qualification, while a Ph.D. is preferred. Ph.D. in different subjects takes 3 years time.
The career options or jobs for vets in the field are:
State Government
a) Veterinary Hospitals / Primary Veterinary Centers
b) Organised State Farms for managing livestock farms.
c) Semen collection Banks/Sperm collection Stations – where quality bulls or males are kept. Semen is collected and processed for artificial insemination.
d) Poultry Farms – for managing egg farms, hatcheries, chick rearing units.
e) Meat / Milk / Animal products processing plants– for supervising of hygienic collection & distribution of milk or meat or other animal products meant to be consumed by human.
f) Polyclinics – where specialised service like surgery, special diagnostics, specialised treatment etc. is given.
g) Disease investigation centers or Disease diagnostic centers – These are established by government and job in such centers is to survey disease profile and investigate any occurrence of a major disease, zoonoses, epidemics etc.
h) Biological products or vaccine institutions – prepare quality control & distribute vaccines & biologicals.
i) Disease eradication schemes/ check posts/vaccination camps.
j) Public health labs – investigation of disease transmissible from animals to man and vice versa.
Centralised Sectors
- a) Remount Veterinary Corps – RVC – In army / armed forces there are posts or jobs for veterinarians to train and look after Horses, dogs camel etc.
b) Border security forces (BSF)/ Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) or police – to look after Horses, dogs, camels etc. in the forces / Intelligence or for the post of Assistant Commandant or equivalent post.
c) I.C.A.R. (Indian Council of Agricultural Research) – co-ordination and funding of animal based research / projects.
d) Animal Husbandry & Dairying Department, Ministry of Agriculture – They need veterinarians for administrative management & coordination of veterinary services in the states and implementation and formation of policies.
e) Quarantine Units – these are international check posts for preventing entry of exotic disease in the nation like mad cow disease or fowl influenza in country from outside by importing or transporting animals.
f) Central Farms – Unlike state farms & sperm collection centers or stations; they also conduct trainings. - g) Medical institutions: as a veterinary officer (post graduation in public health or competent subject may be necessary)
- h) Civil services and public services: Apart from these posts, many veterinary graduates these days write the state group I exams and the UPSC exams to become administrators like IAS, IPS, IRS as well as Dept. Supt. Police and equivalent jobs through competitive exams.
Academic/Research/Extension Wing of Veterinary Colleges in State Agricultural universities, State Veterinary Universities, or Universities having Veterinary Faculty.
- a) Teaching/Research/Extension in Veterinary College/Institutes/Universities.
b) Para Veterinary Staff / Live Stock Assistant training schools.
c) Experimental & germ free animal facilities attached to Veterinary & Medical Institutions or colleges, Drug research institutions.
d) Experimental Animal Unit – require vets for Animal model preparation for experiments etc.
e) Clinical, diagnostic & investigation centers or labs established in veterinary colleges and research institutes.
Local Bodies/Municipalities/Panchayats
- a) Slaughter houses/Cattle Pounds/Public health Laboratories
b) Zoos & wildlife centers
c) Animal resource development under Panchayati Raj.
Private Sector
- a) Pharmaceuticals
b) Commercial dairy farms
c) Commercial poultry farms
d) Commercial breeding farms/hatchery etc.
e) Race club, stud farms
f) Veterinary instruments/equipment industry
g) Biological products and vaccine product plants
h) Insurance companies, banks – as probationary officer
i) Corporate bodies eg. National Dairy Development Board, Cooperative dairies, Milk board, Milk Unions etc
j) Feed processing industry
k) NGOs – as investigator, chief investigator and field veterinarian.
* MBA in Agri-business management from a good institute may help in getting a job and good salary in private sector like insurance companies and pharmaceuticals.
Self Employment
a) Private Practice – Companion animal veterinarian (Pet clinic) / Large animal or food animal veterinarian
b) Consultancy
c) Partner, Assisting to an existing Practitioners.
d) Entrepreneur in Livestock Farms, Dairy Farms, Poultry Farms, Goat Farms, Piggeries, Dog Breeding etc.
e) Diagnostic labs (Pathology, Biochemistry, Microbiology)
f) X-ray, Ultra-sound facility.
g) Media – as a freelance worker, blogger or scientific article writer, proof reader etc (part time income source – Less stability)
h) Animal law expert (Courses are available)
Abroad
You can choose from working as a veterinarian or faculty in institutes or fellow in research programs (You will have to fulfil eligibility criteria and clear exams like TOEFL GRE etc. for this, working permit or visa will also be required). Early planning is necessary and proper strategy will help.
Salary of a Veterinarian:
Salary is obliviously important in any profession but it is good as compared to other ordinary professions. The salary of veterinarian may vary state to state and organisation, expertise and experience. Starting pay of 5,0000 to 15,0000 INR per month for a fresher is decent and it can increase depending upon experience and your specialization. In private practice it depends on you and you can earn more than 3,00,000 INR or more also which depends on your hard work. Veterinary surgeon or veterinary officer is a first grade / gazetted officer job in India. In other countries salary is higher but you will have to plan your future from at least 3rd year of your graduation.
You may find this profession less paying / rewarding but surely it’s a noble profession and feeling of treating speechless animals can’t be described in words. Competition is increasing day by day in each sector but if you have skills there will be no problem in getting a job as a veterinarian. Working with small animals and large animals / wild life is completely different experience. Choose your career carefully. Wish you best of luck and success.
Understanding, caring, and loving animals is as important as getting a degree to become a qualified Veterinary Doctor. In other words, learners who look forward to a distinct field in medical science and have affection towards animals can choose the career of Veterinary Science.
Difference between Veterinary Science and Veterinary Medicine
Veterinary Science and Veterinary Medicine are more or less similar; the difference lies in their areas of study. Both involve working with animals and coming up with solutions to animal health problems, but Veterinary Medicine focuses more on practical animal care, while Veterinary Science focuses more on research and instruction.
A professional who practices Veterinary Medicine by treating diseases, disorders, and injuries in animals is a Veterinarian (Vet).
Definition of a Veterinarian as per Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH)
“Veterinarians care for the health of animals and work to protect public health. They diagnose, treat, and research medical conditions and diseases of pets, livestock, and other animals.”
Duties and Responsibilities of Veterinarians
- Examine animals to assess their health and diagnose problems.
- Treat and dress wounds and injuries
- Perform surgery on animals.
- Test for and vaccinate against diseases.
- Advise animal owners about general care, medical conditions, and treatments.
Professional initials for a Veterinarian
Just like doctors in allopathy medicine write MBBS with their degree, Veterinarians are “Doctors of Veterinary Medicine” and write “DVM,” at the end of their names. For example, Dr. John Mathew, DVM.
Types of Veterinarians
- Companion Animal Veterinarians treat pets like cats and dogs, and other pets like birds, ferrets, and rabbits and carry out medical and surgical procedures, such as vaccinations, dental work, and setting fractures.
- Food Animal Veterinarians work with farm animals such as pigs, cattle, and sheep, and treat ill and injured animals for testing and vaccination against disease. They also advise farm owners about feeding, housing, and general health practices.
- Food Safety and Inspection Veterinarians inspect and test livestock and animal products for major animal diseases. They also provide vaccines to treat animals, conduct research to improve animal health, and enforce government food safety regulations as well as design and administer animal health programs.
Specialized Veterinarians
Apart from the responsibility of providing medical care to animals, Veterinarians can also choose to specialize in providing care to certain types of animals, for example, some special types of Veterinarians include:
- Equine Veterinarian focuses on treating horses.
- Small Animal Veterinarian who treats small animals, including pets like dogs and cats.
- Lab Animal Veterinarian who provide care to animals used in laboratory settings.
- Zoo Veterinarians who treat zoo animals, including exotic animal species.
- Mixed Practice Veterinarian who provide care to different species of animals rather than specializing in one specific species.
Pursuing the field of Veterinary Science
Meet the basic admission criteria
- Should be between the age of 17-25 years
- A candidate under General Category for admission to the BVSc & AH degree course shall have to qualify in each of the subjects of English, Physics, Chemistry, Biology or Biotechnology, and obtain 50% marks in aggregate of these subjects, at the qualifying examination, as per the Veterinary Council of India (VCI).
Pursue degrees and courses with specialization in Veterinary Science in India
Bachelor of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry (B.V.Sc & A. H.) is the common degree course for medical aspirants who want to pursue medical science to treat and cure animal disease. According to the Veterinary Council of India (VCI), the duration of B.V.Sc. & A.H degree course is spread over five and half complete professional years including a compulsory rotating internship of one year duration.
- Bachelor of Veterinary Science (B.V.Sc) or Bachelor of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry (BVSc & AH)
- Master of Veterinary Science (M.V.Sc)
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Veterinary Medicine
The various specializations offered in Veterinary Science in India are:
| Veterinary Anatomy | Animal Nutrition |
| Veterinary Biochemistry | Animal Genetics and Breeding |
| Veterinary Parasitology | Livestock Production Management |
| Veterinary Pathology | Livestock Products Technology |
| Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology | Veterinary Gynaecology and Obstetrics |
| Veterinary Physiology | Veterinary Surgery and Radiology |
| Veterinary Microbiology | Veterinary Medicine |
| Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology | Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education |
Entrance Exam to pursue Veterinary Science degree courses
A list of major entrance exams for admission into Veterinary Science courses are:
- NEET – National Level Entrance Examination is mandatory for admission in UG Veterinary courses as per the direction of the Education Ministry. Only after qualifying NEET, candidates can seek admission to various medical colleges offering B.V.Sc courses.
- All India Common Entrance Examination (AICEE)
- All India Common Entrance Test (AICET)
- All India Pre Veterinary Test (AIPVT)
- Rajasthan Pre University Veterinary Test (RPVT)
- Assam Agricultural University Veterinary Entrance Test (AAUVET)
- Indian Veterinary Research Institute Entrance Exam (IVRIEE)
- MP VYAPAM Diploma in Animal Husbandry Entrance Test (MP VYAPAM DAHET)
- JNU Combined Entrance Exam for Biotechnology (JNU CEEB)
- Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology Entrance Exam (OUAT)
- UP Veterinary Entrance Exam
- Uttar Pradesh Combined Agriculture and Technology (UPCATET)
- Kerala Engineering Agricultural and Medical (KEAM) Entrance Test
Some of the best Veterinary Science Colleges and Institutes in India
| National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal |
| ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly |
| Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana |
| West Bengal University of Animal & Fishery Sciences, Kolkata |
| Kerala Veterinary & Animal Sciences University, Pookode |
| Nanaji Deshmukh Pashu Chikitsa Vigyan Visva Vidyalaya, Jabalpur |
| Tamil Nadu Veterinary & Animal Sciences University, Chennai |
| Rajasthan University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Bikaner |
| Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, Tirupati |
| Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Hisar |
| Maharashtra Animal & Fisheries Sciences University, Nagpur |
| UP Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhaya Pashu Chikitsa Vigyan Vishwavidhyala Evam Go Anusandhan Sansthan, Mathura |
| Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, Bidar |
| Chhattisgarh Kamdhenu Vishwavidyalaya, Durg |
| Sri PV Narasimha Rao Telangana State Veterinary University, Hyderabad |
| Kamdhenu University, Gandhinagar |
| Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University |
| College of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandry, Anand Agricultural University |
| College of Veterinary Sciences, CCS Haryana Agricultural University |
Career options as a Veterinary Professional in India
Some of the typical career paths in Veterinary Science offer a broad variety of work. Some of the career options as a Vet include the following:
| Veterinary Physician | Work in Private Practice |
| Veterinary Surgeon | Work in Zoo, Zoological Parks or Wildlife Sanctuaries |
| Animal Care Specialist | Work as a Researcher |
| Cattle Breeder / Animal Breeder | Lecturer / Professor |
| Animal Behaviorists | Animal Research Scientist |
| Vet Technologist | Livestock Development Officer |
| Vet Technician | Work in NGOs |
The scope of the field of Veterinary Science
Career scope in the field of Veterinary Science is large and growing fast in rural and urban areas. Pet culture in cities increases the demand for private veterinary clinics and hospitals, and growth in the poultry sector and animal products technology also demand veterinarians for livestock and poultry. The merit of working in the field of Veterinary science includes opportunities to work in different sets of environments and the nobility of the work also provides self-satisfaction of working for the better health of animals.
DR ASHOK ARYA,IVRI
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