Veterinarians administer vaccines, do health check-ups, clean teeth, fix broken bones, treat skin infections and perform surgeries. Another aspect of a veterinarian's career may involve inspecting the living spaces of animals on farms or ranches to ensure that they are free from possible sources of infection. Some veterinarians specialize in a particular disease or condition and may be consulted only in special cases.
Would-be veterinarians must hold a bachelor's degree at a four-year college before moving on to veterinary medicine school. Undergraduate work should focus on chemistry, biology, zoology, physiology, microbiology and anatomy.
With an average salary of $96,140 in 2013, veterinarians earned a healthy take-home pay for health care jobs. While they earned less than physicians ($188,440), they made about three times the pay of veterinary technologists ($31,760) in 2013. They made about the same average salary as physician assistants ($94,530).