Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Veterinary Medicine, bioveterinary science and wildlife biology

I've just recently been looking at different areas of Veterinary Medicine its possible to specialise in, one that has really caught my attention is zoological medicine and rehabilitation (im rather an equine person and could never give up my eventing). But then I came across bioveterinary and wildlife biology and would just like to know the difference if anyone knows?
Thank you :smile:

Reply 1

SilverstarDJ

Original post by 1horseygirl

If you want to be a vet, i.e. a person who can diagnose illness and prescribe treatment for it then you will need to do a 5-6 year veterinary medicine / veterinary science degree. You can't specialise during the degree so you will cover mainly small animals including exotics, farm animal and equine species. There is very little, if any teaching on zoo animals since this is highly specialised (and competitive due to the small no. of jobs) and would require you to do further training AFTER qualifying as a vet.

Bioveterinary is more about science and research and a lot of your time will be spent in a lab. Career are science based but you wouldn't be able to diagnose/treat animals, but you might, for example, work on researching diseases that afflict animals so helping indirectly like that.

Wildlife biology is, essentially, a science degree with a focus on wild animals. Don't know much about what sort of jobs you could do after this.

In terms of rehabilitation then you can become a veterinary physiotherapist (check any courses you apply to are accredited with the relevant bodies) where you would be qualified to treat musculoskelatal problems and would most likely be working with a vet to treat the animal.

If horses are what floats your boat then there are other horse-related careers out there such as farriery, equine nursing, etc. which might be worth considering.