Skip to main content

What sort of education must a veterinarian have?

In order to earn a veterinary medical degree, a man or woman must generally complete at least six years of university education. This includes a minimum of two years of pre-veterinary university education and four years in a program of veterinary medicine.

A typical veterinary medical student spends about 4,000 hours in classroom, laboratory and clinical study. In many ways, a veterinarian’s education only begins with a degree. New scientific knowledge and techniques are constantly being developed and a veterinarian must keep his/her knowledge current by reading scientific journals and attending professional meetings, short courses and seminars.