Veterinary science
What to expect
Lovely, fluffy animals aside, one of the best things about being a vet is surely the ability to treat and cure disease and sickness and increase animals’ quality of life. If you have a passion for animals and a desire to help, along with a strong stomach that will no doubt be necessary at times, then a career in vet science could be for you.
Though courses in this field are extremely hard to get into (demanding near-perfect tertiary entrance scores) the courses themselves, and the eventual career outcomes are extremely rewarding. The employment outlook for veterinary science students is also extremely good, and established salaries are good.
Getting a degree in veterinary science
Visit the University Ratings section for veterinary science course ratings.
Courses and specialisations
- Veterinary medicine
- Veterinary surgery
Almost all vet science courses, which involve either five or six years of full-time study, insist on the same broad-based training that aims to prepare graduates for all areas of practice.
Courses place a strong emphasis on practical work, with students working under supervision in external or university-operated veterinary clinics, often in a farm setting. Courses also require students to undertake professional practical work in semester breaks and between academic years.
A new degree structure that has already been established in some fields at selected institutions has the potential to become more common in the future. The structure follows a US-style model where undergraduates enter a general pre-professional degree (perhaps in science or applied science) and then transfer to a postgraduate qualification.
Which course is for you?
Though all vet science courses offer the same broad-based training that prepares graduates for the range of practice areas available to them, there are a couple of more recently established courses that place a focus on rural practice.
Some students may therefore choose their course depending on whether or not it takes this rural focus. Other students’ choice of courses may be influence more by course length, perhaps favouring the five- rather than six-year options.
Since practical experience is an important part of courses in this field, it will be important to check that facilities and opportunities for hands-on work are the best on offer.
Getting in
Courses in vet science are extremely competitive to get into and demand near perfect tertiary entrance scores. They may also require prerequisite subjects (typically in one or more of maths, physics, biology and chemistry) but these should be checked with individual institutions as they do vary.
In addition to the impressive tertiary entrance score, entry into vet science courses will require prerequisite subjects, usually English, chemistry and either maths methods or physics.
Where to study
Until fairly recently only four universities offered courses in this field, all in metropolitan areas. But the recognition of a skills gap in the rural industries led the profession to accredit two new courses that are based in and focused on, rural areas and practice. Courses are now offered at institutions in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia. Each course is recognised throughout the country as well as in certain countries overseas.
What to look for
Vocational experience is particularly important in this field. The best courses in vet science will provide ample opportunities for hands-on, practical experience, and will have strong contacts to enable students to gain their own practical placements outside of semester.
Do your research to also be sure the courses you’re considering have access to the best equipment and facilities.
Careers for veterinary science degree graduates
While the vast majority of veterinary science graduates (around 90%) work as vets in private practice (the majority of these are in suburban general practice) there is a range of alternative career destinations available.
A number of graduates each year find employment in government services (in livestock disease control, diagnostic service work, disease research, animal export/import, quarantine for example), in research, higher education, industry, or in wildlife conservation departments or zoos.
Opportunities for veterinary science graduates are also beginning to emerge in additional areas such as genetic technologies, food safety, animal welfare and urban animal management.
Compared with other professions, there is currently an above average proportion (80%) of veterinarians in full-time (as opposed to part-time) jobs. Vets also typically work longer hours compared with many other occupations. On average, full-time vets work 47.9 hours each week compared to the average 39.7 hours each week across all occupations.
Veterinary science graduates are very satisfied with their overall course experience according to the national Course Experience Questionnaire. Job prospects in this field are very positive and graduate employment rates are very good (currently around 90 per cent). Starting salaries are below average, beginning at the modest level of $44,292, but can climb to in excess of $90,000.
For more information
For more information about careers in this field visit the Australian Veterinary Association website .
Other fields of study that may interest you include agriculture , environmental studies , dentistry , health services and support , rehabilitation , medicine , nursing , pharmacy , and some of the sciences , especially the life sciences.
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