I will practice my profession conscientiously, with dignity, and in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical ethics. I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual improvement of my professional knowledge and competence. Today more than 58,000 veterinarians are professionally active in the United States. They provide a wide variety of services in private clinical practice, teaching, research, government service, public health, military service, private industry, and other areas. Veterinarians may specialize in different types of medicine, like surgery, pathology, internal medicine, or neurology.
Communication skills are vital for veterinarians.
Not only do they have to relate to animals, veterinarians must be able to talk to their owners so they can treat the pet effectively. Veterinarians must also make quick decisions and know how to treat illnesses. Sometimes the treatment involves the prescription of medication. The vet has to know what to prescribe and how much. So, good math skills are also important.