In Quebec, they must be members of the Ordre des m decins v t rinaires du Qu bec. In addition to educational requirements, prospective veterinarians must have good manual dexterity. They should be passionate about working with animals and have the ability to get along with animal owners. They should also be able to quickly make decisions in emergencies. In the U.S., employment of veterinarians is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2008.
Most veterinarians practice in animal hospitals or clinics and care primarily for companion animals.
The number of jobs for large animal veterinarians is expected to grow slowly. Regardless, job prospects may be better for veterinarians who specialize in farm animals than for small animal practitioners, because most veterinary medical college graduates do not have the desire to work in rural or isolated areas. Continued support for public health and food safety, disease control programs, and biomedical research on human health problems will contribute to the demand for veterinarians, although such positions are few in number. Also, anticipated budget tightening in the Federal Government may lead to low funding levels for some programs, limiting job growth. Veterinarians with training in public health and epidemiology should have the best opportunities for a career in the Federal Government.