FYI
Want More?
For more information, check out the American Veterinary Medical Association’s website, www.avma.org.
Other valuable resources include the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (www.vhma.org) and the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America
(www.navta.net).
Also, the Feb. 25 episode of “FFA Today” featured a story on vet careers. Visit ffatoday.ffa.org to find links to archived shows.
More Feature Articles
January 2010
-Creature-Focused Careers
-Former Members Reflect: Dr. Dwight Armstrong
-Levy Randolph
-Safety on Speed Dial
-Preserving Their Culture
-Off and Away
November 2009
-Former Members Reflect: Emilie Bocker
-Turn That Down!
-Car Smarts
-So Much Cooler Online
-Laila Hajji
-The Water Way
-A Greater Cause
June 2009
-Stretch Your Summer Income
-Riley Branch
-Turn That Down
-Behind-The-Scenes Star
May 2009
-Welcoming Women
-Regina Holliday
-Job Interview Jitters
-So Much Cooler Online
-Questioning Your College Choices?
-A Can-Do Attitude
-Former Members Reflect: Michele Payn-Knoper
April 2009
-Hannah Crossen
-Cowboy Book With a Cause
-From FFA to 33Miles
-There’s Cash in Your Future
-I’m Angry…Now What?
-For the Love of Landscaping
-Perfect Balance
-Gardening For A Cause
February 2009
-Blue-Ribbon Banjo Player
-FFA as an Art Form
-Wild About Animals
-Nessie Early
-Be a PAL
-Full Throttle
-Living to Serve
-Special Invitation
January 2009
-All About National FFA Week
-Paul Moya
-Justin Floyd
-Partners for the Planet
-Finding Balance
-Swimming in Aquaculture
-Breaking Records
-Take It Slow
December 2008
-National FFA convention to rotate homes
November 2008
-Dr. Al Snyder
-Scholarship Secrets
-Gear Up for National FFA Week
-Kari Boettcher
-Resist Peer Pressure
-Good to the Last Crop
-All Creatures, Great and Small
-Sparking Interest
September 2008
-Agriculture Accuracy
-Crissa Fruechte
-Brady Revels
-Get Up!
-Proceed With Caution
-All in Good Taste
-Clutch Performance
-Step Right Up
July 2008
-Take It to a New Level
-Deep-Rooted Interest
-Take a Deep Breath
-Tyler Tenbarge
-Inspired by FFA
-On the Right Track
May 2008
-In the Vault
-Your Money: Keeping Records
-National Officer Q&A
-We’re All Unique
-Best in Show
-Grab Life by the Reins
March 2008
-Call to Order!
-Reality Check
-Turtle Power
-By the Numbers
-Dale Darling
-A Token of Appreciation
-National Officer Q&A
January 2008
-National Officer Q&A
-Back Talk: Paul McCutchan
-Building Bright Futures
November 2007
-National Officer Q&A
-Back Talk: Corey Flournoy
-Biofuels Mean Business
-Go, Team, Go
-A Tractor Tradition
October 2007
-National Officer Q&A
-Back Talk: Kristie VerMulm
-Give them an A+
-Cranberry Crazy
-Racing to Indy
Contact Us
Let us know your thoughts on the new FFA New Horizons online.
Site Sponsor
Wild About Animals
Learn about careers in veterinary medicine
Kelby McMullen holds a rabbit, one of the animals used for hands-on learning in the veterinary medical class.
February 2009
Passionate about animals and animal care? Then the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) would love to hear from you.
The AVMA, the organizing force behind the association’s 78,000-plus veterinarians, has identified what they’re calling a “growing crisis” in the veterinary workforce.
Simply put, there are too few veterinary professionals to serve all the pets, livestock and other animals that need care. And according to AVMA President Dr. Jim Cook, you’re just the type of person they’d like to bring on board.
“FFA members have the ability to make good decisions and be successful leaders,” Cook says. “Their enthusiasm and passion for helping animals, people and the environment make veterinary medicine the perfect career path.”
Talk like that is music to the ears of Liz Pritchard, a member of A&M Consolidated FFA in College Station, Texas.
“I’ve always wanted to be a veterinarian,” Liz says. “My goal is to be a large animal vet and specialize in equine medicine. I’ve been riding horses since before I could walk, and I’ve trained and worked with these animals as far back as I can remember.”
Last year Liz was one of 18 students in her junior class to take the Introduction to Veterinary Medical Science course at her high school.
The course, says agricultural science teacher Lisa Pieper, teaches FFA members everything from how to bandage a horse to how to do the clinical work typical of veterinary medicine – grooming, taking vitals, administering injections, drawing blood and more. Interested students can even spend time at nearby Texas A&M University, home to one of the nation’s 28 veterinary schools.
The two-semester class meets for one period each day. Those who complete the course, as well as master certain technical skills they learn outside the classroom at area clinics, can take an exam to become certified veterinary assistants.
“The first semester is a lot of terminology,” Pieper says. “Second semester is more hands-on. The idea is to see what veterinary medicine is all about and to really expose them to all of the related opportunities that are out there.”
Those opportunities, says the AVMA’s Cook, include not only careers as a clinical veterinarian – be it small animal, large animal or mixed practice – but also jobs in associated positions.
“If you don’t choose to take the four-year veterinary program, you can enroll in a two-year program to become a licensed veterinary technician,” he explains. “The employment opportunities for veterinary technicians today are excellent. As a technician, you can work in clinical practice, research or the public health arena.”
For those who choose to become certified veterinarians, Cook says, “There is no end to what they can do with their degrees.”
“You can work for the USDA. You can work in wildlife preservation, in environmental studies and in public health,” he explains. “For example, the U.S. food supply and food safety are heavily dependent upon veterinarians. It was a veterinarian who discovered the cause of West Nile virus, and veterinarians were the first to do hip replacements. They’re really on the front lines of scientific research in both animal and human health.”
Kyle Jordan, a senior at A&M Consolidated who worked in a local clinic while taking the same class as Liz, has another career idea: veterinary management.
“I really like the business side of things,” Kyle says. “I may apply to veterinary school, but I want to keep my options open and be prepared for anything.”
Toward that end, for his undergraduate work, which he’ll begin next year, Kyle says, he’s looking at schools that offer not only agricultural and pre-vet programs, but also good business programs.
No matter how you look at it, or what you intend to do, pursuing a future in the veterinary field is anything but easy. It takes lots of time, and requires a great deal of hard work.
Still, Liz says, it’s worth it – especially since for her, it’s both a career path and her passion.
“I’m not going into it for the money,” she explains. “I’m going into it because I know this is what I want to do. I’m doing it because I want to be happy more than anything else.”
Story by Chris HayhurstPhotography by Thomas Shea
Recent Comments
Only members can view user comments.
Are you a member? If so, please log-in.
Not a member? Please register.
Have you forgotten your password?
The National FFA Organization is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Visit ffa.org
© Copyright 2008 by The National FFA Organization and Journal Communications Inc.
All rights reserved. No portion of this Web site may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.