What do you do to become a vet in Canada?

What do you have to do to become a vet in Canada?

• I live in Canada, Im an immigrant and im just thinking about being a vet as a career. Im currently in highschool, im taking all sciences (biology, chemistry, physics) this year hope i do good..im not an over achiever or anything.. im pretty average around the 70s and 65s.. I love animals and i hope to have my own animal clinic =) .. So, im just wondering what are all the things i should do to achieve this? like after highschool when i take university, what are some good courses to take, classes i should take.. etc.

• Answer:

  Well, to get into vet school, you need to have done 2-3 years of undergraduate science (usually biology) including certain prerequisite courses. You also have to have a lot of veterinary experience, and great references. So, here's (more or less) what you'll need to do: -First you obviously need to get into a university undergrad program, so you'll need the marks for that. It depends a lot on what school you want to go to (doesn't matter which in canada, as long as it's a university). - In university your marks need to be quite decent. At least low 80s, depending on what courses you're taking, experience etc. Some applicants have 90s - it's quite competitive. -As for what courses to take in high school, you'll need the senior sciences as you know. In university check the vet school prereqs (varies for different schools). You'll need those, and just take courses you think you'll enjoy, otherwise you won't do well in them - You need a LOT of vet related experience! Even if all you want to do is small animal med, you should get experience in as many fields as you can - small animal clinics, research, equine hospitals, livestock mobile practices, exotics etc. etc. - Be nice to the vets you work with! Their references can make the difference of being accepted or rejected to vet school! -they want to see you have non-vet-related interests too. So basically, start now. Start volunteering at some clinics, be active in the community, try really hard at school. It's an incredibly competitive program to get into, but it is possible. Good luck!