Vets aren't limited to life in practice

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When many people think of veterinary jobs, they think of those in the industry who work in veterinary practices, dealing with pets and farm animals who need examination or treatment. The truth, however, is that veterinary training can make it possible to work in a variety of different roles for different organisations – it's the key to a career that can be incredibly varied.

Those who work in a general practice will find their roles are quite diverse: day-to-day tasks could include the diagnosis and treatment of animals, operations, diagnostic tests, health checks, vaccinations, neutering and more. However, there are other career options that those with veterinary training may like to consider.

Some vets choose to work in industry rather than choose to have daily contact with animals, with industry roles available for those interested in working with biological products, chemicals and drugs to develop, test and work on the production of such substances.

Others may opt for a career that is more about regulation and standards, choosing to focus on a career that involves inspecting premises such as pet shops, zoos, farms, cattle markets, riding stables, catteries and kennels, in order to ensure the standards of care and hygiene present in these places comply with legal requirements.

Alternatively, there are openings available for those who are veterinary trained and are looking to work in the public health sector.

Bodies such as the Department for Environment, Health and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) work to help to both prevent and control outbreaks of disease that are spread by animals, with roles like these possibly including such tasks as working on the prevention of foot-and-mouth disease, or visiting slaughter houses and food processing plants to assess the ways in which the risk of the spread of disease can be reduced.

It is clear that good veterinary training – and the right skill set – can open doors to a variety of different careers. The important thing for you is to decide just which one is the right one for you...