Vets work to protect the health and welfare of animals, this includes pet, farm animals and when called for, wildlife. This means that vets will work to treat sick and injured animals, medicating those with infections or disease, vaccinating them against major diseases, and performing surgery.  Vets will also take on broader issues such as controlling animal disease and advising owners on proper care of animals.

This is a job for animal lovers, but it comes with a catch. You will be dealing with animals in distress and pain, so the work is not for everyone. Opportunities to gain work experience are helpful to those with ambitions to work in veterinary, so they can get an opportunity to discover if the work environment suits them.

In veterinary practice, some may treat a broad range of animals, but many will specialise in specific areas, the two most common specialisations are treating small animals and the care of farm animals.
 
Vets are important to farm life, helping keep animals fit and healthy, to halt the spread of disease and advising farmers on best practices. It will involve more travel than working with small animals, as, unlike cats and dog, farm animals can’t travel to your practice. But this can suit personalities who enjoy being out and about.

Beyond practice, there are opportunities for vets in many areas, including working in teaching, research and public health. Vets who work for the government serve the public by preventing animal disease and promoting food safety. They may act as livestock inspectors, checking animals for transmissible diseases or carry out inspections in slaughterhouses.

Veterinary college/school faculty members conduct research, teach, and develop continuing education programs to help practicing veterinarians acquire new knowledge and skills. Many veterinarians work in the sector of food hygiene, where they protect the health of the consumer by watching over the safety of food products of animal origin, such as milk, meat, eggs and honey. 

Once qualified, employment prospects for vets are very good. As with all animal-related work, it is crucial that you don't suffer from animal allergies. Working hours are unpredictable and varied and you will probably be required to work or be on call at weekends and evenings.

Training as a Vet

To work as a vet in the Republic of Ireland, you must have a degree in Veterinary Medicine, which is registered by the Veterinary Council of Ireland. The UCD Veterinary Medicine degree is the only veterinary course in Ireland and is highly competitive. Many students chose to study in Europe with some courses requiring you to have practical experience of animal handling.

Clinical rotations in the final year of study take place mainly in the UCD Veterinary Hospital and can involve early mornings and some late-night work. 

Opportunities for graduates are excellent, with extremely high levels of employment. It can be a tough career so work experience and conversations with working vets can help inform those considering veterinary medicine on whether the reality of the career is suitable for them.

You can work in a mixed, small animal, farm animal or equine practice. You may also obtain further specialist clinical qualifications. While most graduates work in clinical practice, increasing numbers pursue research in public service or private sector research. This reflects the important role of the veterinarian in animal health control and consumer protection. At present, there is almost complete employment for veterinary graduates.

Employment opportunities for veterinarians are numerous - they include private or corporate clinical practice, teaching and research, wildlife conservation, regulatory medicine, public health, and military service.

If you are working with large animals you need to be physically fit, have stamina to stand for long periods, have good manual dexterity and be prepared to work unsocial hours.