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Veterinarian

Veterinarians diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries in animals. They perform animal surgery and dentistry. They also provide preventive medical services. They offer advice about the care and breeding of animals. Veterinarians also conduct and present research to advance animal health and welfare, and public health.

Also Known As

Vet, Animal Doctor, Behaviourists, Critical Care Internists, Dermatologist, Doctor, Epidemiologist, Radiologist, Surgeon

NOC Codes

In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.

The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.

Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.

2006 NOC

  • 3114: Veterinarians

2006 NOC-S

  • D014: Veterinarians

2011 NOC

  • 3114: Veterinarians

2016 NOC

  • 3114: Veterinarians

2021 NOC

  • 31103: Veterinarians

2023 OaSIS

  • 31103.00: Veterinarians
Duties
Updated Mar 31, 2024

Veterinarians (vets) provide animal health and welfare services. The types of animals range from domesticated pets or livestock, to wildlife (whether they live on land, water, or air), or even certain types of ecologically important insects, such as bees. Vets are also involved in research, regulation, and management regarding food safety, public health, and environmental decisions. In general, they:

  • Perform routine, emergency, and post-mortem animal exams
  • Diagnose diseases
  • Provide advice about preventive health care and herd health
  • Vaccinate animals against infectious diseases
  • Treat a wide range of injuries and illnesses
  • Perform dental work
  • Perform surgery
  • Provide obstetrical and embryo transfer services
  • Keep medical records
  • Provide humane euthanasia services

Diagnosing and treating diseases, injuries, and other conditions often involves:

  • Collecting, examining, and studying samples including body tissue, feces, blood, urine, or other body fluids
  • Taking and reading X-rays
  • Giving anesthesia and performing exploratory surgery
  • Doing ultrasounds
  • Performing endoscopies
  • Doing contract studies
  • Conducting a physical exam of the animal

Preventive medical services include:

  • Parasite control programs
  • Vaccinations against common viral and bacterial diseases
  • Routine exams
  • Herd health
  • Advice about hygiene, nutrition, and the general care and breeding of animals
  • Quality assurance programs for food animal species
  • Routine diagnostic work such as blood work and urinalysis
  • Routine dentistry

Some veterinarians provide services for a wide range of animals. Others restrict their practices to specific types of animals. Areas of practice may include:

  • Food-producing animals (beef and dairy cattle, sheep, goats, swine, poultry, or fish)
  • Domestic pets and small animals
  • Exotic birds and animals
  • Wildlife and alternative livestock such as bison, donkeys, and llamas
  • Horses
  • Aquatic species
  • Public health
  • Food safety
  • Research
  • Academia
  • Veterinary laboratory diagnostics

Some vets specialize in a specific medical discipline such as:

  • Reproduction
  • Surgery
  • Oncology
  • Dentistry
  • Anesthesiology
  • Dermatology
  • Diagnostic imaging
  • Cardiology
  • Pathology

Veterinarians who work with large animals may focus their practice on herd health. In this area, herd management, monitoring, and regulatory medicine are important.

Vets are often small business owners who run their own private practice. They must manage human resources, finances, and inventory, and market the business.

Some vets become representatives for food or drug companies. They share information about products or practices and ensure product efficacy and food safety.

Veterinarians may provide a wide range of services in various other industries. These include wildlife conservation, public health, food safety, agriculture development, disease surveillance, or animal welfare services.

Working Conditions
Updated Mar 31, 2024
  • Strength Required Lift up to 20 kg

The work can be physically demanding. Some vets are on their feet all day while others may sit at a desk. Surgery can involve standing stationary for long periods of time. Some have mobile clinics for treating animals in barns or open fields.

The work can be emotionally draining and sometimes stressful.

Job hazards include:

  • Contact with potentially dangerous animals
  • Exposure to radiation, biohazardous substances, waste, and anesthetics
  • Needing to restrain or interact with hurt or frightened animals who may respond aggressively such as by biting, scratching, or spraying
  • Exposure to diseases that may be transmitted to humans

Many types of veterinary practice require after-hours emergency work.

Interests & Abilities

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

Veterinarians

2006 NOC: 3114

Interest Codes

Interest Codes for This NOC Group
INNOVATIVE

Interest in co-ordinating information to diagnose and treat sick and injured animals, and to prescribe medications; may conduct veterinary research, co-ordinate the operations of animal hospitals, clinics and mobile services to farms, and may enforce government regulations in disease control and food production including animal and animal-based food inspection

OBJECTIVE

Interest in precision working with scientific instruments and medical equipment to diagnose diseases and perform surgery

social

Interest in mentoring by treating sick and injured animals, by advising clients on proper care of animals and by providing euthanasia services

Your Interest Codes

To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.

Reading Interest Codes
A Quick Guide

The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation. 

It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.

Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.

A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.

A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.

Learn About Interests

Abilities

Typical ability expectations for this NOC group
Your abilities

To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.

Mental Abilities

General Learning Ability

Verbal Ability

Numerical Ability

Visual Abilities

Spatial Perception

Form Perception

Clerical Perception

Physical Abilities

Motor Coordination

Finger Dexterity

Manual Dexterity

Understanding Abilities

A Quick Guide

You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.

The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.

The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.

Learn About Abilities

Traits & Skills
Updated Mar 31, 2024

Veterinarians need:

  • Confidence in working with animals
  • Decision-making skills
  • Analytical and problem-solving skills
  • Communication skills (both oral and written) and listening skills
  • Commitment to public health and food safety
  • Stamina and strength
  • Observational skills and good judgment
  • The ability to interact well with a diverse range of people
  • The ability to work well with others in a team
  • The ability to keep up with advances in veterinary medicine and business practices

They should enjoy:

  • Spending time with animals
  • Working in different environments
  • Working on their own and with the public
  • Helping others
  • Making quick decisions under pressure
  • Career-long learning
  • Learning about animal health

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

Top 10 Skills Employers Are Looking For

Veterinarians

2016 NOC: 3114

This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 91 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Oct 27, 2021 and Dec 06, 2024.

Review these skills to learn:

  • Whether or not this occupation matches your skill set
  • What training you may need to get these skills
  • What skills to highlight in your resumé, cover letter, and interview.
Tasks: Treat sick or injured animals by prescribing medication, setting bones, dressing wounds or performing surgery
Tasks: Vaccinate animals to prevent and treat diseases
Tasks: Provide a range of veterinary services including obstetrics, dentistry and euthanasia
Tasks: Advise clients on feeding, housing, behaviour, breeding, hygiene and general care of animals
Tasks: Diagnose diseases or abnormal conditions in individual animals, herds and flocks through physical examinations or laboratory tests
Work Setting: Veterinary clinic
Tasks: Perform routine, emergency and post-mortem examinations
Health benefits: Health care plan
Health benefits: Dental plan
Tasks: Supervise animal health technologists and animal care workers
Educational Requirements
Updated Mar 31, 2024
  • Minimum Education 6 years post-secondary

Prospective veterinarians must complete at least 2 years of university studies. This must be followed by a 4-year doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) program or equivalent. Students from universities accredited by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) or American Veterinary Medicine Association (AVMA) must then pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE). (This includes all veterinary colleges in Canada.) The NAVLE is offered in the fourth year of the DVM program.

Most applicants for DVM programs have completed more than 2 years of university studies. They have most often studied in a related faculty such as science or agriculture. Suitable pre-veterinary medicine programs are offered by post-secondary schools throughout Alberta.

After graduating from veterinary medicine, vets may choose to specialize in an area. Each specialty area requires more schooling and qualifying exams.

Required Education

The following schools offer programs and courses that meet this occupation’s educational requirements. Other eligible programs and courses may be available.

University of Calgary
Related Education

The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.

To expand or narrow your program options, visit Post-Secondary Programs and start your search with:

Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.

Additional Information

The following post-secondary schools offer DVM degree programs in other parts of Canada. However, applicants must be residents of the province for at least 1 year before applying:

Post-secondary schools throughout Alberta offer university transfer programs. These allow students to apply up to 2 years of study toward university bachelor’s degree programs. It is the student’s job to ensure the courses they choose will be accepted for credit at the school to which they wish to transfer.

Certification Requirements
Updated Mar 31, 2024
  • Certification Provincially Regulated

Certain professional titles or duties within this occupation are protected by provincial legislation. Requirements vary if you use these titles or perform these duties.

The related legislation is shown below. If there are multiple related legislations, select a certification heading to learn about each one.

Veterinarian

Veterinarians diagnose animal illnesses, treat diseased and injured animals, perform surgery and dentistry, provide preventive medical services, and provide advice regarding the care and breeding of animals, food safety and security, research, regulation, and public health.

Legislation

Under Alberta’s Veterinary Profession Act [pdf] and Veterinary Profession General Regulation [pdf], registration with the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (ABVMA) is mandatory. Only registered members may practice as veterinarians or use the titles veterinarian or veterinary surgeon or the abbreviation DVM.

However, registered veterinary technologists may provide veterinary services under the supervision of a registered veterinarian.

 

 

For information on what you need and other details, visit the certification profile Veterinarian.

Employment & Advancement
Updated Mar 31, 2024

Some vets establish their own practices. Some find employment as associates or partners in established practices. Vets who do not choose private or clinical practice may work as:

  • Agricultural commodity inspectors (see the Agricultural Commodity Inspector occupational profile)
  • Food safety veterinarian
  • Animal disease researchers
  • Pharmaceutical company reps
  • Administrators of veterinary public health programs
  • Teachers at veterinary colleges
  • Animal health, welfare, or public health researchers
  • Laboratory diagnosticians
  • Clinical veterinarians for lab or zoo animals
  • Industry veterinarians (such as horse racing, producer group veterinarian, company veterinarian)

Some vets work for government agencies, universities, and private companies. They may advance in grade and salary as they gain experience.

Industry Concentration

This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.

Veterinarians
2016 NOC: 3114

87.8% of people in this occupational group work in:

NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.

3-Year Job Market Forecast

This section shows the short-term demand forecasted for this occupation in Alberta over a 3-year period. It also shows the number of people employed in the occupation.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.

Veterinarians
2021 NOC: 31103
High
Demand
1,900
Employed

Source: 2023-2025 Alberta Short-Term Employment Forecast

NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.

To see data for all occupations, visit Occupations in Demand.

5-Year Job Market Forecast

This section shows the employment outlook for this occupation in Alberta over a 5-year period.

Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

  • Time of year (for seasonal jobs)
  • Location in Alberta
  • Employment turnover (when people leave existing positions)
  • Occupational growth (when new positions are created)
  • Size of the occupation
  • Trends and events that affect overall employment, especially in the industry or industries from the previous list

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.

Veterinarians
2016 NOC: 3114
2.7%
Annual Growth
(Above Average)
58
New Positions

Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook

Annual growth is from 2021 to 2025. New positions created each year are in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.

NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.

Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.

Related Alberta Job Postings
Wage & Salary
Updated Mar 31, 2024

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

Veterinarians

2016 NOC: 3114
Average Wage
$74.72
Per Hour
Average Salary
$126,081.00
Per Year
Average Hours
38.8
Per Week
Average Months on Payroll
11.4
Survey Methodology Survey Analysis

Source
2021 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey

NOC 3114 Wage Profile

Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.

All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.

To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.

Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.

B: Good Reliability
Data Reliability Code Definition

Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.


Hourly Wage

For full-time and part-time employees
  • Low
  • High
  • Average
  • Median
Starting
Overall
Top

Hourly Wage

For full-time and part-time employees
Wages* Low (5th percentile) High (95th percentile) Average Median
Starting $24.29 $254.75 $59.22 $43.27
Overall $25.64 $269.73 $74.72 $55.38
Top $34.19 $292.21 $104.19 $75.62

Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.

* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.

Pay brackets for hourly wages

  • Starting pay: average pay offered for entry-level positions
  • Overall pay: average pay across all employees in this occupation
  • Top pay: average pay offered to top-paid employees

Industry Information

ALL INDUSTRIES
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services

Skills Shortage

Employers that Recruited in the Last 2 Years
71%
71%)
Recruiting Employers that Experienced Hiring Difficulties
75%
75%
Employers with Unfilled Vacancies of over 4 Months
39%
39%
Vacancy Rate
N/A
Related Post-Secondary Field of Study
  • Agriculture and Related Technologies
Other Sources of Information
Updated Mar 31, 2024

Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (ABVMA) website: www.abvma.ca

Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) websites: www.canadianveterinarians.net

Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.

Updated Mar 31, 2024. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.

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