Aquatic Veterinarians

I don't know about you, but if I were to pick which subspecialty of the veterinary field to go into, my top choice would definitely be the aquatic veterinary practice. Something about working with wild marine species in different parts of the world on a day-to-day basis seems very exciting to me!

For example, picture yourself in the shoes of this marine mammal vet, teaching a baby dolphin how to swim:

Aquatic veterinarians are responsible for carrying out many crucial tasks for our marine wildlife, but the specific duties of each of these professionals depends on their respective expertise and area of focus. Some general duties that aquatic vets perform regularly are conducting tests and exams on marine organisms and populations, taking samples for lab testing, administering a variety of vaccines and important medications for marine animals, examining animals through specialized tests, treating injuries and conditions, studying animal behavior and trends, and much more.

If any of these sound like things you could see yourself enjoy doing in a career, maybe you should look at the aquatic veterinary field more closely. The range of options available for aquatic veterinarians is extensive, and just some of the areas they commonly work in are zoos, aquariums, marine parks, preservation sites, and even the open oceans. Not surprisingly, the steps that an aquatic veterinarian must take to become certified and begin working are very similar to those required for other veterinary specialties. In fact, they are practically identical! In order to find out more information regarding the educational path required to achieve a career as a veterinarian, please refer to one of my previous blog posts titled "How to Become a Veterinarian."