What sort of education must a veterinarian have?
In order to earn a veterinary medical degree, you must generally complete at least 6 years of university education. This includes a minimum of 2 years pre-veterinary university education and 4 years in a program of veterinary medicine. There are 5 accredited universities with veterinary medical programs in Canada. A typical veterinary medical student spends about 4000 hours in classroom, laboratory and clinical study. In many ways, a veterinarian’s education only begins with a degree. New scientific knowledge and techniques are constantly being developed and a veterinarian must keep his knowledge current by reading scientific journals and attending professional meetings, short courses and seminars. Why can’t veterinarians diagnose and prescribe over the phone to save time and money? Not only is it unethical and illegal to prescribe for an animal that has not been physically examined by a veterinarian, it is also impossible to come up with an accurate diagnosis and rational plan of trea
