Four fun facts about vets

At Banfield Pet Hospitals and at veterinary practices across the world, vets lovingly provide medical care for dogs, cats, and other wonderful creatures because they have a deep care and concern for animals (and the humans who own them).

Being a vet is not an easy job though. It can be emotionally and physically challenging…but oh so rewarding.

We're constantly in awe of veterinarians (and everyone in the veterinary field)—thank you for loving animals!

Here are some interesting facts about veterinarians

• It takes 7—9 years of education to become a vet! That includes four years (give or take) for undergraduate education plus a 4-year program for veterinary school. Many veterinarians spend an additional year on a focused internship, while those who are specialists in areas such as surgery, internal medicine, or ophthalmology do a two-year or longer residency to gain experience.

• Compassion fatigue, depression, and suicide are very real issues in the veterinary industry. One in six veterinarians consider suicide and one in 10 experience severe psychological distress. Because of this, Banfield created ASK—Assess, Support, Know™, a suicide prevention program that is the first of its kind. It’s designed to help veterinary professionals recognize and address emotional distress in themselves and others.  

• Enrollment in veterinary colleges continues to rise at a rate of 2% each year since 1980

• Enrollment of female students in a college of veterinary medicine continues to trend up. In 2021, 81.6% of veterinary students were female.

Today and every day, don’t forget to let your veterinary care professionals know how much you and your pet appreciate them and the excellent care they provide!