The Veterinary Practice Team

Persons with varying degrees of educational experience staff the Veterinary Hospital . Tasks performed in the hospital, to provide medical care, should be assigned to persons in the level where education/training exists to ensure a positive outcome for the patient. There may be times when an employee may be asked to work at a level below their expertise, but in keeping with the philosophy of quality animal care, the opposite should not take place.

The Veterinarian is solely responsible for diagnosing, prognosing, prescribing medication and performing surgery. They are ultimately responsible for all patient care and outcomes. Most veterinarians apply for veterinary medical school admission while obtaining a bachelor degree in a compatible field. If accepted into a medical school the course of study usually takes another four years, making that a grand total of eight years of schooling. Every state requires a veterinarian to take and pass a licensing exam. Successful candidates are given a license to practice veterinary medicine. Some veterinarians choose to become board certified in one or more components of healthcare, ranging from Anesthesia to Behavior.