Here are the answers to some common questions you may have about your educational journey and the array of opportunities you’ll have once you become a veterinarian.
Q: Can I specialize in one type of animal during studies or after completion of the BVM programme?
A: In order to graduate, BVM students must achieve day one competencies in studies of a wide variety of companion animals, production animals, exotic animal species as well as poultry. After graduation, and completion of internship, you will be registered with the Veterinary Council of Tanzania and you may wish to specialize in either small animals or large animals.
Q: Which career options are available in veterinary medicine?
A: Veterinarians have many soft skills including problem-solving skills, that are transferable to many different fields and a wide variety of career paths. Most vets work in private veterinary practice as general practitioners, on small companion animals and/or production animals. Others are employed by the government as state veterinary officers. Another career opportunity for vets is veterinary research for graduates who decide to pursue Masters or PhD degrees. This is in a wide range of fields, including veterinary and/or human medicine, one health, public health microbiology, molecular biology, epidemiology and many more. Other vets hold positions in government and non-government organizations in the prevention and control of infectious and parasitic diseases, in food safety for public health. Others also work on animal shelters and wildlife conservation institutions. Yet a good number of veterinarians are entrepreneurs.