Dr. Chris Bern
21 Years Experience
Cartersville, GA
Male, 49
I have been a practicing veterinarian since 1997, but have been in and around the profession since 1984. I am a general practitioner and see most pet species, from dogs and cats to parrots and snakes. In my job I do everything from routine vaccinations to complex surgeries and difficult medical cases. Becoming a vet takes hard work and dedication but can be very rewarding.
Technically yes, but it would be very difficult and likely unnecessary. Currently in the US you attend 3-4 years of undergraduate college, then 4 years of veterinary college. To specialize you typically do an internship for 1 year, and then 3-5 years of specialty training. You would need to do this for each specialty, so if you wanted to be board-certified in both opthalmology and surgery you would be looking at around 10 years AFTER vet school to achieve this goal. During that time you would be making nearly nothing and pushing off your student loans even further, which wouldn't be a good idea financially. I know do know vets who have double certifications, but usually not in such different fields. For example, I know vets who are specialized in both internal medicine and nutrition. But most specialists focus on one field.
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I've always been fascinated by animals and science and loved watching nature shows growing up. For me it was just a natural progression from an interest in biology to wanting to help the animals. That interest started very young, and I just made the decision that I would become a vet. It was such a strong desire that I never stopped trying for it.
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This could be a number of different things, from a tumor to a cyst. Because some of the things could potentially be malignant and dangerous, you need to have your cat examined and evaluated by your veterinarian. Questions like this need to be answered in person by your vet rather than a quick internet question.
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The only actual degree you need is a veterinary doctorate. But most people get a Bachelor's degree (usually in Animal Science or Biology) before going to vet school. Outside of the US it may be different and I am only familiar with the US requirements.
The most important things about being a vet have nothing to do with your degree. You need to be compassionate while having an ability to distance yourself when you see death an injury daily. You need to be flexible and able to change mental directions at a moment's notice. You need to be a quick thinker with strong science skills. You need to be very resilient considering you're working long, hard hours for comparatively low pay. It's not easy!
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I treat all kinds of animals so it's kind of hard to say. But I really like dogs. Not all of them, because some are pretty bad and aggressive! I love the bond that people have with their dogs, as it's different than what we see with any other kind of pet.
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I always loved animals and found science and nature shows fascinating. I wanted to pursue medicine but didn't have an interest in working with humans. I wanted to help animals who were sick and injured, and veterinary medicine was the way to go. As I got older, especially after college, I realized that I liked the human-animal bond and wanted to foster that as well.
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It's probably getting to develop relationships with families and their pets over the years. I have had some clients for going on 9 years now, and it's wonderful that I can know their pets without looking up any records.
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