I was wondering how long it took in college to become an avian veterinarian.

-- Brandon Reeves, Knoxville, Tenn.

BEFORE YOU CAN apply to a veterinary medical school, you'll need to spend two to four years completing the required college course requirements - most applicants have already earned one or more undergraduate or graduate degrees.

Veterinary medical school is a four-year program. Studies are rigorous, covering most of the domestic animals. As a result, veterinarians are capable of treating all species except humans. At the end of veterinary medical school, you will earn a doctorate of veterinary medicine, or DVM. (The University of Pennsylvania awards a veterinary medical doctor degree, or VMD. British and Australia schools award a bachelor of veterinary science, or B.Vs.)

If you want to take your veterinary medical education further by specializing in birds, you'll need to complete a one-year internship or two-to-three-year residency at a veterinary college, or work with an experienced practitioner. Finally, some veterinarians go on to become members of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners-Avian, too. This requires yet more study and another round of rigorous testing. To keep the ABVP designation you have to be recertified every five years.

There are many more applicants to the veterinary schools in North America than there are places in each class. To be admitted requires years of commitment, starting in primary school. It's vital to develop good study habits, make good grades and get a well-rounded education in both the sciences and the humanities. It is also helpful to obtain animal-related experience, including community service. All these are looked upon favorably by the admittance committees. Good luck!

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