A veterinarian works with patients who cannot communicate with him in any human language. Apart from some basic gestures to display their discomfort, animals are notoriously hard to figure out when they have some form of illness. This is why it is of paramount importance for veterinarians to hone a few of their skills before actively starting to practice veterinary medicine. Today we are going to take a look at a few of the key skills required to become a good veterinarian.
- Knowledge: Having an exhaustive knowledge about animals, their illnesses and various methods employed to treat those illnesses is one of the primary tenets of becoming a veterinarian doctor. In the absence of viable communication with the patient, a veterinarian has to depend, almost exclusively, on his knowledge and diagnosis to treat the patient. Knowledge of the technical side of the trade is also important for a veterinarian. Working knowledge of X-rays, tests, and proper deduction from their results is another aspect that a veterinarian should be good at.
- Communication: There is an old saying that goes, “Good veterinarians talk to animals. Great veterinarians hear them talk back.” Apart from communicating with the animals, communication is of paramount importance to a veterinarian while speaking to the owners of the pet. In most cases, the animal does not exhibit visible cues as to what is bothering them. It is the duty of the veterinarian to communicate efficiently with the owners and figure out the symptoms that were visible prior to the visit. Possessing good communication skills also help veterinarians calm down the owners in case the situation takes a turn for the worse.
- Empathy: If someone doesn’t love animals, they have no reason to become a veterinarian. For becoming a veterinarian, having empathy towards animals, and treating them with love and compassion is of paramount importance. Although pets are usually well behaved there would be times when the pet puts up a fight, because well, who likes a visit to the doctor? Apart from handling badly-behaved animals with compassion, a vet should also treat their owners with empathy as they might be rude due to their emotional turmoil at seeing their beloved pets suffer.
- Soothing touch: Animals respond to the energy they come in contact with. If they sense a calm and composed pair of hands on them, they usually calm down. While a rough pair of hands might agitate them even further.
- Organization: As there are very few vets, they are usually very busy all throughout. This is why it is imperative to be well organized else your work would be hampered and so would your progress.
When choosing to become a veterinarian, it is advised to look properly into the curriculum and the free structure of the schools you wish to get admitted to. You might not have known it, but the Caribbean veterinary school cost makes it worthy of check out.
Alton Clarke was born and raised in Syracuse. He has written for MSNBC, The Business Insider and Passport Magazine. In regards to academics, Alton earned a degree from St. John’s University. Alton covers entertainment and culture stories here at Diving daily.