How to Become a Veterinary Anesthesia Specialist

Veterinary anesthesia specialists are veterinarians who graduated from veterinary school and trained in anesthesiology. Veterinary anesthesiology specialists can test and treat animals by managing their pain or making sure they're unconscious when they have to be diagnosed, undergo surgery or go through therapy. You need a lot of training to become a veterinary anesthesia specialist, but it's a great job to have, since at the end of 2007 there were only 100 around the world.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Have compassion and love for animals. Be able to get along with them and their owners. Except to spend most of your time with animals, learning and studying for several years.

2. Gain experience working with animals while in high school and college. Get good grades and build a strong science, biology and math background. There are few veterinary colleges, and there's a lot of competition to get into them.

3. Graduate from a four-year accredited university. Apply to, be accepted in and complete a four-year veterinary medicine program. Earn the highest grades you can.

4. Choose the state in which you want to practice veterinary medicine before you take the required board exam. Different states have different tests. Pass the board exam in the state where you've decided to practice.

5. Contact the American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists (ACVA). This board is the only group that sets up the training, skills and knowledge you need to become a veterinary anesthesia specialist. When you complete the advanced training in anesthesiology, you can become certified by the ACVA.

6. Take continuing education seminars to keep your veterinary license. This also helps you keep up with new ideas, diseases and ways to treat animals.

Resources

• The American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists

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