Veterinary specialties


A veterinary specialist is a veterinarian who specializes in a clinical field of veterinary medicine.
Most specialties require a 1-year internship or 2 years of clinical practice prior to beginning a residency of 3–4 years' duration. Most specialties require the resident to produce some academic contribution in order to qualify to sit the certifying examination. Admission or entry into a Veterinary Specialty residency program is quite competitive in the United States and Canada. A veterinarian needs to complete a 1-year internship or, for some residency programs, have 2 years of clinical experience. A Veterinary Specialist may be consulted when an animal’s condition requires specialized care above and beyond that which a regular veterinarian can offer. Many Veterinary Specialists require a referral in order to be seen. After treatment, a Veterinary Specialist may stay in close contact with the referring veterinarian to provide ongoing treatment suggestions and advice. Veterinary specialists may earn 2-3 times more than general practice veterinarians.

Specialties

"A veterinary specialist, as recognized by the AVMA, is a graduate veterinarian who has successfully completed the process of board certification in an AVMA-recognized veterinary specialty organization. To become board certified, a veterinarian must have extensive post-graduate training and experience and
a credential review and examinations set by the given specialty organization."
The American Veterinary Medical Association recognizes the following 21 veterinary specialty organizations:
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Proposed Specialty Organizations
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The recognizes the following 23 veterinary specialty organizations:
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