Veterinarian Resume Examples + Guide for 2024
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Veterinarians are medical professionals who specialize in the health and well-being of animals. They provide preventative care, diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries, and perform surgeries and other medical procedures.
Veterinarians work with a wide range of animals, from household pets to livestock and exotic animals, and play a crucial role in promoting animal health and welfare.
To land a job as a veterinarian, you’ll need a compelling resume that effectively showcases your skills, educational background and work experience. Take a look at our professionally made veterinarian resume samples and expert writing tips to craft a standout resume in minutes.
Start by editing a veterinarian resume sample from this page, or browse our selection of 40+ resume templates to find one that catches your eye.
Veterinarian resume example (text version)
Anna Perez, DVM
Clearwater, FL 60139
(555) 555-5555
(555) 555-5555
example@example.com
Professional Summary
Dedicated and accomplished senior veterinarian with over 20 years of diverse experience in providing comprehensive animal care. Adept at leading veterinary teams, implementing preventive care strategies and delivering exceptional medical services. Empathetic professional, relating to pet owners and listening closely to concerns to determine best care protocol for individual health.
Work History
February 2015 – Current
Animal Wellness Center – Clearwater, FL
Senior Veterinarian
- Oversee all aspects of veterinary care in a busy and well-respected animal wellness center.
- Conduct routine examinations, diagnose illnesses and formulate treatment plans for companion animals.
- Develop and implement preventive care programs, resulting in a 20% reduction in common illnesses in the animal population each year.
March 2009 – February 2015
NewDay Veterinary Care – Clearwater, FL
Lead Veterinarian
- Executed advanced diagnostic and surgical procedures for animals, expanding the clinic’s service offerings.
- Run educational seminars for pet owners and local schools, raising awareness about the unique needs of pets.
- Achieved a 25% growth in the pet patient base through targeted marketing and referral programs.
November 2003 – March 2009
City Animal Hospital – Clearwater, FL
Associate Veterinarian
- Provided primary veterinary care for domestic animals, including dogs and cats.
- Performed routine surgeries, dental procedures and emergency interventions.
- Maintained detailed patient records and ensured compliance with regulatory standards.
Skills
- Surgery and anesthesia
- Diagnostic imaging
- Preventive medicine
- Team leadership
- Client education
- Emergency medicine
- Laboratory diagnostics
- Regulatory compliance
Education
- University of Florida Gainesville, FL
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Technology - University of Tampa Tampa, FL
Bachelor of Science Pre-Veterinary Medicine
Certifications
- North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE)
- Professional Affiliations and Memberships
- American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) – active member
5 essentials of a standout veterinarian resume
Contact details
Add your contact information to the top of your veterinarian resume. Include your full name, city, state, ZIP code, phone number and professional email address. Add your LinkedIn profile and professional website, if applicable. Reference our guide on how to write a resume for more advice on creating your contact details section.
Professional summary
Your professional summary is where you introduce yourself to the hiring manager and highlight your top qualifications in three to five sentences.
Your veterinarian resume summary should showcase skills related to diagnosing and treating animals. Include one or two notable professional accomplishments and touch on how long you’ve been in the industry.
If you’re just starting your career, we recommend including a resume objective instead of a professional summary. A veterinarian resume objective should focus on your educational background and how you will apply what you learned in a clinical setting. For instance, you might consider discussing your courses in animal anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, pathology, microbiology and other related subjects. For additional guidance, take a look at our guide on how to make a resume with no experience.
Skills
List your top skills using bullet points to let hiring managers know what you bring to the table as a veterinarian. An impressive resume will showcase a mixture of hard skills and soft skills.
Here are a few examples of veterinarian skills for your resume:
- Animal handling: The ability to handle various types of animals, including dogs, cats and exotic pets.
- Diagnostic skills: The ability to diagnose and treat a wide range of medical conditions in animals.
- Surgical skills: The ability to perform surgical procedures, such as spaying and neutering, and other types of surgeries.
- Communication skills: The ability to effectively communicate with pet owners and staff members.
- Teamwork: The ability to work collaboratively with other staff members to deliver high-quality care to animals.
Remember to note your interpersonal skills, which help you communicate effectively with your colleagues and clients.
Work history
A veterinarian resume needs a clear work history section that starts with your present or most recent job and lists your remaining work experience in reverse-chronological order.
Remember to mention the job title, employer’s name, company location and the duration of your employment.
Use bullet points to showcase your accomplishments and quantifiable achievements for each role. Here are a few examples of measurable achievements for veterinarian resumes:
- Achieved a 98% success rate in treating allergies in dogs by developing a new treatment plan that included both traditional and alternative therapies.
- Streamlined operations: Implemented a new inventory management system that reduced supply costs by 20% while ensuring that all necessary supplies were always in stock.
- Received a 95% client satisfaction rating based on a survey of pet owners, which cited the veterinarian’s communication skills, empathy and expertise as major factors in their positive experience.
Read our guide on including work experience on your resume for additional tips from career experts. Explore our library of 800+ resume examples for more inspiration.
Education
List your educational background starting with the most recent degree and working backward. Include the name of the schools and the year of graduation. If you did not attend college, provide information about your high school and any relevant courses you have taken since graduating.
To become a veterinarian, you need to complete a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree program at an accredited veterinary college or university. The DVM program typically takes four years to complete and includes both classroom and clinical training.
A bachelor’s degree is not always required to enter a DVM program, but most students have completed a bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as animal science, biology or pre-veterinary studies.
After completing the DVM program, graduates must pass a national licensing exam, such as the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE), in order to practice as a veterinarian. Some states may also have additional licensing requirements, such as a state-specific exam or completion of a certain number of hours of supervised clinical practice.
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Action verbs for a standout veterinarian resume
If you take a look at our sample resumes for veterinarians, you’ll notice that the work experience bullet points use strong action verbs to make an impact.
Here are some examples of action words you can use for your veterinarian resume:
- Operate
- Lift
- Install
- Maintain
- Organize
- Assist
- Inspect
- Clean
- Collaborate
- Coordinate
- Maintain
- Communicate
- Ensure
- Facilitate
Select from the veterinarian resume templates from this page or make a resume from scratch using our Resume Builder.
Top skills for your veterinarian resume
Make sure the resume skills you include are relevant to the job description and what the employer is looking for in a candidate.
Here are some examples of veterinarian skills:
- Diagnostics
- Problem-solving
- Surgery
- Clinical skills
- Communication
- Compassionate
- Detail-oriented
- Organized
- Analytical
- Collaborative
- Empathetic
- Adaptable
- Responsive
- Reliable
- Efficient
- Resourceful
- Proactive
- Innovative
- Observant
- Patient-centered
Remember to prioritize the most important skills for the specific veterinarian position you’re applying for.
Certifications to include on a veterinarian resume
Create a separate section on your resume for certifications and licenses and list them using bullet points.
To practice as a veterinarian, you need to have a degree in veterinary medicine from an accredited veterinary school. Additionally, most states require veterinarians to be licensed in order to practice.
In addition to the required licensure, veterinarians may also choose to pursue additional certifications or specializations in various areas of veterinary medicine. Some of these certifications include:
- Board certification in a specialty area of veterinary medicine, such as surgery, internal medicine or cardiology
- Certification in animal acupuncture or rehabilitation
- Certification in animal behavior
These certifications typically require additional education, training and testing beyond the requirements for licensure. Certification can help demonstrate a veterinarian’s expertise in a particular area and may be required for certain types of practice or employment.
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Veterinarian resume FAQ
How do you create a resume for a veterinarian position?
By following our guide, you can create a strong veterinarian resume that highlights your skills and experiences and positions you as a strong candidate for the job.
Here are some additional tips for writing a veterinarian resume:
- Highlight your education: Include your education, including the name of the institution, degree and graduation date. Include any certifications or licenses you have obtained.
- List your skills: List any skills that are relevant to the veterinarian position, such as animal handling, diagnostic skills, surgical skills and communication skills.
- Add additional sections: Consider adding additional sections, such as volunteer work, professional affiliations or publications.
We recommend using an AI resume builder to help craft your resume. The MyPerfectResume builder will help you write your veterinarian resume with ready-made content suggestions and expert writing tips.
How long can a resume be for a veterinarian?
Typically, a resume for a veterinarian should be one or two pages long. It’s important to include all relevant information and qualifications, but try to keep it concise and to the point.
A recruiter or hiring manager will likely have many resumes to review, so it’s important to make sure that your resume is clear, easy to read and highlights your skills and experience.
Be sure to prioritize the most important information and use bullet points and clear headings to make it easy to scan. Remember, a well-crafted and targeted resume can make a big difference in landing an interview and ultimately securing a veterinarian position.
What should a new veterinarian include on a resume?
If you’re a new veterinarian, you may not have much work experience to include on your resume. However, you can still highlight your education, skills and any relevant experience you may have. Here’s what to include on a resume for a new veterinarian:
- Education: Highlight your education, including the name of the institution, degree and graduation date. Be sure to include your veterinary degree and any other relevant degrees or certifications.
- Clinical experience: If you have completed any clinical rotations as part of your veterinary program, be sure to include them on your resume. Highlight any skills or procedures you learned during these rotations.
- Animal handling experience: If you have volunteered or worked in an animal-related capacity, include that experience on your resume. This can include animal shelters, pet stores or any other relevant experience.
- Relevant skills: Highlight any skills that are relevant to the veterinarian position, such as animal handling, diagnostic skills, surgical skills and communication skills.
- Personal qualities: Include personal qualities that will be valuable in a veterinarian role, such as compassion, attention to detail and teamwork.
What skills should you include on a veterinarian resume?
A resume for veterinarians needs to have a combination of soft skills and technical skills to perform their duties effectively.
Here are a few examples of veterinarian resume skills and abilities:
- Attention to detail: The ability to pay attention to small details to ensure that medical procedures are performed accurately.
- Problem-solving: The ability to identify and solve problems related to animal health and medical treatment.
- Compassion: The ability to show empathy and compassion toward animals and their owners.
- Time management: The ability to manage time effectively to ensure that appointments and procedures are completed on time.
- Technical skills: Proficiency in using veterinary software and equipment.
Including these skills in your veterinarian resume can help demonstrate your expertise and qualifications for the position.
What is the best format for a veterinarian resume?
The best resume format for a veterinarian resume is the chronological format. The chronological format is optimal for displaying your years of experience and qualifications.
The combination format is a great option for midlevel job seekers who want to showcase a blend of work experience and job-relevant skills.
For an entry-level or new graduate veterinarian resume, we recommend the functional format, which focuses on relevant skills such as animal science knowledge, manual dexterity, problem-solving and decision-making.
Be sure to include clear headings and bullet points to make your resume easy to read and scan. Use a simple, professional font and keep the design clean and uncluttered. Avoid using graphics or images, as they can distract from the content of your resume.
Do’s and don’ts for your veterinarian resume
- Use measurable achievements to describe your experience. For example, “Developed a comprehensive training program for new veterinary assistants, resulting in a 30% reduction in errors and an increase in efficiency.”
- Use strong action verbs to describe your work experiences, such as “educate,” “offer,” “perform” and “examine.”
- Tailor your resume to the veterinarian job you’re applying for.
- Use keywords from the job description throughout your veterinarian resume. For example, “managing medical conditions” and “performing diagnostic tests.”
- Format your veterinarian resume with clear sections and appropriate fonts so that it’s easy for ATS software to parse and hiring managers to read.
- Don’t lie about your experience and skills as a veterinarian.
- Don’t make vague claims about your skills. Instead, provide specific examples of your experience administering vaccinations, educating pet owners and diagnosing illnesses.
- Don’t include irrelevant personal information such as your ethnicity and age.
- Don’t include irrelevant skills and work experience. Focus on relevant skills instead, such as administering medication and performing surgery.
- Don’t forget to proofread. A veterinarian is expected to have high attention to detail, and your resume should reflect that.
Top 4 tips for interviews for a veterinarian job
Learn about the veterinary clinic.
When applying for a veterinarian job, it is important to research the veterinary clinic or hospital to ensure it is a good fit for you. Here are some areas to consider researching:
- Practice philosophy: Look into the practice’s philosophy and mission statement to see if it aligns with your own values and beliefs.
- Services: Research the services offered by the practice to determine if they align with your interests and areas of expertise.
- Client base: Find out what types of animals the practice serves and if they cater to a specific clientele or geographic area.
- Staff and culture: Research the staff and culture of the practice to determine if it is a supportive and positive work environment.
- Technology: Research the technology used by the practice to determine if it is up to date and if it aligns with your skills and experience.
- Reputation: Look into the practice’s reputation in the community, including online reviews, to see if it is a well-respected and reputable practice.
- Location: Research the location of the practice to determine if it is convenient for you and if it’s located in an area that aligns with your lifestyle and preferences.
By researching these factors, you can determine if the vet’s office is a good fit for you and if it aligns with your career goals and aspirations.
Practice your answers.
It is important to prepare for your job interview by practicing commonly asked questions. Here are a few behavioral questions to prepare for:
- Give me an example of how you juggle multiple priorities.
- Describe a time when a colleague disagreed with you.
- How would your coworkers describe you?
During your interview, you will be asked a variety of questions to assess your knowledge, skills and experience as a veterinarian. Here are some common questions that you might encounter:
- What experience do you have working with animals?
- Can you describe a time when you had to make a difficult medical decision?
- How do you stay up to date on the latest veterinary advancements and technologies?
- How do you communicate with pet owners?
- How do you handle difficult or aggressive animals?
Prepare questions to ask during the interview.
Prepare for the interview process by brainstorming informed questions that you can ask. This will help you showcase your interest in the veterinary hospital’s mission and values.
Here are a few questions you can ask the interviewer to demonstrate your interest and to better understand the practice:
- Can you describe the patient population in this practice?
- What is the practice’s approach to preventative care?
- Can you describe the team dynamic in this practice?
- How does the practice stay up to date on the latest medical advancements and technologies?
- What is the most rewarding aspect of working in this practice?
Gather references.
Gather your professional references to share with the hiring manager if requested. Make a list of two or three former colleagues and a former manager willing to speak highly about your abilities and performance as a veterinarian.
Cover letter examples for the next step in your veterinary career
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Since 2013, we have helped more than 15 million job seekers. We want to make your career journey accessible and manageable through our services and Career Center’s how-to guides and tips. In our commitment to bring you a transparent process, we present our Editorial Process.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Veterinarians
- MyFuture. Career. Article. Veterinarians
- St. George University School of Veterinary Medicine. Blog. 4 Skills Needed to Be a Veterinarian
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Veterinarian Resume Example
Elizabeth is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and a member of the Professional Association of Résumé Writers & Careers Coaches. She is passionate about delivering information that empowers job seekers to achieve their professional goals.
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