Veterinarians

1
Veterinarians

• Significant Points
• Graduation from an accredited college of
  veterinary medicine and a license to practice are
  required.
• Competition for admission to veterinary school is
  EXTREMELY high.

2
Veterinarians

• Nature of the Work
• Veterinarians play a major role in the healthcare
  of pets, livestock, and zoo, sporting, and
  laboratory animals.
• Most veterinarians work in private practices.
• More than one-half treat small animals
  predominately.
• A small number work exclusively with large
  animals, focusing mostly on horses or cows.

3
Veterinarians

• Nature of the Work
• A number of veterinarians work with physicians
  and scientists.
• Research ways to prevent and treat human health
  problems
• Determine the effects of drug therapies and
  surgical techniques.
• Some veterinarians are involved in food safety.
• Check animals for transmissible diseases
• Advise owners on treatment

4
Veterinarians

• Working Conditions
• Over one-third of veterinarian work 50 or more
  hours a week.
• Often work outdoors in all kinds of weather
• Treat animals or perform surgery under
  less-than-sanitary conditions.
• When working with animals that are frightened or
  in pain, veterinarians risk being bitten, kicked,
  or scratched.

5
Veterinarians

• Employment
• Veterinarians currently hold about 59,000 jobs in
  the U.S.

6
Veterinarians

• Training
• There are 28 colleges that meet accreditation
  standards set by the Council on Education of the
  American Veterinary Medical Association.

7
Veterinarians

• Pre-Veterinary School
• Bachelors degree not required for some schools.
• All schools require credit hours ranging from 45
  to 90 semester hours.
• Preveterinary courses emphasis the sciences
• Organic, inorganic and biochemistry
• Physics
• General biology
• Animal biology, animal nutrition, genetics, etc.

8
Veterinarians

• Training
• GPA of 3.5 or better is average.
• Standardized Tests vary from school to school
• Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
• Veterinary College Admission Test (VCAT) (no
  longer offered)
• Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).

9
Veterinarians

• Training
• Veterinary and animal experience is highly
  desirable.
• Formal experience, such as work with
  veterinarians or scientists in clinics,
  agribusiness, research, or in some area of health
  science, is particularly advantageous..
• Number of applicants is currently rising.
• About 1 in 4 applicants are currently accepted.

10
Veterinarians

• Training
• First 2 Years
• Basic sciences.
• Second 2 Years
• Clinical procedures.
• Diagnosing and treating animal diseases and
  performing surgery.
• Laboratory work in anatomy, biochemistry,
  medicine, and other scientific subjects.
• Veterinary graduates who plan to work with
  specific types of animals or specialize in a
  clinical area complete a 1-year internship.

11
Veterinarians

• Earnings
• Median annual earnings of veterinarians is
  68,000.
• Average starting salaries by type of practice
• Small animal, predominant - 42,918
• Large animal, predominant - 41,439
• Mixed animal - 40,358
• Equine - 28,526
• Federal Government - 35,808.

12
Veterinarians

• Additional Information
• American Veterinary Medical Association
  http//www.avma.org
• Association of American Veterinary Medical
  Colleges http//www.aavmc.org

13
Pharmacists

• Significant Points
• Pharmacists are becoming more involved in drug
  therapy decision making and patient counseling.
• Very good employment opportunities are expected.
• Earnings are very high, but some pharmacists work
  long hours, nights, weekends, and holidays.

14
Pharmacists

• Nature of the Work
• Dispense prescribed drugs.
• Provide information to patients about medications
  and their use.
• They advise physicians and other health
  practitioners on the selection, dosages,
  interactions, and side effects of medications.

15
Pharmacists

• Working Conditions
• Many pharmacists spend most of their workday on
  their feet.
• About 1 out of 7 pharmacists work part time.
• Most full-time salaried pharmacists worked about
  40 hours a week.

16
Pharmacists

• Employment
• Pharmacists currently hold about 217,000 jobs in
  the U.S.
• About 6 out of 10 work in community pharmacies.
• About 21 percent of salaried pharmacists work in
  hospitals, clinics, mail-order pharmacies,
  pharmaceutical wholesalers, home healthcare
  agencies, or the Federal Government.

17
Pharmacists

• Training
• 84 colleges of pharmacy are accredited to confer
  degrees by the American Council on Pharmaceutical
  Education.
• Pharmacy programs grant the degree of Doctor of
  Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)
• The Pharm.D. is a 4-year program that requires at
  least 2 years of college study prior to
  admittance.
• This Pharm.D. has replaced the Bachelor of
  Science (B.S.) degree, which will cease to be
  awarded after 2005.

18
Pharmacists

• Prerequisites
• Colleges of pharmacy require at least 2 years of
  college-level prepharmacy education.
• Mathematics
• Chemistry
• Biology,
• Physics
• Courses in the humanities and social sciences.
• Some colleges require the applicant to take the
  Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) others
  require the GRE.

19
Pharmacists

• Training
• Pharmacy school classes include
• Pharmaceutics and pharmaceutical chemistry
• Physical and chemical properties of drugs and
  dosage forms
• Pharmacology
• effects of drugs on the body
• Pharmacy administration.

20
Pharmacists

• Job Outlook
• Pharmacists in chain drug stores may be promoted
  to
• Pharmacy supervisor or manager at the store level
• Manager at the district or regional level
• Executive position within the chain's
  headquarters.
• Hospital pharmacists may advance to
• supervisory or administrative positions.
• Pharmacists in the pharmaceutical industry may
  advance in
• marketing, sales, research, quality control,
  production, packaging, or other areas.

21
Pharmacists

• Job Outlook
• Very, very good employment opportunities are
  expected for pharmacists.
• The growing numbers of middle-aged and elderly
  people
• Use more prescription drugs than do younger
  people.

22
Pharmacists

• Earnings
• Median annual earnings of pharmacists is 70,950.
• Median annual earnings in the industries
  employing the largest numbers of pharmacists
• Department stores - 73,730
• Grocery stores - 72,440
• Drug stores and proprietary stores - 72,110
• Hospitals - 68,760

23
Pharmacists

• Additional Information
• American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
  http//www.aacp.org
• National Association of Boards of Pharmacy
  http//www.nabp.net
• National Association of Chain Drug Stores
  http//www.nacds.org

24
Podiatric Medicine

• The Foot
• Complex structure designed for balance and
  mobility
• Highly significant interaction with rest of the
  body
• May be first area to reveal signs of systemic
  medical conditions

25
Podiatric Medicine

• Doctor of Podiatric Medicine
• Specializes in the prevention, diagnosis and
  treatment of foot disorders, diseases, and
  injuries
• Works closely with other health professionals to
  treat and control disease

26
Podiatric Medicine

• Doctor of Podiatric Medicine
• Makes independent decisions
• Performs surgery
• Prescribes medications
• Utilizes radiographic and laboratory tests for
  diagnostic purposes
• Orders physical therapy

27
Podiatric Medicine

• Benefits of a Podiatric Medical Career
• Professional Satisfaction
• Alleviating human suffering
• Flexible practice hours
• Balanced lifestyle

28
Podiatric Medicine

• Need for Podiatric Physicians
• Baby Boomers
• More miles on their feet
• More active lifestyles means more injury-prone
• Largest segment of population
• Diabetes
• Reaching epidemic proportions

29
Podiatric Medicine

• Podiatric Subspecialties
• Diabetic foot
• Geriatrics
• Pediatrics (Podopediatrics)
• Biomechanics/Orthopedics
• Sports Medicine

30
Podiatric Medicine
11th Highest Paid Profession in U.S. Source U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics 2000
Average Net Income 134,557
0 - 2 years 63,088 3 - 5
years 104,909 6 - 9 years 126,717 10 - 14
years 143,141 15 - 24 years 158,509 25
years 125,000 Source APMA 2002
31
Podiatric Medicine

• First Two Years Basic Sciences
• Anatomy
• Biochemistry
• Physiology
• Microbiology
• Pathology
• Histology

32
Podiatric Medicine

• Last Two Years Clinical Training
• 24 months
• Hospitals
• Ambulatory Clinics
• Long-Term Care Facilities
• Community Practices

33
Podiatric Medicine

• Class of 2007 Averages
• Overall GPA 3.3
• Science GPA 3.1
• MCAT 20

34

• Pre-Requisites
• Biology 8 Hours
• Chemistry 8 Hours
• Organic Chemistry 8 Hours
• Physics 8 Hours
• English 6 Hours
• Lab Required

35
Podiatric Medicine

• Pre-Requisites
• 90 semester hours
• Bachelors degree recommended
• MCAT preferred
• Pre-professional advisory committee evaluation
• Interview required

36
Podiatric Medicine

• Online application available through AACPM
• Apply to all 6 member schools with same
  application
• Application cycle begins in September for class
  that starts the following August

37
Podiatric Medicine

• Additional Information
• American Podiatric Medical Association
  http//www.apma.org
• American Association of Colleges of Podiatric
  Medicine http//www.aacpm.org

38
Chiropractors

• Significant Points
• Employment of chiropractors is expected to
  increase faster than average.
• Chiropractic care has become more accepted as a
  result of recent research and changing attitudes.
  
• Earnings are relatively low in the beginning, but
  increase as the practice grows.

39
Chiropractors

• Nature of the Work
• Chiropractors diagnose and treat patients whose
  health problems are associated with the body's
  muscular, nervous, and skeletal systems,
  especially the spine.
• Chiropractors believe interference with these
  systems impairs normal functions and lowers
  resistance to disease.
• The chiropractic approach to healthcare is
  holistic, stressing the patient's overall health
  and wellness.

40
Chiropractors

• Nature of the Work
• Some chiropractors use water, light, massage,
  ultrasound, electric, and heat therapy.
• Chiropractors do not prescribe drugs or perform
  surgery.
• Many chiropractors are solo or group
  practitioners who also have the administrative
  responsibilities of running a practice.
• The average workweek is about 40 hours.
• Chiropractors, like other health practitioners,
  are sometimes on their feet for long periods.

41
Chiropractors

• Employment
• Chiropractors currently hold about 50,000 jobs in
  the U.S.
• Most chiropractors are in solo practice, although
  some are in group practice or work for other
  chiropractors.

42
Chiropractors

• Training
• Most states require at least 2 years of
  undergraduate education
• An increasing number of states require a 4-year
  bachelor's degree.
• All states require completion of a 4-year
  chiropractic college course at an accredited
  program leading to the Doctor of Chiropractic
  degree.

43
Chiropractors

• Training
• There are 16 chiropractic programs in the United
  States accredited by the Council on Chiropractic
  Education.
• All required applicants must have at least 90
  semester hours
• English
• Social sciences and/or humanities
• Organic and inorganic chemistry
• Biology
• Physics
• Psychology.

44
Chiropractors

• Training
• First 2 years of Chiropractic School
• Classroom and laboratory work in basic sciences.
• Last 2 years of Chiropractic School
• Courses in manipulation and spinal adjustments
• Clinical experience in physical and laboratory
  diagnosis, neurology, orthopedics, geriatrics,
  physiotherapy, and nutrition.

45
Chiropractors

• Job Outlook
• Job prospects are expected to be good for persons
  who enter the practice of chiropractic with
  faster than average growth.
• Chiropractic care is appealing to many
  health-conscious Americans due to its holistic
  approach.
• Demand for chiropractic treatment is also related
  to the ability of patients to pay, either
  directly or through health insurance.

46
Chiropractors

• Earnings
• Median annual earnings of salaried chiropractors
  is 67,030.
• Self-employed chiropractors usually earn more
  than salaried chiropractors.
• The average income for all chiropractors,
  including the self-employed, was about 81,500
  after expenses.
• Self-employed chiropractors must provide for
  their own health insurance and retirement.

47
Chiropractors

• Areas of Expansion
• Oriental Medicine
• Naturopathy

48
Chiropractors

• Additional Information
• American Chiropractic Association
  http//www.amerchiro.org
• International Chiropractors Association
  http//www.chiropractic.org
• World Chiropractic Alliance http//www.worldchirop
  racticalliance.org

D.D. Palmer Founder of Chiropractics