Veterinary medicine is the science that investigates domestic animals and wild animals to better understand their impact on human health, and protect the food supply by controlling diseases transmitted between animal species. Veterinarians possess medical skills combined with communications and problem-solving abilities which make them uniquely qualified to fulfill an array of roles in society.
Many veterinarians specialize in treating traditional pets like dogs, cats and birds as well as exotic species like reptiles and hamsters through private clinical practice. Others cater to livestock such as dairy cows, pigs and horses for food production; still others focus on public health issues like disease control, homeland security or environmental quality or even research and development projects.
Our world is continuously shifting, creating new challenges for the field of veterinary medicine. For example, four generations of pet owners now exist within this profession as it deals with an ever-increasing mix of race, ethnicity and gender diversity. Additionally, globalization of economy impacts human and animal populations alike which requires us to respond accordingly.
UC Davis is at the forefront of meeting these challenges through innovation in education, research, and service. The School of Veterinary Medicine regularly tops lists as one of the world’s premier veterinary schools with its curriculum that emphasizes active learning based on basic sciences that apply directly to clinical cases graduates will see in their careers. With multiple career areas such as companion animal, farm animal, equine and mixed animal emphasis and our innovative CAE spectrum of care care offering multiple opportunities.
CAE features an immersive fourth-year rotation experience at off-campus sites tailored to each student’s area of interest, designed to increase students’ confidence in providing veterinary care while preparing them for real-world professional practice demands. Students work closely with faculty coaches who observe and coach them during treatment room interactions with clients and patients while audiovisual technology captures these interactions for future training purposes.
Veterinary medicine has made significant strides toward human health by diagnosing and treating some of the world’s deadliest diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, botulism and West Nile Virus. Furthermore, research veterinarians from universities, colleges and governmental agencies are continually discovering new methods to detect and treat animal and human ailments alike.
Veterinary medicine is overseen by government agencies in most countries to protect public health. For example, the European Union’s (EU) Medicines Act mandates that any veterinary medicines sold within its borders be approved by an authoritative national body before being sold; this ensures adequate health protection while simultaneously creating innovative products similar to human medicines marketed and evaluated; ultimately this system strives to produce high-quality drugs which can be used on various animal species for prophylactic or therapeutic use.