I WANT HER JOB: Dr. Jennifer Wyman (Veterinarian)
Dr. Jennifer Wyman spends her days working with our furry, cuddly friends at Newton Veterinary Hospital. The Sussex, NJ native, who graduated from University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine in May 2008, has one of the top 10 jobs requested by kids during childhood! So we sat down with the avid animal lover (she enjoys being outdoors hiking with her dog Emma and riding her horse Royal on her off-days) to discuss her passionate journey to becoming a veterinarian. For the interview ➫
TEEN DIARIES: Please give our readers a brief description about your job.
Dr. Wyman: My day as a veterinarian ➬ In the morning, I check to see if there are messages on my voicemail and if any lab results are in (bloodwork, etc.). Then I call the owners to let them know what the results are regarding their pets. Depending on the day, I am either in appointments and will see both sick and healthy animals throughout the day, some days I am in surgery, or I am in emergency/ICU taking care of sick animals.
TEEN DIARIES: What is the salary range for your career field?
Dr. Wyman: The salary ranges tremendously because it depends on if you want to be a large animal veterinarian vs. a small animal veterinarian. It also depends on where you live. I would probably say that salaries vary anywhere from around $35,000 to over $100,000. It all depends on what you do. You can be a large animal vet working on dairy farms with sheep, pigs. etc.; you can also get a job working for the USDA [United States Department of Agriculture]; Some veterinarians will work for pharmaceutical companies; or veterinarians can work in a mixed animal practice where they see both large and small animals. So as you can see, there are a lot of different things that you can do as a veterinarian. There are a lot of opportunities.
TEEN DIARIES: What steps did you take to get to where you are today (i.e. education, internships, networking, etc.)?
Dr. Wyman: Becoming a veterinarian begins in high school. It is important to get good grades and EXPERIENCE. Many veterinary schools want to see that you have volunteered or worked in veterinary clinics, farms, etc. Actually, many schools require a certain amount of hours – so starting early really helps. Then after high school you need to do 4 years of undergraduate work at a college and complete pre-requisite courses that the veterinary schools require for entrance. The courses do vary depending on what veterinary school you want to go to, so that is important to keep in mind when planning what classes you want to take. Then after graduation, you need to complete 4 years at a veterinary school. So basically after high school, there is a total of 8 years of schooling that you need to complete to become a veterinarian. During your final year in veterinary school, you have to take the national board examination in order to get your license to become a practicing veterinarian. Also, most states require a state exam as well that you have to pass to be able to practice in that particular state.
TEEN DIARIES: As a teen, did you know that you wanted to work in this field?
Dr. Wyman: I originally wanted to be a horse trainer. Then during my freshman year in high school I fell in a cheerleading accident and hurt my back. At that point I decided that I wanted to be a veterinarian, mostly because of my love for animals and that I wanted to work with them and help the sick animals get better.
TEEN DIARIES: If you couldn’t be in this industry, what other career would you choose?
Dr. Wyman: If I was not able to be a veterinarian, then I would probably have a career in forensic science.
TEEN DIARIES: Did you make any mistakes while pursuing this career that you want to warn others about?
Dr. Wyman: One thing that I would recommend is when applying to undergraduate college, make sure that they have a high percentage of students getting into veterinary schools and make sure that they are well known by the veterinary schools. I have no regrets going to the school that I went to for undergraduate work. In fact, it was probably some of the best years of my life. However, because it was such a small school, most of the veterinary schools were not aware of the school and the reputation that it has, so therefore you have to prove to the school that they should accept you and that you have a lot to offer. Sometimes going to a school that is well known for their graduates, makes it easier to get into vet schools.
TEEN DIARIES: What sacrifices do you have to make for your job?
Dr. Wyman: Being a veterinarian takes a lot of time, especially when you first come out of school. It takes a lot of dedication and concentration. It is not a 9-5 job. Sometimes you leave late, it all depends on the cases that you see that day. The patient comes first, so you have to accept that sometimes you are not going to be able to leave on time and you will have to stay at work and make sure that the patients are being taken care of. Also, most of the time you will have to work some holidays. So you need to be able to accept that as well.
TEEN DIARIES: What is one piece of advice you can give to young women pursuing your career?
Dr. Wyman: One piece of advice that I would have is that if you want to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, start early in researching where you want to go to school, what the requirements are and get as much experience as you can. The one thing that is crucial in succeeding in both undergraduate and veterinary school is TIME MANAGEMENT!
Dr. Wyman was born in Sussex County, NJ and has lived her entire life in New Jersey. She is a member of the AVMA (American Veterinary Medicine Association) and owns a bloodhound mix (Emma) and an American quarter horse (Royal). She went to high school at Kittatinny Regional High School in Hampton, New Jersey and then earned her BS in Biology at Wilson College in Chambersburg, PA. She recived her degree in veterinary medicine from the University of Tennessee in May 2008 and started working at Newton Veterinary Hospital in June 2008.
Tags: Animals, Career, Dr. Jennifer Wyman, I Want Her Job, Pet Care, Veterinarian
