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Image of career: Veterinarian

Veterinarian

Overview

Veterinarians are animal health specialists who diagnose and treat animals, and conduct routine examinations to ensure pet health.

Description

  • Prescribe and administer medication to animals.
  • Advise clients on health, nutrition, feeding, hygiene, breeding, and care of animals.
  • Perform autopsies to determine cause of death in animals.
  • Perform routine examinations to make sure animals are healthy.
  • Perform surgery on animals when required.

Entry requirements

  • You need at least a Bachelor's Degree in Veterinary Medicine from by the American Veterinary Medical Association or the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council accredited schools.
  • NUS also offers an 11-semester programme with University of Melbourne.
  • You must have a licence from NParks/AVS to practise in Singapore.

Salary

$5,700 – 9,000

/mo

Salary ranges are estimated based on public information found on Singaporean job portals, including MyCareersFuture, MySkillsFuture. Updated as of 2026.

Trivia

Veterinarians have good detective skills. They can't ask their patients "Where does it hurt?" so they've mastered reading body language, behaviour changes, and subtle physical signs.

What to expect

You'll take on various roles: surgeon, dentist, anaesthetist, radiologist, and obstetrician. You'll also need empathy when speaking with pet owners.

Soft
skills

Decisiveness

Able to make confident, rapid decisions in situations.

Flexibility

Able to adapt to various situations, animals, and schedules.

Working Under Pressure

Ability to work quickly during stressful and urgent scenarios.

Medical Knowledge of Animals

Possess expert understanding of animal biology, diseases, and effective treatments.

Hygiene

Possess high standards to maintain cleanliness and prevent disease transmission.

Handling Bodily Fluids

Ability to handle animal bodily fluids safely to prevent contamination and health risks.

Hard
skills

Frequently asked questions

From private veterinary clinics to zoological institutions like Mandai Wildlife Group, veterinarians may work anywhere that needs professional animal care.

Regular hours are 5 days a week with rotational evening and weekend duties. They might be called in after hours for emergencies.

Coping mechanisms vary, but many find talking to clients or colleagues and spending time with other animals in the hospital helpful.

With proper training, protective gear, and equipment, veterinarians are less susceptible to contracting infectious bacteria while working with animals.

Animal & Veterinary Service requires 50 Continuing Professional Education points over two years before licence renewal, with minimum 16 points from structured activities.