Also called: Zoological Medicine Veterinarian
Provides medical care for every species at a zoo or aquarium, from frogs to rhinos.
Darts a sick zebra with a sedative, does dental work on a tiger, performs an ultrasound on a pregnant orangutan who was trained to hold still for it, and checks newly arrived penguins in quarantine.
Estimate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Professional degree (MD, JD, DVM…), about 13 years after high school. DVM plus a zoo medicine internship and residency; board certification (ACZM).
Ways in: 4-year college, Professional school. Training cost: Over $150k.
Majors to look at: Zoology, Biology, Animal Science, Pre-Veterinary.
Growing much faster than average (about 10% over 10 years). Very competitive; few positions.
Low risk for 10 years. AI helps read X-rays and lab results; darting, anesthetizing and treating rhinos to frogs stays hands-on.
Classes: AP Biology, AP Chemistry, Vet-science CTE, AP Statistics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 29-1131.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.