My Future Careers: Veterinarian and/or Zookeeper

2. My Future Careers: Veterinarian and/or Zookeeper Courtney Lange

3. Introduction • Always had a passion for animals • Growing up, I thought about my future jobs • Two main focuses: veterinarian and zookeeper

4. Veterinarian 

5. Veterinarian Background Information: Steps, Requirements and Classes • Average GPA of a 3.0 • Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Veterinary College Admissions Test (VCAT) or the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). • Only 27 colleges in U.S that meet American Veterinary Medical Association requirements

6. Background Continued • In order “to obtain a license, applicants must have a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (D.M.V) degree from an accredited college of veterinary medicine and pass a State board examination” (“The Veterinarian Profession”).

7. What a Veterinarian Does, and the Importance • diagnose medical problems, dress wounds, set broken bones, perform surgery, prescribe and administer medicines and etc. • Can be unpleasant, physically and emotionally demanding, and sometimes dangerous • Can be fun and rewarding

8. Veterinarian Job and Importance Continued • Dr. Brand explained to me that “there are many skills that are essential when being a successful veterinarian such as strong work ethic, self-motivation, time management, communication, and study skills” (Brand).

9. Working Conditions and Work Place as a Veterinarian • Work under stress • Often work long hours • Noisy indoor environments • Deal with emotional demanding owners • At risk of being bitten, kicked, or scratched

10. Why I Want to Become a Veterinarian/ My Recent Experiences • Rewarding and exciting experience • Internship has been an advantage

11. Zookeeper 

12. Zookeeper Background Information: Steps, Requirements and Classes • Required to finish high school, and some college • Experiences with animal handling on farms, vet offices, etc is important • TEC Level @ First Certificate/ Diploma in Animal Care, BTEC and NPTC Level 2 Award/ Certificate/ Diploma in Animal Care

13. What Zookeeper’s Do and Why They’re Important • Take care of wild animals in zoos and animal parks • Feeding, cleaning and keeping animals healthy • Working with varieties of animals

14. Zookeeper Job and Importance Continued • I asked Beth Miller what she had to say about her job and she said that “this job is for a select group of people; you have to have a good attitude and put a smile on your face and be there for the animals for their own sake” (Miller).

15. Working Conditions and Work Place as a Zookeeper • Work outside in all types of weather • Animals can bite, kick, scratch, or spread disease. • Need to be cared for everyday, every hour • Long work hours, often on holidays or weekends

16. Working Conditions and Work Place Continued • Beth Miller explains what her experiences are like working at a zoo every day. She clarified that “the zookeepers go out in all weather conditions every day, whether it is rain or shine, snow or sleet they are outside” (Miller).

17. Why I Want to Become a Zookeeper/ My Experiences • Will start volunteering or shadowing at a zoo or aquarium • Have taken biology, chemistry, AP environmental and zoology • Want to branch out with other animals

18. Conclusion • This research opened my eyes to both jobs • Learned more about course work, working conditions, skills and other requirements • Use this research for my future

19. Activity- Nation Pet Week • Animal charades • I will hand out a card with a animal that you will act out the best you can • Students can raise their hand, and guess the animal • Whoever guesses it right will be next