Referral Service Frequently Asked Questions Whats the difference between a regular veterinarian and a veterinary specialist?
Your pet’s veterinarian and a veterinary specialist both have earned their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, requiring typically eight years of college and professional training. Your regular veterinarian, also called a “primary care” or “family” veterinarian, is in general practice and has the primary responsibility to manage you pet’s health, including preventive care and perform common surgeries as needed. A veterinary specialist has typically completed four additional years of specialty training (for a total of 12 years college and professional training). The specialty training includes an internship and residency program in a particular practice area, such as Surgery, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Ophthalmology, Oncology, etc. To become board-certified, these candidates must also pass rigorous training and testing requirements as developed by the ‘board” that governs the speciality for which the veterinarian is seeking admission. Graduates who pass and are accepted by the board of th
