Malaysia Veterinary Forum (Archive)

Alam · Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 5

i'm a form four student... currently identifiying my direction in life...

I love animals and nature... what careers are there for me?

If i would like to be a vet, how and what shall i do after SPM?

If i would like to be a biologist, how and what shall i do after SPM?

what do vets do in Malaysia?

Is it better to study veterinary overseas? if so, where?

Please give me some reply... thanks.

Dr Nat · Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 1834 Location: Klang Valley

Very deep questions... I shall try to answer some.

I love animals and nature... what careers are there for me?
Vet is only one option. There's others... biologist, marine biologist, forest ranger, mountain climber, zoo keeper, groomer, wildlife photographer, conservationist, behaviourist, researcher, ecologist, landscaper, fishermen, etc etc... the list is endless. There's also a lot of job that doesn't require direct contact with animals or nature, but you can still help them out - fundraiser, laboratory assistant, clinical researcher, lecturer, lobbyist, etc etc. I guess the best way to start, is to google, read newspapers, look through classifieds - it'll give you an idea of what is out there and what is easily available.

If i would like to be a vet, how and what shall i do after SPM?
In short, take a pre-u qualification (STPM, A-Levels, Matriculation, etc) - and apply for a vet school. But you'd have to do research on which vet school accepts which type of qualification, and what kind of results they are looking for.

If i would like to be a biologist, how and what shall i do after SPM?
A biologist is really a general term. If you do alright for a pre-u qualification, and then do a course on biology or something similar, you can call yourself a biologist afterwards (I think). But what job awaits you after that is another matter altogether. There's many things a biologist can do - work in lab, do research, pharmaceutical sales, quality control, etc etc.

what do vets do in Malaysia?
Also a very general question. There are many things a vet can do in Malaysia. There are many fields that you can go into - pets (cats and dogs), farm animals, feed mills, research, wildlife, horses, pharmaceuticals, animal welfare, government, pet shops, etc etc...

Is it better to study veterinary overseas? if so, where?
I must say that there are some countries that have better vet schools than Malaysia - such as in Europe, USA, Australia, South Africa. But you'll have to becareful where you go to study, cos not all degree will be recognised here in Malaysia. Furthermore, a lot of it really depends on how YOU study, not WHERE you study.