our advice: ASK DR. CATE
Vet Rap by
Dr. Ryan Cate
Interested in Being a Vet?
Here’s What You Need to Do
By DR. RYAN CATE and MELISSA MOORMAN
QUESTION:
Dear Dr. Cate: My son is interested
in becoming a veterinarian and is
currently in college and applying to
vet schools. What are the education
and qualifications you look for when
you hire a vet in one of your loca-
tions?
Dr. Martin is originally from
Haslet, Texas, and is looking forward
to settling into the Weatherford loca-
tion. “I’m looking forward to a new
practice and a new county,” he said.
He and his wife are looking forward
to the opportunity to settle in Parker
County for a long time.
I asked Dr. Martin about what
makes a good vet and he had a great
answer that sums up your question.
He said, “Patience is necessary. It’s
a stressful job and you deal with
people at their best and worst times.
You’re working on a family member
many times, not just an animal. It’s
not always clear what the problem
is, so diagnosis can take time. It takes
a good work ethic, so re-consider if
you are afraid of long hours or late
nights. As a vet you’re
an obstetrician, internal
medicine and a surgeon
all rolled into one.”
I would reiterate his
statements, because
you never know with a
walk-in clinic what you
might have to tackle
that day. You could be
treating a dog that was
hit by a car, a cat that
swallowed a foreign
object, or a livestock
animal that needs a
routine vaccine. You
have to be flexible and
willing to help a patient
day or night. Long hours
are expected.
Being a vet is also very rewarding.
While the love of animals is impor-
tant, a vet can make a difference
in the lives of people and animals.
Tell your son to study hard; most
vet schools are very competitive and
there aren’t that many of them. Good
luck!
ANSWER:
That’s a great question. I just
hired a new vet to work at the Grote
Veterinary Clinic on
Santa Fe Drive in
Weatherford. His name
is Dr. Tyler Martin. He
and his wife, Gabrielle,
are both veterinar-
ians. She’s an equine
specialist, but he’s
spent the last six years
at Alvarado Vet Clinic.
I was impressed by Dr.
Tyler Martin’s experi-
ence there because it is
one of the larger mixed-
animal practices in our
area. He spent a year as
an intern there and then
five more years working
for the group. He told
me, “The Alvarado clin-
ic is a very busy place;
we see all of the weird
things. Foreign bodies, the worst
and the best of disease in animals.
Because of that environment, you can
get a lot of experience and become a
better doctor.”
Becoming a vet is difficult. Many
vets major in animal science, as did
Dr. Martin. He attended Colorado
State University earning his bach-
elor’s degree and veterinary science
degree, graduating in 2012. At
the earliest, you can graduate and
become a vet in eight years. Many
graduate and continue to specialize,
or like Dr. Martin, do an internship
to gain additional experience. His
specific interests are in veterinary
medicine and surgery, and he has
extensive experience in both orthope-
dic and soft tissue surgeries.
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