Читать книгу Careers with Dogs - Kim Campbell Thornton - Страница 76

For veterinarians with an interest in teaching, research, service, and administration, academia beckons. The field of education has many excellent career opportunities in veterinary schools, medical schools, and other colleges and universities. An academic career can permit a veterinarian to combine research, hands-on pet care, and teaching.

Depending on their positions, veterinarians on the faculty of a university may spend 80 percent of their time doing research, with the remaining time available for clinical practice and teaching, or 80 percent of their time in clinical practice and instruction, with the remainder devoted to research or administrative work.

Administrative Attributes

Large private practices are run by medical directors. Administrators, whether they are directors of large veterinary hospitals or deans of veterinary schools, must have demonstrated leadership ability, strong mentoring and team building skills, and excellent communication skills as well as business-management skills. Throughout your education and in practice, look for opportunities to build those skills if you want to take your career in an administrative direction.

Under the direction of associate professor Larry Myers, Auburn University veterinary student Erica Blackman trains a Labrador Retriever to sniff water samples for compounds that produce off-flavors in catfish.

At the administrative level, deans of veterinary schools oversee veterinarians, researchers, faculty members, staff, and students, a challenging task that brings many rewards. A dean spends his or her day attending meetings with associate deans and department chairs, managing programs, and communicating with the local government and other outside agencies. When a busy schedule permits, the dean may teach a class or two, affording him or her another way to stay in touch with students.

Another administrative position in academia is that of department chair. A department chair supervises all of the faculty members in his or her department, helps guide their careers, and is responsible for teaching and research programs. As with any management position, the skills needed include conflict resolution and the ability to handle personnel issues.