Exploring a Career in Research: What Every Veterinary Student Should Know

Veterinary students, particularly those studying in this part of the world, are often limited in terms of the possible career paths they can pursue. Many vet students believe it is simply their fate to treat dogs, cats, and other animals after graduation and thus may not consider other career opportunities open to them.

There are many such opportunities, however, this article seeks to shed light on one in particular - research. As a penultimate-year veterinary student with a few years of experience exploring research, I will share my knowledge on what a research career could mean for you, what category of students might be interested in such a career, and quick tips on how to get started.

(Disclaimer: This article will not delve in deep enough for you to learn all there is to know about research.)

What is a Research Career?

Whenever one hears the word “research”, it is easy to picture a science geek in a white lab coat holding a micro-pipette and a test tube, and all they do, day in, day out, is just read papers and mix chemicals - boring stuff, right? If that’s you, well, you're not entirely wrong.

However, biomedical research is so broad that this is not always true. The research field is "no man's land", broad enough to accommodate interests across diverse fields. Depending on your area of interest, you may find yourself working mostly with computers as a bioinformatician, with animals as a clinical or wildlife researcher, or with micro-pipettes, test tubes, and the like if you are interested in more traditional biomedical research fields.

You can even work with a combination of two or more of these. As a veterinary researcher, you can merge your interest in clinics with research as a clinical researcher, regardless of where your interest lies - whether in large or small animal medicine, theriogenology, or surgery. In recent times, it is no longer rare to find interdisciplinary or collaborative research that brings together professionals from different areas of expertise. As a researcher, one can work in academia as a professor, as well as in industry or government positions.

Who is a Research Career Suitable for?

The truth is, research is not the path for everyone, and certainly, it isn't the only path to success in the veterinary profession. That being said, if you have a knack for (basic) science as a vet student, as well as a strong desire to acquire and advance knowledge in a particular field, or are interested in promoting animal and/or human health through infectious disease epidemiology, diagnostics, drug, and vaccine development, public health, etc., then a research career might be fitting for you.

If you intend to explore research while you work towards a DVM degree, you'll need to cultivate initiative, persistence, and grit. This is especially important if you study in an under-resourced environment where important facilities are inaccessible.

How to Get Started in Research

Great job if you have made it this far! I'd like to believe that by now, you already have a basic idea of what research is. Perhaps, you have already decided to become a researcher and are wondering how to prepare yourself for that endeavour. Here are some steps you can take going forward:

1) Identify your interest: One of the first steps you'll take is to determine which line of study appeals to you. Doing this may require some deep introspection to find out what interests you and why it does. It could be a disease that you've had a direct or indirect experience with or one that is prevalent in your community. You may wonder how its emergence or spread can be prevented or controlled. It could also be a topic that fascinated you during lectures, and you want to learn more about.

2) Find out more: The next step I'd advise is to expand your knowledge about the area you are interested in. It's okay if you don't have a specific one in mind yet, or if you have multiple interests. To learn more, you may do some online searches, take courses, or talk to lecturers or colleagues.

3) Volunteer: Engage in volunteer activities such as working as research assistants with lecturers, participating in research projects in-person or remotely, or volunteering as an intern at a lab. This will offer you relevant experience if you already know what areas interest you. If you want to test the waters to see if research is your thing, it may offer clarity.

4) Look out for opportunities: Events such as conferences, seminars, and summer research programmes, provide an excellent means to improve your experience. Be on the lookout for such opportunities and if they require you to apply, make sure you make strong applications!

I am sure that you have learned a thing or two from this article. Kindly drop your comment stating what you learned, and if you have any questions, I will be glad to answer them.

Written by Damilola Gbore (Dr Focus)