Veterinarian
Veterinarians are experts in the health and medical care of animals, animal protection, and the prevention of contagious animal diseases. They also take on tasks related to food control. Veterinarians are employed by municipalities, the state, universities and the industry, and private veterinary clinics. Many veterinarians choose to work as entrepreneurs. The work requires the ability to get along with both animals and people, make decisions and assume responsibility.
Veterinary clinics, wellbeing services counties, municipalities, the food industry and organisations.
The work of a veterinarian requires mastering extensive amounts of scientific knowledge and the ability to apply it to practice. Veterinarians must also be familiar with applicable legislation. Clinical work requires the ability to handle animals, and knowledge of the behaviour of animals will help in daily work. Manual skills and rapid decision-making ability are needed in treatment procedures.
Good customer service and communication skills are needed when dealing with animal owners. Good cooperation skills are needed when working together with, for example, animal carers, other veterinarians and the authorities. The profession requires precision, punctuality, logical thinking, and good organisational skills.
The working positions of a veterinarian may be physically demanding in treatment situations, and they may also require strength, for example when helping large animals give birth. Sometimes rapid reactions are required, for example, when an ill or difficult animal is defending itself.
Veterinarians must keep up with the developments of their own field. Allergies are detrimental to veterinarians in clinical positions.
Veterinary medicine can be studied in universities. The studies lead to a Licentiate of Veterinary Medicine degree. Further vocational training, i.e. degree programmes leading to a specialist's degree in veterinary medicine, is offered in equine diseases, small animal diseases, infectious animal diseases, health care and treatment of production animals, general veterinary medicine and environmental health care. A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree can be completed as a scientific post-graduate degree.
In addition to national specialisation training, veterinarians can complete European Diplomate specialisation training.
Only licensed veterinarians may work as veterinarians in Finland. Veterinarians are licensed by the Finnish Food Authority.
Eläinlääkärin laillistaminen (EU-/ETA -maissa valmistunut) (suomi.fi, in finnish)
Median salary
4500 €/mo
Private sector
4668 €/mo
Public sector
4239 €/mo
The data is based on the median income, meaning the amount of salary which is the middle of the salary amounts arranged in order of magnitude.
Source: Statistics Finland's structural statistics on wages and salaries