What's in a DVM?
Are not those whom we call doctor, for any given species, just as competent?
Veterinarians, much like physicians, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, and others, are healthcare providers. Veterinarians and physicians, particularly, are two sides of the same coin, providing roughly the same scope of services to two different populations of patients: humans and non-humans. But what exactly happens in a DVM curriculum? How does it compare to an MD program? What exactly is the scope of veterinary medicine? Given the frequency with which veterinary professionals seem to find their status as medical professionals undermined, answering these questions is prudent. Let it be emphasized that the purpose of this article is not to disparage any other healthcare profession or to imply the superiority of another. Rather, the aim is to highlight the rigor that is present in both programs and illustrate that veterinarians are just as much medical professionals as any other practitioner, prompted by shared experiences across the profession where our competence, qualifications, and education are routinely questioned.
