The faculty member who teaches veterinary medicine in a college of veterinary medicine — covering clinical practice, surgical technique, and the clinical reasoning veterinary practice requires. Half academic faculty, half practicing or recently practicing veterinarian.
Most days tend to involve a blend of classroom teaching, clinical and surgical supervision, and continued clinical practice — leading didactic content, supervising students in the teaching hospital, and seeing your own patients. You'll often spend part of the time on scholarly work — research, case work, or curriculum development — that academic veterinary medicine expects.
The harder part is often balancing the multiple demands of teaching, clinical care, and scholarship in a profession where the breadth of species and clinical contexts is significant. You'll typically work with students at varied clinical readiness, while staying credible clinically with the patients and colleagues that depend on you.
People who tend to thrive here are clinically grounded, patient teachers, and willing to invest in academic responsibilities. The trade-off is the salary differential with private veterinary practice and the cumulative work of academic responsibilities. If you find satisfaction in shaping the next generation of veterinarians, the work can carry meaning that pure clinical practice doesn't.
Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.
Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.
The faculty member who teaches veterinary medicine in a college of veterinary medicine — covering clinical practice, surgical technique, and the clinical reasoning veterinary practice requires. Half academic faculty, half practicing or recently practicing veterinarian.
Median pay for a Veterinary Medicine Teacher is about $106K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $52K to $208K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Instructing, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, and Learning Strategies.
Most people in this role hold a master's degree.
Employment in this field is projected to grow about 17.3% through 2034, with roughly 229,720 people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Health Teacher, First Aid Teacher, and Clinical Instructor.
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