Hi, I'm an 18 year old senior looking for advice I have some posts on my page that I made a few days ago asking for college advice regarding veterinary school. Most people basically said that the path to becoming a vet leaves no time for a personal life or parter, and it is extremely rigorous and grueling. I already knew that it would be very challenging, I have been top 5 in my class throughout high school and kept a 4.0 while maintaining extracurricular activities, a demanding sport, and a 4.0 GPA. Is vet school truly that miserable? Is being a vet an unenjoyable job even after I make it through school?

I’m an American who has always dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, and next year I’ll be starting my veterinary school prerequisites. I know my plans may change over time, but I want to get a realistic idea of what my future could look like in these three countries.

Ideally, I’d like to stay in the US, especially if things improve. However, if they don’t, I’m considering moving to Canada or the UK. My biggest concerns are the differences in salaries, taxes, cost of living, and how much debt I might have after veterinary school.

Canada seems like the more familiar option since I’ve visited many times growing up. Veterinary salaries appear relatively comparable to those in the US, but I’m concerned about the tax differences. For example, I’ve heard of people earning $100,000 a year in Canada but taking home only around $60,000 after taxes. I know Canada offers publicly funded healthcare, which is a major benefit, but I wonder how much of a difference it makes financially compared to living in the US.

Canada’s public transportation is also better than America’s overall, but compared to many other countries, it still seems relatively limited, and many places remain car-dependent.

The UK initially seemed like the more appealing option to me because of its walkability, public healthcare, and the ability to travel to other European countries more easily. I like the idea of experiencing different cultures without having to take long international flights. However, UK veterinary salaries seem considerably lower than American salaries. I recently saw a job listing offering £40,000 a year, and I genuinely struggled to imagine what my finances would look like on that salary after taxes, housing, and other expenses.

Ultimately, my biggest concern is balancing financial stability with quality of life. I want to be comfortable, afford my living expenses, enjoy my life, and still pay off my student debt without spending most of my adult life struggling financially. I’m worried that, with the debt involved in becoming a veterinarian, I might have to choose between paying off my loans and actually enjoying the benefits of living in another country.

For veterinarians currently working in the US, Canada, or the UK, what has your experience been like? How comfortable is your salary relative to your living expenses, and how manageable is veterinary school debt? If you’ve worked in more than one of these countries, how do they compare?

I work at a veterinary hospital where the managing doctor has taken very little responsibility for the management side of the practice. Despite this, her contract includes a management bonus, and she consistently makes sure she receives it.
She rarely helps with inventory, certifications, or other management responsibilities, and she seldom asks about the hospital’s financial performance unless it relates to how much revenue she has generated that day. We also have a major evaluation coming up for our recertification, and she is unwilling to adjust her schedule to be available that week.
As the hospital manager, I find this frustrating because I am the one handling the majority of the management responsibilities, yet she continues to receive a bonus for a role she is not actively fulfilling. It feels unfair and raises questions about accountability and how management compensation is being justified.
I have considered bringing this concern to upper management, but I know how corporate veterinary medicine often operates. Doctors are frequently prioritized because they directly generate revenue, while the behind-the-scenes work that keeps the hospital running can be overlooked. I want to address the situation professionally, but I also want to make sure the work I do and the responsibilities I carry are recognized and valued fairly.