A marine biologist or a vet for marine animals?

Question

i cant choose and i would love to do both but i would rather just go to school for 1

Answer 1

Sophia pretty much summed it up. As for which career to choose, you should look at why you're interested in those fields and think about what would make you happier. Are you interested in the health of particular animals? Would you like to work in a stable environment? Maybe being a vet would be the best bet. If you're interested in learning about a whole group of animals, thier interactions, physiology, or behavior, perhaps marine science is for you. Don't be afraid to volunteer, many coastal cities have stranding networks and rehabilitation centers where you could get the chance to work with marine mammals, birds and herps. Once you become a junior or senior in high school, look into internships with groups doing research in marine systems and get your feet wet. A lot of people go into marine biology thinking that it will be like Jacques Cousteau (or Steve Zissou :) ) and are disappointed when they find out what its really like. Or they end up being interested in a group of animals they had no idea that they would like and discover a new love :)

Answer 2

The vast majority of marine biologists do not work with mammals, so be careful if you think that's what you want to do.  If you want to care for animals like dolphins, seals, turtles, you are better off with training in a program like Wildlife Care.

If you want to do research, then marine biology might be appropriate, but expect to at minimum get a Master's Degree (so you would be in college 6-7 years).  Getting into vet school is difficult and I don't know about the job market for specialists with marine animals.