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We’ll hand-match roles based on what matters to you.
We’ll hand-match roles based on what matters to you.
Veterinary medicine in Mississippi runs close to the land and close to its communities. Vet jobs in Mississippi span companion animal hospitals in fast-growing suburbs, mixed practices serving cattle and horse owners in rural counties, and clinics in coastal towns where pets share an outdoor life with their families. Clients often stay loyal to one practice for years, and a clinic can become part of the fabric of the town it serves.
The profession here has a strong anchor in Starkville, home to Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, the state’s only veterinary school. That link between academia, agriculture and everyday practice shapes much of the work, from herd health on cattle operations to referral relationships between general practitioners and specialists.
Mississippi’s veterinary work reaches well beyond these areas, but together they give a sense of its variety.
Jackson metro: The capital region, including Madison, Ridgeland, Brandon and Flowood, holds the state’s largest concentration of companion animal hospitals, with busy general practices serving commuting families alongside emergency and referral care. The Ross Barnett Reservoir, the Natchez Trace Parkway and a lively food and music scene fill the time away from work.
Gulf Coast: Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Springs and Pascagoula form a coastal strip where dogs swim, fish and walk the beaches with their owners, and where the warm, humid climate keeps parasite prevention and dermatology in steady focus. Fresh seafood, waterfront towns and the arts community of Ocean Springs give the region a relaxed, sociable pace.
DeSoto County and North Mississippi: Southaven, Olive Branch and Horn Lake sit just south of Memphis, where new neighborhoods and young families keep small animal practice at the center of the work. Farther east, Oxford and Tupelo pair college-town and small-city life with rolling countryside and lakes such as Sardis.
The Golden Triangle: Starkville, Columbus and West Point surround the veterinary college, giving practitioners ready access to continuing education, referral services and a close professional network. Cattle and equine work sits alongside companion animal care, and college football weekends set the rhythm of fall.
The Delta: The flat, fertile land along the Mississippi River is defined by row crops and catfish farming, and its practices care for companion animals and hunting dogs in close-knit towns such as Greenville, Cleveland and Clarksdale. The region’s blues heritage runs through its museums, clubs and festivals.
You need a state license from the Mississippi Board of Veterinary Medicine to practice here. The board’s application process asks for NAVLE scores reported through the AAVSB, proof of your veterinary degree, letters of good standing from every jurisdiction where you have held a license, and three letters of recommendation from licensed veterinarians, followed by a state board exam taken through the AAVSB. Licenses renew every year. Requirements and fees can change, so confirm the current process directly with the board before you apply.
If you qualified outside the US, you will typically complete an educational equivalence program such as ECFVG or PAVE before licensure. Our page on support for internationally trained vets explains how we work with candidates making that transition.
According to Mississippi occupational wage estimates for May 2024, published by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, the state employed 520 veterinarians with a mean annual wage of $108,120. These figures exclude self-employed practice owners.
Build the board’s processing time into your plans so your license is in hand before your start date. Give any offer the same care, too: our guide to reviewing an employment contract covers when a lawyer’s eye is worthwhile.
Sterling is a network of independent recruiters with relationships at practices throughout Mississippi. Working with us costs you nothing, and you never sign an exclusivity agreement, so you keep full control of your search. We focus on permanent roles, whether full-time, part-time or on a flexible schedule, and we take time to understand the caseload, team and community you want before we introduce you to a practice.
If companion animal medicine is your focus, our general practice veterinarian roles span the country. When an interview is on the calendar, our tips for interviewing well help you present yourself clearly and learn what you need to know about a practice.
Mississippi’s neighbors have strong veterinary communities of their own, and we recruit there too: see our vet jobs in Tennessee, vet jobs in Louisiana and vet jobs in Alabama.
Tell us where in Mississippi you would like to practice and what matters most to you in your career, and speak with a Sterling recruiter about roles that fit.
