Veterinary medicine is no longer a man's world. Nearly 80 percent of veterinary school applicants are women, compared with 47 percent a decade ago and about 5 percent in the late 1960s, according to the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges. As a result, women are poised to overtake what was traditionally a male-dominated profession. Many veterinarians say this shift is occurring because salaries for veterinarians aren't competitive with those in other medical professions, although the years and cost of training required are comparable. Aspiring physicians and vets require strong grades in demanding college science classes and four years of advanced studies. Veterinary graduates also can spend several extra years working as interns and residents, as physicians do. Yet veterinarians earn an average of $70,000 to $80,000 a year, while physicians often earn salaries upwards of $150,000. "A lot of men aren't going into veterinary medicine because they don't feel they can support their families that way," said Dr. Deborah Abt of East Suburban Animal Hospital in Export. But veterinary medicine offers some flexibility that human medicine does not. Physicians can't easily practice part-time, but many veterinarians can. With the advent of emergency clinics for small animals, veterinarians caring for household pets also can work daylight shifts only. Both of these are attractive options for many women juggling careers and family. "Small-animal practice hours are better because I am a working mother," said Dr. Linda Mathias of Point Breeze Veterinary Clinic, who spent eight years caring for large and small animals in Centre County before treating cats and dogs only in Pittsburgh's East End. "I used to be called out to farms at 4:30 in the morning to attend to the birthing of a calf after dealing with an emergency at midnight," Mathias said. "It was overwhelming sometimes." For Mathias, though, the decision to limit her practice to small animals had more to do with her longtime interest in internal medicine than lifestyle choices. "I like science. I like animals. I like people," she said. "So when you put it all together, it's a perfect blend."

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