To become a specialist, a veterinarian must have completed, at a minimum, four-five years of veterinary training at university, a one year internship or equivalent, and three years in a residency program that meets the standards of a recognized specialty college. There are additional training and caseload requirements that must be met during the residency. Finally, once all the criteria have been met, the veterinarian must pass a series of rigorous examinations before they are allowed to call themselves a specialist. Most countries, including NZ and Australia, have additional registration requirements for specialists that have done training overseas.

Specialists have strict continuing education requirements to ensure they remain up to date with the latest developments in their field. This may involve going to specialist level conferences or continuing to publish research.

Your primary veterinarian may refer you to a veterinary specialist for diagnosis and advanced treatment if your pet is believed to have a medical condition that requires special care. Typically, your referring primary veterinarian will work closely with the veterinary specialist to create a treatment plan that will benefit your pet's specific needs

Most specialists work at large hospitals or referral centers; therefore, in addition to having advanced training, they also have access to state-of-the-art facilities, equipment and support staff that may not be available to your first opinion Vet. At the same time, they can coordinate treatment with other veterinary specialists to ensure that the highest quality of care is available for each of the animal’s medical or surgical ailments.

General practice veterinarians must complete veterinary school, and have a breadth of knowledge across many fields including dentistry, preventative health care, general surgery, and other interests while a veterinary specialist has focused training and education in a specific field. This is similar to the distribution of care between general practioners and specialists in human medicine.