Veterinarian License in Maine

Maine requires a DVM degree from an AVMA-accredited school and passage of the NAVLE for veterinary licensure. The Maine Board of Veterinary Medicine oversees the profession. Maine has no in-state veterinary school; candidates typically attend Tufts University, Cornell University, or other northeastern programs, which increases the cost and complexity of entering the profession for Maine residents. Maine's rural character and dispersed population create significant demand for mixed-practice veterinarians who can handle both companion animals and large animals. The state's agricultural economy includes dairy farming, blueberry cultivation, potato farming in Aroostook County, and a growing organic and small-farm movement that emphasizes sustainable animal husbandry. Maine's lobster and aquaculture industries along the coast, including salmon farming operations, present opportunities in aquatic animal health. Wildlife veterinary medicine is also relevant given the state's large moose, deer, and black bear populations. The northern and Downeast regions face veterinary workforce shortages, and recruitment of new graduates to these remote communities remains a persistent challenge.