Does a veterinary surgeon vet?

Thanks to my son for this – he has inherited my butterfly brain!

He wondered if there was any relationship between the process of vetting an application for a job and the profession of veterinary surgeon.

And it turns out that there is – to my surprise!

Originally, the verb “to vet” meant to check out a horse, or other animal -often before a race or a purchase.

Over time, the process of checking out animals developed into treating animals, and eventually into the profession as it is today.

And, at the same time, the process of vetting, as in checking out, widened to include evaluating, and moved from the animal world to the area of human activity.

Another Butterfly brain delight!