Home | Timelines and Courses | Registration | Careers | Volunteer & Research Opps | Forms
Health Scholars Program | FAQs | Post-Baccalaureate Program
Veterinary Medicine
Considering Veterinary School
Veterinarians diagnose medical problems, perform surgery, and prescribe medication for animals. Most veterinarians are in private practice and specialize in the treatment of pets, such as dogs, cats, and birds. Other veterinarians work with large animals on farms or ranches, or with laboratory animals in pharmaceutical or research companies.
The degree awarded by schools of veterinary medicine is the D.V.M. or V.M.D. (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine). Graduates of schools of veterinary medicine are employed in a variety of settings including animal hospitals or clinics, livestock farms, and research laboratories.
Click here to look at the employment outlook for veterinarians published in the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Undergraduate Preparation
General science requirements for admission to schools of veterinary medicine are listed below:
Introductory Chemistry 8 s.h.
Organic Chemistry 8 s.h.
Introductory Physics 8 s.h.
General Biology 8 s.h.
Genetics 1 semester
Additional requirements may include:
Animal Science, Biochemistry, Statistics, Microbiology, and Nutrition.
Schools have different prerequisites, so be sure to investigate the specific requirements of schools where you will be applying.
Schools of Veterinary Medicine
The best way to find out about veterinary programs is to write to them directly for their catalogs or visit their websites. Click here to go to a list of Schools of Veterinary Medicine.
Application Process
Students interested in applying to schools of veterinary medicine should plan early to complete the prerequisite courses. Like medical schools, admission to veterinary programs is very competitive, especially because there are so few schools. In addition to a high G.P.A., veterinary schools are interested in students' letters of recommendation, scores on the GRE or MCAT, health and animal-related volunteer or work experiences, personal statements, and presentation at interviews.
For more detailed information on the elements of a veterinary school application, click here to go to the Veterinary School Application Manual.
Related Links
There is a lot of information available online for students interested in veterinary medicine. Some links are listed here:
American Veterinary Medical Association
Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges