Veterinary Medicine
Veterinarians work to ensure the health and well-being of both animals and humans. Their duties typically include:
- Treating sick and injured animals
- Preventing the transmission of animal diseases to people
- Advising owners on the proper care of pets and livestock
- Protecting animal and human food supply by maintaining the health of food animals
- Ensuring wildlife preservation and conservation
Degree Program
Students earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) from a college that meets accreditation standards set by the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). A DVM degree takes four years to complete. Although a bachelor's degree is not required for all veterinary schools, the vast majority of admitted applicants have completed four years of undergraduate education prior to matriculating.
Course Prerequisites
There is no particular major required for veterinary school, just the prerequisite of certain science classes. For specific college requirements, visit the Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements (VMSAR) or College Descriptor Pages.
Typical prerequisite courses include:
- Biology 1 & 2 (BISC 1111, BISC 1112)
- Chemistry 1 & 2 (CHEM 1111, CHEM 1112)
- Organic Chemistry 1 & 2 (CHEM 2151/2153, CHEM 2152/2154)
- Biochemistry (BISC 3165 or CHEM 3165)
- Physics 1 & 2 (PHYS 1011 and PHYS 1012 or PHYS 1021 and PHYS 1022 or PHYS 1025 and PHYS 1026)
- Genetics (BISC 2207/2208)
- Microbiology (BISC 2336/BISC 2337)
- English (UW1020 and WID requirements)
- Humanities & social sciences (6-15 credits)
- Mathematics (MATH 1231)
- Statistics (STAT 1051, STAT 1053, STAT 1111, or STAT 1127)
Application Requirements
Admitted Student Statistics can be found here on the AAVMC.
Testing
At the moment, only 8 Colleges of Veterinary Medicine require require scores from the GRE. The average GRE score for matriculants to these 8 programs in fall 2021 was 46.5 (quantitative) and 58.9 (verbal). You should check with your intended programs to find out what testing is required.
GPA and Extracurricular Experience
According to the AAVMC's Admitted Student Statistics, the average cumulative GPA of fall 2021 matriculants was 3.5. AAVMC provides this VMCAS GPA Calculator to help you calculate your GPA.
In addition, according to the AVMA's Veterinary School Admission 101, most schools prefer applicants to have some experience working with animals:
"If you've been in 4-H, FFA or a similar group, that's great experience that should go on your veterinary school admission form. Similarly, working with animals in any way can be of value. For example, volunteering at shelters or rescues can provide animal handling experience that will help make you a better candidate.
It goes without saying that volunteering or working for a veterinarian is very important. Not only does it expose you to your potential career (so you know what you're getting into, so to speak), but it also might provide a good recommendation for you from the veterinarian.
Varied experience is also helpful. If you have the opportunity to work in a research lab or for veterinarians who work with different species, that's a bonus that can make you more appealing to a veterinary school admissions committee. Get as much experience as you can while you have the opportunity."
Application Process
The Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) is a centralized application service sponsored by the AAVMC. The VMCAS reviews the applicant’s application form for completion, processes payment of application fees and electronically transmits applicant’s data to the colleges selected by the applicant.
While VMCAS has application requirements, there may be other requirements for admission, including additional application forms, personal statements and a personal interview. Be sure to check with individual schools to determine what supplemental materials are required. Not all veterinary schools participate in VMCAS; applications to those programs should be sent directly to those schools. The College Descriptor Pages provide links to specific application requirements.
The VMCAS application typically opens in January, with submission available in mid-May (though you should verify the exact date on the VMCAS website). It is important to read all of the information on their website to ensure proper transmission of your applications either through VMCAS or the individual institutions. The VMCAS application deadline is usually September 15th, but applicants are advised to submit their applications well in advance to ensure time for verification and processing.