Pre-Veterinary Information
Veterinary schools (D.V.M., Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) are typically 4-year programs with an optional 1-yr residency. It is advised that you try to choose the schools you'll be applying to as early in your post-bac program as possible, since different schools have different pre-req courses. Do you want to work with a specific type of animal? Schools may differ in their emphasis here so see if a program offers enough training for you whether it be small animal (companion), food animal, farm animal, equine, exotic, zoo, marine, etc. Also, if location is important, this may be another parameter for your school selection. California, for example, has only two veterinary schools, UC Davis and Western.
Pre-Veterinary Timeline of Courses
Each school lists different pre-reqs but the following 2-year post-bac course timeline seems to cover the basics.
|
Fall (start year one) |
Spring |
Summer |
- Bio 230 + lab
- Chem 115 + lab
- Statistics (Math 124, must pass placement exam)
|
- Bio 240 with lab
- Chem 215
- O-Chem 333
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|
|
Fall (start year two) |
Spring |
|
- Chem 216 (lab for 215)
- O-Chem 335 + 336 lab
- Physics 111 + 112 lab
|
- Physics 121 + 122 lab
- Chem 349 (bio-chem survey course)
- Bio 355 (Genetics)
|
|
If this timeline doesn't work with your schedule, use it at least as a guideline on what courses to take before others. Many vet schools also like to see Humanities, English, and Social Sciences courses in your repertoire, so be sure to check the pre-req course lists for the schools to which you'll be applying.
What else do I need to apply to Vet Schools?
- You must have animal experience, paid and/or unpaid.
- Working with a variety of animal types is a good idea, so you may want to seek out experiences that can provide this. Some ideas are:
- The more hours, the better. Try not to worry about how much time is good enough, if you get involved somewhere as
soon as you can, the time (and quality of your experiences) will pile up before you know it.
- Three letters of recommendation sent to a letter service.
- Your pre-vet or pre-health advisor at school
- A supervisor/mentor who is a D.V.M
- An instructor who has given you a letter grade in a basic or upper-division science course (i.e. Bio, Chem, Physics)
- Take GRE at a reasonable time for you (summer of application?)
- http://www.gre.org
- Some schools require also taking the Biology section of the GRE
- Some schools will accept the MCAT instead of the GRE
- A personal statement
- Not only answer why you want to be a vet, but most importantly, what is it about you that makes being a vet the right choice for you AND for the school to want you in their program.
- Dr. Rothman's Health Professions Colloquium class (Sci 695) can help you with your personal statement and with interviewing skills.
- Transcripts and GRE scores need to be sent directly to the schools you're applying to.
- The VMCAS application opens up in May and the deadline for submission is October 1. (see VMCAS link below)
Helpful Resources
http://www.avma.org/careforanimals/animatedjourneys/aboutvets/vetschools.asp
List of all schools and their accreditation status by the American Veterinary Medical Association (links to all school's web sites)
http://www.aavmc.org/vmcas/vmcas2.htm
Veterinary Medical College Application Service, this is the centralized application service used by most US schools - Lots of pre-vet info, see "college description pages" for pre-req course lists and other requirements for each school.
http://netvet.wustl.edu/vschool.htm#car
Lists all vet schools in US & rest of world with links to each school.
http://vetmedicine.about.com/cs/schools/
Lots of veterinary medicine info along with a Pre-Vet and Career Forum where you can post messages and get info from other pre-vets and vet school students.
