Veterinary Medicine
*Pre-Veterinary students do NOT need to register with the Health Professions Advisory Board*
General Advice
The most important fact to realize is that in contrast to the somewhat uniform allopathic medical school process, schools of veterinary medicine vary significantly with regard to the prerequisite courses they accept, types of outside class experiences needed, and deadlines for applying. It is recommended that you research EARLY the requirements of your state school(s) as well as any private or out-of-state schools in which you would be interested and plan accordingly. Additionally, your state of residence factors heavily into the admissions process. If your state does not have a veterinary medical college, it is recommended that you consult the Veterinary Medical School Admissions Requirements Guide (available at the UCS library) to determine whether your state has a contract with an out-of-state school of veterinary medicine and to research the private or public schools that accept a large number of out-of-state applicants.
Number of Schools
28 in the United States and 4 in Canada
Curricular Prerequisites
Recommended courses can and do vary significantly among the schools. Again, look into your state school's requirements early to make sure you are on the right track, especially since some schools may require courses that are not offered at Yale. In general, you should plan for:
- English Composition-- 1 year
- Biology and/or Zoology-- 1 year (with lab)
- General Chemistry-- 1 year (with lab)
- Organic Chemistry-- 1 year (with lab)
- Physics-- 1 year (with lab)
- Math-- 1 year
Additional requirements might also include: statistics, biochemistry, humanities, microbiology, animal husbandry, animal nutrition, speech, genetics, and others. Please remember that a particular undergraduate major is not required or recommended by any school of veterinary medicine.
Outside of Class Experience
Though some schools of veterinary medicine do not require an applicant to have any formal experience with animals, others require a minimum of 300 hours. Regardless of a preset hour limit, experience with animals is strongly recommended for any student considering a career in veterinary medicine. Not only will you be able to gain knowledge about the field and whether it is an appropriate fit for your talents and interests, but it will also make you a more competitive applicant.
Most schools of veterinary medicine suggest obtaining experience with a variety of animals (companion, livestock, laboratory animals, or wildlife) in several settings (zoos, laboratories, veterinary clinics/hospitals). Though all animal experiences are helpful, it is recommended that you concentrate your efforts most on domestic economic animals (cattle, sheep, horses, swine) as well as household pets, rather than solely focusing on exotic or endangered species.
Application Process
Application: The Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) is an on-line centralized application that can be used to apply to 28 US and 4 Canadian schools. Please note however that some schools of veterinary medicine only require the VMCAS from their out-of-state applicants and ask their state residents to use a different process altogether. This information can be found at http://www.aavmc.org/vmcas/college_requirement.htm.
The schools NOT participating in VMCAS are: Tufts University, Tuskegee University, Universite de Montreal, and University of Saskatchewan. Interested students should go directly to the website of each of these schools to determine the appropriate application process.
Transcripts: You will be asked to submit official transcripts from each college or university you attended directly to the schools of veterinary medicine. Transcript request forms can be found at http://www.aavmc.org/vmcas/vmcas_downloads.htm.
Letters of Recommendation: Schools of veterinary medicine require a minimum of three letters of recommendation, although some schools require a letter from each veterinary experience you have had regardless of the number. Please consult individual websites to determine the appropriate number and source of these letters. VMCAS now uses an Electronic Letters of Recommendation (ELOR) service as part of their web application. You will need to first visit the site to list from whom your letters will be coming, and then provide your recommenders with instructions on how to access the site. Full information regarding the ELOR system can be found at http://www.aavmc.org/vmcas/evaluations.htm. Please follow the appropriate instructions for non-VMCAS schools.
Entrance Exam: Depending on the school, you may be required to take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) and/or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). To determine which test(s) you will need to take, visit http://www.aavmc.org/vmcas/vmcas_downloads.htm. Test scores should be sent directly to the schools of veterinary medicine.
Interviews and Secondary Applications:Please consult individual school websites to determine whether an interview and/or secondary application is a standard part of their application process.
Deadlines: Deadlines vary by school but generally occur between October 1 and January 15 of the year prior to matriculation. It is strongly encouraged that you apply as soon as possible and at least two weeks prior to the deadline to allow enough time for VMCAS to process your application.
Websites of Interest
Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges
Veterinary Medical College Application Service
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