VETERINARY MEDICINE

Important Veterinary Web Resources

Standardized Tests For Veterinary School
International Veterinary Medical Schools & Colleges Animal Medical Centers Departments of Veterinary Science Departments of Comparative Medicine

Veterinary Medicine (from Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements.  Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges.  2001)

Considered from the perspective of comparative medicine, veterinarians help animals and people live longer, healthier lives.  Veterinarians serve society by preventing and treating animal disease, improving thee quality of the environment, ensuring the safety of food, controlling diseases transmitted from animals, and advancing medical knowledge.  The Doctor of Veterinary medicine degree can lead to diverse career opportunities and different lifestyles from a solo mixed-animal practice in a rural area to a teaching or research position a t an urban university, medical center, or industrial laboratory.  The majority of veterinarians in the United States are in private practice, although significant numbers are involved in preventive medicine, regulatory veterinary medicine, military veterinary medicine, laboratory animal medicine, research and development in industry, and teaching and research in a variety of basic science and clinical disciplines.

The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD) degree is awarded after 4 years of successful study at an accredited college of veterinary medicine.  Graduate veterinarians are eligible to apply for a license to practice.  Licensing is controlled by states and provinces.  Each has rules and procedures for legal practice within its own jurisdiction.  All require satisfactory completion of the national board examination, and most have other requirements, including additional tests and interviews.

Important Web Resources

Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges: Information for students planning to apply to Veterinary Medical School.  Also has information on VMCAS.

VMCAS: One line application to most veterinary schools.

American Veterinary Medical Association:

U.S.D.A Center for Veterinary Medicine:

Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS)

VMCAS is a centralized application program for participating veterinary medical colleges.  Application deadline for most schools is October 1st.  Listed below are the 24 veterinary medical colleges that participate in VMCAS, along with 2 Canadian Veterinary Medical Colleges, and the University of Glasgow.

Auburn University

Mississippi State University

University Of California - Davis

University of Missouri

Colorado State University

North Carolina State University

Cornell University

Ohio State University

University of Edinburgh (Scotland)

Oklahoma State University

University of Florida

Oregon State University

University of Georgia

University of Prince Edward Island

University of Glasgow (Scotland)

University of Pennsylvania

University of Guelph (Ontario)

Purdue University

University of Illinois - Urbana

University of Tennessee

Iowa State University

Virginia - Maryland Regional College

Kansas State University

Washington State University

Louisiana State University

Western University

Michigan State University

University of Wisconsin

University of Minnesota

 

Standardized Tests

Most veterinary medical colleges require one or more standardized test: the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is typically the test required, but some schools will accept the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).  The VCAT is no longer administered.

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Educational Requirements For Veterinary School

Veterinary medical colleges vary greatly in their entrance requirement.  When planning your courses at Furman University, you should first check the up-to-date course requirements listed for each veterinary college on the Web.  School web sites are listed below, and PDF files can be found through the AAVMC web site.  Most schools require the following courses:

Bio 11: Foundations of Biology

Bio 35: Animal Physiology

Bio 21: Genetics

Bio 22: Research & Analysis (OR Mth 30: Statistics)

2 Advanced Bio. Elect. (>30 level, usually Microbiology)

Chm 11: Foundations of Chemistry I - Principles

Chm 12: Foundations of Chemistry II - Inorganic

Chm 21: Foundations of Chemistry III - Organic

Chm 22: Molecular & Spec. (2nd Organic Class)

Phy 11: Mechanics

Phy 12: Electronics

Bio 33: Intermediary Metabolism (Biochemistry)

Mth 11: Calculus

Other required or beneficial courses are: economics, communication, psychology, and sociology.

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU GAIN EXTENISIVE EXPERIENCE WITH VETERINARY MEDICINE BY VOLUNTEERING AT VETERINARY HOSPITALS IN THE SUMMER AND DURING SCHOOL VACATIONS.  ORGANIZING TIME TO VOLUNTEER WHILE AT FURMAN IS ALSO HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

PREVETERINARY CURRICULUM PLANNING
 

Fall

Winter

Spring

Summer

Freshman

MTH 10 or 11

BIO 11

ENG 11

Register as a pre-vet

CHM 11

ENG 12

CHM 12

MTH 11 or 12

FINE ARTS

During the summers it is highly recommended that the student obtain a job involving work with animals or a Veterinary Preceptorship (Bio 83) or Animal Research (Bio 85)

Sophomore

CHM 21

FOR.LANG 11

REL. 11

Join CESC

BIO 21: Genetics

FOR. LANG 12

CHM 22

BIO 22: Research & Analysis

FOR.LANG 21

Join AED Honorary Society

Junior

BIO 31:Microbiology

BIO 35:Animal Phys.

HST 11

BIO E

BIO E

Start pre-vet file of recommendations

PHY 11

MTH 30: Statistics

HES 10

Take GRE

Start Application to vet. school

Senior

PHY 12

BIO 80: Animal Nutr.

BIO 83/85/75

Finish Applying to vet. School

AS. AFR.

SOC. SCI.

BIO 41: Plant Eco. (Bio. Major)

SOC. SCI.

BIO 33: Intermediary Metab.

United States Veterinary Medical Schools and Colleges

Auburn University

University of California-Davis

Colorado State University

Cornell University

University of Florida

University of Georgia

University of Illinois-Urbana

Iowa State University

Kansas State University

Louisiana State University

Michigan State University

University of Minnesota

Mississippi State University

University of Missouri

North Carolina State University

The Ohio State University

Oklahoma State University

Oregon State University

University of Pennsylvania

Purdue University

University of Tennessee

Texas A & M University

Tufts University

Tuskegee University

VA-MD Regional College of Veterinary Medicine

Washington State University

Western University of Health Sciences 

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Canadian Veterinary Medical Schools and Colleges

University of Guelph

Universite de Montreal-Quebec

University of Prince Edward Island

University of Saskatchewan

International Veterinary Medical Schools and Colleges

University of Edinburgh

University of Glasgow Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

Massey University Veterinary School

Animal Medical Centers

Animal Medical Center

Angell Memorial Animal Hospital

Departments of Veterinary Science

University of Arizona

University of Connecticut

University of Kentucky

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

North Dakota State University

The Ohio State University (OARDC)

Pennsylvania State University

South Dakota State University

Departments of Comparative Medicine

University of California-San Diego

Johns Hopkins University

University of Maryland-Baltimore

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

University of Michigan

New England Primate Research Center

University of South Alabama

Stanford University