Veterinary Medicine

The doctorate of veterinary medicine, D.V.M., is awarded at 27 veterinary medicine schools in the United States.

D.V.M.'s are licensed to practice medicine on all animal species except humans.

Click on any of the links below to find out more information on course requirements, the application process, various organizations/associations, and schools of veterinary medicine.

Application Information

Deciding to Be A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

Important Deadlines

Veterinary Medicine Organizations/Associations

Undergraduate Course Requirements

Schools of Veterinary Medicine

Application Information

Application procedures

Application requirements and procedures vary considerably between colleges of veterinary medicine. Be sure to check the requirements of the schools that interest you carefully. Following are some generalizations.

VMCAS

VMCAS (Veterinary Medical College Application Service) is the official application service for colleges of veterinary medicine. 24 /27 schools in the U.S. require applicants to apply through VMCAS. VMCAS is associated with the AAVMC (Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges).

For questions about VMCAS applications:
     First contact your local pre-health advisor
         At the University of South Alabama, this is Dr. Cindy Stanfield
         5721 USA Dr. N.
         HAHN 4004
         251-445-9280
     You may also contact AAVMC
          E-mail: vmcas@aavmc.org

The VMCAS application is available on-line.
The application deadlines vary between colleges.

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation should be sent to VMCAS.

Standardized Exam

Most veterinary schools require the GRE (Graduate Record Examination). Some schools will accept the MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test).

Dates of exams can be found at their individual web sites.

To find out what exam(s) is required by a certain veterinary school and when the deadline is to complete the exam, go here.

Transcripts

Official transcripts should be sent directly to the veterinary school of interest.

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Deciding to Be A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

Making a career choice is an important and difficult decision. Making the decision to become an veterinarian requires a commitment of time and money. It is important that you evaluate what the career entails. You should answer the following and other questions on becoming and being a veterinarian:

What is it like to be a veterinarian?
Do you have the perseverance to complete 4 years of undergraduate training and 4 years of veterinary school?

Once you decide you want to go to veterinary school, you have more decisions to make on how to get there. You will enroll in an undergraduate program (which can be any major, it does not have to be a science). In addition to satisfying your degree requirements, you will also have to take the required pre-veterinary medicine curriculum. You must decide to take your coursework seriously, from the first semester of your freshman year. You must participate in other activities that make you a better candidate for veterinary school, such as working with a veterinarian, philanthropic activities, and holding office in clubs/organizations. You will be competing with many outstanding students, and you must stand out among the crowd to be accepted.

If and when you decide to go to veterinary school, find a good resource for information on the requirements and deadlines. Be organized! Start thinking about how you can finance your education. Decide to which veterinary schools you will apply. Decision-making factors include geographical location, tuition, requirements for admission, curriculum, and faculty.

There is help available. Speak with your pre-health advisor and other faculty members. Speak with veterinarians.

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Important deadlines

Deadlines for VMCAS applications for most veterinary schools in the U.S. is October 22, 2006.

Deadlines for each school are given here.

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Veterinary Medicine Organizations/Associations

American Veterinary Medical Association
Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges
State Veterinary Medical Associations

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Undergraduate course requirements

Major- Choose a major in an area that interests you. You do not have to be a science major to go to osteopathic medical school. However, you must complete certain course requirements. Most osteopathic medical schools require the same courses as allopathic medical schools, listed below:

     1 year of physics with lab
     1 year of general chemistry with lab
     1 year of organic chemistry with lab
     1 year of biology with lab
     1 year of english

Requirements do vary between schools. Many schools require biochemistry and genetics in addition .

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Schools of Veterinary Medicine in the U.S. and Canada

ALABAMA
Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine
Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine

ARIZONA

CALIFORNIA
University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine

COLORADO
Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

FLORIDA
University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine

GEORGIA
University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine

ILLINOIS
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Veterinary Medicine

INDIANA
Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine

IOWA
Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine