Veterinarian - D.V.M.
Veterinarians focus on the health of non-human patients, providing many of the services for animals that medical doctors provide for humans - diagnosis, drug prescription, and surgical intervention. There are 27 veterinary schools in the United States. Students spend 4 years in veterinary school studying basic and animal science. After completion of schooling, graduates can apply for internships at large referral centers. Upon completion of the internship, graduates may apply for a 2-3 year residency program in internal medicine, surgery, cardiology, dermatology, ophthalmology, exotic small animals, pathology, neurology, radiology, anesthesiology, or oncology. Residency is required for certification by any specialty board. Most students applying to veterinary schools take the General GRE, although some schools require the VCAT. Either test should be taken in the spring of the student's junior year.
Most veterinary schools require the following courses for admission:
- 1 year of Biology (OSU requires Genetics and Microbiology)
- 1 year of General Chemistry
- 1 year of Organic Chemistry
- 1 year of Physics
- 1 year of Mathematics
- 1 year of English
- 1 course of Biochemistry
Additional requirements: At least 50 hours of work with a veterinarian; Comprehensive veterinary medical/ animal work experience; Academic improvement; Financial responsibility.
Check the Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements in the United States and Canada published by the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges for specific requirements of particular veterinary schools.
Standardized Tests
Most veterinary schools accept a variety of standardized tests to be used in the admissions process, including the MCAT, GRE, and VCAT. Only one of these tests is necessary for admission, be sure to check which tests are required by the schools you wish to apply to.
Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
The MCAT is a standardized, multiple-choice examination designed to help admission committees predict which of their applicants will perform adequately in the medical school curriculum. The MCAT should be taken in the spring of your junior year. The MCAT assesses scientific problem solving, critical thinking, and writing skills. In addition, it explores student understanding of science concepts and principles identified as prerequisite to the study of medicine. The four parts of the MCAT are:
- Verbal Reasoning (looks at ability to comprehend, reason, and think critically);
- Physical Sciences (i.e., non-calculus physics, inorganic chemistry);
- Writing Sample; and
- Biological Sciences (i.e., biology and organic chemistry).
To get a copy of the MCAT application form, see the Pre-Health Professions Advisor, the Career Center, or write:
MCAT Program
P.O. Box 4056
Iowa City, Iowa 52243
or call: (319) 337-1357
General Record Exam
The GRE is a test taken by many students wishing to pursue graduate or veterinary school. This exam measures verbal, quantitative, and analytical skills that have been obtained over a long period of time and are not directly related to any particular field of study. These sections are designed to evaluate a student's ability to analyze and evaluate written material, test basic mathematical skills and problem solving techniques, and measure the ability to understand structured sets of relationships. Now given via computer, the GRE can be taken at any time during the first three weeks of any given month. The GRE is up to four and a half hours in length and contains three sections:
* Verbal: composed of analogies, antonyms, sentence completions, and reading comprehension;
* Quantitative: consists of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, quantitative comparison, data analysis, and problem solving; and
* Analytical: involves analytical and logical reasoning.
To receive more information on the GRE, visit the Pre-Health Professions Advisor, the Career Center, visit the GRE Web site at http://www.gre.org or write to:
GRE-ETS
P.O. Box 6000
Princeton, NJ 08541-6000
Veterinary College Admission Test
The VCAT is used by some schools to identify quality applicants to professional studies in veterinary medicine by measuring general academic ability and scientific knowledge. The test takes approximately 3.5 hours to complete. There are five content areas:
- Verbal ability - general vocabulary and verbal reasoning
- Biology - knowledge of principles and concepts from elementary college biology courses
- Chemistry - knowledge of principles of general and organic chemistry
- Quantitative Ability - reason through and understand quantitative concepts
- Reading Comprehension - read and understand college level passages
To get a copy of the VCAT application form, see the Pre-Health Professions Advisor, the Career Center, or write:
Veterinary College Admission Test
The Psychological Corporation
555 Academic Court
San Antonio, Texas 78204-2498
Phone: 1-800-622-3231
Fax: (210) 921-8861
Veterinary Medical Colleges Application Service (VMCAS)
VMCAS is the centralized admission service for many veterinary schools. This service provides for the collection, processing, verification, and distribution of applicant data to the participating colleges for their use in the applicant selection. In order to get a VMCAS application packet, you may contact your Pre-Health Professions Advisor, the Career Center, or write to:
Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges
1101 Vermont Avenue NW, Suite 710
Washington DC 20005-3521
Phone: (202) 371-9195
E-mail: VMCAS@aavmc.org