Veterinary Degrees Online

Veterinarians play a major role in the health care of pets, livestock, zoo, sporting, and laboratory animals. Some veterinarians use their skills to protect humans against diseases carried by animals and conduct clinical research on human and animal health problems. Others work in basic research, broadening the scope of fundamental theoretical knowledge, and in applied research, developing new ways to use knowledge.

Prospective veterinarians must graduate with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD) degree from a four-year program at an accredited college of veterinary medicine and must obtain a license to practice. There are 28 colleges in 26 states that meet accreditation standards set by the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Council on Education. The prerequisites for admission vary. Many of these colleges do not require a bachelor’s degree for entrance, but all require a significant number of credit hours—from 45 to 90 s.h.—at the undergraduate level. However, most of the students admitted have completed an undergraduate program. Applicants without a bachelor’s degree find it difficult to gain admittance.

In addition to satisfying pre-veterinary course requirements, applicants must submit test scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Veterinary College Admission Test (VCAT), or the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), depending on the preference of the college to which they are applying. Currently, 22 schools require the GRE, 4 require the VCAT, and 2 accept the MCAT.

The College offers a four-year full-time program (curriculum) leading to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) degree. The first three years are taught in a case-based and traditional lecture/laboratory format. At the end of the first year, students choose a track – small animal, food animal, equine, mixed species and public/corporate veterinary medicine. Considerable flexibility exists for a student to tailor their curriculum to meet individual needs and interests. The senior year (clinical) is 12 months in length.
Combined DVM and Graduate Degree Program

In recognition of a need for veterinarians trained in both basic and clinical sciences, the College of Veterinary Medicine offers the opportunity for D.V.M. students to participate in graduate studies. Students receive the appropriate advanced training to conduct research in basic or clinical disciplines so they can bring their knowledge and research training into clinical investigations.

The extent of the D.V.M. coursework and graduate M.S/Ph.D. coursework differs with each scientific discipline. A student participating in the combined degree program may elect a parallel curriculum program by enrolling in the DVM curriculum during fall and spring semesters, and graduate curriculum during the summer semesters with an additional 1 or 2 semesters beyond the DVM to complete the MS degree; one or two years beyond the DVM to complete a PhD degree. The student may elect for an integrated curriculum by completing the first two years of the DVM program, spending the next one or two years pursuing graduate studies full time, and then completing the remaining professional DVM degree program.

The combined degree program will ordinarily require five years of equivalent study time for DVM and MS degrees or six to seven years of equivalent study time for DVM and PhD degrees. A limited number of positions are available each year; therefore, only the best qualified applicants will be considered for the combined degree program.

The professional DVM curriculum of the College of Veterinary Medicine provides its students the most modern and advanced educational opportunity available in veterinary medical education today. The faculties of the College have established a tradition of incorporating innovative instructional programs and methods for the advancement of veterinary medicine in its service to animals and society.

Admission & Degree (Data, 2007)
Program No. of Student admitted
No. of Student enrolled No. of
Student achieved degrees
D.V.M. 40 221 42
Master 39 78 18
Ph D 28 43 12

Scholarships

Basis of Selection
Undergraduate : Scholarship award decisions are made on the basis of both scholastic achievement and financial need. Students whose past scholastic average are not lower than 2.7 (Scholarships can be granted to a student in serious financial need by the decision made by the scholarship committee with his grade lower than 2.7)
Undergraduate : According to the College regulations and guidelines of selection, the research assistants are distributed by the Department.

Total number of students and amount of scholarship
….( First semester, 2007 ) (Unit : KRW)

Type Student Tuition exempted Scholarships Total
No. Amount No. Amount No. Amount
Undergraduate 69 37,417,000 23 33,528,000 92 70,945,000
Graduate 37 15,762,000 7 8,954,000 44 24,716,000
Total 106 53,179,000 30 42,482,000 136 95,661,000

Credits Required for 6-Year-Course of Veterinary Medicine
Pre-vet course First & Second Year 68 credits
Veterinary Course First Year 17+17=34
Second Year 18+21=39
Third Year 20+21=41
Fourth Year 20+21=41
Total 155
Total 223(major 173 credits)

You have the vision, determination, and passion to become a veterinary medical doctor, and you’re looking for a
university with a strong reputation, personal attention, and excellent research opportunities to help you gain
admission to veterinary medicine. Come to The University of Winnipeg for your pre-professional studies and put
our small class sizes, community atmosphere, central location, and reputation for excellence to work for you.
Our campus is located in the heart of downtown Winnipeg–central to Winnipeg’s medical library, veterinary
clinics and hospitals, and labs such as the National Microbiology Laboratory. It’s a great location for studying,
volunteering, research, and entertainment.
As a University of Winnipeg student, you will get to know your professors and other students because of our
small classes and community atmosphere. Our excellent professors–including five Canada Research
Chairs–are supportive and accessible, contributing to the many successes of our students.
With students getting involved as early as second year doing research alongside some of our most innovative
professors, we offer you research opportunities that are not available to undergraduate students at other
universities. You can also gain hands-on experience in your area of study by working as a marker or lab
demonstrator, and getting involved with one of the many active student groups on campus.
YOUR EDUCATION
Pre-Veterinary Medicine at The University of Winnipeg
• The University of Winnipeg is an excellent place to fulfill the admission requirements for the Western College
of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan, or for other veterinary medicine programs.
• To meet the entrance requirements of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, you will complete 60 credit
hours of study, including the “Pre-Professional Requirements” outlined below. Although the required 60
credit hours can be completed in two academic years, it is recommended that you spread these
challenging courses over three years or more of full-time study (enough time for you to earn a bachelor of
science or bachelor of arts degree).
• You should see an Academic Advisor, Professor Craig, or Professor Rittberg (see “Contact Us”) for assistance
in planning your program of study after completing 24-30 credit hours.
Professional Studies: Veterinary Medicine
• In the final year of your pre-professional studies at The University of Winnipeg, you will apply for admission to
veterinary medicine at another university.
• Enrolment in veterinary medicine is limited, and only highly qualified applicants are chosen.
• A minimum of four more years of study is required to complete the veterinary medicine program.
PRE-PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Most students who study Pre-Veterinary Medicine at The University of Winnipeg will apply for admission to the
Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. The courses listed below are

Each school of veterinary medicine establishes its own requirements; therefore, students pursuing careers as veterinarians need to plan both pre-professional coursework and practical experiences to enhance their chances of acceptance. Veterinary schools value experience in working with animals as well as evidence of academic ability in pre-professional courses.

Wisconsin has a college of Veterinary Medicine at UW-Madison. The School of Veterinary Medicine does not offer a bachelor’s degree program. However, the school does offer a number of courses that are available to undergraduates, and it offers residency, master’s, Ph.D., and doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) degrees. Scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) must be submitted at the time of application. In addition to grade point average and GRE scores, evidence of motivation, promise of effective performance, communication skills, and breadth of experience, particularly that relate to veterinary practice, are taken into consideration.

For students interested in veterinary medicine, undergraduate study at Virginia Tech provides a solid academic background for graduate or professional school.
Today’s Veterinarian

With a firm basis in the biomedical sciences, the veterinarian of today has an opportunity and obligation to help create and advance the body of medical knowledge that serves society. People have always had a profound interest in maintaining their animals’ health and welfare because of their dependence on animals for food, textiles, companionship, and sport. There are over 86,000 professional veterinarians in the United States today, about three-fourths of whom are engaged in private practice and one-fourth who work in various areas of government and corporate veterinary medicine.
Choosing A Major

The required courses and a proficiency in the sciences are essential to understanding veterinary medicine, but concentration in the sciences is not necessary for admission. Pre-veterinary students most often major in animal and poultry sciences, biochemistry, biological science, dairy science, or fisheries and wildlife sciences. Students who elect majors other than biological sciences or chemistry should include some courses in advanced biology or advanced chemistry in their undergraduate programs. Suggested electives include anatomy, genetics, microbiology, and nutrition.

Preparation & Application

Students seeking admission to the College of Veterinary Medicine must show evidence of intellectual ability and achievement, as well as personal preparedness for the program. Prior to entering the college, applicants must have completed 60 semester hours with a 2.8 minimum GPA on a 4.0 scale. Alternatively, students who achieve a GPA of 3.3 over the last two years of college work will be considered to have met the minimum entry requirement. Courses taken during these two years must be at the junior or senior level. Applicants must have taken the general examination of the Graduate Record Examination on or after October 1, 2002.

The following required courses must be completed by the end of the spring term of the year for which the application is being made:8 semester credits each 6 semester credits each
Biological science + lab English
Organic chemistry + lab Mathematics
Physics + lab Humanities/social sciences

Students must complete three semester credits of biochemistry before entering the College of Veterinary Medicine.

The majority of students apply during the fall of their junior year in college. It is not necessary to have completed a bachelor’s degree program before applying; however, most students will have completed three or more years at an accredited university by the time of matriculation.

To apply, students must follow the instructions on the current Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine admissions website,

www.vetmed.vt.edu, and submit a completed Veterinary Medical Colleges Application Service (VMCAS) application prior to the year they seek admission. For more information, contact: VMRCVM Admissions Office, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061; 540/231-4699.

Admission to the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine is awarded on a competitive basis. Applications by individuals from underrepresented groups are actively encouraged.
Career Opportunities

Although the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of animal diseases remains a major emphasis, the educational background of today’s veterinarian provides a perspective in solving medical, agricultural, and ecological problems. The need for veterinarians with specialized knowledge has grown during the past two decades in such areas as:
Animal behavior
Aquatic medicine
Comparative medicine
Epidemiology/public health
Laboratory animal medicine
Legal & environmental medicine
Marine biology
Nutrition
Scientific administration
Toxicology
Tropical medicine
Wildlife management

Most students interested in a career in veterinary medicine major in biology or chemistry, but Wofford has many choices to consider and you should pursue the major(s) that interest you the most. You will need to fulfill the prerequisite requirements to gain admission to the veterinary school of your choice.

The Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) is a centralized application program for participating veterinary medical colleges. Of the 27 U.S. veterinary medical colleges, 26 participate in VMCAS, and there are schools in Scotland, England and New Zealand that work through VMCAS. The organization provides helpful information to pre-vet undergraduates, and you should visit their web site when you have a chance.

The VMCAS has links from which you can download application/prerequisite information from the Veterinary Colleges that you are interested in. If you are a South Carolina resident, you should plan to apply to the University of Georgia (in addition to any others you’re interested in) because they reserve up to 17 spots for SC residents.

The prerequisite requirements for UGA Veterinary College include:
* 6 hours of English;
* 14 hours of humanities or social studies;
* 8 hours of inorganic chemistry (full year with laboratory);
* 8 hours of organic chemistry (full year with laboratory);
* 8 hours of physics (full year with laboratory);
* 3 hours of biochemistry;
* 8 hours of general biology (full year with laboratory);
* 8 hours of advanced biology courses (recommended: comparative anatomy, microbiology, cell biology, genetics).

Pre-veterinary students have designed various types of independent Interims including working with veterinarians, interning at UGA College of Veterinary Medicine, and working at the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, SC. It is important that you gain as much hands-on experience as possible prior to applying for admission to veterinary college.

If you need another program to consider (perhaps your grades don’t reflect your will or your potential), you might investigate Ross University in the Lesser Antilles islands.

Dr. Ellen Goldey (Biology) is the pre-veterinary advisor and would be happy to meet with you and discuss your career plans. Contact Dr. Goldey

Students seeking to apply to a College of Veterinary Medicine should major in biology or chemistry. Completion of courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics will help prepare students for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or Veterinary College Admission Test (VCAT). In order to be accepted into most Veterinary Medical Schools an applicant must have completed 90 semester hours of college work. Specific course requirements vary from school to school.

South Carolina does not have a Veterinary School; hence South Carolina residents must attend an out-of-state Veterinary school. However, students may be considered in state residents for tuition purposes at the University of Georgia, Tuskegee University (Alabama) and Mississippi State University. Students should consider the following courses in preparation for application to Vet school.
BIO 121: Biological Science (4 hours)
BIO 122: Zoology (4 hours)
BIO 212: Microbiology(4 hours)
BIO 220: Pharmacology and Toxicology (3 hours)
BIO 315: Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (4 hours)
BIO 321: Animal Development (4 hours)
BIO 331: Cell Biology (4 hours)
BIO 342: Immunology (4 hours)
BIO 301: Biochemistry (4 hours)
CHE 113-114: General Chemistry (8 hours)
CHE 231-232: Organic Chemistry (8 hours)
MAT 211: Calculus I – Differential Calculus (4 hours)
PHY 213-214: Physics for Science and Engineering Students (8 hours)

The Veterinary Science program is a 4-yr option in Agricultural Science that fulfills the requirements for admission to a College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM).
Students interested in becoming veterinarians may enroll in this program under the guidance of our Veterinary Science advisors.
Once the CVM admission requirements are completed, the student will apply to one or more CVM’s for admission.
If admitted, they will spend another 4 years completing the DVM professional curriculum.

Graduates of a CVM earn the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree and are eligible to become licensed veterinary practitioners.
Post-doctoral studies leading to advanced degrees (MS, PhD) and /or specialty certification (surgery, ophthalmology, etc.) may be pursued following completion of the DVM degree, or in some cases in conjunction with the DVM degree.

Career Preparation
There are more than 55,000 veterinarians in the United States. Their
primary responsibility is protecting the health and welfare of animals
and people. Veterinarians diagnose and control animal diseases, treat
sick and injured animals, prevent transmission of animal diseases to
people and advise owners on proper care of pets and livestock. They
ensure a safe food supply by maintaining the health of food animals.
Veterinarians also are involved in wildlife preservation and conservation.
Veterinarians provide a wide variety of services in clinical practice,
teaching, public health, military service, private industry and other
areas. In addition, veterinarians are becoming more involved in
aquaculture, comparative medical research, international disease
control and food production programs.
Academic Program
There are presently 28 schools of veterinary medicine in the United
States, graduating about 2,100 persons a year. With few exceptions,
residents of Missouri need only consider applying to the College
of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Missouri at Columbia.
Students interested in a career in veterinary medicine should have
a strong science, math and biology program in high school. To be
considered for admission to a college of veterinary medicine, a student
must first complete undergraduate pre-veterinary medical course work,
which usually involves three to four years of college study. Completion
of a Pre-Veterinary program does not guarantee admission to a college
of veterinary medicine. Successful applicants usually have grades of “B”
or better, especially in the sciences. The average acceptance rate varies
from year to year but is approximately 45 percent nationally.
Courses
The pre-professional curriculum in veterinary medicine can be
completed at Missouri State. The Pre-Veterinary program is easily
compatible with programs in agriculture, biology and chemistry.
Please consult the Missouri State Catalog online at www.missouristate.
edu/catalog for specific course information.
To apply to the University of Missouri College of Veterinary
Medicine, students must take the following:
English (6 hours may include Writing and Public Speaking)
College Algebra or more advanced math
Inorganic Chemistry- 8 hours
Organic Chemistry- 5 hours
Biochemistry
Physics I and II
Biological Sciences-10 hours
Social Sciences-10 hours
Students should carry full loads of 15 to 17 hours each semester,
so other courses should be chosen to maintain that course load.
Students should check with the veterinary college to which they
plan to apply to be sure they take all required courses.