Veterinary College: How to Prepare
If you are interested in a veterinary career, you
must complete the education needed to become a
veterinarian and obtain a veterinarian degree.
High school students interested in becoming
veterinarians are advised to take as many science
classes as possible. The "prevet" curriculum is so
heavily focused on science that students are
advised to take several laboratory sciences, such
as biology or chemistry. In addition to having a
strong science background, students must take two
years of college courses to meet the
"pre-veterinary" or "pre-vet" requirements before
they can be accepted to a veterinary college.
Because veterinarian colleges often have more
applicants than they do open class spaces, the
admissions process at schools of veterinary
medicine is often extremely competitive. Thus, it
is advisable that students get strong grades in
all of their science, math, and "prevet" courses
before applying to a university for veterinarian
sciences. It is important to note that despite
most veterinarian schools' heavy focus on grades
and a strong prevet curriculum, most schools
really do not care what your overall college
degree is. Thus, if you are interested in other
subjects, some experts believe it is acceptable
to develop your undergraduate degree in either a
typical college major for a veterinarian
(science, anatomy, prevet sciences, etc) or an
alternate discipline.
Requirements for Veterinary Schools
After completing the preveterinary
requirements, many students go on to finish a
bachelor's degree, although not all veterinary
colleges require this for admission. However, the
majority of veterinary schools do recommend that
applicants have completed a four-year degree
prior to applying to an accredited veterinarian
medicine school. Financial aid for veterinary
schools and veterinarian scholarships are
available for select students. Like many other
professional schools, many colleges of veterinary
sciences require that applicants participate in an
interview where veterinary questions and topics
are discussed.
Once a person is accepted by a vet school, he
or she still must complete four years of college
devoted specifically to a curriculum for
veterinarian medical education. These courses
include anatomy, pharmacology, immunology,
medicine, physiology, and courses in surgery
instruction. During their final year in vet
school, students typically work in clinics where
they receive hands-on training in the theoretical
subjects they have already studied. In addition,
many students choose to embark on externships,
where they may work at private practice
veterinarian hospitals, government health
agencies, or even as zoo veterinarians. Upon
completing the required training, veterinary
medicine schools award graduates with the DVM, or
"Doctor of Veterinary Medicine" degree. Every
state requires veterinarians to be licensed to
practice. This is based on successful completion
of a DVM and passing a licensing
exam.
Note: Many experts caution
applicants not to put too much weight on lists of
veterinary school rankings. Often, these rankings
and other speculation about top veterinary
schools do not give a full picture of what
students can expect from a college of veterinary
science. According to experts, students should
enroll at a school for veterinarians which has
accredited programs, challenging coursework, and
exposure to real-life training.
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