Doctors of veterinary medicine are medical professionals who play a significant role in the health care and welfare of animals, human public health, medical research, and public safety (aavmc.org).
The Prerequisites:
The necessary prerequisite courses vary significantly among institutions. However, most veterinary programs require:
1 Year General Biology — Bio 111 and 112
1 Year General Chemistry — Chem 111, Chem 241
1 Year Organic Chemistry — Chem 221, Chem 321
1 semester Biochemistry — Chem 361
1 semester Genetics — Bio 211 *
1 semester Microbiology — Bio 325 *
1 Year Physics — Phy 109 and 110, Phy 111 and 112
1 semester Calculus — Math 111 *
1 or 2 semesters Composition — English 101, English 201, English 410 *
*There is considerable variation among Veterinary schools regarding specific course requirements. Some programs require one semester each of Anatomy and Physiology (Bio 221 & Bio 315, respectively), some require statistics (MA 217 or Psy 201). To see prerequisite courses for individual schools, visit. The Purdue Veterinary School prerequisites can be found at.
There is a centralized application service for veterinary school programs, . All veterinary school programs accept the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) as the standardized test required for entrance and a few schools will also accept the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).
Typically, a student needs a minimum GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale to be a competitive candidate for veterinary school.
For more information on a career in veterinary medicine, contact Jill Rogers, pre-health professions advisor.