Doctors of Veterinary Medicine care for the health and well-being of animals. They have roles in medical research, human public health, agriculture, and public safety. Though most veterinarians in the U.S. are in private practice, veterinarians can be found in the military, in laboratory animal medicine, in industrial research and development, in government agencies, and in teaching/research in a variety of basic science and clinical disciplines. The demand for large-animal veterinarians is expected to continue to rise, as is the demand for veterinarians to be involved in public health research areas.
See the AAVMC Web site for further career information:
These Web pages also have links to many useful resources, including newsletters, application sites, and information on specific veterinary school admissions.
General Prerequisites
- Most schools require the GRE; some may accept the MCAT. Check the AAVMC Web site for more information.
- Prerequisite courses need to be completed with a grade of “C” or higher
- At least one year of biology with laboratory
- A year of general chemistry with laboratory
- A year of organic chemistry with laboratory
- A semester of biochemistry
- A semester of calculus
- A semester of statistics
- A year of physics with laboratory
- A year of English
- A semester of a social science or humanities course
- Experience shadowing a veterinarian
- Some schools may also require genetics, nutrition, or microbiology
Specific Prerequisites
Please check individual school prerequisites for more information.
To apply: Use the Veterinary Medical College Application Service: https://portal.vmcas.org/.