Prerequisite Courses
| Prerequisites | Mason Courses |
|---|---|
| Biology with lab, 2 semesters | BIOL 213/Cell Biology BIOL 311/Genetics |
| General Chemistry with lab, 2 semesters | CHEM 211 and 213 CHEM 212 and 214 |
| Organic Chemistry with lab, 2 semesters | CHEM 313 and 315 CHEM 314 and 318 |
| Biochemistry, 1 semester | BIOL 483 or CHEM 463 (Same course taught through different departments) |
| College Physics with lab, 2 semesters | PHYS 243 and 244 PHYS 245 and 246 |
| Math, 2 semesters (Can vary by school) | MATH 113/Calculus and BIOL 214/Biostatistics or STAT 250/Statistics |
| English, 2 semesters* | ENGH 101 ENGH 302 *Honors students fulfill this through the Honors curriculum |
| Humanities/Social Sciences, 2 semesters | Varies by school |
| Medical Terminology, 1 semester (required for VMCVM) | HAP 202 or ATEP 201 (Same course taught out of different departments) |
- Prerequisites can vary on a school by school basis. Please check the prerequisites for schools to which you hope to apply. A summary of course prerequisites can be found HERE.
- Strongly recommended courses include: Microbiology, Physiology, Comparative Anatomy, Nutrition, and Speech Communication.
- Admission to veterinary schools is highly competitive. According to the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, a competitive grade point average is 3.5. A competitive GRE general aptitude score, a wide variety of experience with both large and small animals, experience working for a veterinarian for 400-600 hours, experience working in a research laboratory or in commercial or industrial settings related to veterinary medicine are also expected.
What is a Veterinarian?
Veterinarians
The Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges has identified a variety of veterinary settings that include private practice, corporate veterinary medicine, the federal government, the U.S. Army Corps and U.S. Air Force, research, teaching, public health, food supply medicine, global veterinary medicine, public policy and shelter medicine.
Veterinarian Education
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Veterinarians must complete a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M. or V.M.D.) degree at an accredited college of veterinary medicine. There are currently 28 colleges with accredited programs. A veterinary medicine program generally takes 4 years to complete and includes classroom, laboratory, and clinical components…All states and the District of Columbia require veterinarians to have a license. Licensing requirements vary by state, but all states require prospective veterinarians to complete an accredited veterinary program and to pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam.”
Employee Outlook and Earnings
The current Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook for Veterinarians can be found online.
The Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS)
VMCAS is a centralized service which allows applicants to use a single application process to apply to veterinary programs. It is the responsibility of the applicant to find out which schools participate and send individual applications to those that do not participate.
Required Admissions Tests
Standardized Test
A few schools may require or recommend the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
Situational Judgment Test (SJT)
Some programs may require the Computer-based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics (CASPer) exam. Review the individual school websites and the Altus Suite website for the participating programs.
Other Resources
The Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements (VMSAR) directory is free and allows you to browse, search, sort, and compare information about U.S., Canadian, and International Veterinary Medical Schools.
The Cost Comparison Tool presents several key pieces of financial data that should be considered when applying to veterinary school.
The Admitted Student Statistics Tool provides detailed information about AAVMC US member institutions, allowing applicants to better understand applicant trends and providing an opportunity to benchmark their individual applicant profile against these trends.