Pre-Veterinary Medicine Preparation at UHMānoa
(Text compiled from the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges website, the AAVMC’s Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements, the NAAHP’s Medical Professions Admission Guide, and the UHM 2005-2006 Catalog.)
D.V.M and V.M.D. Programs
Prerequisites for Admission
What makes a strong candidate?
Standardized Tests
The Application Process
Additional Information
Downloadable Brochure
Veterinarians work with animals to help not only animals but also people live longer, healthier lives. They diagnose and treat sick and injured animals, prevent animal diseases, improve the quality of the environment, ensure food safety, prevent the transmission of animal diseases to humans, and advise animal owners, from livestock companies to individual pet owners.
Veterinary medicine continues to expand rapidly and now offers twenty specialties: anesthesiology, animal behavior, clinical pharmacology, dentistry, dermatology, emergency and critical care, internal medicine, laboratory animal medicine, microbiology, nutrition, ophthalmology, pathology, poultry medicine, preventive medicine, private practice, radiology, surgery, theriogenology (reproduction), toxicology, and zoological medicine.
Veterinarians work in a wide variety of areas, including private practice, zoos, private industry, mobile services, research laboratories, government institutions, the military, wildlife organizations, racetracks, and circuses. Veterinarians work in public health, inspection and regulatory agencies, and in government agencies such as the Center for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Fish and Wildlife Service, and Food and Drug Administration. Although most veterinarians are in clinical practice, some also choose to conduct research or teach in higher education.
Related fields that do not require a veterinary degree include animal health technician, animal research, animal science, animal training and breeding, animal welfare, environmental management, hospital administration, marine biology, veterinary assistant, and wildlife preservation.
D.V.M. and V.M.D.Programs
Becoming a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or Veterinary Medical Doctorate (VMD) requires 8 to 11 years of education:
- Bachelors Degree (ca. 4 years);
- Veterinary Medicine School (ca. 4 years);
- Internship (ca. 1 year); and
- Residencies (ca. 2-3 years).
The first two years of veterinary school are usually spent in classrooms and laboratories studying the biological sciences, including anatomy, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology, and physiology. Years three and four are primarily clinical.
Upon graduation from an accredited veterinary school, DVMs are eligible to take the national board examination and state licensing. Some states require tests and/or interviews in addition to the national board examination. All veterinarians must be licensed in order to practice!
In their senior year, veterinary students can apply through a matching program for an internship in small-animal medicine, large-animal medicine, or surgery. Veterinarians can often command a higher starting salary after completing an internship. The most prestigious internships are at veterinary medical colleges or large private veterinary hospitals. Ranking for internship is based upon academic performance and faculty recommendations.
Veterinarians who have completed an internship or who have two years of private practice experience can apply for residency programs. Residencies are 2- to 3-year programs that provide further specialization in 11 areas: internal medicine, surgery, cardiology, dermatology, ophthalmology, exotic small animal medicine, pathology, neurology, radiology, anesthesiology, and oncology. Some residencies combine research and graduate studies and confer a Master’s degree. Upon successful completion of residencies, veterinarians are certified by the appropriate veterinary medical specialty board.
Many schools offer joint degree programs, combining a DVM with degrees such as a Master of Science (DVM/MS), a Doctor of Philosophy (DVM/PhD), and a Master of Business Administration (DVM/MBA).
Prerequisites for Admission
Most importantly, remember that requirements vary from school to school! You must research to create a list of all the prerequisites you will need to apply to the veterinary schools you are interested in attending, and then figure out how those courses will fit into your undergraduate degree, whether as general education core, as major, or as electives.
A complete list of veterinary schools and their prerequisites can be found both online at the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges website, www.aavmc.org, or in the AAVMC’s Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements (VMSAR); a copy is available in PAC. The following UHM courses are required by most veterinary schools:
Biol 171/171Lab and 172/172Lab |
Introductory Biology I and II |
Chem 161/161Lab and 162/162Lab |
General Chemistry I and II |
Chem 272/272Lab and 273/273Lab |
Organic Chemistry I and II |
Phys 151/151Lab and 152/152Lab |
College Physics I and II |
Biol or Mbbe or Peps 402 (Bioc 441) |
Biochemistry |
Math 215 and 216 |
Applied Calculus I and II |
Socs or Psy 225 |
Statistics |
English 200+ |
English Composition II+ |
Additional requirements may include agriculture, animal nutrition ((Ansc 244), animal genetics (Ansc 445), business, computer science (ICS 101), environmental biochemistry (MBBE 412), genetics (Biol 340), humanities, microbiology, social sciences, and upper division biology or zoology courses such as embryology.
What makes a strong candidate?
Veterinary school tuition, as high as it is, covers only a fraction of the cost of educating a veterinarian, which means that each new student represents a huge investment by the school. Schools need to be certain that the students they accept will be capable of completing the veterinary curriculum and are likely to become good veterinarians.
Are you capable of completing the veterinary curriculum?
Admissions committees are looking for students who have:
- completed the prerequisites
- a high overall GPA
- a high science/math GPA
- performed well on the GRE or MCAT
- balanced their course load so it is challenging yet realistic
Are you likely to become a good veterinarian?
Admissions committees look for students who have:
- significant experience in and knowledge of the profession
- strong communication and interpersonal skills
- good leadership skills
- empathy, compassion, and a commitment to service
- high ethical and moral standards and a conscientious work ethic
- maturity (judgment, responsibility, dependability)
- a broad liberal arts education that includes the humanities and social sciences
- strong letters of recommendation
Standardized Tests
Most veterinary schools require applicants take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), but a significant number require the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).
The GRE is available only in computer-based format. It can be scheduled for almost any day of the year and appointments are scheduled first-come, first-served basis. You can register three ways: via telephone, at 1-800-529-3590, using a credit card; via mail, by completing the Authorization Voucher Request Form in the GRE Registration Bulletin and mailing it to the designated address along with the registration fee payment; or via online at www.gre.org, using a credit card.
The GRE requires approximately 3-4 hours and tests your verbal, quantitative (math), and analytic writing skills. Some versions include an ungraded, experimental section. Scores for the verbal and quantitative sections range from 200 to 800, with 800 being highest; scores for the writing section range from 0 to 6, with 6 being highest. Your score report will be mailed to you, usually within about two weeks of the test date, and will include not only your scores but also your percentile ranking.
The MCAT is offered only in computer-based format. It must be scheduled several months in advance and is offered ca. 20-25 times each year. The MCAT takes approximately 4 hours and tests your knowledge and skills in Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, and Writing. The biological, physical, and verbal sections are scored on a scale from 1 to 15, with 8 being average. Scores for the writing section range from J (lowest) to T (highest), with O being average. Both individual and composite scores are reported; scores of 25 O and higher are considered competitive.
Your most important preparations for both the GRE and the MCAT are your undergraduate courses, not only the prerequisites for veterinary school, but all of your courses, many of which sharpen your writing and verbal reasoning skills. Your Verbal Reasoning (MCAT) and Analytic Writing (GRE) scores are the most difficult to improve and probably the most accurate predictor of how well you will do in veterinary school.
The Application Process
There are currently 28 accredited veterinary schools in the U.S.; students who are considering applying should become familiar with their websites and differences. AAVMC’s Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements provides summaries for each school, making it easy for students to compare; a copy is available in PAC.
There are three general steps in applying to veterinary schools: the initial, or primary application through the Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS); the secondary, or supplemental application for individual schools; and the interview.
Most, but not all schools participate in VMCAS; to apply to those that do not, applicants must request applications directly from the individual schools.
Primary applications can be submitted to VMCAS at www.aavmc.org. Applications are available upon request, but electronic submissions are recommended. Once your application is complete, VMCAS will forward it to whichever schools you specify. It is your responsibility to verify that your application is complete!
VMCAS applications (and most other applications, as well) request:
- an application form, including
- biographical information,
- experience (veterinary, non-veterinary animal related, and health related),
- official transcripts from all institutions attended;
- an academic record, including grade point averages (cumulative, science/math, final two years, etc.);
- a summary of your personal history (work, travel, etc.);
- GRE or MCAT scores; and
- a personal statement or narrative essay.
After reviewing the VMCAS applications they have received, veterinary schools send their own applications (the secondary or supplemental application) directly to students who meet their basic criteria. Secondary applications frequently request additional information, essays, and letters of recommendation.
After reviewing the secondary applications, veterinary schools invite promising applicants to come for an interview. Applicants are responsible for all costs incurred while interviewing, including airfare, lodging, and meals.
- The more you know about the school, the better your chances of being accepted.
- Contact individual schools’ Admissions Offices to find out how they handle:
- advanced placement (AP) credits
- College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) credits
- courses taken at a community college
- courses taken for credit/no credit instead of a grade
- residency issues
- time limits on acceptable science courses
- coursework taken outside the U.S.
Additional Information
UHMānoa’s Pre-Health/Pre-Law Advising Center (PAC) has reference books, lists of volunteer opportunities, academic planning worksheets, and one-on-one advising by peers who can help you prepare for and apply to veterinary medical schools.
| UHM's Pre-Veterinary Club | www2.hawaii.edu/~prevet prevet@hawaii.edu |
| UHM's Biology Club | www2.hawaii.edu/~bioclub bioclub@hawaii.edu |
| Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements (VMSAR) | available in PAC |
| Medical Professions Admission Guide: Strategy for Success by NAAHP | available in PAC |
| American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) | www.avma.org |
| Student AVMA | www.avma.org/savma |
| Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) | www.aavmc.org |
| Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) | https://portal.vmcas.org/ |
| Graduate Record Examination (GRE) | www.gre.org |
| Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) | www.aamc.org/students/mcat |
| Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) | www.wiche.edu |