³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏing to Veterinary School
Veterinary programs require various prerequisites for admission and consider a variety of clinical and non-clinical experiences. This typically includes:
- A bachelor's degree
- Specific prerequisite coursework
- Standardized test scores
- Clinical and non-clinical experiences
- Volunteer experiences
- Research (not always)
Become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
- Learn more about the profession:
- Find a Program:
- What's a Veterinary Tech?
Common pathways @ ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ
What major should you choose? You can major in anything and apply to veterinary school. Admissions requirements vary from school to school, so you should do your research to make sure you have a plan to meet all of the requirements needed for your schools of interest. The Health Pathways page provides information about health-related programs at ³Ô¹Ï±¬ÁÏ. This is a good place to start exploring options to make sure you've chosen your best fit major.
How to Build a Competitive Application
Most programs have a minimum GPA, typically at least 3.0 but many programs have an average GPA of 3.5 or higher for admitted students. You'll apply through a Centralized Application Service, or CAS. The link below explains how GPAs are calculated:
| Veterinary School | VMCAS: |
| Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements | VMSAR: |
Most PT programs require the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), although specific requirements such as minimum scores vary by program.
4-H, FFA, or similar experience or working with animals in any way can be valuable experience.
Shadow
Become a Vet Tech:
Volunteer
- Virginia Aquarium:
- Virginia Zoo:
- Virginia Living Museum:
- City of Norfolk:
- Norfolk Animal Care Center:
- ASPCA:
Research
Research experience can be a great way to hone your analytical skills, demonstrate critical thinking, and can help to strengthen your veterinary school application:
As an R1 research institution, there are many opportunities on campus to gain research experience as an undergraduate. Look up faculty in the College of Sciences, Ellmer College of Health Sciences, and Joint School of Public Health and reach out to professor(s) whose research matches your interests.
Leadership
Join a club or organization and volunteer for a leadership position
Unique Life Experiences
- Multilingual
- Study Abroad or travel outside of the US
- Peace Corps
- Military Experience
- Work full time
Common Prerequisites
| Common Prerequisite Courses | Course Numbers | |
| General Biology I & II w/ labs | BIOL 121N/122N | BIOL 123N/124N |
| General/Inorganic Chemistry I & II w/ labs | CHEM 121N/122N | CHEM 123N/124N |
| Organic Chemistry I & II w/labs | CHEM 211/212 | CHEM 213/214 |
| Biochemistry | CHEM 441 | |
| Algebra or Calculus Based Physics I & II w labs | PHYS 111N or PHYS 231N | PHYS 112N or PHYS 232N |
| Statistics | STAT 130M | |
| Behavioral Science courses |
PSYC 201S SOC 201S |