PREPARING FOR VETERINARY MEDICAL SCHOOL How to prepare as How to prepare as a high school student: a college undergraduate: Gain a solid background in Take courses that include math math and science. and several science courses, such as biology and chemistry. Take part in extracurricular activities (athletics, school Maintain a high GPA. clubs, FFA, etc). Gain as much broad exposure to Study and maintain a high veterinary medicine as possible. GPA and high SAT/ACT scores. Consider job shadowing with veterinarians, scientists, working Acquire as much experience on a farm or volunteering at an with pets as possible. animal shelter. This brochure is brought to you by the Association of American BECOME A Consider volunteering at Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC), a nonprofit membership your local humane society or Schools have different with a local veterinarian. requirements for standardized organization working to protect and improve the health and VETERINARIAN test scores. Contact schools welfare of animals, people and the environment by advancing that interest you to find out their requirements. academic veterinary medicine. Its members include veterinary AND MAKE medical colleges in the United States and Canada, departments Join a pre-vet club. Most colleges and universities of veterinary science, departments of comparative medicine, A DIFFERENCE have one. international colleges of veterinary medicine, and affiliate colleges of veterinary medicine. The AAVMC works to create a stronger, more prosperous future for academic veterinary medicine and the profession and society it serves. To learn more about applying to veterinary medical school, visit the AAVMC at aavmc.org and click on the “Students, Applicants and Advisors” section in the orange bar. Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges 1101 Vermont Avenue NW, Suite 301, Washington, DC 20005-3536 202-371-9195 • www.aavmc.org Published: March 2014 BECOME A VETERINARIAN AND WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS AS MAKE A DIFFERENCE. A VETERINARIAN? Preventing disease and If you’ve decided to become a be someone like you. For example, prerequisites, especially prerequisites The following list is not • Research, in either a university, healing animals is at the heart veterinarian – congratulations! the average applicant to veterinary in math and science, which vary by exhaustive but provides an corporate, or government setting. You’ve decided to embark on medical school is a 24-year-old school. It’s best to start taking math of what veterinarians do, but an important, fulfilling and woman from the suburbs with a and science early in your academic overview of careers where • Teaching, either in academia they also do so much more. versatile career. bachelor’s degree who has applied to career, but you can also pick up graduates of veterinary or non-professional schools. veterinary medical school 1.2 times. those classes along the way. General With 40 percent of aging Veterinary medicine is a Or perhaps you’re just beginning She has an average GPA of 3.56 and aptitude, especially aptitude in math medical schools can effectively faculty in academia eligible well-respected profession to explore the option of a veterinary GRE scores of 155 (66th percentile), and science, a willingness to tackle apply their Doctor of Veterinary for retirement over the next 10 medical career. Either way, this 154 (57th percentile) and 3.9 (54th tough subjects, and a solid work ethic years, projections indicate an because veterinarians make brochure will help you become percentile) on the verbal, quantitative, as indicated by good grades, will Medicine (DVM) degrees. increasing need for professors significant contributions to familiar with what it takes to become and analytical tests, respectively. provide the foundation that you need to teach in all disciplines of a veterinarian and what you can to apply to veterinary medical schools veterinary medicine. • Private practice, either general improving the health and do now, no matter where you are in If you don’t fit the profile of the with confidence. practice or (with advanced the process, to achieve your goal. average student, don’t let that deter • Public health, particularly with wellbeing of the animals training and experience) you. Veterinary medical schools are governmental agencies such Myth: a specialty field, such as and people they serve. committed to diversity and seek to as the United States Public If I become a veterinarian, I’ll ophthalmology, orthopedics, admit students who possess the right Health Service, which works Veterinarians practice First, let’s dispel spend my entire career taking care aquatic animal medicine, marine mix of smarts, passion, and talent, even to control the transmission of of cats and dogs. biology, wildlife animal medicine, medicine that alleviates some myths. when they don’t fit the average profile. infectious diseases from animals or emergency animal medicine. to humans (zoonotic). suffering, contributes to Fact: Myth: Myth: • Corporate veterinary groundbreaking medical Most veterinarians do go into private • Food supply medicine, with either It’s extremely hard to get into In order to get into veterinary school, medicine, for example, with medical practice in some form, the state or federal government advancements, protects veterinary medical school. In fact, I need to major in a pre-veterinary corporations that provide working with companion animals, but or a food producer. it’s probably beyond your grasp. program as an undergraduate. veterinary care, test human the environment, and a veterinary medical degree prepares drugs for safety, or produce you for a wide range of careers. Many • Global veterinary medicine, makes the world a better, animal-related products. Fact: Fact: veterinarians find that their DVM in private practice or with healthier place. Getting into veterinary medical Pre-vet programs are great, but degree takes them to unexpected international agencies working • The federal government school isn’t easy but it’s definitely they’re not mandatory. Veterinary places, where they might work with the in areas such as food production employs veterinarians through an attainable goal. The average medical students come from all kinds government, educational institutions, and safety or emerging diseases. the United States Department veterinary medical school student of backgrounds and majors, including or corporations. Veterinary medicine is of Agriculture (USDA), National is above average. But the average the arts or humanities. The important a career with options. • Public policy, working for Institutes of Health (NIH), veterinary medical student might thing is to accumulate the necessary governments on animal and Centers for Disease Control zoonotic diseases, animal (CDC), and Food and Drug welfare, public health issues, Administration (FDA) working or as consultants with non- on biosecurity, public health, governmental agencies. meat inspection, regulatory medicine, agricultural animal • Shelter medicine, working with health, environmental quality, communities and private or or the investigation of disease public agencies to ensure the outbreaks. health and wellbeing of animal populations housed in shelters. • The U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force offer career opportunities in areas such as food safety and There are additional opportunities clinical care for working dogs available with state and municipal and companion animals. The governments, nonprofits, and in military also provides advanced areas that require a background in training in specialty areas for comparative medicine. those who commit to service. BECOME A VETERINARIAN AND WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS AS MAKE A DIFFERENCE. A VETERINARIAN? Preventing disease and If you’ve decided to become a be someone like you. For example, prerequisites, especially prerequisites The following list is not • Research, in either a university, healing animals is at the heart veterinarian – congratulations! the average applicant to veterinary in math and science, which vary by exhaustive but provides an corporate, or government setting. You’ve decided to embark on medical school is a 24-year-old school. It’s best to start taking math of what veterinarians do, but an important, fulfilling and woman from the suburbs with a and science early in your academic overview of careers where • Teaching, either in academia they also do so much more. versatile career. bachelor’s degree who has applied to career, but you can also pick up graduates of veterinary or non-professional schools. veterinary medical school 1.2 times. those classes along the way. General With 40 percent of aging Veterinary medicine is a Or perhaps you’re just beginning She has an average GPA of 3.56 and aptitude, especially aptitude in math medical schools can effectively faculty in academia eligible well-respected profession to explore the option of a veterinary GRE scores of 155 (66th percentile), and science, a willingness to tackle apply their Doctor of Veterinary for retirement over the next 10 medical career. Either way, this 154 (57th percentile) and 3.9 (54th tough subjects, and a solid work ethic years, projections indicate an because veterinarians make brochure will help you become percentile) on the verbal, quantitative, as indicated by good grades, will Medicine (DVM) degrees. increasing need for professors significant contributions to familiar with what it takes to become and analytical tests, respectively. provide the foundation that you need to teach in all disciplines of a veterinarian and what