PREPARING FOR VETERINARY MEDICAL SCHOOL

BECOME A VETERINARIAN ANDMAKE A DIFFERENCE.Preventing disease andhealing animals is at the heartof what veterinarians do, butthey also do so much more.Veterinary medicine is awell-respected professionbecause veterinarians makesignificant contributions toimproving the health andwellbeing of the animalsand people they serve.Veterinarians practicemedicine that alleviatessuffering, contributes togroundbreaking medicaladvancements, protectsthe environment, andmakes the world a better,healthier place.If you’ve decided to become aveterinarian – congratulations!You’ve decided to embark onan important, fulfilling andversatile career.Or perhaps you’re just beginningto explore the option of a veterinarymedical career. Either way, thisbrochure will help you becomefamiliar with what it takes to becomea veterinarian and what you cando now, no matter where you are inthe process, to achieve your goal.WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS ASA VETERINARIAN?be someone like you. For example,the average applicant to veterinarymedical school is a 24-year-oldwoman from the suburbs with abachelor’s degree who has applied toveterinary medical school 1.2 times.She has an average GPA of 3.56 andGRE scores of 155 (66th percentile),154 (57th percentile) and 3.9 (54thpercentile) on the verbal, quantitative,and analytical tests, respectively.First, let’s dispelsome myths.If you don’t fit the profile of theaverage student, don’t let that deteryou. Veterinary medical schools arecommitted to diversity and seek toadmit students who possess the rightmix of smarts, passion, and talent, evenwhen they don’t fit the average profile.Myth:Myth:Fact:Fact:It’s extremely hard to get intoveterinary medical school. In fact,it’s probably beyond your grasp.Getting into veterinary medicalschool isn’t easy but it’s definitelyan attainable goal. The averageveterinary medical school studentis above average. But the averageveterinary medical student mightIn order to get into veterinary school,I need to major in a pre-veterinaryprogram as an undergraduate.Pre-vet programs are great, butthey’re not mandatory. Veterinarymedical students come from all kindsof backgrounds and majors, includingthe arts or humanities. The importantthing is to accumulate the necessaryprerequisites, especially prerequisitesin math and science, which vary byschool. It’s best to start taking mathand science early in your academiccareer, but you can also pick upthose classes along the way. Generalaptitude, especially aptitude in mathand science, a willingness to tackletough subjects, and a solid work ethicas indicated by good grades, willprovide the foundation that you needto apply to veterinary medical schoolswith confidence.The following list is notexhaustive but provides anoverview of careers wheregraduates of veterinarymedical schools can effectivelyapply their Doctor of VeterinaryMedicine (DVM) degrees. Myth:If I become a veterinarian, I’llspend my entire career taking careof cats and dogs.Fact:Most veterinarians do go into privatemedical practice in some form,working with companion animals, buta veterinary medical degree preparesyou for a wide range of careers. Manyveterinarians find that their DVMdegree takes them to unexpectedplaces, where they might work with thegovernment, educational institutions,or corporations. Veterinary medicine isa career with options. Private practice, either generalpractice or (with advancedtraining and experience)a specialty field, such asophthalmology, orthopedics,aquatic animal medicine, marinebiology, wildlife animal medicine,or emergency animal medicine.Corporate veterinarymedicine, for example, withcorporations that provideveterinary care, test humandrugs for safety, or produceanimal-related products.The federal governmentemploys veterinarians throughthe United States Departmentof Agriculture (USDA), NationalInstitutes of Health (NIH),Centers for Disease Control(CDC), and Food and DrugAdministration (FDA) workingon biosecurity, public health,meat inspection, regulatorymedicine, agricultural animalhealth, environmental quality,or the investigation of diseaseoutbreaks.The U.S. Army and U.S. Air Forceoffer career opportunities inareas such as food safety andclinical care for working dogsand companion animals. Themilitary also provides advancedtraining in specialty areas forthose who commit to service. Research, in either a university,corporate, or government setting. Teaching, either in academiaor non-professional schools.With 40 percent of agingfaculty in academia eligiblefor retirement over the next 10years, projections indicate anincreasing need for professorsto teach in all disciplines ofveterinary medicine. Public health, particularly withgovernmental agencies suchas the United States PublicHealth Service, which worksto control the transmission ofinfectious diseases from animalsto humans (zoonotic). Food supply medicine, with eitherthe state or federal governmentor a food producer. Global veterinary medicine,in private practice or withinternational agencies workingin areas such as food productionand safety or emerging diseases. Public policy, working forgovernments on animal andzoonotic diseases, animalwelfare, public health issues,or as consultants with nongovernmental agencies. Shelter medicine, working withcommunities and private orpublic agencies to ensure thehealth and wellbeing of animalpopulations housed in shelters.There are additional opportunitiesavailable with state and municipalgovernments, nonprofits, and inareas that require a background incomparative medicine.

BECOME A VETERINARIAN ANDMAKE A DIFFERENCE.Preventing disease andhealing animals is at the heartof what veterinarians do, butthey also do so much more.Veterinary medicine is awell-respected professionbecause veterinarians makesignificant contributions toimproving the health andwellbeing of the animalsand people they serve.Veterinarians practicemedicine that alleviatessuffering, contributes togroundbreaking medicaladvancements, protectsthe environment, andmakes the world a better,healthier place.If you’ve decided to become aveterinarian – congratulations!You’ve decided to embark onan important, fulfilling andversatile career.Or perhaps you’re just beginningto explore the option of a veterinarymedical career. Either way, thisbrochure will help you becomefamiliar with what it takes to becomea veterinarian and what you cando now, no matter where you are inthe process, to achieve your goal.WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS ASA VETERINARIAN?be someone like you. For example,the average applicant to veterinarymedical school is a 24-year-oldwoman from the suburbs with abachelor’s degree who has applied toveterinary medical school 1.2 times.She has an average GPA of 3.56 andGRE scores of 155 (66th percentile),154 (57th percentile) and 3.9 (54thpercentile) on the verbal, quantitative,and analytical tests, respectively.First, let’s dispelsome myths.If you don’t fit the profile of theaverage student, don’t let that deteryou. Veterinary medical schools arecommitted to diversity and seek toadmit students who possess the rightmix of smarts, passion, and talent, evenwhen they don’t fit the average profile.Myth:Myth:Fact:Fact:It’s extremely hard to get intoveterinary medical school. In fact,it’s probably beyond your grasp.Getting into veterinary medicalschool isn’t easy but it’s definitelyan attainable goal. The averageveterinary medical school studentis above average. But the averageveterinary medical student mightIn order to get into veterinary school,I need to major in a pre-veterinaryprogram as an undergraduate.Pre-vet programs are great, butthey’re not mandatory. Veterinarymedical students come from all kindsof backgrounds and majors, includingthe arts or humanities. The importantthing is to accumulate the necessaryprerequisites, especially prerequisitesin math and science, which vary byschool. It’s best to start taking mathand science early in your academiccareer, but you can also pick upthose classes along the way. Generalaptitude, especially aptitude in mathand science, a willingness to tackletough subjects, and a solid work ethicas indicated by good grades, willprovide the foundation that you needto apply to veterinary medical schoolswith confidence.The following list is notexhaustive but provides anoverview of careers wheregraduates of veterinarymedical schools can effectivelyapply their Doctor of VeterinaryMedicine (DVM) degrees. Myth:If I become a veterinarian, I’llspend my entire career taking careof cats and dogs.Fact:Most veterinarians do go into privatemedical practice in some form,working with companion animals, buta veterinary medical degree preparesyou for a wide range of careers. Manyveterinarians find that their DVMdegree takes them to unexpectedplaces, where they might work with thegovernment, educational institutions,or corporations. Veterinary medicine isa career with options. Private practice, either generalpractice or (with advancedtraining and experience)a specialty field, such asophthalmology, orthopedics,aquatic animal medicine, marinebiology, wildlife animal medicine,or emergency animal medicine.Corporate veterinarymedicine, for example, withcorporations that provideveterinary care, test humandrugs for safety, or produceanimal-related products.The federal governmentemploys veterinarians throughthe United States Departmentof Agriculture (USDA), NationalInstitutes of Health (NIH),Centers for Disease Control(CDC), and Food and DrugAdministration (FDA) workingon biosecurity, public health,meat inspection, regulatorymedicine, agricultural animalhealth, environmental quality,or the investigation of diseaseoutbreaks.The U.S. Army and U.S. Air Forceoffer career opportunities inareas such as food safety andclinical care for working dogsand companion animals. Themilitary also provides advancedtraining in specialty areas forthose who commit to service. Research, in either a university,corporate, or government setting. Teaching, either in academiaor non-professional schools.With 40 percent of agingfaculty in academia eligiblefor retirement over the next 10years, projections indicate anincreasing need for professorsto teach in all disciplines ofveterinary medicine. Public health, particularly withgovernmental agencies suchas the United States PublicHealth Service, which worksto control the transmission ofinfectious diseases from animalsto humans (zoonotic). Food supply medicine, with eitherthe state or federal governmentor a food producer. Global veterinary medicine,in private practice or withinternational agencies workingin areas such as food productionand safety or emerging diseases. Public policy, working forgovernments on animal andzoonotic diseases, animalwelfare, public health issues,or as consultants with nongovernmental agencies. Shelter medicine, working withcommunities and private orpublic agencies to ensure thehealth and wellbeing of animalpopulations housed in shelters.There are additional opportunitiesavailable with state and municipalgovernments, nonprofits, and inareas that require a background incomparative medicine.

PREPARING FOR VETERINARYMEDICAL SCHOOLHow to prepare asa high school student:Gain a solid background inmath and science.Take part in extracurricularactivities (athletics, schoolclubs, FFA, etc).Study and maintain a highGPA and high SAT/ACT scores.Acquire as much experiencewith pets as possible.Consider volunteering atyour local humane society orwith a local veterinarian.How to prepare asa college undergraduate:Take courses that include mathand several science courses,such as biology and chemistry.Maintain a high GPA.Gain as much broad exposure toveterinary medicine as possible.Consider job shadowing withveterinarians, scientists, workingon a farm or volunteering at ananimal shelter.Schools have differentrequirements for standardizedtest scores. Contact schoolsthat interest you to find out theirrequirements.Join a pre-vet club. Mostcolleges and universitieshave one.This brochure is brought to you by the Association of AmericanVeterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC), a nonprofit membershiporganization working to protect and improve the health andwelfare of animals, people and the environment by advancingacademic veterinary medicine. Its members include veterinarymedical colleges in the United States and Canada, departmentsof veterinary science, departments of comparative medicine,international colleges of veterinary medicine, and affiliate collegesof veterinary medicine. The AAVMC works to create a stronger,more prosperous future for academic veterinary medicine and theprofession and society it serves.

veterinary medical student might be someone like you. For example, the average applicant to veterinary medical school is a 24-year-old woman from the suburbs with a bachelor’s degree who has applied to veterinary medical school 1.2 times. She has an average GPA of 3.56 and GRE scores of 1