1 answer
SaMaiyah
Student
Hampton, Virginia
1
Question
Updated
218 views
What main things do I need to know for applying to veterinary school?
I'm a senior in high school looking to major in Biology for my undergrad years and then go to veterinary school for my graduate studies. Is there anything vital I need to know before I start undergrad next year? #Fall25
Login to comment
1 answer
Karin P.
Lecturer, Academic Advisor, Career Coach
1091
Answers
Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi SaMaiyah,
Just like medicine, veterinary medicine is a graduate degree. That means, you first have to earn a bachelors degree in any field. Biology is a good choice. There is also a list of pre-requisites that you must pass before you can apply to veterinary school. Often, the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) or the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) are required before you can apply as well.
Veterinary school usually takes 4 years just like medical school. Some schools offer accelerated graduate programs, e.g. University of Arizona has a 3-year program (https://vetmed.arizona.edu/why-arizona-cvm/accelerated-program). Other schools, like Cornell and University of Florida have programs that integrate undergraduate and graduate phase into a shorter program.
After earning your Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), you need to pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam (NAVLE). If you want to practice in Virginia, you can then apply for a license from the Virginia Board of Veterinary Medicine. If you want to specialize, there might be additional years of specialized training in residency.
In Virginia, there is only one accredited veterinary school: Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, a collaboration between Virginia Tech and University of Maryland. I left a link to the application requirements and pre-requisites for you below. The application is through VMCAS Application and Supplemental Essays are required. The review process is "holistic" and evaluates personal characteristics as well as academic preparedness through a "competency-based" admission process. It's probably a good idea to familiarize yourself with all the tests and essays and pre-requisites and other evaluation criteria now since it's quite extensive. You'll also need to gain veterinary experience, get some research under your belt while you are an undergrad and cultivate some relationships with lecturers and employers so they will be able to write excellent recommendation letters for you.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
https://vetmed.vt.edu/
https://dvm.vetmed.vt.edu/dvm-admissions/requirements-new.html
https://www.dhp.virginia.gov/Boards/VetMed/
Just like medicine, veterinary medicine is a graduate degree. That means, you first have to earn a bachelors degree in any field. Biology is a good choice. There is also a list of pre-requisites that you must pass before you can apply to veterinary school. Often, the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) or the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) are required before you can apply as well.
Veterinary school usually takes 4 years just like medical school. Some schools offer accelerated graduate programs, e.g. University of Arizona has a 3-year program (https://vetmed.arizona.edu/why-arizona-cvm/accelerated-program). Other schools, like Cornell and University of Florida have programs that integrate undergraduate and graduate phase into a shorter program.
After earning your Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), you need to pass the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam (NAVLE). If you want to practice in Virginia, you can then apply for a license from the Virginia Board of Veterinary Medicine. If you want to specialize, there might be additional years of specialized training in residency.
In Virginia, there is only one accredited veterinary school: Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, a collaboration between Virginia Tech and University of Maryland. I left a link to the application requirements and pre-requisites for you below. The application is through VMCAS Application and Supplemental Essays are required. The review process is "holistic" and evaluates personal characteristics as well as academic preparedness through a "competency-based" admission process. It's probably a good idea to familiarize yourself with all the tests and essays and pre-requisites and other evaluation criteria now since it's quite extensive. You'll also need to gain veterinary experience, get some research under your belt while you are an undergrad and cultivate some relationships with lecturers and employers so they will be able to write excellent recommendation letters for you.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
Karin recommends the following next steps: