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Kaitlynne
Student
Cumberland, VA
1
Question
Updated
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Is being a vet the right path for me?
I am a High School senior and I have always wanted to be an equine vet, but while applying for colleges I keep asking myself if I have what it takes.
#Fall25
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1 answer
Karin P.
Lecturer, Academic Advisor, Career Coach
1091
Answers
Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Kaitlynne,
Time to consider what attracted you to veterinary medicine in the first place and what makes you doubt yourself now. It is normal to get a bit of "cold feet" when you look at the path ahead and all the requirements before you make an impactful decision. That's different from suddenly realizing e.g. that being a vet is not all about petting the ponies at the petting zoo or realizing that you don't actually like biology and chemistry.
Think about the subjects you are good at and that you enjoy at school. Veterinary medicine is science-based, so you should enjoy your STEM subjects, biology and chemistry in particular. Your guidance counselor can help you with an aptitude test. Admission to veterinary school is competitive, so you'll need a great GPA and admission test as well.
Before you start your path to veterinary school, you should also get some internships and work experience at a vet hospital under your belt. Being in the environment and seeing what the job entails will soon tell you if it is what you want to do. Ideally, you would find a mentor and continue working at a vet hospital during your studies to gain more experience and make some money.
In the US, to become a veterinary you usually need to earn a bachelors degree (4 years) and pass a list of pre-requisite courses before going to veterinary school (4 years) to earn your DVM. Some schools offer combined programs by integrating the bachelor and DVM phases into one program which allows you to earn your DVM in 6 or 7 years.
If you are not entirely sure if you want to go to veterinary school, keep in mind that veterinary medicine is a graduate degree. When you choose an undergraduate degree, choose something that you would be happy to build a career on. If you change your mind, you have something to fall back on.
In Virginia, your only option for veterinary school is Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, You find the admission requirements here: https://dvm.vetmed.vt.edu/dvm-admissions.html.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/veterinary-medicine-loan-repayment-program/us-avma-accredited-veterinary-schools
https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/veterinarian-rankings
https://bestaccreditedcolleges.org/articles/equine-veterinarian-schools.html
https://vetmed.vt.edu/
Time to consider what attracted you to veterinary medicine in the first place and what makes you doubt yourself now. It is normal to get a bit of "cold feet" when you look at the path ahead and all the requirements before you make an impactful decision. That's different from suddenly realizing e.g. that being a vet is not all about petting the ponies at the petting zoo or realizing that you don't actually like biology and chemistry.
Think about the subjects you are good at and that you enjoy at school. Veterinary medicine is science-based, so you should enjoy your STEM subjects, biology and chemistry in particular. Your guidance counselor can help you with an aptitude test. Admission to veterinary school is competitive, so you'll need a great GPA and admission test as well.
Before you start your path to veterinary school, you should also get some internships and work experience at a vet hospital under your belt. Being in the environment and seeing what the job entails will soon tell you if it is what you want to do. Ideally, you would find a mentor and continue working at a vet hospital during your studies to gain more experience and make some money.
In the US, to become a veterinary you usually need to earn a bachelors degree (4 years) and pass a list of pre-requisite courses before going to veterinary school (4 years) to earn your DVM. Some schools offer combined programs by integrating the bachelor and DVM phases into one program which allows you to earn your DVM in 6 or 7 years.
If you are not entirely sure if you want to go to veterinary school, keep in mind that veterinary medicine is a graduate degree. When you choose an undergraduate degree, choose something that you would be happy to build a career on. If you change your mind, you have something to fall back on.
In Virginia, your only option for veterinary school is Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, You find the admission requirements here: https://dvm.vetmed.vt.edu/dvm-admissions.html.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
Karin recommends the following next steps: