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what are some good vet schools in VA?

just need some suggestions

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Michael’s Answer

Hi Kimber:

According to EduRank, here is a link to the Best Veterinary Colleges and Universities in Virginia:

- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
- University of Virginia
- Old Dominion University
- Virginia Commonwealth University
- George Mason University
- Marymount University

https://edurank.org/medicine/veterinary/virginia-state/

While in college, here are some undergraduate degrees to major in order to become a Veterinarian:

- Organic Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Zoology
- Physics
- Animal or Wildlife Science
- Chemistry

It will be best to seek advice from your high school guidance counselor as well as teachers to help you focus your interests for a specific major in college. Another recommendation is to visit your local animal hospital and speak with the Veterinarian for additional advice. The Veterinarian can provide you with his or her educational background, experience, insights, etc. on how he or she became a Veterinarian.

A Veterinarian will need to complete a Bachelor of Science degree (four year undergraduate course work). Afterwards, one's education is continued until a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree (D.V.M. or V.M.D) is earned which will be another four years of study. Then, both the national and state exams are required for one to earn the licenses to practice Veterinary medicine.

When reviewing colleges and universities, it is best to check the following:

- In-State vs Out of State Tuition
- Internships
- Scholarships
- Career Placement upon graduation
- Course work and offered classes
- Post-Graduate Degrees - Master and Doctoral

There are scholarships based on need, academic performance, school activities, sports involvement and community service. So, it will be to your advantage to seek out these types of scholarships. All of the academic staff at your high school that you interact with can write letters of recommendations for you based on what was just stated above. These recommendations can greatly help when filling out college and scholarship applications.

Scholarship applications can start to be submitted during your Junior year and will continue throughout your Senior year in high school. It is best to ask your Academic Advisor/School Counselor on the timeline process as well. Scholarship applications will have specific deadlines and requirements to meet in order to be submitted for review and consideration.

You may want to start to compile your resume/portfolio since a majority of scholarship applications will require academic grade point average (GPA), academic accomplishments, school activities (clubs, sports, etc.), community involvement (volunteer, church, etc.), academic and personal recommendations, etc. There may be essay requirements on why you are a qualified candidate to receive the scholarship, what your future goals are academically and professionally and other questions centering around who you are, your beliefs, etc.

Here are a couple of links for College Scholarships:

https://www.mometrix.com/blog/scholarships-for-college/

https://www.nchchonors.org/students/awards-scholarships/national-scholarships

Also, it will be best to check with the colleges and universities that you will be applying to. You can check with the School/Department of your desired major, the Campus Career Center and the Register's Office for additional information for college scholarships and grants and specific requirements for qualifications.

While in high school, one will need to focus on science and math classes to prepare for a Veterinary career. Physics, chemistry and biology will be the core science courses. If your high school offers an Animal or Wildlife course, it will be in your best interest to take this class. For math, algebra, calculus and statistics will be needed. Both concentrations will enable you to focus and refine your analytical skills for research; complex problem solving; investigative and innovative critical thinking; attention to detail; etc.

Other skills that will need to be built upon center around team building, team work and communication. In any work culture, collaboration among team members, staff and partner departments occur on a daily basis. As a Veterinarian, communication is essential and critical when dealing with clients and patients. A college course in Public Speaking, Communication and English will help with one's communication and writing skills.

Best wishes for your education and career path as a Veterinarian!
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Sarah’s Answer

Michael's previous response was not accurate. Right now, Virginia only has one veterinary medicine school, which is the VIRGINIA-MARYLAND COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. But, Virginia does offer a wide range of undergraduate programs. Before you can apply to any veterinary school, including the one in Virginia, you'll need to complete several required undergraduate courses. However, there's no need to have a specific major.
Thank you comment icon So, Sarah is EduRank not accurate? This is the link where I found the information for the best Veterinary colleges and universities in Virginia. https://edurank.org/medicine/veterinary/virginia-state/ Please clarify. Thank You. Michael Torio
Thank you comment icon HI Sarah, admin here! I wanted to chime in since there has been a misunderstanding. From what I can tell, you are correct in saying that there is only one veterinary medicine school in VA. However, Michael (thank you for citing your sources) is talking about schools that offer vet PROGRAMS in general. Some of the schools mentioned offer undergrad, masters, and doctoral programs in the field. Although they are not vet specific schools, they still offer great programs that students should consider :) Gurpreet Lally, Admin
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