Veterinary Medicine As a Career II--Education and Application Information

Veterinary medicine is an exciting career choice for anyone who shares a love of science and animal care. The remainder of this page details the educational requirements for entrance into veterinary school, the application process, the DVM educational program, and graduate career options. Be sure to check out the links at the bottom of the page for more information.

Current requirements for entrance to the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine

A B.S. or B.A. degree in any major field of study from an accredited college or university, including the following courses as the minimum (equivalent in content to those required for students majoring in biological sciences): 

Plan A:

--Eight semester hours of biological sciences with laboratories. 

--Sixteen semester hours of chemical sciences, including biochemistry; inorganic and 

organic chemistry must have laboratories (3 laboratories required). 

--Eight semester hours of physics with laboratories.

Plan B:

Those applying without a B.S. or B.A. degree are required to have at least 60 semester hours from an accredited college or university, including 44 hours of science courses. 

The minimum course requirements under Plan B are:

--Eight semester hours of biological sciences with laboratories. 

--Sixteen semester hours of chemical sciences, including biochemistry; inorganic and 

organic chemistry must have laboratories (3 laboratories required). 

--Eight semester hours of physics with laboratories.

--Three semester hours of English composition and an additional three hours of English 

composition and/or speech. 

--Twelve semester hours of humanities and social sciences. 

--Twelve semester hours of junior-/senior-level (or graduate-level) science courses in 

addition to the requirements listed above. These courses could include, but are not 

limited to, any of the following: advanced biology, anatomy, genetics, microbiology, 

physiology, zoology. 

*Requirements for other colleges of veterinary medicine may vary.

Admission to veterinary school is very competitive. At the University of Illinois, there have been three to four applicants for each resident position and 40 to 50 applicants for each non-resident position in the entering class.

Applications to veterinary colleges typically include:

--Application (typically submitted electronically)

Applications typically document knowledge of, motivation toward, and experience with 

the veterinary profession; evidence of leadership, initiative, and responsibility; animal 

contact and experience; and extracurricular factors influencing personal growth. In 

addition, the academic rigor of the preprofessional program, course load, awards and 

scholarships, and upper-level or honors courses may be considered. 

--Letters of recommendation

Letters should be written by individuals who can evaluate the applicant's experience 

and ability relating to professional and scientific study. Letters should be from 

college instructors, academic supervisors, and veterinarians. 

--Copy of all college transcripts

Evidence of required classes and a minimum GPA for all courses completed are often 

documented by official transcripts. The mean grade-point average at the University 

of Illinois has been around 3.50 (4.0 = A) for successful resident applicants and 

3.75 for successful non-resident applicants. 

--Official test scores from GRE, VCAT, MCAT, etc. (varies by the university)

--Interview

Interviews are often required of all applicants who are the strongest academically and who are being seriously considered for admission. 

Students who are successful in gaining admission to the program typically have considerable animal experience, more than a year's experience working in a veterinary setting reflective of the type of work in which they have an interest, and strong extracurricular and community involvement. 

Veterinary Education

The profession of veterinary medicine is dedicated to the development of knowledge, skills, and techniques for maintaining optimal levels of health and quality of life for animals and people. 

Upon successful completion of the professional curriculum at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.) degree is obtained. The professional education offers a wide variety of careers in veterinary medicine. The four-year curriculum provides students with a theoretical and practical foundation in basic biological sciences and medicine and a broad range of clinical training and experience. 

First and Second Years--Basic Sciences

Gross Anatomy I and II

Physiology I and II

Neurobiology 

Veterinary Histology

Veterinary Clinical Orientation

Veterinary Immunology

Principles of Animal Nutrition

Veterinary Developmental Anatomy

Veterinary Medical History, Ethics, and Orientation

Epidemiology

Pharmacology I and II

Veterinary Bacteriology and Mycology 

Veterinary Parasitology

General Pathology

Veterinary Jurisprudence

Companion Animal Medicine I and II

Special Pathology

Virology

Veterinary Clinical Pathology 

Food Hygiene and Public Health

Third and Forth Years--Professional Years

Third Year

Toxicology

Companion Animal Medicine III and IV

Introduction to Surgery

General Small Animal Surgery

General Large Animal Surgery

Clinical and Laboratory Practice

Theriogenology

Veterinary Anesthesiology and Fluid Therapy

Food Animal Nutrition

Companion Animal Nutrition

Food Animal Medicine

Small Animal Surgery

Large Animal Surgery

Clinical and Laboratory Practice II

Radiology and Radiobiology

Diseases of Poultry

Fourth Year--Clinical Rotations Clinical and Laboratory Practice

Equine Medicine and Surgery

Clinical Anesthesiology

Food Animal Medicine and Surgery

Diagnostic Imaging

Production Medicine/Theriogenology

Small Animal Surgery

Diagnostic Laboratory Practice

Specialty Medicine (Cardiology, Dermatology, Neurology, Oncology)

Electives in above areas or Beef Production Medicine, Swine Production Medicine, 

Aquatic Animal Medicine, Lab Animal Medicine, and Ophthalmology.

Post-DVM Education

Internships and residencies that lead to board certification in one of more than twenty specialties qualifies veterinarians for an even wider variety of positions in both private and public practice. For example, specialties exist in veterinary internal medicine, surgery, anesthesiology, pathology, ophthalmology, and other areas that qualify a veterinarian for unique positions in private practice, industry, or academia.

Because of the broad scientific training and the use of state-of-the-art tools and techniques, veterinary medicine is the foundation for an almost limitless variety of health-related careers.

--Traditional Private Practice

Veterinarians treat diseased and injured animals. Veterinarians also are heavily involved in preventing and controlling disease in both individual animals and in animal populations. For food animal veterinarians, the focus has become one of improving productivity and profitability for farms. Most veterinarians apply their skills in practice settings for some portion of their careers, and many develop highly successful practices. Graduates with a D.V.M. may serve companion animal and livestock owners.

--Specialty Practice

Board certification in one of more than twenty specialties qualifies veterinarians for an even wider variety of positions in both private and public practice. For example, specialties exist in veterinary internal medicine, surgery, anesthesiology, pathology, ophthalmology, and other areas that qualify a veterinarian for unique positions in private practice, industry, or academia. 

--Public Health

Veterinarians contribute to the eradication of disease in public health careers and help shape government policy as regulatory officers. Their skills are also employed in biology-related industries. In pharmaceutical, chemical, cosmetic, and animal food and health products companies, the D.V.M. plays a variety of roles. For example, in commercial laboratories, veterinarians trained in laboratory animal medicine are responsible for the health and well-being of research animals. Veterinarians also engage in projects to develop more humane testing procedures and to ensure the safety of new drugs. The development of computer models to decrease the need for animal research also involves veterinarians. 

--Government

Government employees at the national, state, and local level, such as wildlife researchers or environmental and occupational epidemiologists, are often veterinarians. In military services, veterinarians provide medical expertise, work to ensure safe and nutritious food for both military personnel and civilians, manage animal experiments, and supervise animal research colonies. Veterinarians have also used their education and talents in the Peace Corps, contributing to improved nutrition, health, and standards of living in developing countries. 

More Information On Careers In Veterinary Medicine Can Be Obtained From:

The American Veterinary Medical Association

www.avma.org

1931 N. Meecham Road, Suite 100, Schaumburg, IL 60173

(800) 248-2862

The University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine

www.cvm.uiuc.edu

2001 S. Lincoln, Urbana, IL 61801

(217) 333-2760

Other Schools of Veterinary Medicine 

The information found on this page is from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine website and may be subject to change. Please consult the U of I website for up-to-date information.