Preparing for a Career in Veterinary Medicine
Once you have decided to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, you should:
- Read the Pre-Healthcare FAQ that provides general advice for students considering healthcare careers.
- Familiarize yourself with the information on this page.
- Visit websites such as:
- PreVet101
- Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC)
Learn more about the organization that represents all veterinary medical colleges in the United States and Canada. This website provides links to all of these vet schools. - Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine
- Try to attend the meetings of and consider joining the Miami Pre-Vet Club. This student-run organization is there to help you attain your goal of becoming a vet.
For any questions about pursuing a career in veterinary medicine, please feel free to contact the pre-vet advisors. Students interested in veterinary medicine should make an appointment during their first year at Miami with one of these advisors:
Dr. Susan M.G. Hoffman
Department of Biology
246 Pearson Hall
hoffmasm@MiamiOH.edu
Dr. Paul Schaeffer
Department of Biology
288 Pearson Hall
schaefpj@MiamiOH.edu
Dr. Nancy Solomon
Department of Biology
170 Pearson Hall
solomong@MiamiOH.edu
Pre-Veterinary Coursework
Below are the Miami equivalents of the courses required by Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Other vet schools have similar but not identical requirements; consult their specific websites.
Subject | Courses |
---|---|
General Chemistry (1 year with lab) |
CHM 141, 144 and CHM 142, 145 |
Organic Chemistry (1 year with lab) |
CHM 241, 244 and CHM 242, 245 or CHM 251, 254 and CHM 252, 255 |
Biochemistry (1 semester) |
CHM 332, 332L (lab) or CHM 432 (preferred; no lab) |
Physics (1 year with lab) |
PHY 161, 162 or PHY 191, 192 |
General Biology (1 year with lab) |
BIO/MBI 115, 116 |
Physiology (1 semester) |
BIO 305 |
Math (precalculus or calculus) (1 semester) |
MTH 104 or MTH 123 or MTH 125 (precalculus) or MTH 151 (calculus) |
Microbiology (General) (1 semester with lab) |
MBI 161 or MBI 201 or MBI 121, 123 |
English Composition (1 semester) |
ENG 111 |
Public Speaking (1 semester) |
STC 135 or STC 136 or STC 231 or STC 332 or STC 339 |
Humanities/Social Sciences (16 semester hours) |
Includes history, economics, anthropology, psychology, art, sociology, music, literature, languages, writing, and ethics |
Science Electives (35 semester hours) |
Includes biology, chemistry, general or organic chemistry, anatomy, animal sciences, immunology, cell biology, molecular genetics, ecology, environmental science or other science courses |
Additional Requirements
Chemistry 141/142 and BIO/MBI 115/116 are prerequisites for other courses on this list, so it is strongly recommended that you take them during your first year in college. Do not use AP credit for these courses—take them at the college level!
All required courses must be completed with a grade of C or better—if you receive a C- or lower you must retake the course to have it count for vet school admissions. Some vet schools, including OSUVMC, require that you complete all the specifically required courses (except one) by the end of the first semester of the year in which you intend to apply. For Miami students, the one remaining specifically required course ordinarily would be biochemistry or second-semester physics.
Vet schools look favorably on students taking rigorous courses, full course loads each term, and pertinent science and communication courses as electives. These include courses in:
- anatomy
- physiology
- histology
- development
- cell biology
- immunology
- statistics
- sociology
- behavior
- computer science
Two highly recommended electives are:
- Genetics (BIO 342)
- Statistics (STA 261)
Year | Courses |
---|---|
First | BIO/MBI 115, BIO/MBI 116 and CHM 141, 144; 142, 145 |
Second | CHM 241, 244, CHM 242, 245 and MTH (precalculus or calculus) |
Third | MBI 121 or MBI 161 or MBI 201 and BIO 342 and CHM 432 |
Fourth | PHY 161, PHY 162 |
Applying to Veterinary School
Pre-vet students usually apply for admission to the school in their state of residence, if one is available. The acceptance rate for in-state applicants is generally far higher than the rate for out-of-state applicants. The Miami pre-vet advisors can help students from states without vet schools to decide where best to apply. Information about admission requirements, acceptance statistics, and other pertinent information for every vet school in North America is available through the AAVMC website.
Each student is responsible for meeting admission requirements; students should check websites and/or write directly to vet schools of their choice for specific information on admissions.
Other factors considered by schools of veterinary medicine in selecting students for their programs are:
- evidence of motivation over an extended period of time
- veterinary work experience with a number of different species (volunteer or paid)
The average number of hours of veterinary experience for students accepted at Ohio State University is about 1800, but quality of experience counts more than quantity. Other animal-oriented experience, e.g., in agriculture, a shelter, a zoo, is important but less vital. - demonstrated ability to communicate fluently, both verbally and in writing, with a variety of people
Veterinary medicine requires an ability to work with people as well as animals. - realistic understanding of:
- the daily routine for a veterinarian
- typical salaries
- prospects for group practice versus individual practice
- awareness of veterinary occupations other than the standard small and large animal practices, etc.
- strong letters of recommendation
At least one must be from a veterinarian. - indications of work ethic, e.g., summer experiences, strong course load, etc.
- indications of academic ability, i.e., transcripts and letters of recommendation
Ohio State University requires a minimum GPA of 3.0 to obtain an interview without petitioning; the mean GPA for accepted students is about a 3.6. - scores on graduate exam (GRE or MCAT)
For Ohio State University, the minimum test scores required are: GRE - 1000; MCAT - 24. - nonacademic activities such as community service, working to pay for college, work with campus organizations, leadership experience, etc.
- performance at personal interview