Veterinarians play a major role in the health care of pets and livestock, as well as zoo, sporting, and laboratory animals. Some veterinarians use their skills to protect humans against diseases carried by animals and conduct clinical research on human and animal health problems. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recognizes a variety of specialties: shelter medicine, reptiles & amphibian, exotic, canine & feline, equine, fish, food animal, dairy, swine, avian, and beef cattle. Others work in basic research, broadening the scope of fundamental theoretical knowledge and in applied research.

Since veterinary medicine specializes in comparative medicine (the inter-relationship of human and animal medicine), the profession is expected to develop in diverse ways as population, society, and environment evolve both locally and globally. Prospective veterinarians must earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M. or V.M.D.) degree from a four-year program at an accredited college of veterinary medicine and must obtain a license to practice. There are 32 veterinary medical colleges in the United States, five Canadian colleges of veterinary medicine, 8 U.S. departments of veterinary science, seven U.S. departments of comparative medicine, 14 international veterinary schools, and four affiliate international veterinary schools. Most students admitted to professional veterinary programs and schools have completed a bachelor’s degree.

As pre-veterinary advisors, we strive to guide you to the best of our abilities, but it is important to know that veterinary programs are not standardized. From the beginning, you are encouraged to research possible programs of interest to identify discrepancies in pre-requisite and other requirements between schools of veterinary medicine. It is important for you to be proactive in cross-referencing required prerequisite coursework. Consult your academic advisor for specific program requirements.

Sample Pre-Veterinary Medicine Four-Year Academic Plan

Year 1:

Year 2:

Year 3:

Year 4:

Notes

^* If needed based on placement.
^** Calculus is not required for all veterinary medicine programs but is required for most science majors. Your degree-granting major will determine which math class is taken beyond trigonometry or pre-calculus.
^*** Organic Chemistry II and Physics II are not required by all veterinary medicine programs (e.g., Iowa State University) but are requirements for most science majors. If the veterinary medicine programs you’re interested in require one semester of Organic Chemistry + Lab, community college options should be investigated.
^**** Students have the option of BIOL:3343 Animal Physiology, HHP:1100 Human Anatomy, HHP:1300 Fundamentals of Human Physiology, or HHP:3500 Human Physiology to satisfy this requirement at ISU.

Guidelines

Academic Guidelines
While the number of veterinary medical schools has remained virtually unchanged over the past 25 years, the number of applicants has increased to the point where it is typical that ISU and other schools admit about 13% of their applicants. Each school provides admission information on the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges descriptor page: www.applytovetschool.org. Be sure to research programs early and discuss with your academic advisor.

Non-Academic Guidelines
Adapted from ISU’s website (https://bit.ly/34pTrlJ) Most veterinary medical colleges consider a candidate’s veterinary and animal experience. The purpose of experience is to give the applicant a good understanding of the various aspects of the veterinary profession. ISU notes that an “applicant should have a goal of at least 200 hours of quality experience (veterinary/animal/research) to meet the expectations of the Admissions Committee.” The level of responsibility, diversity and duration of the experience is considered. In addition, the applicant should have letters of recommendation that speak to their experiences. Experience may be voluntary or paid.

Animal experience may include working with livestock, breeding or showing various species, working at a zoo, aquarium or pet shop, or volunteering at an animal shelter. This does not include pet ownership or educational coursework. Veterinary experience may include companion animals, equine, production animals, pocket pets or zoological animals. Veterinary experience must be completed under the supervision of a DVM or VMD. Research experience can be gained in any field of study and is NOT limited to animal research. It is expected to be under the supervision of a person with a DVM, MS or PhD. Valid research experience is considered to be more than general maintenance (washing glassware, feeding animals, cleaning cages, collecting specimens, etc.) and should include activities that support an understanding of scientific method, evidence of problem solving and observational skills, data entry and analysis for the purpose of reflection/study and other related experiences that exhibit a significant contribution to a research project. Listed below are examples of research experience:

• Research experience gained while applicant is pursuing a graduate degree (MS or PhD)
• Collaborator status on another student or faculty member’s research.
• Responsibility for a portion of a research project (including conducting a portion of the project, responsibility for observations, data entry, development of protocol)
• Presenting the research project data at a professional meeting – either oral or poster format.
• 1st, 2nd or 3rd authorship on peer reviewed papers.

Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine Admission Profile, Entering Class of Fall 2023

• Class size: 162 - Total applicants: 1,967 - Resident applicants: 189 - Non-resident applicants: 1,778
• Mean overall GPA: 3.6 - Mean science GPA: 3.6

Application Process

All applicants must apply through the Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS) (www.vmcas.org). The site also has a FAQ and detailed instructions on filling out the online application. Students can learn about the application process by reading carefully through the section “Applying to Veterinary School (VMCAS)” found at www.aavmc.org.
Most of the participating VMCAS colleges also require a supplemental application. Each school has its own policy on the handling of supplemental materials; applicants should thoroughly read through the individual school’s web page for specific information, linked through www.aavmc.org. The 2023 VMCAS and ISU application cycle opened on May 12; applications close on September 15. Each year decisions are made in mid-February. Students are advised to apply early in the application cycle (spring or summer of the year you apply.) The acceptance deadline for initial admits is April 15. For ISU, students should fill out the VMCAS application as well as the ISU supplemental application. Students should pay close attention to the dates and deadlines. The best place to find this information is the ISU website: https://vetmed.iastate.edu/future-dvm-students/apply. A link to a recording of ISU’s application webinar is at this site and has helpful information on ISU’s application process.

Diversity in Veterinary Medicine
Factors that contribute to diversity and that are considered in admissions committee evaluations include, but are not limited to, life experiences, work experiences, professional goals, geographical background (rural, urban or suburban), cultural background and disadvantaged status. Weight will be given to qualified applicants who possess characteristics that are underrepresented in the profession and who would contribute to the overall diversity of the class.

Entrance Examination Requirement
Most schools require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), although some will accept the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) in lieu of the GRE. Students should check the college descriptor pages (http://aavmc.org/College-Specific-Requirements/College-Specific-Requirements_College-Specifications.aspx) to determine what each school requires. Please note that Iowa State University (ISU) no longer requires the GRE. Instead, applicants to ISU complete Casper, a situational judgement test that assesses behavioral tendencies in tough situations to measure professionalism. Students can find information about Casper at www.takealtus.com.

Letters of Evaluation/Recommendation
Most schools require letters to be submitted through the VMCAS ELOR system and will not accept letters submitted directly to the school. Letter writers should know candidates well enough to speak to personal characteristics and attributes. Most schools, including ISU, require at least one letter writer be a veterinarian. Candidates should seek out potential letter writers as early as possible. Letter writers should be able to address the candidate’s commitment, maturity, work ethic, leadership, and communication skills as specifically as possible.

Interviews
Most schools require on-campus interviews. Candidates can prepare for these through support programs available through the UI Career Center in C310 Pomerantz Center. Some students report helpful information about interview questions via http://www.studentdoctor.net. Please note ISU no longer requires a personal interview as part of their admissions process. Instead, applicants may attend a Preview Day at ISU.

Criminal Background Checks
Applicants should be prepared to disclose and explain any felony or misdemeanor convictions. They may be required to provide signed consent for conducting an External Criminal Background Investigation. Applicants should also be aware that some clinical education sites will require drug screening for students performing clinical rotations.

Citizenship/International Students
Students who are not citizens of the U.S. can apply to most veterinary schools, but schools are highly residential. International students need to be competitive with the strongest applicants and be able to document the ability to fund four years of veterinary medical education (often averaging $255,000).

Resources

Iowa State CVM: vetmed.iastate.edu
Iowa State CVM email: CVMadmissions@iastate.edu

UI Club: Animal Health at the UI

Assoc of American Vet Med Colleges: www.aavmc.org
American Vet Med Assoc: www.avma.org
Vet Med College App Service: www.vmcas.org
General Info for US Vet Schools: www.vetschoolbound.org
Scholarship info: www.avmf.org