If you are looking to work with animals on a professional, doctoral level, graduate education is required.
In total, there are 28 veterinary graduate schools in the United States. It is both competitive and complex to enroll at a school where one can obtain a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree. But if a prospective student correctly and completely follows these steps, the process becomes much easier.
Veterinary Medical College Application Service
The Veterinary Medical College Application Service, or VMCAS, is a service moderated by the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC). When a doctoral hopeful begins the enrollment process, most schools require that the prospective student fill out and submit an application through VMCAS. Thereafter, they should research and determine whether or not applicants are required to fill out a second, school-specific application. It is worth noting that all but two schools require VMCAS applications. Those two, Tufts University and Texas A&M University, are the only ones that necessitate strictly a school-specific application.
Tests, Test Scores and GPA
As a general rule in applying for graduate schools, prospective students should take the Graduate Record Exam. Submitting scores on the GRE is always a requirement in the application process for veterinary schools. Cornell University, the University of Missouri, Ohio State University and Western University of Health Sciences accept Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores as an alternative. From there, the test scores are evaluated; typically, only those students with a minimum score or higher are considered for admission. The same goes for undergraduate Grade Point Average (GPA). At least a 3.0 is preferable, and sometimes schools ask for higher. This information is to be submitted via official college transcripts.
Additional Criteria
It is not only what is on paper that counts in such application processes. Crucial to success in applying to a veterinary program are people skills, as working at a veterinary practice will require plenty of interaction with people in addition to animals. Prospective students must also appear competent in terms of the handling and care of animals. It is important to display a broad understanding of what working in or managing a veterinary office or animal hospital will entail. All of this is information that will be gathered by the school through a personal interview, the final step in the application process. If applicants are granted an interview, it is up to them to convey what the school expects of their veterinary graduate students, and to back up their test scores and GPA with a personality compatible with the profession.
Tags: Medical College, Veterinary Medical, application process, Application Service, College Application