Pre-Veterinary Medicine

Overview

Pre-veterinary programs prepare people to attend veterinary school.

Pre-veterinary medicine programs include topics such as:

Veterinary science
Animal biology and organ systems
Zoology
Anatomy
Chemistry
Math
Science

Schools

Community colleges and other two-year schools offer associate degree programs in pre-veterinary medicine. An associate degree usually takes two years to complete. After earning an associate degree students can transfer to a college or university for further study.

Many colleges and universities offer bachelor's degrees in pre-veterinary medicine. A bachelor's degree usually takes about four years of full-time study. Often students major in a field such as biology or chemistry, but take specific courses selected by the school to prepare for veterinary school.

See schools that offer this program.

Related Educational Programs

Related Careers

Careers Directly Related to this Program of Study

Veterinarians

Other Careers Related to this Program of Study

Program Admission

You can prepare for this program by taking courses in high school that prepare you for college. This typically includes four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, and two years of science. Some colleges also require two years of a second language.

It's a good idea to gain experience working with and handling animals. Most veterinary medicine schools require veterinary experience, so the earlier you gain this experience, the better. You can work or volunteer for local animal shelters and veterinary clinics. You can also join 4-H or similar organizations.

Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:

Advanced Biology courses
Advanced Chemistry courses
Physics
Pre-Calculus

Typical Course Work

Program Courses

This undergraduate program typically includes courses in the following subjects:

Animal Physiology
Biology
Calculus
Chemistry
Microbiology
Organic Chemistry
Physics
Probability and Statistics
Vertebrate Anatomy
Zoology

Things to Know

Although a few schools offer a specific pre-veterinary major, veterinary medicine schools usually just require applicants to major in biology or chemistry.

Several schools offer majors in animal science as a way to prepare for veterinary medical school.