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Veterinarians diagnose, treat and prevent health conditions in pets, livestock and wildlife.

Veterinary programs look for students with a broad liberal arts education and a strong foundation in the sciences. Your ³Ô¹ÏÍø bachelor’s degree will prepare you with the skills to take the next step toward a career as a veterinarian. And your Health Professions Advisor will help you find opportunities for hands-on experience that will demonstrate your commitment to the field. 

Earning a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M. or V.M.D.) degree takes an additional four years after your bachelor’s degree. After earning your D.V.M. degree, you may also spend an additional one to three years completing an internship or residency to become board-certified in a specialty.

You can learn more about becoming a veterinarian from the (AAVMC). And you can compare the requirements of different programs in the (VMSAR ) directory. 

Plan of Study

Requirements vary, but most U.S. veterinary medicine programs recommend:

• Two semesters of general biology with labs
• One semester of genetics
• One or two semesters of anatomy and physiology
• One semester of microbiology
• Two semesters of general chemistry with labs
• Two semesters of organic chemistry with labs
• Two semesters of physics with labs
• Three semesters of mathematics (including statistics)
• Two semesters of English composition

Some programs also require courses in animal nutrition or public speaking.