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What are your best suggestions for looking for a vet school? Any application tips?
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Nirah Shomer, DVM PhD DACLAM
Senior leader in laboratory animal science, animal welfare, and regulatory compliance
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Nirah’s Answer
There are a fewer than three dozen vet schools in the US, and many students go to the vet school in their state, where they have a better chance of being accepted, and can get lower tuition. If your state is one of the many states that does not have its own at school, your state will usually have a contract with another nearby state where you can still get lower tuition as if you were a resident.
While there are vet schools in other countries, very few of them are accredited by the AVMA, and if you go to vet school in another country, you generally have to repeat at least one year of school and take an additional exam in order to be eligible to be licensed as a veterinarian in the USA. There are also some schools in the Caribbean where you can do the first three years of vet school there, and then need to complete your fourth year in United States school, and then you can still be eligible to sit for the veterinary license exam.
It is also possible to go to school in a state that is not your own, and although years ago when I went to that school that was very uncommon, these days about half the entering class at many vet schools is made up of out of state students. This may be appropriate for you, especially if the school specializes in a field in which you are very interested. You can count on every veterinary school to cover the basics of companion animals and farm animals, but if you are interested in something like equine sports medicine, you’ll certainly get a higher caseload if you are. somewhere with racing horses.
I suggest you visit www.ama.org, they have lots of resources for students, and you should be able to identify the veterinary school for your location.
While there are vet schools in other countries, very few of them are accredited by the AVMA, and if you go to vet school in another country, you generally have to repeat at least one year of school and take an additional exam in order to be eligible to be licensed as a veterinarian in the USA. There are also some schools in the Caribbean where you can do the first three years of vet school there, and then need to complete your fourth year in United States school, and then you can still be eligible to sit for the veterinary license exam.
It is also possible to go to school in a state that is not your own, and although years ago when I went to that school that was very uncommon, these days about half the entering class at many vet schools is made up of out of state students. This may be appropriate for you, especially if the school specializes in a field in which you are very interested. You can count on every veterinary school to cover the basics of companion animals and farm animals, but if you are interested in something like equine sports medicine, you’ll certainly get a higher caseload if you are. somewhere with racing horses.
I suggest you visit www.ama.org, they have lots of resources for students, and you should be able to identify the veterinary school for your location.
Doc Frick
Career Coach and Mentor
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California, CA
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Doc’s Answer
Before you send out any applications make sure the school is accredited, so you can rest assured you'll qualify for state licensure without issue. The best veterinary schools offer networking opportunities, boast accomplished faculty, and effectively prepare you for certification. When looking for the right veterinarian school for I've listed some things I think would be important to consider.
STATE-OF-ART-FACILITIES
As with human medicine, veterinary medicine relies heavily on technology. You want to make sure you attend a school that maintains modern facilities and is quick to adopt new developments in veterinary equipment and training. You can often learn a bit about a school’s campus and facilities on the program’s website. It can even be a good idea to visit school campuses if you’re able. By touring a vet school, you’ll be able to tell right away if the facilities are up to your standards.
SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT
Even if you attend one of the most esteemed programs out there, it won’t matter much if you don’t make it through the program. It’s important to choose a veterinary school that truly values its students and their success by ensuring no one slips through the cracks.
FACILITY EXPERIENCE
Your education is only as good as your instructors. Experienced educators are simply going to do a better job of communicating the material you’ll need to learn to become a veterinarian. Make sure to checkout the schools websites, because each school is required to list their faculty members. When reviewing a program’s faculty profiles, consider things like published work and academic credentials. You want to make sure that most of your professors are a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, that they’re board-certified, and that they have a history of teaching.
HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE
It’s not all that uncommon for a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine graduate to seek additional training after completing their initial studies. Avoid schools who's graduates are opting to pursue post-grad training opportunities like internships because they don’t feel adequately prepared for full-time employment immediately after school.
ADMISSION TIPS
The admissions committees and counselors will be looking for students who: are academically curious, competent (especially in science course work), and sincerely motivated, have developed time and stress management skills, are community minded and have demonstrated leadership abilities, effective communicators, have excellent interpersonal communication and have demonstrated teamwork ability. Students who are interested in veterinary medicine should pursue experience with employment (paid and/or volunteer), research, clubs and other activities that expose them to the profession and to different species of animals. A variety of veterinary and animal experience is always very highly recommended.
Hope this will be helpful
STATE-OF-ART-FACILITIES
As with human medicine, veterinary medicine relies heavily on technology. You want to make sure you attend a school that maintains modern facilities and is quick to adopt new developments in veterinary equipment and training. You can often learn a bit about a school’s campus and facilities on the program’s website. It can even be a good idea to visit school campuses if you’re able. By touring a vet school, you’ll be able to tell right away if the facilities are up to your standards.
SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT
Even if you attend one of the most esteemed programs out there, it won’t matter much if you don’t make it through the program. It’s important to choose a veterinary school that truly values its students and their success by ensuring no one slips through the cracks.
FACILITY EXPERIENCE
Your education is only as good as your instructors. Experienced educators are simply going to do a better job of communicating the material you’ll need to learn to become a veterinarian. Make sure to checkout the schools websites, because each school is required to list their faculty members. When reviewing a program’s faculty profiles, consider things like published work and academic credentials. You want to make sure that most of your professors are a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, that they’re board-certified, and that they have a history of teaching.
HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE
It’s not all that uncommon for a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine graduate to seek additional training after completing their initial studies. Avoid schools who's graduates are opting to pursue post-grad training opportunities like internships because they don’t feel adequately prepared for full-time employment immediately after school.
ADMISSION TIPS
The admissions committees and counselors will be looking for students who: are academically curious, competent (especially in science course work), and sincerely motivated, have developed time and stress management skills, are community minded and have demonstrated leadership abilities, effective communicators, have excellent interpersonal communication and have demonstrated teamwork ability. Students who are interested in veterinary medicine should pursue experience with employment (paid and/or volunteer), research, clubs and other activities that expose them to the profession and to different species of animals. A variety of veterinary and animal experience is always very highly recommended.
Hope this will be helpful