2 answers
Amy
Student
Rock Hill, South Carolina
1
Question
Updated
492 views
What classes would I need to take to pursue a career as a veterinarian?
I'm in 9th grade and I'd like to get off to a good start, I liked my biology class and I took health science last semester which I enjoyed. I go job shadow a vet when my school has job shadowing days.
2 answers
Aisha Taylor
Mortgage Closing Specialist
464
Answers
Detroit, Michigan
Updated
Aisha’s Answer
Hello Amy,
Embarking on a journey to become a veterinarian is a rewarding pursuit that requires a robust academic trajectory from high school and beyond. Here's a roadmap to guide you:
### High School:
1. **Biology**: Given your interest in biology, keep expanding your knowledge with advanced biology classes.
2. **Chemistry**: Dive into both basic and advanced chemistry courses.
3. **Physics**: Since many veterinary programs require physics, make sure to include this in your high school curriculum.
4. **Mathematics**: Engage in algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus if they're available.
5. **Health Science**: Keep building your foundational knowledge with health science courses.
6. **English and Communication**: Develop your communication skills, as they're crucial for veterinarians.
7. **Animal Science**: If your school provides animal science or agriculture courses, grab the opportunity to learn.
### College:
1. **Undergraduate Degree**: Choose a pre-veterinary program or major in biology, animal science, or a related field.
2. **Core Courses**: Make sure your studies cover biology, chemistry (general and organic), physics, biochemistry, and math.
3. **Electives**: Enrich your learning with courses in genetics, microbiology, anatomy, and physiology.
4. **Experience**: Gain practical experience through internships, volunteering, or working directly with animals.
5. **Graduate Record Examination (GRE)**: Prepare for and ace the GRE, a requirement for most veterinary schools.
### Additional Tips:
- **Job Shadowing**: Keep seeking opportunities to shadow veterinarians and gain mentorship.
- **Extracurricular Activities**: Participate in clubs related to science, animals, or medicine.
- **Research**: Stay updated about various veterinary programs and their specific prerequisites.
By adhering to this roadmap, you're setting yourself up for a successful and fulfilling career in veterinary medicine.
Embarking on a journey to become a veterinarian is a rewarding pursuit that requires a robust academic trajectory from high school and beyond. Here's a roadmap to guide you:
### High School:
1. **Biology**: Given your interest in biology, keep expanding your knowledge with advanced biology classes.
2. **Chemistry**: Dive into both basic and advanced chemistry courses.
3. **Physics**: Since many veterinary programs require physics, make sure to include this in your high school curriculum.
4. **Mathematics**: Engage in algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus if they're available.
5. **Health Science**: Keep building your foundational knowledge with health science courses.
6. **English and Communication**: Develop your communication skills, as they're crucial for veterinarians.
7. **Animal Science**: If your school provides animal science or agriculture courses, grab the opportunity to learn.
### College:
1. **Undergraduate Degree**: Choose a pre-veterinary program or major in biology, animal science, or a related field.
2. **Core Courses**: Make sure your studies cover biology, chemistry (general and organic), physics, biochemistry, and math.
3. **Electives**: Enrich your learning with courses in genetics, microbiology, anatomy, and physiology.
4. **Experience**: Gain practical experience through internships, volunteering, or working directly with animals.
5. **Graduate Record Examination (GRE)**: Prepare for and ace the GRE, a requirement for most veterinary schools.
### Additional Tips:
- **Job Shadowing**: Keep seeking opportunities to shadow veterinarians and gain mentorship.
- **Extracurricular Activities**: Participate in clubs related to science, animals, or medicine.
- **Research**: Stay updated about various veterinary programs and their specific prerequisites.
By adhering to this roadmap, you're setting yourself up for a successful and fulfilling career in veterinary medicine.
Thank you so much for the advice and sorry i just saw it now it was very helpful!
Amy
Michael Torio
Consultant - Data Reporting & Analysis (HQ Finance)
342
Answers
Alpharetta, Georgia
Updated
Michael’s Answer
Hi Amy:
While in high school, one will need to focus on science and math classes to prepare for a Veterinary career. Physics, chemistry and biology will be the core science courses. If your high school offers an Animal or Wildlife course, it will be in your best interest to take this class. For math, algebra, calculus and statistics will be needed. The combination of these concentrations will enable you to focus and refine your analytical skills for research; complex problem solving; investigative and innovative critical thinking; attention to detail; etc.
Other skills that will need to be built upon center around team building, team work and communication. In any work culture, collaboration among team members, staff and partner departments occur on a daily basis. As a Veterinarian, communication is essential and critical when dealing with clients and patients. A college course in Public Speaking, Communication and English will help with one's communication and writing skills.
A Veterinarian will need to complete a Bachelor of Science degree (four year undergraduate course work). Afterwards, one's education is continued until a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree (D.V.M. or V.M.D) is earned which will be another four years of study. Then, both the national and state exams are required for one to earn the licenses to practice Veterinary medicine.
According to U.S. News & World Report, here is a link to the Best Veterinary Colleges and Universities in the United States:
- University of California - Davis
- Cornell University
- Colorado State University
- North Carolina State University
- Ohio State University
- Texas A&M University - College Station
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Wisconsin - Madison
- University of Florida
- University of Georgia
- University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/veterinarian-rankings?_sort=rank-asc
While in college, here are some undergraduate degrees to major in order to become a Veterinarian:
- Organic Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Zoology
- Physics
- Animal or Wildlife Science
- Chemistry
It will be best to seek advice from your high school guidance counselor as well as teachers to help you focus your interests for a specific major in college. Another recommendation is to visit your local animal hospital and speak with the Veterinarian for additional advice. The Veterinarian can provide you with his or her educational background, experience, insights, etc. on how he or she became a Veterinarian.
When reviewing colleges and universities, it is best to check the following:
- In-State vs Out of State Tuition
- Internships
- Scholarships
- Career Placement upon graduation
- Course work and offered classes
- Post-Graduate Degrees - Master and Doctoral
There are scholarships based on need, academic performance, school activities, sports involvement and community service. So, it will be to your advantage to seek out these types of scholarships. All of the academic staff at your high school that you interact with can write letters of recommendations for you based on what was just stated above. These recommendations can greatly help when filling out college and scholarship applications.
Scholarship applications can start to be submitted during your Junior year and will continue throughout your Senior year in high school. It is best to ask your Academic Advisor/School Counselor on the timeline process as well. Scholarship applications will have specific deadlines and requirements to meet in order to be submitted for review and consideration.
You may want to start to compile your resume/portfolio since a majority of scholarship applications will require academic grade point average (GPA), academic accomplishments, school activities (clubs, sports, etc.), community involvement (volunteer, church, etc.), academic and personal recommendations, etc. There may be essay requirements on why you are a qualified candidate to receive the scholarship, what your future goals are academically and professionally and other questions centering around who you are, your beliefs, etc.
Here are a couple of links for College Scholarships:
https://www.mometrix.com/blog/scholarships-for-college/
https://www.nchchonors.org/students/awards-scholarships/national-scholarships
Also, it will be best to check with the colleges and universities that you will be applying to. You can check with the School/Department of your desired major, the Campus Career Center and the Register's Office for additional information for college scholarships and grants and specific requirements for qualifications.
Best wishes for your education and career path as a Veterinarian!
While in high school, one will need to focus on science and math classes to prepare for a Veterinary career. Physics, chemistry and biology will be the core science courses. If your high school offers an Animal or Wildlife course, it will be in your best interest to take this class. For math, algebra, calculus and statistics will be needed. The combination of these concentrations will enable you to focus and refine your analytical skills for research; complex problem solving; investigative and innovative critical thinking; attention to detail; etc.
Other skills that will need to be built upon center around team building, team work and communication. In any work culture, collaboration among team members, staff and partner departments occur on a daily basis. As a Veterinarian, communication is essential and critical when dealing with clients and patients. A college course in Public Speaking, Communication and English will help with one's communication and writing skills.
A Veterinarian will need to complete a Bachelor of Science degree (four year undergraduate course work). Afterwards, one's education is continued until a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree (D.V.M. or V.M.D) is earned which will be another four years of study. Then, both the national and state exams are required for one to earn the licenses to practice Veterinary medicine.
According to U.S. News & World Report, here is a link to the Best Veterinary Colleges and Universities in the United States:
- University of California - Davis
- Cornell University
- Colorado State University
- North Carolina State University
- Ohio State University
- Texas A&M University - College Station
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Wisconsin - Madison
- University of Florida
- University of Georgia
- University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-health-schools/veterinarian-rankings?_sort=rank-asc
While in college, here are some undergraduate degrees to major in order to become a Veterinarian:
- Organic Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Zoology
- Physics
- Animal or Wildlife Science
- Chemistry
It will be best to seek advice from your high school guidance counselor as well as teachers to help you focus your interests for a specific major in college. Another recommendation is to visit your local animal hospital and speak with the Veterinarian for additional advice. The Veterinarian can provide you with his or her educational background, experience, insights, etc. on how he or she became a Veterinarian.
When reviewing colleges and universities, it is best to check the following:
- In-State vs Out of State Tuition
- Internships
- Scholarships
- Career Placement upon graduation
- Course work and offered classes
- Post-Graduate Degrees - Master and Doctoral
There are scholarships based on need, academic performance, school activities, sports involvement and community service. So, it will be to your advantage to seek out these types of scholarships. All of the academic staff at your high school that you interact with can write letters of recommendations for you based on what was just stated above. These recommendations can greatly help when filling out college and scholarship applications.
Scholarship applications can start to be submitted during your Junior year and will continue throughout your Senior year in high school. It is best to ask your Academic Advisor/School Counselor on the timeline process as well. Scholarship applications will have specific deadlines and requirements to meet in order to be submitted for review and consideration.
You may want to start to compile your resume/portfolio since a majority of scholarship applications will require academic grade point average (GPA), academic accomplishments, school activities (clubs, sports, etc.), community involvement (volunteer, church, etc.), academic and personal recommendations, etc. There may be essay requirements on why you are a qualified candidate to receive the scholarship, what your future goals are academically and professionally and other questions centering around who you are, your beliefs, etc.
Here are a couple of links for College Scholarships:
https://www.mometrix.com/blog/scholarships-for-college/
https://www.nchchonors.org/students/awards-scholarships/national-scholarships
Also, it will be best to check with the colleges and universities that you will be applying to. You can check with the School/Department of your desired major, the Campus Career Center and the Register's Office for additional information for college scholarships and grants and specific requirements for qualifications.
Best wishes for your education and career path as a Veterinarian!
Thank you so much for the help! this is a lot of great information and i will look into everything. Thanks again!
Amy
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