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Prospective veterinarians must graduate with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M. or V.M.D.) degree from a 4-year program at an accredited college of veterinary medicine and must obtain a license to practice. There are 28 colleges in 26 States that meet accreditation standards set by the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). The prerequisites for admission vary. Many of these colleges do not require a bachelor's degree for entrance, but all require a significant number of credit hours-ranging from 45 to 90 semester hours-at the undergraduate level. However, most of the students admitted have completed an undergraduate program. Applicants without a bachelor's degree face a difficult task gaining admittance.
Preveterinary courses emphasize the sciences. Veterinary medical colleges typically require classes in organic and inorganic chemistry, physics, biochemistry, general Biology, animal biology, animal nutrition, genetics, vertebrate embryology, cellular biology, microbiology, zoology, and systemic physiology. Some programs require calculus; some require only statistics, college algebra and trigonometry, or precalculus. Most veterinary medical colleges also require core courses, including some in English or literature, the Social Sciences, and the humanities. Increasingly, courses in practice management and career development are becoming a standard part of the curriculum, to provide a foundation of general business knowledge for new graduates.
In addition to satisfying preveterinary course requirements, applicants must submit test scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Veterinary College Admission Test (VCAT), or the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), depending on the preference of the college to which they are applying. Currently, 22 schools require the GRE, 4 require the VCAT, and 2 accept the MCAT.
In admittance decisions, some veterinary medical colleges place heavy consideration on a candidate's veterinary and animal experience. Formal experience, such as work with veterinarians or scientists in clinics, agribusiness, research, or some area of health science, is particularly advantageous. Less formal experience, such as working with animals on a farm or ranch or at a stable or animal shelter, also is helpful. Students must demonstrate ambition and an eagerness to work with animals.
There is keen competition for admission to veterinary school. The number of accredited veterinary colleges has remained largely the same since 1983, whereas the number of applicants has risen significantly. Only about 1 in 3 applicants was accepted in 2004. AVMA-recognized veterinary specialties-such as pathology, internal medicine, dentistry, nutrition, ophthalmology, surgery, radiology, preventive medicine, and laboratory animal medicine-are usually in the form of a 2-year internship. Interns receive a small salary but usually find that their internship experience leads to a higher beginning salary, relative to those of other starting veterinarians. Veterinarians who seek board certification in a specialty also must complete a 3- to 4-year residency program that provides intensive training in specialties such as internal medicine, oncology, radiology, surgery, dermatology, anesthesiology, neurology, cardiology, ophthalmology, and exotic small-animal medicine.
All States and the District of Columbia require that veterinarians be licensed before they can practice. The only exemptions are for veterinarians working for some Federal agencies and some State governments. Licensing is controlled by the States and is not strictly uniform, although all States require the successful completion of the D.V.M. degree-or equivalent education-and a passing grade on a national board examination. The Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) grants certification to individuals trained outside the United States who demonstrate that they meet specified requirements for the English language and for clinical proficiency. ECFVG certification fulfills the educational requirement for licensure in all States. Applicants for licensure satisfy the examination requirement by passing the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam (NAVLE),an 8-hour computer-based examination consisting of 360 multiple-choice questions covering all aspects of veterinary medicine. Administered by the National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (NBVME),the NAVLE includes visual materials designed to test diagnostic skills and constituting 10 percent of the total examination.
The majority of States also require candidates to pass a State jurisprudence examination covering State laws and regulations. Some States do additional testing on clinical competency as well. There are few reciprocal agreements between States, making it difficult for a veterinarian to practice in a different State without first taking that State's examination.
Nearly all States have continuing education requirements for licensed veterinarians. Requirements differ by State and may involve attending a class or otherwise demonstrating knowledge of recent medical and veterinary advances.
Most veterinarians begin as employees in established practices. Despite the substantial financial investment in equipment, office space, and staff, many veterinarians with experience set up their own practice or purchase an established one.
Newly trained veterinarians can become U.S. Government meat and poultry inspectors, disease-control workers, animal welfare and safety workers, epidemiologists, research assistants, or commissioned officers in the U.S. Public Health Service or various branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. A State license may be required.
Prospective veterinarians must have good manual dexterity. They should have an affinity for animals and the ability to get along with their owners, especially pet owners, who tend to form a strong bond with their pet. Veterinarians who intend to go into private practice should possess excellent communication and business skills, because they will need to manage their practice and employees successfully and promote, market, and sell their services.
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What else can I help you with?
Is uc san Marcos good if you want to be a vet?
For undergraduate, it should be fine - just make sure you take all the pre-requisite classes needed. For vet school, you can't go to UC - San Marco because there is no vet school there.
How many years of school will you attend after high school to become a vet?
At a minimum, 7 years - 3 years of undergraduate plus 4 years of vet school. However, most applicants to veterinary school have earned a Bachelor's degree (4 years of undergraduate) and some have also completed a Master's degree (another 2-4 years, depending on degree and program).
Do you have to have a high school deploma to be a vet?
Yeah, and you have to have a college degree in a science related area of study. And then you have to go to vet school for a couple more years after you get your undergraduate degree. Unless you mean "vet" as in veteran. Somebody who served in the military forces. Then you just need high school or a GED certificate.
How old is th eyoungest veterinarian since i want to be a vet when i am 18?
In the United States, you have to take a minimum of three years of undergraduate classes followed by four years of vet school. Even if you can get all the undergraduate classes finished during high school and are accepted to vet school on your first application, you won't have a vet degree until you are 21. Also, many vet schools are likely to reject your application because you don't have the time to get the experience and references you need to successfully apply straight out of vet school. In practice, the youngest you could become a veterinarian in the United States is 24. Graduate from high school at 17, spend 3 years in undergraduate and then 4 years in vet school.
What is the difference in vet technician and pre -vet?
A Vet-Tech is a worker under a veterinarian kind of like a nurse. Where as a Pre-vet student is in their undergraduate college education with pre-vet as a major. Having a Pre-vet major is when you take on a pre-designed educational course of study so you are well prepared for you Graduate education as a Vet Student.
Can you be a veterinarian at 25?
no, you cannot be a veterinarian at 25 because you need 4 years of an undergraduate degree (if you start right after high school, you will be getting this degree from ages 18-22, and then vet medical school from 22-26). So you can't be a vet at 25.
What education do veterinarians need to have?
A veterinarian must have a DVM or VMD degree; to be accepted into vet school requires 3-4 years of undergraduate college.
Can you go to vet school without a college degree?
In the United States, yes you can be accepted to a college of veterinary medicine without having an undergraduate college degree. However, this is becoming more rare.
How much percent do you need to become a vet?
Each college of Vet Med has it's own criteria. Most schools require a minimum of a 3.0 for undergraduate studies.
What are the educational requirements to being a vet?
To become a veterinarian you will need to complete at least three years of undergraduate courses such as biochemistry, physics, microbiology, etc. Then you must complete four years of vet school.
Can you get into a good veterinary school with just a degree in biology or do they specifically want a pre-veterinary program degree?
Yes, you are just as competitive on your application with a biology degree as anyone else with a pre-vet degree. Actually, you may have a slight edge over someone with just a pre-vet degree, as the biology degree shows foresight and probably a Plan B if you aren't accepted to vet school on your first try. A Pre-Vet degree is useless unless you are accepted to vet school.
What does it take to be a veterinarian at carnegie mellon university?
To simply work as a veterinarian at Carnegie Mellon University, you would need to have a DVM or VMD degree (if you are a graduate of a US vet school), or the appropriate equivalent degree from an international vet school. However, if you want to train to become a veterinarian, you can't do that at Carnegie Mellon University - they do not have a school of veterinary medicine there. You could do your undergraduate studies at Carnegie Mellon, though.
