Veterinary Medical Education in the US

Table of Contents
Applying to US Veterinary Medical Schools
Structure of the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
Admission to the DVM
Obtaining a License to Practise Veterinary Medicine
Residencies for Foreign Veterinary Graduates
Visas for Residencies or Training
Additional Resources

Veterinary medicine is the treatment of sick and injured animals as well as the diagnosis, treatment and control of animal diseases. This document provides an overview of the veterinary medical education system in the United States as well as information on veterinary medical licensure in the US.

Applying to US Veterinary Medical Schools

Level of Veterinary Education
In the US veterinary medicine is taught only at the postgraduate level after an undergraduate university education of at least two years. British-educated students cannot apply to US veterinary medical schools after completing A levels. Most successful veterinary programme applicants have completed all four years of an undergraduate degree.

Length of Veterinary Medical Education
The study of veterinary medicine requires a minimum of two years in a pre-professional (undergraduate level) course emphasising animal, physical, and biologic science, to be followed by a four-year professional degree ending in the award of a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) qualification. Upon completion of a DVM, graduates have the options of sitting for state licensing exams, entering into private practise in veterinary medicine or continuing in academic programmes leading to MS or PhD degrees in biological sciences or certification in various clinical specialities. Speciality field certification such as ophthalmology, surgery, pathology, radiology or laboratory animal medicine requires 3 further years of residency training, and the passing of an examination.

Acceptance Rates at US Veterinary Medical Schools
The Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has currently given approval (accreditation) to 27 veterinary schools in the US, and admission is extremely competitive. Successful applicants usually hold grades "B" or higher (a 2.1 undergraduate degree or better), particularly in the sciences. As well as excellent marks in their previous academic instruction, candidates must also have experience working with animals. Because most veterinary schools are state-funded, preference is usually given to applicants from that state. The majority of accredited schools offer a limited number of positions to international applicants.

Expenses
Tuition and fees at accredited veterinary schools range from $9,500 to $30,000 per academic year. The average tuition amount is $15,500 per year. For the four years of a DVM course, students may pay an average of $62,000 in tuition and fees, not including living expenses.

Practising Veterinary Medicine in the US
All states and the District of Columbia require veterinarians to be licensed. To obtain a license, applicants must hold a DVM from an accredited school of veterinary medicine and pass the state board examination. Graduates of foreign veterinary schools must complete the English language and clinical evaluation requirements of the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG). Most states will allow a graduate to apply for licensure without a residency or hours-of-practice requirement.

Structure of the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
The DVM degree is usually completed in four years, following a minimum of two years in an undergraduate course. Most successful applicants to a DVM programme have completed a four-year undergraduate degree in the biological sciences. At the DVM level, in addition to academic instruction in the biological sciences, students receive training and clinical experience in diagnosing and treating animal diseases, performing surgery, performing laboratory work in biochemistry, anatomy, and other scientific/medical subjects such as organic chemistry and biology with an emphasis on human physiology. Students holding a BS or BA degree and wishing to enter a DVM programme may generally do so in the basic science areas only and not in a specific clinical speciality (such as surgery).

Clinical Science Specialities
Graduate programmes in clinical science (such as an MS or PhD) generally require the applicant to hold a DVM before applying. Clinically related veterinary specialities require completion of an MS degree at minimum, and several years of specialised training that will lead to certification by a veterinary medical speciality board. Examples of such clinical specialities include anaesthesiology, internal medicine, radiology, surgery and theriogenology.

Graduate Programmes in Veterinary Science
Students can pursue advanced postgraduate training in veterinary science leading to an MS or PhD degree in a range of subjects. Topic areas include anatomical sciences, biochemistry, bioengineering, immunology, microbiology, nuclear medicine, nutrition, parasitology, pathology, pharmacology and physiology, as well as the clinical specialities listed above.

Careers in Veterinary Science and Clinical Specialities
Students who do advanced study in veterinary science or clinical studies tend to choose programmes leading to careers in one of two paths. One programme a student may choose culminates in a PhD degree and leads to careers in academic or research fields. The other option is a residency programme that focuses on individual expertise in diagnostic skills or a specific clinical skill. At the end of this training programme, students may take certification exams to become board certified in areas such as internal medicine, surgery, toxicology and theriogenology. Training programmes usually also include completion of an MS or PhD degree. Further information on the veterinary residency programme is included below.

Admission to the DVM

How to Apply
For an overview of the application procedure, please read the EAS Guide to Postgraduate Study in the United States compiled by the Educational Advisory Service (EAS). There are currently two ways to apply to US veterinary medical schools. If a veterinary medical school is a member of the Veterinary Medical College Admission Service (VMCAS) then you will apply through VMCAS. If you wish to apply to a school that is not a member, you will need to apply directly to that institution. Admission deadlines generally fall between October and January. Few universities offer spring (January) enrolment.

Veterinary Medical College Admission Service (VMCAS)
VMCAS is a standardised service for veterinary medical school applications. It allows students to apply to one or more of the participating VMCAS schools with one application packet. Twenty-three of the twenty-seven US veterinary schools are members of VMCAS and may not accept applicants not participating in VMCAS. Some VMCAS schools require a supplemental application and fee in addition to the VMCAS application. To receive a VMCAS application, contact the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) at the address listed further on, or write directly to the veterinary school. Contact the Admissions office of the veterinary medical school by post, fax or e-mail to make initial inquiries on admission requirements. The admissions committees of US veterinary medical schools where you apply will consider the following factors:

Undergraduate Coursework and Performance
The nature of a US undergraduate degree is such that students obtain a strong foundation in the biological sciences, but must also take courses in the arts, social sciences and humanities. Most US students who intend to apply to veterinary medical schools major in biology, chemistry or another science-related subject during their undergraduate degree. Please note that a "pre-veterinary medicine", or an undergraduate-level, preparatory degree does not guarantee admission to veterinary medical school. In addition to successfully completing undergraduate coursework, a strong cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) is also necessary. The GPA for the average DVM applicant is about 3.5 on a 4.0 scale (the approximate equivalent of a B+ or 2:1). A high GPA by itself, however, does not guarantee admittance to veterinary medical school. Admission is highly competitive: students applying with degrees lower than a 2:1 will have a slim chance of admission.

Veterinary College Admission Test (VCAT)
The VCAT, which was formerly the test most schools accepted, is no longer being administered. Now many schools are accepting the GRE or MCAT. Please check with your prospective university to find out what testing they require.

Other Factors

Personal Statement
This is the chance for you to sell yourself and your abilities to the admissions committee as well as express your motivation for wanting to attend veterinary medical school. A good essay requires careful planning, reviewing and revision. The US Educational Advisory Service offers a 30-minute essay review service to help you improve your personal statement.

Letters of recommendation
These can be from undergraduate advisers and faculty, from veterinarians or other members of the veterinary profession, community leaders, and other individuals who have employed you or supervised your volunteer experience.

Experience in the veterinary medical field and work with animals
This includes extracurricular activities that reflect work experience with animals. Internships or volunteer work at farms, zoos, veterinary clinics, animal hospitals, ranches or other animal-related experience shows that you are genuinely dedicated to the field.

Interview with an admissions officer
This interview can be used to show the personal characteristics you will bring to the profession. Interviews are held towards the end of the application process and can pose problems for students who apply from abroad.

Obtaining a License to Practise Veterinary Medicine
There is no national veterinary medical licensing authority in the US. The license to practise is granted by individual veterinary medical licensing authorities in each state, commonly known as the "state veterinary medical boards". Each board sets its own rules and regulations. Individuals wishing to practise veterinary medicine in the US are advised to contact the state in which they plan to work for further information. To obtain a list of addresses for the veterinary state boards you can contact the American Association of Veterinary State Boards.

Licensure for Foreign Veterinary Graduates
The first step is to contact the state board of veterinary medicine for the state in which you plan to practise. Most veterinary state licensing boards require foreign veterinary medical graduates to be certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) as a pre-requisite to obtaining a license to conduct veterinary medical practice in that state. Further information on requirements for the ECFVG exam can be obtained from the American Veterinary Medical Association (see end of handout).

A computer-based licensing exam, the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE), may also be required. A detailed description of the exam can be found on the NBEC web site at www.nbec.org. A few veterinary state boards may also require a foreign veterinary graduate to take one of two practice-specific disciplinary examinations in the field areas of small animal or equine medicine. Veterinary state licensing boards must be contacted for further information.

Residencies for Foreign Veterinary Graduates
After completing the DVM degree, some graduates go on to complete a residency programme in a clinical speciality. The American Association of Veterinary Clinicians has established a Veterinary Internship/Residency Matching Program (VIRMP) to advance postgraduate training in clinical sciences. Foreign veterinary medical graduates can apply to the VIRMP without having completed the NBE or the CCT, however some of the programmes may have the exams listed as qualifying requirements. Foreign veterinary graduates who ultimately intend to practise in the US should complete an ECFVG Certificate.

VIRMP produces a book listing each internship/residency programme, which you can consult in the EAS library. To determine examination and licensure requirements for internship/ residency programmes, contact each institution you are applying to. Check with veterinary officials in your home country about recognition of your credentials when you return home. Residency programmes do not offer degrees and you may want to consider obtaining certification from the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians for recognition of veterinary clinical skills.

Veterinarians should contact residency programmes as early as possible to determine eligibility requirements, institutional employment policies, and to request application materials. Carefully review the information to find out deadlines, whether the programmes require qualifying examinations and whether the programmes require applicants to enrol in the VIRMP. Applicants are responsible for requesting recommendations, arranging transcripts and forwarding materials directly to each programme by the established deadline. The applicant's veterinary medical school must provide a transcript of veterinary medical education, including grades achieved.

Visas for Residencies or Training
It is your responsibility to determine if there are any immigration, visa, or state licensing issues that might interfere with your ability to accept any matched position from VIRMP. Always check with your home veterinary association to ensure any qualifications will be recognised in your country of residence. There may be a home residency rule attached to the issuance of your visa requiring you to return home for a specified number of years after completing your programme before you may apply for another visa. With this rule, you would be required at the time of application to show proof of your intent to return home. Check with the US Embassy for details: US Embassy, 24 Grosvenor Square, London W1A 1AE

Additional Resources

Other On-Line Resources
American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC)
1101 Vermont Avenue, Suite 710, Washington, DC 20005 US. Tel: 001 202 371 9195, Fax: 001 202 842 0773. www.aavmc.org

American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB)
PO Box 1702, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102 US. Tel: 001 314 761 9937, Fax: 001 314 761 9938.

American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
1931 North Meacham Road, Suite 100, Schaumberg, Illinois 60173 US. Tel. 001 847 925 8070, Fax: 001 847 925 1329. www.avma.org

Educational Commission on Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG)
1931 N. Meacham Rd, Suite 100, Schaumberg, Illinois 60173 US.

National Board Examination Committee for Veterinary Medicine (NBEC)
PO Box 1356, Bismarck, North Dakota 58502 US. Tel: 001 701 224 0332, Fax: 001 701 224 0435. www.nbec.org

American Association of Veterinary Clinicians Directory of Internships and Residencies-VIRMP
1024 Dublin Road, Columbus, Ohio 43215 US.

Off-Line Resources
The Educational Advisory Service of the Fulbright Commission is funded by the US and UK governments to provide free information and advice on US education. EAS houses a reference library, and resources for prospective veterinary medical school students and foreign veterinary medical graduates include several directories concerning veterinary medical education in the US; catalogues for US universities and veterinary medical schools; test preparation guides for reference use; and registration materials for the GRE and MCAT. Opening hours are Mondays 1.30pm to 7.00pm, Tuesdays-Fridays 1.30am to 5.00pm.