Most applicants to veterinary school hold bachelor's degrees in the sciences and all should have taken courses in biology, chemistry, physics, zoology, physiology or animal science. Mathematics, economics and business management round out applicants' profiles. However, some veterinary schools do not require completion of an undergraduate degree as long as the applicant possesses between 45 to 90 science credits. Entrance into veterinary medical school remains highly competitive no matter the applicants' undergraduate pedigree.
After completing undergraduate courses, future veterinarians must score highly on one of three standardized exams, the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or the Veterinary College Admission Test (VCAT) or the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) as part of the application to veterinary school. Veterinary medical schools also approve of applicants' work experience with animals in labs, shelters or vet offices.
Entrance into veterinary medical school has remained difficult because only 28 U.S. schools hold accreditation from the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association. In 2007 only one third of all applicants gained admission to these schools. That acceptance rate has continued steadily, as of 2011.
Learning about animal physiology, nutrition, diseases, diagnosis, behavior, surgery and medications in three years of classes and labs challenges well-prepared students. Last-year vet students spend their time in clinical rounds.
Graduates of veterinary doctoral programs still must pass the eight-hour North American Licensing Exam. Many states also require veterinarians to pass a state jurisprudence exam that demonstrates their knowledge of state regulations.
Veterinarians who want to specialize in animal nutrition, oncology or preventive medicine often enroll in a one-year paid internship. Vets seeking prestigious board certification complete 3- to 4-year residencies in one of 39 specialties such as dentistry, exotic-small-animal medicine or dermatology.