Additional Information
Vets must graduate from a four-year program at an accredited college of
veterinary medicine with a doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM or VMD) degree
and obtain a license to practice.
Prerequisites for admission vary. Many schools do not require a bachelor's
degree for entrance, but all require a significant number of credit hours
at the undergraduate level.
Because entrance to veterinary medical colleges is so competitive, many
will only consider applicants who have a high grade point average.
In the U.S., applicants must also 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
each college.
Previous work experience with veterinarians, agribusiness, research or
health science can be helpful for admission, as can working with animals on
a farm, ranch, stable or animal shelter.
Equine veterinary graduates must specialize and usually complete a one-year
internship and a two- or three-year intensive training program in a specific
area of medicine.
All U.S. veterinarians must be licensed before they can practice. Applicants
must pass the multiple-choice National Board Examination (NBE) and the Clinical
Competency Test (CCT).