This document is one in a series designed to provide basic information about mainline health professions and the Premedical Office at Xavier University of Louisiana.

What is Veterinary Medicine? Veterinary medicine is the art and science that deals primarily with protecting the health and welfare of animals. It involves the recognition, treatment, control, and prevention of a broad spectrum of diseases affecting all species of animals. Even though modern veterinary medicine is an integral component of the health care system, it is organized as a separate, self-governing profession with its own system of education, licensure, and code of ethics. The veterinarian has a vital role in the maintenance of human health through the elimination of diseases which can be passed from animals to people.

What Do Veterinarians Do? The veterinarian is the health professional who is mainly responsible for keeping animals healthy and providing care when they are sick or injured. The care provided by the veterinarian to animals is similar to the services rendered by the physician in treating humans. Veterinarians use medical knowledge and skills to diagnose illnesses, prescribe treatment, and perform surgery. They provide services to keep animals free from disease by vaccinating them and teaching owners how to feed and care for them properly. They provide an invaluable service to mankind by helping to control the 100 or so infectious diseases which can be transmitted between animals and humans. In addition, veterinarians serve as food inspectors to assuring that the meat, eggs, milk, and dairy products which we consume is free of disease. About two-thirds of America's veterinarians administer care to farm livestock, poultry, and pet animals. The remaining one-third are involved in providing health care to zoo animals, animals used in biological or medical research, wildlife resources, food or fur-producing animals, or in a wide variety of areas essential to the support of human health and welfare.

Is There a Need for Veterinarians? Yes!! It is estimated that the nation presently needs at least 10,000 more veterinarians than it has. Further, the growing human and animal populations as well as the increasingly specialized activities for which veterinarians are needed leads experts to predict that the demand for veterinarians will continue to outstrip supply for the foreseeable future. The need for minority veterinarians is especially acute. Less than 2.6% of the approximately 36,000 veterinarians in the United States are from minority groups.

What Are The Requirements for Entry into Veterinary School? The requirements for entry into veterinary school are essentially the same as for entry into medical or dental school. Therefore, you should refer to the previous documents in this Information series, particularly Info5: Requirements for Entry Into Medical or Dental School, for general requirements. In particular, you should note that some veterinary schools require the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) and some require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). In addition, some require specialized biology courses such as zoology. Students interested in veterinary medicine should contact the schools in which they are interested during their freshman year of college to determine what, if any, specialized courses are required for entry. This is relatively easy since there are only 28 veterinary schools in the United States.

What Is the Curriculum in a Veterinary School? The professional program of study in veterinary medicine involves four years of intensive study. Generally, the program is divided into two phases, the preclinical sciences and the clinical sciences. During the preclinical phase most of the student's time is spent in the classroom and in the laboratory. During this phase of study, the student completes courses in anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, and microbiology. During the clinical phase the student begins extensive direct contact and work with animal patients. At this time, the student is also involved with owners who bring their animals to the schools for clinical services. Some of the courses the student studies during his/her clinical years are infectious and noninfectious diseases, advanced pathology, applied anatomy, obstetrics, radiology, clinical medicine, and surgery. After the student completes four years of professional study he/she receives the DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) degree. Generally, an internship is not required although some internship programs are available for students who wish to avail themselves of such an opportunity.

What Is the Admissions Test Usually Required by Veterinary Schools? It depends on the school. Some require the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), some require the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), and some will accept both. A list of who will accept what is available from the Association of American Veterinary Medical Schools at http://www.aavmc.org/.

Where To Obtain Additional Information about Veterinary Medicine