Admission Requirements

Veterinary medicine is a rigorous science-based field. When evaluating an applicant, emphasis is placed on a broad-based science education. Prerequisite coursework is considered an essential foundation. Applicants can major in any undergraduate subject area; however, a science-based major may better prepare an applicant for the demanding DVM curriculum. Although the Office of Veterinary Admissions recommends completion of a baccalaureate degree prior to matriculation to the DVM program, it is not required. Applications are evaluated on both overall grade point average (GPA) and the strength of prerequisite coursework completed at the time of application. While some prerequisites may be in-progress or planned at the time of application, applicants must have completed all prerequisite courses with a C- or higher before entering the program. Applicants must meet minimum GPA requirements to enter the review process (https://vetmed.usu.edu/cvm/admissions/requirements). Applicants who do not meet these requirements do not undergo further review.

Required prerequisite courses for admission are listed below. Specific USU courses are listed for each prerequisite as example courses.

•       Biology, with laboratory (course & course; course & course) - 8 semester credit hours
•       Inorganic Chemistry, with laboratory (course & course; course & course) -10 semester credit hours
•       Organic Chemistry, laboratory not required (course) - 4 semester credit hours
•       Biochemistry (course) - 3 semester credit hours
•       Mathematics (course) - 4 semester credit hours
•       Statistics (course) - 3 semester credit hours OR Statistics (course) - 4 semester credit hours
•       Physics, laboratory not required (course) - 4 semester credit hours
•       Genetics, laboratory not required (course) - 3 semester credit hours
•       English composition/communication - 6 semester credit hours*
•       Arts and Humanities/Social Science/History, etc. - 21 semester credit hours*

*If an applicant has received or will receive a bachelor’s degree prior to matriculation, the general education requirements are considered fulfilled regardless of credit hours.

For questions about prerequisite coursework, we recommend contacting your academic advisor for assistance. If you are an academic advisor and need additional assistance, please contact us at dvmadmit@usu.edu.

The Office of Veterinary Admissions considers a solid and broad undergraduate experience to be fundamental preparation for successful completion of the veterinary curriculum. When evaluating an applicant, the Office of Veterinary Admissions will consider both academic and non-academic qualities, which may include a personal interview. Applicants are encouraged to gain experience by working or volunteering with a veterinarian, spending time in animal-related fields or research, and participating in extracurricular activities and community service (https://vetmed.usu.edu/cvm/admissions/how-to-apply).

Applications for admission to the USU DVM program are submitted through the Veterinary Medical College Application Service (VMCAS), the centralized application service for accredited colleges of veterinary medicine. You can learn about the VMCAS application process and how to become a veterinarian on the AAVMC website.

More ways you can prepare to apply

We encourage applicants to gain both animal and veterinary experience. Hint: Document your hours as you earn them!
Document your employment history.
Keep a log of your extracurricular activities (dates of membership, offices held, special projects you accomplished, etc.); any honors, awards, or scholarships you receive; and service in your community.
Develop your interpersonal and communication skills. While veterinary medicine is rooted in science, successful veterinarians are good communicators as well as skilled clinicians.

High school students

Becoming a veterinarian generally requires seven to eight years of academic training after high school. Applicants complete undergraduate coursework, and the majority earn a bachelor’s degree before entering veterinary school. The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree program then requires completion of an additional four years of advanced educational instruction and training.

As a high school student, you can start preparing now for admission to college. Although it is important to take math and science courses, involvement in activities that foster leadership opportunities and/or animal experience is encouraged.

High school courses that will provide the best foundation for a college pre-veterinary curriculum are laboratory-based sciences (chemistry, physics, and biology), math, and English.

For further information: vetmed.usu.edu.

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine - DVM

Download as PDF

Program Overview

Program Requirements

Program Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes