Tennessee is home to two of only thirty three colleges of veterinary medicine in the nation. Today’s veterinarians are the only doctors educated to protect the health of both animals and people. They work hard to address the health and welfare needs of every species of animal. Veterinarians also play critical roles in environmental protection, research, food safety, and public health.
Employment opportunities for veterinarians include such diverse areas as clinical practice, teaching and research, regulatory medicine, public health, and the uniformed services.
In the United States, approximately two-thirds of veterinarians work in private or corporate clinical practice, providing veterinary care for a wide range of species. Many treat only traditional or exotic pets such as dogs, cats, birds, small mammals (e.g., hamsters, guinea pigs), reptiles, and fish. Some veterinarians exclusively treat horses. Others treat a combination of species. Some veterinarians limit their practice to the care of farm/ranch animals and advise owners on production medicine and protecting our nation’s food supply from farm to fork.
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Prerequisites for Most Veterinary Medicine Programs
The following classes are required for admission for many Veterinary programs; however, the courses required for admission will likely vary depending on the school, and should be researched accordingly. There is also variation among schools in what (if any) standardized test they require. Very few require the GRE, including the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine who does not require the GRE or any other standardized test.
Please note that many veterinary programs require a grade of C or better in each pre-requisite course.
*These courses are required by the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine (UTCVM)
Additional Courses to Consider
** Alternative Anatomy courses may be suitable as well