Four Year Road Map to Vet School

The Summer Before You Get to College

Summer Prior to Freshman Year:  Students should utilize their summer months and get involved with a local veterinary clinic or center. Whether they are small, large, or exotic/wildlife/marine animal experiences, these hours can count towards your veterinary school application, regardless of whether or not the position is paid or full-time. Students may also explore the option of becoming involved in a summer internships.

Freshman Year

Fall Semester:  Begin exploring any and all opportunities available.  This can be best accomplished by cultivating a relationship with the academic advisors, an invaluable resource to undergraduates.

Students may also consider becoming involved in an extracurricular activity that is of interest to them; these can become invaluable ways to gain leadership experience and develop interpersonal communication skills.  Prior to winter break, students should begin exploring summer internship opportunities; make as many contacts and turn in as many applications as possible before leaving campus for the holidays. The majority of applicants will wait until the spring months to begin looking for summer opportunities, and thus getting an application in before winter break can serve as a great advantage.

Winter Break:  Though only a few weeks long, winter break can be a great time to pursue an opportunity that will diversify students’ experience.  Students can pursue anything from spending time at a local animal clinic or center to taking advantage of a study abroad opportunity.

Spring Semester:  Students should finalize summer internship plans as quickly as possible and update their academic portfolio as needed.  This will be initiated as part of the APSC 120 course, which all eligible pre-vet students should enroll (minimum GPA =3.0).  Eligible new students (as of the previous Fall) and returning students should apply for the PVM Scholars program and submit the PVM Scholar Update form as appropriate.  Students should also continue completing the suggested coursework and making contacts with faculty.  Most school organizations hold elections for the coming academic year during the spring semester; so, depending on their schedules and coursework, students may consider gaining a leadership position within their extracurricular activity of interest at this time.

Summer Prior to Sophomore Year: As only minimal coursework has been completed by the student thus far, individuals may encounter some difficulty in ascertaining an out-of-state animal-related internship.  However, students should always apply for any programs in which they have an interest; even if the student is not accepted into the program, this can provide an advantage in future years if the student chooses to apply again.  Another viable option for the summer prior to sophomore year is to begin an on-campus research internship.  Many researchers have no hesitation in hiring underclassmen to begin working in the lab as these students have the potential to continue lab work for multiple years.  And again, students may also spend time at a local animal clinic or center to gain further experience hours.  Students may also attend summer school if desired or necessary.

Sophomore Year

Fall Semester:  Prior to winter break, students should begin exploring summer internship opportunities; make as many contacts and turn in as many applications as possible before leaving campus for the holidays. The majority of applicants will wait until the spring months to begin looking for summer opportunities, and thus getting an application in before winter break can serve as a great advantage.  Eligible students should apply for the PVM Scholars program and submit the PVM Scholar Update form as appropriate.  

Winter Break:  Though only a few weeks long, winter break can be a great time to pursue an opportunity that will diversify an applicant’s experience. Applicants can pursue anything from spending time at a local animal clinic or center to taking advantage of a study abroad opportunity.

Spring Semester: Students should finalize summer internship plans as quickly as possible and update their Academic portfolio as needed. Students should also continue completing the suggested coursework and making contacts with faculty. Most school organizations hold elections for the coming academic year during the spring semester, so depending on their schedules and coursework, students may consider gaining a leadership position within their extracurricular activity of interest at this time.  Eligible students should apply for the PVM Scholars program and submit the PVM Scholar Update form as appropriate. 

Summer Prior to Junior Year:  As students have now completed two full years of undergraduate coursework, they may have more success at gaining acceptance to the competitive animal-related internships across the nation, such as zoos or other similar organizations.  Individuals should assess what experiences they have already acquired and seek out those that will give them a diverse and unique veterinary school application.  Also as upperclassmen, students’ class schedules are significantly more flexible as the majority of the required prerequisites have already been completed.  This provides students with an excellent opportunity to schedule all coursework they are required to complete for the Veterinary Schools to which they intend to apply.  Students should plan courses carefully, re-checking the requirements often.  Students may also attend summer school if desired or necessary.

NOTE:  This is the time when pre-vet students should start preparing for the GRE very seriously and schedule the GRE test online at a suitable date.  We encourage that students take the exam at least once upon completing 60 college credits.  Be mindful that students may qualify for a fee waiver for the GRE; more information can be obtained from your financial aid advisor.

Junior Year

Fall Semester:  Students should continue to complete the coursework needed as pre-requisites for veterinary school.  Prior to winter break, students should begin exploring summer internship opportunities; make as many contacts and turn in as many applications as possible before leaving campus for the holidays. The majority of applicants will wait until the spring months to begin looking for summer opportunities, and thus getting an application in before winter break can serve as a great advantage.  Eligible students should apply for the PVM Scholars program and submit the PVM Scholar Update form as appropriate. 

Winter Break:  Though only a few weeks long, winter break can be a great time to pursue an opportunity that will diversify an applicant’s experience. Applicants can pursue anything from spending time at a local animal clinic or center to taking advantage of a study abroad opportunity.

Spring Semester:  Eligible students should apply for the PVM Scholars program and submit the PVM Scholar Update form as appropriate.  Students should finalize summer internship plans as quickly as possible and update their academic portfolio as needed.  Students should attempt to diversify their animal or veterinary experience.  Students should also continue completing the suggested coursework and making contacts with faculty. With the exception of two courses, all Veterinary School pre-requisites should be completed by the conclusion of this semester (or during the coming summer months) as most vet schools allow only two courses to be incomplete or in progress at the time of application submission.  Most school organizations hold elections for the coming academic year during the spring semester, so depending on their schedules and coursework, students may consider gaining a leadership position within their extracurricular activity of interest at this time.

Summer Prior to Senior Year:  Students should keep in mind that these months are the last they have to gain experience before applying to veterinary school.  As rising seniors are often the most competitive of all undergraduate summer internship applicants, students should use this time to diversify their resumes and, if possible, explore potential career options in an area of veterinary medicine in which the individual has an interest, but has had minimal to no prior experience.  Students should NOT WAIT to begin working on their veterinary school applications until the semester coursework begins.  VMCAS typically becomes “live” in early June, providing students with ample time to complete as much of their application as possible before classes resume.  Students also should take this time to contact prospective writers of their letters of recommendation so as to give these individuals plenty of time to complete the necessary documents.  Students may also attend summer school if desired or necessary.

Senior Year (Junior Year Students on the Veterinary Sciences [3+1] Option should also heed this information)

Fall Semester:  After applying to Veterinary Schools via VMCAS, it is recommended that students continue to work with a veterinarian and gain more experience in their area of interest or in an area where they have no experience in order to diversiy their portfolios.  Students should continue becoming involved in an extracurricular activity that is of interest to them; these can become invaluable ways to gain leadership experience and develop interpersonal communication skills.

Spring Semester:  The wait for the acceptance letter begins!