Pre-Veterinary Medicine

Pre-Veterinary Medicine

Pre-Veterinary Medicine Advisement Track

  • The Pre-Veterinary Medicine concentration satisfies the course requirements for admission at most United States and Caribbean veterinary schools.
  • Additional elective courses are recommended but not required, depending on the veterinary schools to which students intend to apply.
  • Students must consult SUNY Oneonta's current undergraduate catalog for descriptions of courses, course prerequisites, and time of year when courses are offered in order to plan properly in advance.
  • Students have the responsibility to check entrance requirements for schools to which they intend to apply.

Pre-Veterinary Medicine Advising Meetings can be scheduled using the Bookings App

NOTE: four digit course numbers reflect the new course numbers, effective Fall 2022, as developed via the College-wide Course Renumbering Project.

  • BIOL 133 / 1001: Investigative Biology Laboratory
  • BIOL 130 / 1002: Cellular Perspectives in Biology
  • BIOL 131 / 1004: Organismal Perspectives in Biology
  • BIOL 201 / 2000: Cell & Molecular Biology
  • BIOL 212 / 2002: Genetics
  • BIOL 362 / 3106: Microbiology
  • CHEM 111 / 1111: General Chemistry I
  • CHEM 112 / 1121: General Chemistry II
  • CHEM 221 / 2212: Organic Chemistry I
  • CHEM 322 / 2222: Organic Chemistry II
  • CHEM 331 / 4312: Biochemistry I
  • CHEM 332 / 4322: Biochemistry II (optional, but highly recommended)
  • COMM 110 / 1400: Public Speaking* (preferred) and/or COMM 100 / 1100: Introduction to Communication
  • COMP 100 / 1000: Composition
  • PHYS 103 / 1030 & PHYS 104 / 1040 (General Physics I & II: Non-Calculus)
    • NOTE: Calc-Based Physics is optional
    • Most Vet. Med. Programs no longer require Calc-Based Physics therefore Non-Calculus Physics I & II will meet the requirement
  • STAT 101 / 1010: Introduction to Statistics

NOTE: Most U.S. and Caribbean veterinary medicine programs require Biochemistry I and many require Biochemistry I and Biochemistry II. If the student's undergraduate college offers a 2-course sequence in Biochemistry, then the Veterinary Schools will require the 2-course sequence. Therefore, undergraduate students at SUNY Oneonta interested in a career in Veterinary Medicine should take BOTH Biochemistry I and Biochemistry II. Some Veterinary Medicine Programs will accept 1 semester of Biochemistry, as long as it's not an introductory or survey course, therefore Biochemistry I (CHEM 331 / 4312) is the required course and NOT General Biochemistry (CHEM 330 / 3302).

NOTE: Other courses recommended or required by some veterinary medicine schools include Animal Nutrition, Anatomy & Physiology, Cellular Biology, Comparative Anatomy, Histology, Mammalian Physiology, Medical Terminology, and Pre-Calculus or other Advanced Math.

NOTE: Veterinary Medicine education programs may change course prerequisites at any time and may have additional requirements, preferences, or policies that are not reflected in this advising track course list or on the Summary of Course Prerequisites Chart. Programs may also allow applicants to substitute courses or choose different prerequisite tracks. Applicants should review the program-specific details and contact programs directly to determine whether a particular course will fulfill a prerequisite.

The timeline for applying to veterinary school varies among students and is dependent on a variety of factors, including successful completion of prerequisite coursework, competitive GRE or MCAT examination scores, and appropriate animal care experience.

Many Pre-Veterinary Medicine students are choosing to take at least one year after they graduate SUNY Oneonta to gain animal care experience across a variety of settings including small and large animal clinics, research laboratories, wildlife rehabilitation centers, and others.

In fact, across the United States many first-time applicants to veterinary medicine school apply after their senior year or later to allow time for obtaining a wide variety of animal care experience. Having a “Growth Year” between undergraduate studies and beginning veterinary medicine school is often beneficial for applicants and does not hurt your chances of admission as long as you continue to strengthen your application. It allows time to gain additional life experiences, continue volunteering, or pursue non-academic interests.

If a student wishes to take a "growth year," or takes a different undergraduate path, students will need to adjust the course sequence plan accordingly, based on their personal planning needs. Individual student plans may vary depending on when the student hopes to enter veterinary medicine school and what major is chosen, therefore each student should work with their Primary Major Advisor and their Pre-Health Concentration Advisor to establish their own personalized schedule.

Students should regularly review the Veterinary Medical School Admission Requirements

Applicants are evaluated on:

  • letters of recommendation
  • leadership skills
  • GPA
  • GRE or MCAT
  • animal care and veterinary experience
    • Animal care and veterinary experience varies in both quantity and type
    • students will need a minimum of 250 veterinary hours (ranging from clinical vet hours to research and involving a variety of animals).

Quick Facts about applying to veterinary school through VMCAS and statistics of admitted students.

Application to veterinary school is made through the centralized application VMCAS

Most Veterinary Medicine Programs will accept scores form either the GRE General Test or the MCAT

GRE preparation options include free and paid test prep programs

MCAT preparation options include free and paid test prep programs

Students generally request three to six letters of recommendation to be submitted on their behalf for veterinary medical school applications.

Appropriate recommenders include science faculty, other course instructors, animal care professionals, current or former employers, and professional references.

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM and VMD Programs)

  • 68% of SUNY Oneonta Pre-Veterinary Medicine student applicants were accepted into Veterinary Medicine programs (2016-2020 Advisor Report).
  • SUNY Oneonta alumni have been accepted to the following Veterinary Medicine programs: Auburn University, Cornell University, Iowa State University, Lincoln Memorial University, Michigan State University, Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Royal Veterinary College - London England, St. Georges University, The Ohio State University, Tufts University, University College - Dublin Ireland, University of Illinois, University of Minnesota, University of Missouri, University of PEI-Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Pennsylvania, University of Tennessee, University of Wisconsin, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.​​​​

Pre-Veterinary Medicine questions should be directed to Tami LaPilusa, M.S., Program Coordinator, Pre-Health Professions

Back to top