How Long Does Vet School Take?

Once you decide to become a veterinarian, you must plan on long-term education. Entering any of the vet schools will take a minimum of four years and this is preceded by two years of college courses. That means a minimum of six years, and often it’s a minimum of eight years.

The Pre-Vet Program Is First in a Veterinarian’s Education

In college, it is important to take pre-requisite courses to enter into the vet schools. These pre-requisite courses are called the pre-vet program.

The pre-vet program consists of science courses – biology, chemistry, biochemistry, anatomy, genetics, and physiology. Once you have been accepted into one of the vet schools, you will take these courses again, but the focus will be how these subjects relate to animals.

The pre-vet program is 45 to 90 semester credits and takes two or more years to complete.

Pre-vet programs are offered at most colleges and universities that offer pre-medicine types of curriculums. Pre-vet programs do not need to be taken at vet schools.

Next Is Entry into One of the Nation’s Vet Schools

Once you are accepted at any of the vet schools, you’ll start the next four years of education. You’ll follow a specific curriculum that is given on a specific timetable. For example, during the first year at any of the vet schools, you can only take first year courses. Enrollment in a third year class during the first year is forbidden.

During your coursework at any of the vet schools, you will learn animal handling, animal behavior, and be involved with animals the entire program. In the first year, you will be working predominantly with animal cadavers to learn anatomy. However, after the first year there will be more hands-on work with live animals. You may spend a semester with pigs for one course, another few semesters with cattle, and another semester with horses, all while completing the regular coursework in the curriculum.

All vet programs at all vet schools are not alike. Some vet schools have more emphasis on horses. For example, Cal Poly Tech offers students the opportunity to work with Arabian horses and has a complete research center set up on campus. Auburn University offers students the opportunity to work with detection dogs, studying olfactory science, or the science of smell. Others offer the opportunity to work with marine life.

School May Not End after You Get the Four-Year D.V.M. Degree

An internship is not part of regular vet schools. It is added onto the four-year program only if the vet student is accepted into the internship program. Internships are one year long.

Residency programs at vet schools are generally between three and six years. These programs offer board certification upon their completion, giving the veterinarian extra credentials in a certain area of expertise. Some of these areas include: surgery, anesthesiology, dentistry, dermatology, neurology, orthopedics, and oncology (treatment of cancer). Those who have already completed an internship can only enter residency programs. All residency programs must be applied to individually and competition is great.