Applying to vet school? Didn’t have a chance to attend our VMCAS 101 meeting? That is not a problem. We have summed up all of the information discussed for you. The applications open May 9th, so you can already get started on them! The deadline is September 17th, but the applications must be verified; it is best to submit by August 15th the latest. Keep track of time. You need to fill out biographical data, schools, evaluation links, etc. There is a lot! Once you have hit submit, the applications fees have been paid, and transcripts have been sent, the application can be verified. GPA is calculated, schools begin exporting data from VMCAS, and schools begin processing applications. Transcripts are needed from every school attended, and the unofficial transcript from Myucdavis should be used for inputting course work. Only input AP classes that are noted on the transcript and not what they will substitute. To submit transcripts, you will enter a code associated with each school. For recommendations, 2 science faculty members, at least 1 vet, and an advisor should usually be asked; look at specific school needs for recommendation letters as they differ for each school. For the recommendations, known as eLORs, you have to input the recommenders’ information and email addresses, and send out the link. Tell your recommenders by July 1st, and send a reminder September 1st. In the VMCAS application, fill out experiences, starting with the most recent. The essays go to every school. The essays likely ask what your future career goal is and why. Also, what ways do veterinarians contribute to society, and how do you hope to contribute yourself? Additionally, what attributes do you believe are essential to be successful within the veterinary profession? Of these attributes, which do you possess, and how have you demonstrated these in the past? The essays for supplemental applications for each school differ. The GRE is needed to apply for veterinary school. You will be asked to send scores, which you can do for free for 4 schools directly after taking the exam, or you can pay a fee and send the scores later. All of this information should be helpful in completing your application. Good luck!
May 7, 2019
Applying to vet school? Didn’t have a chance to attend our VMCAS 101 meeting? That is not a problem. We have summed up all of the information discussed for you. The applications open May 9th, so you can already get started on them! The deadline is September 17th, but the applications must be verified; it is best to submit by August 15th the latest. Keep track of time. You need to fill out biographical data, schools, evaluation links, etc. There is a lot! Once you have hit submit, the applications fees have been paid, and transcripts have been sent, the application can be verified. GPA is calculated, schools begin exporting data from VMCAS, and schools begin processing applications. Transcripts are needed from every school attended, and the unofficial transcript from Myucdavis should be used for inputting course work. Only input AP classes that are noted on the transcript and not what they will substitute. To submit transcripts, you will enter a code associated with each school. For recommendations, 2 science faculty members, at least 1 vet, and an advisor should usually be asked; look at specific school needs for recommendation letters as they differ for each school. For the recommendations, known as eLORs, you have to input the recommenders’ information and email addresses, and send out the link. Tell your recommenders by July 1st, and send a reminder September 1st. In the VMCAS application, fill out experiences, starting with the most recent. The essays go to every school. The essays likely ask what your future career goal is and why. Also, what ways do veterinarians contribute to society, and how do you hope to contribute yourself? Additionally, what attributes do you believe are essential to be successful within the veterinary profession? Of these attributes, which do you possess, and how have you demonstrated these in the past? The essays for supplemental applications for each school differ. The GRE is needed to apply for veterinary school. You will be asked to send scores, which you can do for free for 4 schools directly after taking the exam, or you can pay a fee and send the scores later. All of this information should be helpful in completing your application. Good luck! February 5, 2019 Hello pre-vets! Liz Stelow DVM, DACVB shared her accomplished path to where she is today. Unlike most veterinarians, Dr. Stelow majored in English and minored in Biology to take a breather from all of the books and papers! After graduating from Georgetown University, Dr. Stelow was not prepared for veterinary school, but she had lots of practice reading and editing documents, so she worked at a law firm for 2 years that taught her how to be flexible and how to be a team member. After all, every job can be helpful in teaching valuable skills. Next, Dr. Stelow worked in community relations at Contractor EPA and then Cal EPA, which were primarily focused on people skills. Being a veterinarian, diagnostic skills are a must for focusing on the patient, but the primarily responsibility is truly the client, which is where the people skills come in handy. Following, Dr. Stelow had a career in public relations at a large engineering firm in San Francisco: still far off from a veterinarian; however, this career further focused on communication: a much needed attribute in veterinarians. The company experienced lots of controversy, and Dr. Stelow was the one to deal with all the unhappy people. As one can imagine, clients with sick animals are not at their best state, thus practicing dealing with unhappy people was highly useful for when Dr. Stelow did eventually become a veterinarian. Still having not worked with animals, Dr. Stelow attained a job in the public relations direction at the Pasadena Humane Society as a PR director. A large part of the job was writing press releases. Visiting her own veterinarian, Dr. Stelow saw lots of exotics that caught her interest; she next worked with her veterinarian, making her comfortable enough to apply for veterinary school. Meanwhile, Dr. Stelow was also volunteering at the Los Angeles Zoo as a docent in which she needed to take a Wild Animals in Captivity 8 unit course that taught taxonomy, husbandry needs, and anatomy; it was intense! Having decided that she wanted to be a veterinarian, Dr. Stelow still needed schooling since she hadn’t taken any of the prerequisites: chemistry, biochemistry, organic chemistry. Dr. Stelow attended Occidental College in Los Angeles and participated in their post bachelor program for transitioning to health. Only 5 students were a part of this program. After having completed the prerequisites, Dr. Stelow applied and got accepted into vet school at UC Davis. Her husband moved up to Davis; he was in entertainment. As a freshman, palpating a fistulated cow was one of the most memorable experiences; she needed to collect healthy rumen fluid to provide for the sick cattle. In the 2nd year, a halloween party was memorable; you do still get to play in vet school! A tip that was given was to choose your friends carefully because in the 4th year rotations, you are mixed and matched with classmates. You will need to get through it together; therefore, it is good to bond the first 3 years to know who you can rely on the 4th year. In her 4th year, Dr. Stelow enjoyed a raptor handling class; she got to handle birds of prey, avian, and exotic animals. Vet school has played a huge role on where Dr. Stelow is today. Directly after vet school, she thought she wanted to practice right after, but then, a baby came (now 12.5 years old)! Dr. Stelow says, “After vet school, baby poop does not scare you anymore; nothing really scares you anymore.” All the while, Dr. Stelow did lots of relief work, working in clinics in which there was lots of flexibility. Getting antsy doing the same thing all the time, Dr. Stelow wanted a change; she decided she wanted to specialize. Coincidentally, a friend in charge of behavior at the teaching hospital had an application for a new resident. Dr. Stelow had 3 weeks to pull it off, but she managed to get an interview and the residency. After 3 years of advanced training, seeing cases and writing case reports, she took a 2 day exam to be board certified. Only 6 people passed the 1st time! Dr. Stelow was one of them, and now, she can put DACVB after her name. Today, Dr. Stelow is a vet at the UC Davis veterinary school in which she is one of 100 boarded behaviorists in all of the USA and Canada. A boarded behaviorist is a psychiatrist equivalent. There are many animal behavior issues that some vets cannot handle, and that is when Dr. Stelow comes in. Some of the issues includign dogs biting people, tearing up the house when left alone, attacking owners, etc. Zoos also call, but usually for quality of life, if they are not ready to put the animal down, or if there is a change in behavior. 98% of Dr. Stelow’s day includes teaching and seeing cases, and she is currently working on a parrot study. Overall, there are many pathways one can take to become a veterinarian, and many skills come in handy from different fields and experiences. It doesn’t matter how long it takes to become a veterinarian as long as you eventually reach the goal. Dr. Stelow demonstrates this, being spontaneous and a bit of an opportunist along the way. Hello pre-vets! We kicked off the year informing you of vet school options at our first general meeting on 10/05/18. Unsure of which veterinary school you want to attend? No worries! We provide information about some options. Attending such an event is a quick and easy way to get answers about the school rather than having to email or call. At this first event we had Ross, Michigan State University, and Kansas State University representatives come all the way to Davis to answer your questions and give a summary of their programs. Ross was the first to present. The school is located in St. Kitts, just South of Puerto Rico, so if studying in the Caribbean with year-round tropical climate and driving on the other side of the rode interests you, you may have to dive deeper into Ross University. Not to mention, you will be greeted by a welcome committee when you arrive for easy transition. They also ease your transition with on campus housing the 1st semester in which everything is fully furnished, and internet and AC are included. Once it come time for off campus living, a network of landlords is available to assist you. The school is AVMA accredited, meaning that one can practice in the states after passing the NAVLE. Clinical rotations are available in the states with 22 affiliates and 6 others around the world: Edinburgh, Montreal, Massey, Royal Vet College, Dublin, etc. The facilities on campus include a large animal teaching facility in which you experience 6 surgeries, an accredited clinic (AAHA), a clinical skills and communication lab, and an anatomy lab. Also, each teaching room has a flashy flat screen TV. Dual degree programs include Masters in One Health, Masters of Science, Doctor of Philosophy (Phd). There are also many clubs to join and research opportunities at their new research facility. To be admitted, one must apply through VMCAS or directly through their website for rolling admission. As with the other veterinary schools, required courses, GPA (average 3.20), GRE (average 300), experience, personal essays, letters of recommendations, and interviews are all evaluated. The start dates are in January, May, or September, so if a deadline for admission is missed, the next starting date is not long after! For those who need more professional experience or have not performed academically well, there is a 1 semester vet preparation program at St. Kitts, and if it is passed, there is a guaranteed spot for you! The cost of tuition is $20,291/semester for the basic sciences and $23,304/semester for clinical training. Next, the representative of Michigan State University presented in which the admission process was largely discussed: the necessities and handy tips! The admission requirements are 3 letters of recommendation (1 from a veterinarian) and mandatory pre-req courses with some GEs waived with a bachelor’s degree. At least half of the prerequisites must be complete before you apply. While veterinary experience is not required, 150 hours is recommended. A bachelor’s degree and the GRE are also not required. Phew, who wouldn’t want to skip the stress of the GRE? Apply through VMCAS, which includes personal essay prompts. The representative advised to make the essays as personal as possible, including all experience (research, animal, etc.), as well as to explain hardships and challenges. The 3-step selection processed was also explained: a 3.0 or higher GPA for last 3 semesters and for science classes, file review —experience, questions, personal responses, and a multiple mini interview. It was advised to relax and be yourself! There are no right or wrong answers; good communication is mainly seemed after.
Ross University of Veterinary Medicine Location: Basseterre, St. Kitts Associate Director of Admissions: Philip Jaroslow Contant information: [email protected] Website: veterinary.rossu.edu/ Admission Statistics Average GPA: 3.12 Average GRE Score: 301 Class Size: 120-145 Background Information Tuition: Basic Science (Semesters 1-7)- $18,310/semester Clinical Training (Semesters 8-10)- $22,986/semester Accreditation: AVMA (US), AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association), Accredited by the St. Christopher & Nevis Accreditation Board Programs: DVM- Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (four years) MSc by Research- Duel degree in DVM and Masters by Research (Intercalated DVM/Masters by Research- 13 semesters, Integrated DVM/Masters by Research- 11 semesters) PhD by Research- Duel degree in DVM and PhD by Research MSc and PhD in: - Public Health - Global Animal Health - Tropical Animal Health - Conservation Medicine - Other research areas supported by RUSVM and its partner institutions Student Life: Semester 1 & 2- Science classes (Anatomy, physiology, parasitology, immunology, etc) Semester 3 & 4- More science classes (pathology, epidemiology, bacteriology, nutrition, etc) Semester 5 & 6 (Clinical studies (Diagnostic imaging, anesthesiology, toxicology, etc) Semester 7- Students do surgery (7 large animal & 2 small animal) Semester 8, 9, & 10- 3 semesters of clinical training at an AVMA-accredited school of veterinary medicine in the US, Canada, or international school affiliated with RUSVM.** (*The Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine school year is divided into three academic semesters each calendar year, allowing accepted students to begin their studies during any semester.) (**Click here to see the 32 clinical affiliate schools) Interesting facts 1. Because Ross Vet tries to take a holistic approach to accepting students, they offer a Vet-Prep program to students who may be a good fit after additional coursework. The Vet-Prep program is a one semester long program that gives the student an idea of how the next four years are going to be. If the student passes all of the classes then they will receive automatic acceptance into the program. 2. Ross University has a number of high-tech apparatuses that provide the students with hands on learning-- such as the state of the art anatomy table, various microscopy labs, and a simulation center. 3. There is a 12:1 student ratio at the vet school which allows for the students to have easy access to their professors. 4. Students generally live on campus their first year to acclimate to their new living situation. The on campus apartments are pet friendly and fully furnished down to the silverware and plates. 5. There are plenty of extracurricular activities you can join in on to help balance out your school life. There are nearly two dozen clubs (PAWS, Surgery Club, Feral Cat Project, etc), conservation/exotic/wildlife related research, and island activities that include scuba-diving, surfing, zip-lining, parasailing, etc. Advice 1. Obvious but important: dress professionally for your interview! Come prepared with questions for your interviewer. Your interviewer's job is to get to know you as a person, so feel free to explain any obstacles you had to overcome in your journey through your undergraduate studies. 2. Ross University has three different start dates, in September, January, and May. The classes that start in January and May tend to be ~20 students smaller than the one that starts in September. 3. Because everyone who lives on the island comes from a different background, this makes the community incredibly collaborative and allows the residents to develop lifelong relationships. Khurshid IranpurPSSD Historian/Secretary 2018 Background: Dr. Jovanna Radillo is an inspiring Mexican-American veterinarian, who graduated from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 2012. She grew up in the inner city of Los Angeles, California and was a first generation student at UC Davis, where she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Evolution and Ecology Biology with a minor in Comparative Literature. During her undergraduate career, she decided to stay for a fifth year at UC Davis in order to slow down and enjoy her time, while also using the opportunity to acquire more veterinary experience. After graduating, she then went on to pursue a Master's degree at CSU Sacramento in Public Policy and Administration. Finally, she obtained her Degree of Veterinary Medicine from UC Davis and has been working in corporate veterinary medicine at Banfield Pet Hospital ever since. Her interests include behavior, dermatology, ophthalmology, and dentistry. Dr. Radillo was one out of only two Hispanic students in her class during veterinary school. She strongly believes that diversity is necessary in veterinary medicine because everyone has different perspectives and life experiences that can help contribute to the success and growth of the profession. Dr. Radillo is an inspiring role model for all Hispanic pre-vet students because her story shows that everything is possible when there is a will and passion. Tips & Suggestions:
BY Trisha zarinanaHistorian/Secretary Struggling with your application for vet school? Don’t know where to start? Are you freaking out over the process? Well you’re not alone, you truly never are in this rollercoaster of a process! Luckily, we were able to sit down with Joanne Snapp, Director of Health Professions Advising, to learn more about the application process and what schools are looking for in their potential students. Some of the main advice and tips Joanne shared with us were:
If you have any questions you could contact Joanne at [email protected] or stop by the new Health Professions Advising Center on 1090 Orchard Rd! Stay motivated and out of the rain this quarter! Background: Dr. Peyton moved around a lot as a child, but regardless she knew she loved animals and wanted to work with them one day. Her family eventually ended up settling in Florida and it gave her the perfect opportunity to own a dog furthering her love for animals even more. When her dog got severely ill, Dr. Peyton found her passion through being able to be there for her four-legged companion as she did not respond to treatment and eventually had to be put down. Education and Experience: As an undergrad, Dr. Peyton went to Auburn University majoring in Zoology. As she attended school, she did community outreach for the local zoo, worked at a dog kennel, interned at different veterinary clinics when she had the chance and took care of family farms, taking many other opportunities as they came her way. After graduating in 2004, with a degree in Zoology and a DVM, she continued on to to complete a one year internship in Small Animal Medicine Emergency and Surgery at Texas A&M University. From there, Dr. Peyton moved onto the University of California Davis, where she now practices, for a three year residency. When her own dog was given the ultimatum of limb amputation, Dr. Peyton looked for alternatives that would keep her dog comfortable through illness. From that experience, she became interested in acupuncture and chiropractic medicine for animals to better help them with their ailments. Her main focus now is finding new alternative ways for owners to help their loved furry friends be more comfortable while going through therapy. From Dr. Peyton on the UC Davis Veterinary Medicine news page: “Integrative medicine is about combining conventional medicine with complementary therapy to provide a whole patient approach. [...] I was inspired by this philosophy and wanted to learn additional modalities to help my patients not only leave the hospital earlier, but live a more comfortable life afterwards.” Words of Wisdom: Dr. Jamie Peyton gave us some important advice that we could all use from time to time including…
Here is a list of general information as provided by the representatives from Louisiana State University Veterinary School of Medicine and Royal Veterinary College. We have included the admissions representatives' names along with their contact information and the school's website if you have any further questions. Louisiana State university school of veterinary medicineLocation: Baton Rouge, Louisiana School Representative: Kayla Baudoin , [email protected] Website: http://www.lsu.edu/vetmed/ Admissions Statistics (based on Class of 2021): Prerequisites GPA Avg: 3.79 (Range: 3.36-4.0) * Note: The average is high because it includes bonus points for getting As in science courses. Last 45 units GPA Avg: 3.76 (Range: 3.22-4.0) GRE (verbal and quantitative): 305 (Range: 270-323) Class Size: Approx. 90 students per class Breakdown- 60-65 Louisiana Residents 9 Arkansas Residents 16-21 Out of State Residents *Note: LSU will be opening more spots to out of state residents starting next year. Tuition and Financial Information: Tuition: $27,963/ year for out of state residents Financial Opportunities include: -student loans -2nd-4th year scholarships -live-in program -Corporate Company Ambassadors -become a Peer Tutor - discount food and product program DVM Program Schedule- four year program 1st-3rd years: lock-step lectures and labs 3rd-4th years: clinical rotations * Options of clinical rotations include: - small animal -mixed animal -equine -food animal -zoological medicine -public practice Applicant Evaluation Criteria Objective Criteria (65%): - GPA (47%) -prerequisite GPA (39%) - Last 45 GPA ( 18%) -GRE (18%) Subjective Criteria (35%): - Folder Review (15%) - Interview (10%) - Admission Committee (10%) ROYAL VETERINARY COLLEGELocation: London, UK School Representative: John Gorzynski, [email protected] Website: https://www.rvc.ac.uk/ Admission Statistics GPA: 3.4 or higher GRE: No info on avg scores Class Size: Approx. 203 students per class Tuition Information Tuition: $43,000/year for international students Funding: RVC participates in the Direct Loan Program, federal financial assistance from the US dept. of Education is made available for US students studying at RVC. DVM Program -students in the DVM program have the opportunity of studying at two of RVC's campuses (Camden campus in central London and Hawkshead Campus near Potters Bar). Years 1-2: mainly spent at the Camden campus - lectures and practical in animal health and handling - min. 12 weeks of Animal Husbandry ExtraMural Studies (AHEMS) - AHEMS include: three weeks of lambing, two weeks at a dairy cattle farm, two weeks at pig farm, two weeks with horses, and four weeks with an animal of choice. Years 3-4: spent at the Hertfordshire campus - learn and gain experience relating to pathology of disease, diagnosis, prognosis, medical and surgical therapy. - spend time at the College's Clinical Skills Centre - by third year start Clinical Extra Mural Studies (EMS) - 26 weeks of Clinical EMS before fourth year - by fourth year you spend most remainder of time gaining hands-on experience in RVC clinics (IntraMural Rotations) - Rotations include: small animal medicine and emergency, equine medicine and surgery, farm animal medicine and surgery, and pathology. - research project is also required for fourth years. Applicant Evaluation Criteria - Academic performance - Animal/veterinary experience - Interview - Academic references -Personal statement Kelli ChanPSSD Vice President 2017-2018 Hey Pre-Vets! If you weren’t able to make it out last Tuesday night, here is a recap of what you missed:
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