Veterinary Medicine
Compassionate Care for Animals
Pursuing a Career in Veterinary Medicine
In addition to providing animal health care, including livestock, working animals, and pets, veterinarians do many other kinds of jobs. They make sure the nation’s food supply is safe. They work to control the spread of diseases through the prevention, control, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases affecting the health of domestic and wild animals and with the prevention of transmission of animal diseases to people. They conduct research that helps both animals and humans. Veterinarians are at the forefront of protecting the public’s health and welfare.
- To learn more about types of careers within veterinary medicine, including the 46 distinct specialties, visit the Association of American Veterinary Colleges (AAVMC) website.
- To see the job outlook for veterinarians, visit the Occupation Outlook Handbook.
Incoming freshmen indicate their interest in veterinary medicine on the UM application. Others complete the short online form to be assigned to an HPAO advisor and notified about HPAO programs and services.
Enroll in HPAO
Admission to Veterinary Medicine Schools
Veterinarians must complete a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or VMD) degree at an accredited college of veterinary medicine. A veterinary medicine program generally takes 4 years to complete and includes classroom, laboratory, and clinical components.
Pre-vet students at the University of Mississippi apply to and are admitted to veterinary medicine schools across the country. Admission requirements are not standardized for all veterinary schools, but a baccalaureate degree is required for matriculation.
Review this Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges website for a comprehensive list of all required and recommended coursework required by vet schools. Make sure you see a pre-health advisor to ensure you work various course requirements into your four year plan.
To be competitive, students must:
- Complete a baccalaureate degree,
- Earn a competitive GPA,
- Complete of prerequisite coursework,
- Shadow professionals in a veterinary setting,
- Request recommendation letters from science professors and veterinary professionals.
We recommend pre-veterinary students visit the HPAO at least once a semester to gain feedback toward becoming a competitive applicant.
Welcome to Pre-Veterinary Medicine
Whether you're learning more about what it means to be a veterinarian or actively preparing to apply to vet school, we’re here to support your journey. Explore the dynamic profession of Veterinary Medicine and learn more about their role as members of the healthcare team and how to become a competitive candidate for Vet school.
Carmen Kennedy
Academic Advisor I
Meet some Pre-Vet Students
Willa Grace Burger
How has HPAO helped you?
See Willa Grace’s Answer
Kate Thompson
Why did you decide to pursue this health profession?
See Kate’s Answer
Jessi Thompson
What is your major and why did you choose it?
See Jessi’s Answer
How has HPAO helped you?
"HPAO has helped me in countless ways. I always walk out of my appointment with Ms. Carmen Kennedy feeling much more relaxed than I did going in. She has provided me with help scheduling classes to make sure that I am on the right track for my degree requirements as well as my professional school requirements. She also is the best at giving advice, always recommending places that I can volunteer, shadow, or work so that I can have the most competitive application whenever it comes time to apply to professional school. She's always willing to answer any questions that I have about the vet school application and if she doesn't know the answer, she will stop at nothing to find the answer!"
Jessi Thompson
(B.S. in Biological Science, Minors in General Business, Chemistry, and Classics with Latin emphasis)