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Pre-Vet

  • Career Prep

The Pre-Vet Program

Saint Vincent College has a long history of preparing students for entrance to health profession schools including veterinary schools.

Pre-health profession students may choose any major and are guided by the Preprofessional Health Committee. The Committee consists of approximately eight SVC faculty and a physician. It advises students about coursework, clinical/veterinary exposure, service activities, leadership roles, entrance examinations, applications and interviews. The Committee also conducts a comprehensive orientation program, maintains an extensive system of electronic resources for students and hosts speakers. Shortly before students submit their applications to veterinary schools, the Committee assesses the candidacy of each prospective applicant and prepares detailed recommendation letters. The overall goal is to enable each student to put his or her best foot forward.

How can I prepare myself academically for veterinary school?  

You'll need a strong foundation in mathematics and the sciences that relate most to veterinary medicine: biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physics. Entrance requirements at most veterinary schools include completion of course work in biology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, and English.  There also are a number of school-specific requirements at veterinary schools across the country.  These can be found on the website for the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (https://www.aavmc.org/).

In addition to the above requirements, a liberal arts education is a key ingredient to becoming a veterinarian, so it's important for your college experience to be well-rounded. Taking courses in the humanities and the social sciences will help you prepare for the "people" side of veterinary medicine, because all pets have owners who consider their pets part of the family. Furthermore, the ideal veterinarian understands how society works and also can communicate and write well.

Extracurricular activities also are important. You may want to volunteer at a local animal hospital, clinic, park, zoo, or private practice to gain practical veterinary experience.

Curriculum Requirements

  • Requirements for the Health Professions

    Every student interested in the health professions must complete one year of General Biology with lab (BL 150-153), one year of General Chemistry with lab (CH 101-104), one semester of Calculus (MA 109), one year of Organic Chemistry with lab (CH 221-224) and one year of General Physics with lab (PH 111-114). Individual health profession schools may have additional requirements. More specific information about prerequisite coursework is available from:

    • Allopathic Medicine: American Association of Medical Colleges (www.aamc.org)
    • Osteopathic Medicine: American Association of Osteopathic Medical Colleges (www.aacom.org)
    • Dental Medicine: American Dental Education Association (www.adea.org)
    • Veterinary Medicine: American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (www.aavmc.org)
    • Optometry: Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (www.opted.org)
    • Podiatry: American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine (www.aacpm.org)
    • Chiropractic: Association of Chiropractic Colleges (www.chirocolleges.org)

    In addition to preparing students for matriculation to health professions schools, SVC offers programs in some allied health professions. For more information about those programs, click on the links to the right. 

  • Student Learning Outcomes

    • To broadly and effectively educate students in the theory and practice of science for success in the health and allied health professions.
    • To empower students with the skills and knowledge of biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics necessary to form a broad scientific foundation as preparation for admissions exams, and for application in the health and allied health professions.
    • To specifically prepare undergraduate students for study in allopathic medicine, chiropractic medicine, dental medicine, osteopathic medicine, optometry, podiatric medicine, and veterinary medicine.
    • To specifically prepare undergraduate students for study in allied health fields including nursing, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physical therapy, and physician assistant graduate programs.

Program Highlights

  • Placement Statistics

    Following are the admissions statistics and schools attended for students who graduated from Saint Vincent College during the past five years.

    ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM # MATRICULANTS/# APPLICANTS % ACCEPTED
    Medicine (Allopathic/Osteopathic) 36/39 92%
    Dental 6/6 100%
    Optometry 4/4 100%
    Veterinary 5/6 83%
    Other (e.g. PT, PA, Pharm, Chiro, Podiat) 19/19 100%
     
    Total 70/74 95%

Schools Attended

  • Medicine

    Drexel University
    Georgetown University
    University of Virginia
    University of Pittsburgh
    Penn State University
    Penn State Hershey
    Temple University
    Jefferson Medical College
    West Virginia University
    Trinity School of Medicine
    Ross University School of Medicine
    Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
    Commonwealth Medical College
    The Ohio State University of Medicine
    Uniformed Services University Of the Health Sciences: F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine
    University of Maryland
    PCOM
    LECOM
    Lincoln Memorial-DeBusk
    Meharry Medical College
    Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine
    Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine-Virginia Campus
    Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine-Carolinas Campus
    Touro COM
    Ohio Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
  • Dental/Dentistry

    University of Pittsburgh
    Temple University
    West Virginia University
    University of California at San Francisco
    Virginia Commonwealth
  • Optometry

    Salus University
    Indiana University – Bloomington
    University of Houston
    Nova Southeastern University, College of Optometry
    Ohio State University, College of Optometry
  • Podiatry

    Kent State University
    Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine
  • Veterinary

    Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine
    Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University
    Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine, Ohio State University
    Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine
    University of Illinois School of Veterinary Medicine
    University of Pennsylvania
    University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine
  • Chiropractic Schools

    National University of the Health Sciences- Chiropractic Medicine
    New York Chiropractic College
    Palmer College of Chiropractic

Experiential Learning Prepares Students For Success

Gregory Bisignani, M.D., and Carl Hasselman, M.D., clinical professors at Saint Vincent College, describe their teaching laboratory periods in the Liberatore Human Anatomy Laboratory, a gift of Ralph and Donna Liberatore. The laboratory is used by undergraduate students for the study of human anatomy and physiology, facilitated by cadaveric dissection. The lab is also used by external clients for surgical training and demonstrations. Students observe and assist with demonstration surgeries, an opportunity Hasselman has described as a “huge step forward in preparing undergraduates for medical school.”